The Mount (stadium)

The Mount was a football stadium in Catford, (not to be confused with Catford Stadium). The stadium was located in the south west corner of Mountsfield Parkcite book |last= Twydell |first= Dave |title= Football League Grounds For A Change |year= 1991 |isbn= 0-9513321-4-7 |pages=pp. 90] where football was played as early as the mid 19th century. Catford South End F.C. (founded before 1914) eventually developed the land into a proper stadium with terracing. The Mount was unusual as it was elevated above the surrounding area and thus that may be a possibility for its name.

The Mount was the polar opposite to The Valley, which was a sunken ground that was originally a chalk pit. Despite being the largest ground in the world at the time apart from the newly completed Wembley Stadium, Charlton Athletic F.C. decided to move to The Mount for the 1923-24 season, as they failed to fill The Valley with supporters. The Addicks also changed their kit colour to dark and light blue (the same as Catford South End) sparking rumours of a merger. However, Charlton failed to attract attendances at The Mount too, as they were far from their fanbase in Charlton and so moved back the next season.

The Mount was a more modest stadium, holding only roughly 50,000 compared to The Valley's 75,000. The terracing was expensive to upkeep as there were pylons raised to support the terracing which was on sloping ground (down hill). Thus The Mount had an appearance like a fort. Catford South End remained a modest local team who eventually fell into obscurity. The stadium proved too big for them and so they also decamped. The Mount thus became vacant and fell into disrepair and, by the 1950s, had been completely demolished. The land still remains as a grassed area within Mountsfield Park.

References

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