Easter Road: Hibernian
Richard Webb [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Easter Road has been the home of Hibs since 1893, the year that the ground opened its doors for the first time. The attendance record of 65,860, set when Hearts came to play there in 1950, remains the record for any Scottish football match not held in Glasgow.
The stadium has developed a number of quirks and personality traits over the years, most notably the pronounced slope of the pitch that existed until it was removed at the turn of the new millennium. Life at Easter Road for Hibernian got under way on the 4th of February 1893 when they played a friendly match against Clyde.
Stats
| Easter Road Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1893 |
| Capacity | 20421 |
| Average Attendance | 17964 |
| Record Attendance | 65860 (Hibernian v Hearts (1950)) |
| Pitch Size | 105 x 68 (7140) |
| Nickname | The Leith San Siro, The Holy Ground |
| Owner | Hibernian F.C. |
| Clubs Hosted | Hibernian F.C., Raith Rovers F.C., Edinburgh Rugby |
| First Fixture | Hibs v Clyde (04/02/1893) |
| Hibernian Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1875 |
| Nickname | Hibs, Hibees, The Cabbage |
| Club Mascot | Sunshine the Leith Lynx |
| Rivals | Hearts |
| Previous Stadiums | The Meadows, Hibernian Park |
| Kit | Green & White (Home) / White & Green Stripes (Away) |
| Training Ground | Hibernian Training Centre |
| Shirt Sponsor | Utilita |
| Team Owner | Ronald Gordon |
| Record Goalscorer | Lawrie Reilly (187) |
| Record Appearances | Arthur Duncan (446) |
Easter Road Photos
By Daniel from United Kingdom (Easter Road - East StandUploaded by Kafuffle) [CC BY 2.0]
By Jmorrison230582 (Own work (Original text: self-made)) [Public domain]
By Daniel from United Kingdom (Easter Road - West StandUploaded by Kafuffle) [CC BY 2.0]
Easter Road Seating Plan and Where to Sit
The two stands that run alongside the pitch at Easter Road are imaginatively named The East Stand and The West Stand. Just as much imagination went into one the stands behind the goal, which is named The South Stand. To give the club their due they weren’t quite as predictable with the one behind the other goal and they named that The Famous Five Stand, after some past players.
Hibernian Ticket Prices
Adults can watch Hibs play for £20-£23 if they book in advance, whilst concessions will pay around £12 for the pleasure.
The ticketing information isn’t easy to find, and the club also offer bundles that make tickets cheaper across a run of 5 or 8 games, so it’s all a bit convoluted.
How To Get Hibernian Tickets
You can pick up tickets at Easter Road itself, or by going onto the club’s website or calling the ticket office directly. It costs £1.50 to go pick them up though…
Where to Buy
Getting To Easter Road
Train – Edinburgh is served by a number of train stations, with Edinburgh Waverley being the one you’re most likely to pull into if you’re arriving from afar. It’s about twenty minutes from the ground on foot.
Bus – A number of buses run from Princes Street to the stadium, with the Lothian Region Transport buses the ones you want to keep your eye out for.
Car – The route you’ll take to Easter Road depends on where you’re coming from, but generally speaking you’ll want to get onto the A1 and then follow the signs.
By Air – Edinburgh Airport is the one you’ll want to fly into. It’s around ten miles from the ground or nine miles from the city centre and there are trams and buses you can take.
Taxi – A cab from Waverley Station to the stadium will take less than ten minutes as long as you don’t get caught up in the city’s traffic. You should expect to pay about £7.50.
Parking Near Easter Road
There’s no parking at the stadium and there are also parking restrictions in place that you’ll have to be wary of if you drive there.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Easter Road Hotels
This is Edinburgh. It’s full of great hotels. Here are some of our suggestions:
Park View House Hotel - £50+
Sandaig Guest House - £75+
Halcyon Hotel - £85+
Pubs and Bars Near Easter Road
This is Edinburgh. It’s full of great pubs. You know where we are going with this:
Belushi’s
The Cambridge Bar
Teuchters Bar
Facilities
It’s not the newest stadium in the league but it was built well and developed up until 2010, so it’s comfortable enough. Views are unobstructed and you should be able to find something to eat and drink easily enough. No toilets though.
Just kidding, they even have toilets.
Prices
- Programme: £3
- Pie: £2.4
- Cup of tea: £2.2
Hospitality
There are two main locations for hospitality experiences at Easter Road: The Eighteen 75 Gallery and Restaurant and The Edinburgh Suite. Whichever one you opt for you’ll get a first-class experience whatever your requirements. They are aimed at different people, so have a think about what you want to get out of your hospitality experience and work forwards from there. The Gallery includes a 3 course meal, inclusive drinks, executive seating, a host as well as player visits after the game. The Edinburgh Suite is a bit more casual with hot buffet, pay bar, betting facilities as well the post match player appearance.
Private Hire
Whether you’re hoping to celebrate your wedding at Easter Road, have a party or host a meeting, there are plenty of private hire options available to you with a max capacity of 400 event depending. It is one of the leading banqueting and conference venues in the Edinburgh area, so make sure you check it out if you’re hosting an event in the city.
Stadium Tours & Museum
Tours run sporadically but tend to be on Fridays at 2pm and are priced at £10 for adults, £7.50 for concessions and £5 for juniors. You can learn the history and folklore surrounding the club, and even walk in the players footsteps before taking your seat to watch the match. There is no museum as such but thee are a lot of artefacts and historic memorabilia on the tour.
About Hibernian
Hibernian Football Club is more commonly known by the name Hibs, and they can boast supporters from Grimsby to New Zealand. Hibs were established in 1875 by a group of Irish immigrants to Edinburgh. Nowadays supporters tend to choose Hibs because of their geographical location in the city rather than any ethnic or religious links. You’ll notice a nod to the club’s Irish heritage in the green and white colours of their crest.
Hibs have won the Scottish top-flight on four occasions, though they haven’t managed it since 1952. They’ve finished as runners-up six times and they’ve also picked up three Scottish Cups over the years, most recently in 2016. They’ve won three Scottish League Cups and have been the champions of the Scottish second-tier on five different occasions.
Easter Road History
During their early years at the ground Hibernian were only renting Easter Road. The Edinburgh council had plans to develop the area and so the club refused to put any money into it; at one point the club even considered moving to Aberdeen. In 1922 a 25-year lease was agreed, meaning that the club’s owners decided to invest in its development. They built a new Main Stand and also raised terraces on the other three banks.
As with many grounds, the biggest changes to the stadium came in the wake of the decision to requite all top stadia to become all-seater after the Taylor Report into The Hillsborough Disaster was released. Again, the club considered re-locating but in the end chose to redevelop Easter Road instead. The work took fifteen years to complete, starting in 1995 and coming to its conclusion in 2010.
Future Developments
Other than the installation of a few huge screens in two corners of the stadium in 2021, there are no major plans in place to develop the ground any further, though of course that might change in the future.