Beechwood Park – Replicating or ground sharing names in football

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The Celtic Star

·16 January 2026

Beechwood Park – Replicating or ground sharing names in football

It’s perhaps just as well that the Celts will not be heading for Beechwood Park this Sunday – because they might have gone to the wrong venue…

Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic’s Scottish Cup game with Auchinleck Talbot will see both teams playing away as the match has been moved to Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park.

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Talbot’s home is Beechwood Park, and this is probably the most common name for a ground in Scotland. At least six current or former Scottish clubs use this title for their home venue.

As well Auchinleck, other grounds in Scotland presently using this name are: Dundee side Lochee Harp, Sauchie Juniors in Alloa and Stoneyburn Football Club (the club from which Celtic signed Jimmy Delaney.

Historically, some other teams also played at a Beechwood Park. There was one such ground in Dalmarnock, a short walk from Celtic Park. This was the home of a team called Thistle (not to be confused with Partick Thistle) and also Strathclyde.

Another Beechwood Park was located close to Easter Road. Leith Athletic were Hibs’ near neighbours. Although the original side went out of business, a modern-day club bears this name too.

Some grounds outwith Scotland have also used this label, including Ranby Athletic in England, a team – and venue – that no longer exist.

Celtic Park. Celtic v Livingston, 23 August 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Beechwood Park is far from the only name that is replicated across various football grounds; Celtic Park is another example. Firstly, there have been two Celtic Parks, one from 1888-1892, and the present one since 1892. However, other grounds have used this name including in Belfast and Castlebar.

St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Some other teams have had grounds in different locations that use the same name. There have been three Hampden Parks, as well as two versions of places like Ibrox, East End Park, St Mirren Park and Sunday’s venue, Rugby Park.

Around the world, perhaps the most obvious example of a name that is used by multiple locations would be the Olympic Stadium. Numerous places have this title, including Rome (Roma and Lazio), Berlin (Hertha Berlin) and London (West Ham United).

In fact, there was once a sporting venue with this name next to Celtic Park. The Olympic Sports Stadium – better known as the Nelson Recreation Ground – was found on Janefield Street in the 1920s and 1930s. This was used for different types of racing.

New Barrowfields, image Celtic FC

Another example of double names with a Celtic connection is Barrowfield. This is most famously the title of Celtic’s training ground, a location which recently underwent a multi-million revamp to improve facilities for the women’s and youth teams.

However, Barrowfield Park (often shortened to just Barrowfield) was formerly the name of Clyde’s home venue from 1877 to 1899. This was also – in 1889 – the place where the Bhoys won their first ever competition, the Glasgow North Eastern Cup.

Estadio Nacional, Lisbon

One name which is used for multiple stadia has a special place in Celtic hearts. National Stadium is the title given to different grounds around the world, including Singapore, Chile, (formerly) Wales and, of course, Estadio Nacional in Lisbon, the site of Celtic’s 1967 success.

Other Scottish examples of stadia with shared names include Station Park (Forfar Athletic and Nairn County) and Victoria Park (Buckie Thistle and Ross County, and also English team Hartlepool). Over the years, various sides have also used Recreation Park for their ground, including Alloa, and Aldershot played at Recreation Ground.

Elsewhere, numerous teams have at various times played at Athletic Ground, County Ground or Central Park (including Cowdenbeath).

There are also cases where teams’ grounds have very similar but slightly different names. Liverpool’s Anfield venue is known all around the world. Stirling Albion used to a play at Annfield, with one ‘N’ stopping them being identical.

Equally, St James’ Park is where Newcastle United turn out each week (and Newcastle historians consider Celtic to be the first team to play United at this venue, back in 1892). On the other hand, Exeter also play at a St James Park, but do not add an apostrophe after James.

Fir Park, photo by Vagelis Georgariou

In Scotland, two venues with very similar names were East Stirling and Motherwell. Although East Stirling now play at Ochilview, their former ground Firs Park was similar to Motherwell’s Fir Park.

Other examples of grounds with the same name can cross into different sports. Old Trafford is famously the home venue of Manchester United and is also the name of a cricket ground in the same city.

Can you think of any other examples of sides that play at Beechwood Park? Or other grounds around Scotland or the world which have shared names?

Matthew Marr

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