Almondvale Stadium

{{Short description|Football stadium in Livingston, Scotland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox venue | name = The Home of the Set Fare Arena | nickname = The Spaghettihad | image = Almondvale Stadium, Livingston.jpg | caption = Almondvale Stadium in 2012 | pushpin_map = Scotland West Lothian | pushpin_mapsize = 250 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in West Lothian | pushpin_label_position = left | coordinates = {{coord|55|53|9|N|3|31|19|W|type:landmark_region:GB-WLN|display=inline,title}} | location = {{nowrap|Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland}} | broke_ground = | opened = 1995 | closed = | demolished = | owner = West Lothian Council | operator = | surface = Artificial turf | construction_cost = | architect = | former_names = Tony Macaroni Arena | tenants = Livingston F.C. (1995–present) | seating_capacity = 9,713 | record_attendance = 10,112 v Rangers F.C.<br /><small>(27 October 2001)</small> | dimensions = 98m x 69m }}

'''Almondvale Stadium''', also known as '''The Home of the Set Fare Arena''' for sponsorship purposes, is a football stadium, located in the Almondvale area of Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. It has been the home ground of Scottish Premiership club Livingston since 1995, and has an all-seater capacity of 9,713.<ref name="capacity">{{cite web |url=http://spfl.co.uk/clubs/livingston/ |title=Livingstone Football Club|publisher=Scottish Professional Football League |access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref>

Between 2014 and 2024, due to restaurant chain Tony Macaroni's naming rights, the stadium was humorously referred to as the "'''Spaghettihad'''"; a play on Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.stv.tv/sport/spaghettihad-no-more-tony-macaroni-end-livingston-stadium-sponsorship|title='Spaghettihad' no more: Tony Macaroni end Livingston stadium sponsorship|first=Andy|last=Coyle|date=19 March 2024|website=STV News}}</ref>

==History== The stadium was constructed in 1995 as a joint venture between Edinburgh football club Meadowbank Thistle F.C. and the Livingston Development Corporation (LDC). Part of the deal involved the relocation of Meadowbank Thistle to the town and a name change to Livingston. When the LDC was wound up, ownership of the Stadium was transferred to West Lothian Council. It is hired by Livingston from West Lothian Council every year. Livingston initially rapidly moved up the divisions of Scottish football, and the stadium was expanded to meet Scottish Premier League (SPL) standards in time for the club's promotion to the top flight in 2001. The record attendance for a Livingston match at Almondvale is 10,112 and was set during that first season in the SPL, for a match against Rangers on 27 October 2001.

thumb|left|Almondvale pictured in 2007 during an international friendly

The stadium has changed names several times due to sponsorship deals. However, supporters of the club continue to call the stadium Almondvale or the 'Vale.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} It was previously officially titled the City Stadium in the early 2000s due to a sponsorship deal with the City group. It had also been called the West Lothian Courier Stadium before that. However, after the club were taken over by the Lionheart Consortium in 2005, it reverted to its original name, Almondvale Stadium. It was renamed 'Braidwood Motor Company Stadium' in a three-year naming rights deal in May 2010.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/livingston/8703372.stm | title=Livi confirm stadium name change in three-year deal | publisher=BBC Sport | date=25 May 2010 | access-date=26 May 2010}}</ref> In June 2013, it was renamed again for sponsorship reasons to 'Energy Assets Arena'.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://livingstonfc.co.uk/news/news_20130625_1.php | title=Livingston FC Main Sponsorship Deal | publisher=Livingston FC | date=26 June 2013 | access-date=26 June 2013}}</ref> In September 2015, it was renamed again for sponsorship reasons to its current name of 'Tony Macaroni Arena'.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/scottish-football-now-home-most-6486236 | title=Is Scottish Football now home to the most ridiculously-named stadium in world football? | publisher=Daily Record | date=21 September 2015 | access-date=21 September 2015}}</ref> The club announced the end of the sponsorship deal in March 2024.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.stv.tv/sport/spaghettihad-no-more-tony-macaroni-end-livingston-stadium-sponsorship |title='Spaghettihad' no more: Tony Macaroni end Livingston stadium sponsorship |first=Andy |last=Coyle |work=STV News |date=19 March 2024 |access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref>

On 7 April 2011, there were rumours that the stadium could be sold off to a supermarket development, and in turn finance a new stadium, of slightly smaller design, a mile away.<ref>{{Cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13007258 | title = Livingston poised for switch to a new stadium| date=7 April 2011 | access-date=7 April 2011 | work=BBC News}}</ref> However, nothing came of these rumours.

==Structure and facilities== Almondvale is a 9,713 capacity all-seater ground. It has four stands which are all roughly of the same height and two corners of the ground are filled with covered seating. There is an open corner on one side of the West Stand and there is also the 5-storey stadium house in the other corner of the ground which is primarily used for conferences and offices. All the stands are one tier high and the stadium has four large floodlights, one situated at each corner of the ground. The stadium is covered and shielded from the weather elements by the roof and the windshields at the side of the stands. Almondvale also has a red blaes pitch and fully operational under-soil heating.

