Stadium Name: | Dallow Lane |
Coordinates: | 51.8818°N -0.4267°W |
Fullname: | Dallow Lane |
Location: | Luton, Bedfordshire, England |
Built: | 1880 |
Opened: | 1880 |
Closed: | 1897 |
Demolished: | ca. 1950 |
Owner: | Excelsior F.C. (1880–85) Luton Town F.C. (1885–97) |
Operator: | Excelsior F.C. (1880–85) Luton Town F.C. (1885–97) |
Surface: | Grass |
Seating Capacity: | ca. 7,000 |
Dallow Lane was a football ground in Luton, England. It was the home ground of Luton Town from its formation in 1885 until a move to Dunstable Road in 1897.
The first organised match of association football in Luton took place at Dallow Lane on 23 October 1880 – a fifteen-a-side match between Excelsior and Luton Rovers.[1] Excelsior, a local works team, emerged as 2–0 victors and remained at the ground until the merger with Luton Town Wanderers in 1885 to become Luton Town Football Club.[1] [2] The new club decided to base itself at Excelsior's Dallow Lane.[2]
Dallow Lane, also known as the Excelsior Ground,[2] had a capacity of about 7,000[3] – most spectators would simply stand behind a rope close to the pitch, and there was a seated grandstand constructed in 1894. The stand was "120 feet long, 18 feet high, 13 feet deep and [had] five tiers of seats".[4] Due to Dallow Lane's close proximity to the Luton to Dunstable railway line, players claimed to have trouble playing due to smoke from the engines.[5] The club made a damaging financial loss during 1896–97 and was forced to sell the ground to stay afloat.[6] Luton Town left Dallow Lane in April to play at Dunstable Road.[7] The Dallow Lane grandstand remained on the site until the mid-20th century, used as a store shed.[5]