Turf Moor is a proper British football stadium. To be honest we could just leave it at that and let you scroll through our photos, but we will elaborate on it because the home of Burnley FC deserves recognition as one of the most beautifully raw grounds in the Premier League. It's one we've been keen to tick off for a while, and with that it becomes the latest stop in our 'Residence' series.
It might be the third smallest stadium in the Premier League for the 2019/20 season but what Turf Moor lacks in size it more than makes up for in character, and when this place is rocking it can easily make more noise than grounds twice the size of it. The home of the Clarets since 1883, Turf Moor is one of the oldest football stadiums in the country and chapters of its long and rich history are scattered throughout as generations merge together to create an identity that could not be bought or replicated.
Half of the ground was re-developed in the mid-1990's as the two-tiered James Hargreaves Stand replaced a steep covered terrace in 1996, followed by the completion of the Jimmy McIlroy Stand, which is another two-tiered stand behind the goal. Since Burnley have begun to establish themselves in the top flight the club have been busy brushing up the stadium, none more so than earlier this year when a new three-storey structure was built to fill in the corners and in turn providing the stadium with more of an enclosed feel.
Turf Moor is renowned for being close to the action for any spectator, and everything about a trip to Burnley feels heart-warmingly like a proper matchday. A real working-class town with immense pride for their club, Burnley might come across as industrial but Turf Moor provides a leafy feel when you first spot the dominant roof structure on a rural backdrop upon arrival into the town. It's an incredibly picturesque scene that tingles the senses. None of this concrete out-of-town blocks that some newer stadiums disappoint with.
Wooden seats, residential neighbours, glimpses of floodlights through houses and trees, and a short walk to the town centre for a pre or post-match pint in a proper local pub. You can't beat it.
Turf Moor is the third smallest Premier League ground in the 2019/20 season with a capacity of 21,944.
The new corner, screen and viewing gallery between the two-tiered James Hargreaves and Jimmy McIlroy Stands.
Turf Moor is a real blend of footballing generations. An atmospheric stadium drenched in character with plenty of battle scars and quirky features.
Photography by Ross Cooke for SoccerBible. See the full 'Residence' series here.