==Women's football== In August 1997, Almondvale hosted the Scotland–England women's international match.<ref>{{cite news |title=It's a blow for the big game..our striker's pregnant |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/It%27s+a+blow+for+the+big+game..our+striker%27s+pregnant%3B+RECORD+WOMEN...-a061003511 |work=Daily Record |date=22 Aug 1997}}</ref> In 2001, Almondvale was named the Scottish Football Association's centre for women's football.<ref name="BBCW2001">{{cite news |title=New home for women's football |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/1324338.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=11 May 2001 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107033050/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/1324338.stm |archive-date=7 Jan 2014}}</ref> It hosted the Scottish Women's Cup final and the national team's matches from 2001 to 2004.

The stadium was the home ground of Hibernian W.F.C. in 2021–22.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hibernian Women to Play Home Games at Tony Macaroni Arena |url=https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/hibernian-women-to-play-home-games-at-tony-macaroni-arena |website=Hibernian FC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803204236/https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/hibernian-women-to-play-home-games-at-tony-macaroni-arena |archive-date=3 Aug 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Other uses== In 2008, Gretna played one match in the stadium, a 3–0 loss against Celtic, when their temporary home (Fir Park) had problems with its pitch.<ref>{{Cite news | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7306432.stm | title = Gretna 0–3 Celtic| access-date=26 May 2010|date=23 March 2008|work = BBC Sport| first=Colin| last=Moffat}}</ref>

In 2013, Albion Rovers played their cup tie against Rangers at Almondvale in front of a crowd of 5,345.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23454470|title=Albion 0-4 Rangers|work=BBC Sport|date=29 July 2013|access-date=22 August 2013}}</ref>

Over the years, it has also been chosen to host Scotland under-21, under-19, and under-17 matches.

The stadium has hosted the 2012 and the 2013 Challenge Cup finals. On 27 May 2012, the stadium hosted the 2012 Scottish Junior Cup Final.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/sjfa/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1747&newsCategoryID=28&newsID=9715 | title = Emirates Junior Cup Final 2012| access-date=7 June 2012|date=23 April 2012|publisher = Scottish Junior Football Association}}</ref>

Hibernian Reserves also used the Stadium.

==Location and transport== thumb|Aerial view of the stadium in June 2018 The town of Livingston is situated in the central belt of Scotland, approximately 18 miles west of Edinburgh and 33 miles east of Glasgow,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://visitwestlothian.co.uk/shopping-in-west-lothian-scotland/shopping-centres/the-centre-livingston/ |title=About the Centre, Livingston |publisher=Visit West Lothian |access-date=10 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804140000/http://visitwestlothian.co.uk/shopping-in-west-lothian-scotland/shopping-centres/the-centre-livingston |archive-date=4 August 2013 }}</ref> and easily accessible from the M8 motorway.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/almondvale/almondvale_findus.php | title=Find your way here | publisher=Livingston F.C. | access-date=10 June 2013}}</ref> The stadium is located at the centre of the town, in the Almondvale district, near the shopping centre and situated by the River Almond. The ground is signposted reasonably well around the town for the convenience of road traffic. Parking spaces are abundantly found in close proximity to the stadium, either near the shopping centre or at the stadium.<ref name="New Fans">{{cite web | url=http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/almondvale/almondvale_faq.php | title=New Fans | publisher=Livingston F.C. | access-date=10 June 2013}}</ref>

There are two railway stations in reach of the ground; Livingston North and Livingston South. The North station is served by trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow and is about a 30-minute walk away from the ground. The South station also receives trains from both Edinburgh and Glasgow and is about a 40-minute walk away from the stadium.<ref name="Ground Guide">{{cite web | url=http://www.footballgroundguide.com/scotland/livingston.html | title=Livingston: Almondvale Stadium | publisher=Scottish Football Ground Guide | access-date=10 June 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329183427/http://www.footballgroundguide.com/scotland/livingston.html | archive-date=29 March 2013 | url-status=dead}}</ref> In addition to the train stations, the central bus terminal at Livingston is located on Almondvale Avenue, 5 minutes walk from the ground.<ref name="New Fans"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130329183427/http://www.footballgroundguide.com/scotland/livingston.html Almondvale Stadium] Scottish Football Ground Guide

Category:Livingston F.C. Category:Football venues in Scotland Category:Sports venues in West Lothian Category:Scottish Premier League venues Category:Scottish Football League venues Category:Scottish Professional Football League venues Category:Sports venues completed in 1995 Category:Livingston, West Lothian Category:Scottish Women's Premier League venues Category:Hibernian W.F.C.