Em ir
Bu ld ng
Laid out on the site of Watkin ’ s Folly , the intention was for the stadium to be ready for the following year ’ s FA Cup final , just 10 months away . It was also the first structure of the BEE scheduled to be completed , a year ahead of the start of the main event .
Above : The dimensions of the new stadium compared to the Colosseum Image : The Sphere ( January 1923 )
The new stadium rose with impressive speed , the specifics of which were set out in great detail in an article in The Engineer on 6 April 1923 . Amongst the intricate engineering facts and figures , The Engineer tells us that the seats in the centre section of the main stand would be of the wooden tip-up variety and 16 ” wide , with the remainder being simple wooden benches . The 91,500 standing spaces would be arranged around the oval shape of the new stadium on a combination of rough clinker and cinder terracing on the lower areas and concrete planks higher up , with risers of up to 3½ inches per step . For certain events , an additional 10,000 seats would be inserted temporarily , close to the playing area , on the running track .
Left : Work on one of the Twin Towers Image : Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News
( March 1923 )
6