top of page
Damson Park
(Solihull Moors)
Address: Damson Parkway,
Solihull,
West Midlands,
England,
B92 9EJ
Capacity: 5,500 (2,131 Seated)
A very interesting mix of differently shaped stands, there isn’t another ground like Damson Park anywhere else in the UK.
Known for sponsorship reasons as the ARMCO Arena, it has been the home of Solihull Moors Football Club since their founding in 2007.
The Moors were formed following a merger between Solihull Borough Football Club and Moor Green Football Club that had been sharing Damson Park since 2005.
The ground was originally home to Solihull Borough, having been built in 1998 after the club purchased the Damson Parkway site which was formerly a golf driving range.
Moor Green had played at “The Moorlands” since 1930, but an arson attack in 2005 left their home severely damaged and unusable. Seeking a new place to play home matches, they agreed a deal to share Damson Park with Solihull Borough, despite the two clubs being considered local rivals.
By January 2007, it had been determined that rebuilding “The Moorlands” would not be financially possible, and the advice was to merge with another local team if Moor Green FC was to continue operating. Moor Green and Solihull Borough eventually agreed to merge in March 2007 and the new club Solihull Moors was formed on 1st June that same year.
Moors had to share Damson Park with Birmingham and Solihull Rugby Football Club until 2012, and since 2014, the ground has also been home to Birmingham City Women Football Club.
Location and Getting There
Damson Park is based off Damson Parkway, next to a large Landrover Factory and roughly two miles northeast of Solihull Town Centre.
Birmingham Airport’s main runway is less than 1.5 miles away to the northeast, with Elmdon Park to the north.
Parking can be difficult if you don’t want to pay.
Whilst there are a good number of paid spaces outside the ground’s South Stand, your best chance of free parking within close range would be on the kerbs along Damson Parkway. I cannot always guarantee though that you will be legally allowed to park there given how often that road is in use.
Solihull have been known to recommend the NCP Car Park at the Birmingham Airport Cargo Terminal (B26 3QT) and run a shuttle service between there and Damson Park.
My best advice is to have several pounds available and pay for a parking space outside of Damson Park if Damson Parkway is unavailable.
Coming by rail is possible but will likely require a bus as well.
The nearest train station is Solihull, based close to the Town Centre and more than two miles away from Damson Park. Walking from here can take around an hour depending on what speed you go.
Alternatively, you can walk to the Solihull Station Interchange and catch the X12 Platinum Bus Service, getting off at the Land Rover Works stop and walking the final bit along Damson Parkway to the ground.
Outside the Ground
Practically every supporter will approach Damson Park from its southern side, which will therefore first bring you to the South Stand, known for sponsorship reasons as the Jerroms Stand.
The exterior here is very basic in design, consisting of a wooden wall with a corrugated iron roof and blue exits doors spread along it.
The main turnstiles into the stand, as well as the entire football ground itself, are based in the southwest corner, with the Club Shop to one side and the Main Box Office to the other. There are further turnstiles part-way along the exterior that lead directly into the Jerroms Stand itself.
Turnstiles in the southeast corner are also open on a matchday. They act as an access point for both the southern and eastern sides of the ground, but are for home supporters only.
Damson Park’s West Stand is known for sponsorship reasons as the Damson Homes Stand and is the clear largest of the four. It is dominated by a dark grey corrugated iron exterior with blue trim.
Solihull Moors’ Club House is based right out the back of it, with entrances to the Main Reception, Hospitality Suite and Press Lounge.
Entrance to this Club House and the Damson Homes Stand next to it is through the turnstiles in the southwest corner of the football ground.
The North Stand is known for sponsorship reasons as the Draintech Stand.
The exterior consists of a green outer wall and a white roof, with a large 3G pitch immediately out beyond it. Whilst there is a path that runs alongside the Draintech Stand’s exterior, there isn’t much point in walking along it unless you are actually using the 3G pitch next door. You will likely not be allowed access round to here on a matchday anyway.
Given the Draintech Stand can occasionally be split between home and away supporters, home fans make use of the same southwest turnstiles used by those in the Damson Homes Stand, whilst away fans make use of turnstiles in the northeast corner of the football ground.
The East Stand is known as the Airport Stand as it is the closest to Birmingham Airport.
The exterior here is the most basic of all four stands at Damson Park, consisting of a plain wooden wall. You can clearly make out the three seating sections of the stand, which will be discussed in further detail in the ‘Inside The Ground’ section. The space outside contains an access road with parking spaces on either side.
