Smallbrook Stadium

Stadium in Isle of Wight, England

50°42′38″N 1°09′52″W / 50.71056°N 1.16444°W / 50.71056; -1.16444Openedc.1990

Smallbrook Stadium is a multi-use sports venue on the east side of the Ashey Road, south of Ryde. It currently hosts two football teams and motorcycle speedway run by Island Speedway (Iow) Limited.

Football

The ground hosts Newport (IOW) F.C. who play in the Wessex Football League and Rye Saints, who play in the Isle of Wight leagues.^[1]

Speedway

The venue was the home of the Isle of Wight Warriors, who competed in the British speedway leagues from 2009 until 2019.^[2] In 2021, the club announced they would not be competing during the 2021 season^[3] but various speedway challenge matches still take place at the stadium.^[2]

History

The stadium is named after the existing Smallbrook Heath.^[4] In 1990, Ryde Sports F.C. moved into the newly built stadium and they were elected to the Wessex League that year.

In 1996, a 396 metres speedway track was built around the football pitch and the a team called Ryde Wight Wizards competed in the newly formed Conference League, under the co-promotion of Gareth Rogers.^[5]^[6]

In January 2022, the stadium flooded due to a burst water main.^[7]

References

^ "SMALLBROOK STADIUM". Football Ground Map. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
^ ^a ^b "2023 fixtures". Warriors Speedway. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
^ "Warriors withdraw from National League". Warriors Speedway. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
^ "Hampshire & Isle of Wight Sheet XCI". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
^ "More variety for the Tigers". Cambridge Daily News. 15 March 1996. Retrieved 14 July 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ "Talk". Hull Daily Mail. 11 May 1996. Retrieved 14 July 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ "Burst water main causes Smallbrook stadium flood". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2023.