You may not get many more chances to visit one of the ultimate vintage delights of the football ground world. With plans to completely rebuild the Bet Mclean Oval, this East Belfast must-see that tops many a groundhopper’s wish list will not be around for much longer, or at least not in its current iconic form.
With its two nostalgic green roofed stands that sit along either side of the pitch and its old skool uncovered curved terracing behind either end this historic venue is waiting approval for a full remodelling as the Plan Belfast website reports:
In February 2024, Glentoran Social Partnership submitted a planning application proposing the redevelopment of the existing stadium by way of demolition of both existing stands and construction of two new spectator stands with reconfiguration of existing standing terracing at goal ends, new turnstiles and associated siteworks including new floodlighting, additional car parking and improved circulation routes to provide an overall capacity for 6000 spectators on site.
The Oval has been the home of Irish Premiership side Glentoran since 1892 with the pitch rotated to its current position in 1903 and since then the venue has in time turned into the gem we see today.
What is classed as The Oval’s main stand is raised above pitch level which gives those seated there a spectacular view. The small section of once terracing below it is nowadays all-seater, but it is the area above where some of the famed sights of the Belfast skyline can be marvelled. There is, of course, an excellent view of the field of play but the scene that stands out is that of Belfast’s dockyards complete with the iconic Harland and Wolfe shipyard cranes. This is supplemented by the rocky Cavehill that overlooks the city further away in the background and together they create a stunning canvas of this engrossing metropolis. It must also be noted that The aforementioned shipyard cranes take on further intrigue when you realise that the famed Titanic ship was built here at these acclaimed yards.
Opposite the main stand across the pitch, the nowadays all-seater section is also covered with a big green roof. But that stand, which is often no longer in use on matchdays, does not offer the same magnificent views when sat in it.
For those wanting a real old-school experience, however, standing with the flock who congregate on the stadium’s large curved terracing at either end is a must and despite the rounded nature, you are never actually too far from the action wherever you stand. At one end there is a large grassy bank above said terracing and from there you can also stand and watch the game.
Despite the vastness of the place - about 55,000 once crammed in for a European Cup Winners’ Cup tie with Glasgow Rangers - crowds usually sit around the 2,500 mark giving an almost non-league feel with the ability to move around more freely, especially with segregation rarely in place. Indeed, no partitioning of away supporters, except for bigger matches such as the Big Two derby with arch-rivals Linfield, means fans regularly move from one end to the other at half-time. This allows those in attendance to always be stood behind the goal their side is shooting towards and involves walking through the car park behind the main stand past the club shop, burger van, and bar underneath the stand.
I mention attendance, and for the recent midweek match v Loughgall that I attended just 1,670 were present. This was significantly lower than the 2,500 a local I spoke to seemed to think would turn out. He claimed Glens usually attract 3,000 spectators but a mixed start to the season and the alternative of a Liverpool Champions League match on the telly would reduce the numbers. Much of his sentiments may well have been true but, obviously, his figures were slightly out. For further proof of this, last season’s home average was 2,451.
As for an official capacity, some claim The Oval could hold as many as 25,000 nowadays but if you read elsewhere It is said the current safe capacity of the ground is listed at just over 6,000. That 6,000 figure is backed by the fact that temporary seating had to be installed to allow 8,072 to turn up for the 2015 Irish Cup final that Glentoran hosted and won whilst Windsor Park was being redeveloped. 6,000 odd, however, is, cup finals aside, more than enough to fit in all the regulars plus away fans and have plenty of tickets to spare.
The Oval has a rather interesting history and had to be almost completely rebuilt after the war thanks to bombing in 1941 which saw the ground lay in ruin. A memorial tablet situated atop the grass bank to the right of the main stand describes the events that caused so much damage and tells of German bombs hitting the venue and the ruined grandstands that they left behind. It was due to the proximity of the earlier mentioned shipyards, of great importance to the allies, that Thee Oval got caught up in the Belfast Blitz and most of the ground became the flattened ruin that it ended up.
The bombing meant the stadium would, of course, have to be rebuilt and the current main grandstand was opened in 1953. Meanwhile, planes roaring low overhead are still these days a constant feature at the venue but fear not - this is due to the proximity of George Best Belfast City Airport and not the return of the Luftwaffe!
Since that post-war rebuild, there has been little change over the years since. This has given us the historic venue many have come to love but has also meant that in recent years the ground has needed regular repairs to meet modern day health and safety standards and hence why a complete rebuild is wanted.
Although mostly hosting local Northern Irish opponents who are of little note internationally, there has, over the years, however, been the odd appearance of big name opposition. Arguably, The Oval’s most famous night was when Portuguese side Benfica visited in 1967 for the first leg of a European Cup first round tie. The visitors from Lisbon had already won the European Cup twice that decade and included in their line-up the late great Eusébio, star at the World Cup in England a year earlier.
Despite having just won the twelfth Irish league title of their history only months earlier, part-timers of Glentoran were given no chance against one of Europe’s biggest and most successful clubs.
The over 40,000 spectators in attendance had come from all over the island to watch the match and could not believe their luck when the home side were awarded and scored a penalty after just 10 minutes. Glentoran unbelievably held onto their lead until four minutes from time when hopes of a famous victory were dashed by none other than Eusébio himself. According to Malcolm Brodie of the Belfast Telegraph, Eusébio’s shot “hit the net like a rocket leaving the launching pad”.
It was an away goal that, in the end, would prove vital for the visitors. In the second leg over in Lisbon, the minnows from East Belfast heroically held out for a 0-0 draw but that was sadly not quite enough to stop them from exiting the competition by the barest of margins.
Whilst due to the nature of modern UEFA competitions, top-class European opposition has not visited for many years and possibly never again will you can still take in a match and enjoy this arena in all its splendour for a few more years yet. Even if the opposition is mostly part-time and instead of Ronaldo or Messi you get McClean and Donnelly you will still have an unforgettable experience.
The lack of a huge five-figure crowd and big name players that would almost remind you of a scene from Match of the Day or the Big Match in the 1970s, in the unlikely event you were ever able to witness it, does not matter. This grand old venue definitely has the distinct reminder of halcyon days gone by and a sensation that you will struggle to find elsewhere in the footballing world - especially in the modern arenas of today.
Catching a game at The Oval - A must when in Belfast.
