The countdown is nearly complete, with only a few days left before the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. The football, or as Americans would say, soccer, games will be held at various venues throughout London, one being the Old Trafford Stadium.
This stadium is home to the well-known football club, Manchester United. With soccer being one of many sports that I have played, I really enjoy watching it on TV when I get the chance. The skill of these players, who are the top competitors from their country, is amazing. Many football, or soccer, fans will be viewing their favorite sport played in the massive Old Trafford stadium.
Learning some of the history and basic facts of these Olympic venues is a fun part of this historic experience. It is a great honor for these venues to be selected to be a part of the 2012 Olympics.
The following historic information and basic facts about Old Trafford were obtained from the 2012 London Olympic Games website.
Location: Southwest of Manchester's city center
Year Built: 1910
Seating Capacity: 75,811
History: In 1910, the Manchester United Football Club's new stadium was completed and ready to host its first match. On Feb. 19, Manchester faced Liverpool on its new home turf surrounded by nearly 80.000 seats. About 20 years later, some small renovations took place, with a roof being constructed over the United Road terrace. Unfortunately, during World War II, the stadium was badly damaged by the German air raids. After eight years of rebuilding and a little time spent playing at Marine Road, Manchester United returned to its home field.
Uses: Being Manchester United's field is Old Trafford's primary use. It hosted some matches during the 1966 World Cup. It also hosted some matches, including a quarterfinal and a semifinal game, during the 1996 Euro Championships. In 2003, Old Trafford hosted its first European Cup final between Milan and Juventus. In about three years, Old Trafford is scheduled to be a venue for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Along with being a major football/soccer venue, Old Trafford holds rugby games and boxing events.
Other Facts: Old Trafford is the second largest football stadium in Great Britain and the third largest venue for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. In 1939, the stadium's highest recorded attendance, 76,962 attendees, took place during an FA Cup semifinal match. It was nicknamed the "Theatre of Dreams" by the football star Bobby Charlton.
The information in this article was obtained from www.stadiumguide.com/oldtrafford/ and www.london2012.com/venue/old-trafford/.
I wrote this article because I am an athlete who loves to see the pinnacle of athletic ability displayed in the Olympics' various sporting events.
