WORTHINGTON
CUP
FINAL 2003 Liverpool v Manchester United
at The Millennium Stadium Cardiff
Sunday 2nd March 2003 Kick-off 2:00 pm (GMT).
Millenium Stadium Factfile
Stadium History
The Millennium Stadium is built on the site of the world famous Cardiff Arms Park rugby
stadium.
The original Cardiff Arms Park was developed on what had been a stretch of the River Taff when, in 1803, the Marquis of Bute handed over what was described as “a swampy meadow” for recreational
purposes.
In 1848 the first sporting event staged on the ground was a cricket match organised by the Cardiff Cricket Club. It wasn’t until 1874 that the first organised rugby union match was played at the ground, between the Wanderers Club and Glamorgan 2nd
XV.
In 1881, the year in which the Welsh Rugby Union was formed, the Arms Park had its first stand built. It contained 300 seats and cost £50 to
erect.
Rugby internationals have been played in Cardiff, on the same Arms Park site that currently houses the magnificent Millennium Stadium, since 12 April, 1884, when 5,000 people watched Wales beat Ireland.
Since the demolition men moved in on 27 April 1997 – the day after the Swalec Cup Final between Cardiff and Swansea – only the shell of the old Arms Park North Stand remains at the Millennium Stadium.
Capacity
Whereas the old National Ground, Cardiff Arms Park used to hold 52,000 – 11,000 of whom had to stand – the Millennium Stadium seats 73,434.
Even at its largest, the old Arms Park was never able to hold more than 60,000, although it was rumoured that on 14 March 1936 nearly 70,000 people barged their way into the ground to watch Wales pip Ireland
3-0
What has risen out of the ashes of the famous old Arms Park is the world’s largest stadium with a retractable roof and the greatest multi-functional facility in the
world
Did You Know
The Millennium Stadium masts are the highest points in the Cardiff skyline at a height of 93 metres.
The four masts support the sliding roof through six high tensile steel cables attached to each mast and the
roof. The weight of the roof is carried by more than 4,700 wires of 15mm in diameter which have a total length of 150 miles.
The retractable roof weighs in at a staggering 8,000 tonnes. The sliding mechanism that ensures its smooth opening and closing is 220 metres long and 15 metres high.
There are 10 roof trusses, five on each side, each weighing 560 tonnes. Opening time for the roof is a mere 20 minutes, costing no more than £4 in electricity.
Around 40,000 tonnes of concrete, 12,000 tonnes of structural steel, 38,000 square metres of roof cladding, 24,000 square metres of wall cladding and 34,000 square metres of blockwork were used in the construction of the stadium by John Laing Construction Ltd.
The Millennium Stadium has a maximum seated capacity of 73,434 including 126 hospitality boxes, 380 wheelchair spaces and 112 turnstiles.
There are 17 public bars, many of which are fitted with the so-called “Joy” machines which serve 12 pints in 20 seconds. They are needed to cater for a demand that will see a full house drink more in a day than many pubs sell in a
year.
The pitch is the biggest jigsaw in Wales, made up of more than 7,400 pallets that allow it to be moved in and out of the stadium.
Events at the Millennium Stadium
The first event held in the Millennium Stadium was on 26 June 1999 when 29,000 people watched the Welsh rugby team beat the then reigning world champions South Africa for the first time in their history.
By 1 October 1999 the Millennium Stadium was fully operational for the opening of the Rugby World Cup, when 72,500 fans watched Wales defeat Argentina.
The Rugby World Cup Final on 4 November 1999 recorded the first £5m gate in the history of sport in the UK.
Welsh soccer recorded its two greatest gates when they returned to make their home in Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium. There were 66,000 fans at the friendly against Finland and a full-house against Brazil.
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