Southampton’s former stadium, The Dell, has been replaced by a housing estate, with a garden marking the site of the centre circle where the club played its final match before moving to St Mary’s.
Southampton had made The Dell their home in 1898, 15 years after the club was founded. Plans for a new ground gathered pace after the Taylor Report, as all-seater requirements reduced the stadium’s capacity to 15,200 — the lowest in the Premier League.
The move to St Mary’s was announced in the summer of 1999, with construction beginning later that year. The Dell hosted its final season in 2000/01 before Southampton moved a couple of miles down the road at the start of the following campaign.
The club’s farewell to the ground ended in memorable fashion. Southampton recovered from a goal down to beat Arsenal 3-2, with club legend Matt Le Tissier scoring the winning goal.
By the time the new season began, The Dell had been demolished. A housing development was subsequently built on the site, with the former centre circle preserved as a garden at its centre.