Given the Airport Stand can be split between home and away supporters, home fans make use of the turnstiles in the ground's southeast corner (very close to the main car park). Away fans typically make use of turnstiles up by the northeast corner of the football ground, being required to head around the back of the Airport Stand in order to reach them.
Inside the Ground
The Jerroms Stand is single-tiered and consists entirely of standing terrace.
The concrete standing section contains flat ground at the front but has three rows of terracing at the back, each row on slightly higher ground than the last. The Jerroms Stand in turn has two walkways, one in front of the standing section, right by the pitch, and the other behind the standing section and along the backwall. The back walkway is very narrow in places, but you can find a Tuck Shop along the back wall here as well as one of the turnstile entry points.
Supporting pillars come down at regular intervals along the front of the stand and so your view is likely to be restricted somewhat as a result. Supporters are not permitted to stand on the walkway in front of the terraced area, despite it being on lower ground.
There are also no windshields in place at either end, as the open sides are needed so that supporters can get from one part of the ground to the other.
The Damson Homes Stand consists of two tiers of seating which are stacked on top of one another.
The lower tier, consisting of several blue seating blocks, is the area for supporters. The upper tier is the executive area, consisting of smaller blue seating blocks and a row of executive boxes at the back. These executive tier can be accessed by staircases that are in place at either end of the Damson Homes Stand and from the Club House behind.
The changing rooms, dugouts and tunnel are all based towards the front of the lower tier.
Large supporting pillars hold the upper level above the lower level, and so your view is likely to be restricted somewhat if you are sat in any of the lower tier seating blocks.
This tier also doesn't have a solid back wall, and no windshields in place at either end. Protection from the wind on cold days and nights is limited as a result, especially if you are sat in one of the blocks at either end of the Damson Homes Stand.
The Draintech Stand consists of a single tier of standing terrace with a corrugated iron roof overhead. Black fences are in place which divide the terraced area into four similarly sized sections, and a row of black metal bars runs across the front for fans to lean on.
The stand has no supporting pillars coming down from the roof, ensuring a clear view for everyone stood inside, but there are no windshields in place at either end.
Refreshments and programmes can be bought from one corner of the stadium if you are stood in this stand.
The Airport Stand consists of three large blocks of green seating.
A relatively new addition to Damson Park, each of these seating blocks at the time of writing are completely uncovered, and the matchday camera is based up behind the middle seating block.
The presence of floodlight poles on this side of the stadium can restrict your view of the pitch, especially if you are in the rows further back. Your view should be clear if you are down in the front rows, however.
The Airport Stand’s outer concourse is behind the seating blocks. You can get to here through gaps in between them.
The southwest corner of Damson Park now contains a large electronic screen that can best be seen by those at the opposite end of the football ground. It is positioned up high so that fans can still make use of the walkway underneath.
Away Fans
Away fans are typically housed behind the goal in the Draintech Stand, where they are usually given any of its sections.
Larger away crowds are also allocated the northernmost seating section in the Airport Stand to the east. This is a large block of entirely uncovered green seating, views for those further back likely to be affected by a floodlight pole down towards the front.
Access for away supporters can be found in the ground's northeast corner. You will need to head through the main car park and round the back of the Airport Stand to reach them.
Matchday Pubs
Pubs available to supporters on a matchday include*:
-The Clubhouse at Damson Park itself (Away Supporters Welcome) (Multiple bars are located inside, with one normally made available exclusively for away supporters when segregation is in use)
-The Beech House (727 Warwick Road, B91 3DA) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located in Central Solihull)
-The Damson Pub (Rowood Drive, B92 9NG) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (The closest pub to Damson Park but still a fair distance away)
-The Flying Elephant (34 Hermitage Road, B91 2LP (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located between Central Solihull and Damson Park)
-The White Swan (32-34 Station Road, B91 3SB) (A JD Wetherspoon Pub, Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located in Central Solihull east of Solihull Station)
*The location of Damson Park limits the amount of pubs that are within close range of it. The recommendation is to find a drink in more central Solihull before making your way to the football ground.
Overview
Damson Park is a ground that has gone through a lot of change and continues to do so.
Each of its four sides are very different in shape and design, from the double-decker Main Stand to the trio of uncovered seating blocks on the opposite side.
The ground in truth is not the easiest to reach, but once there you’re treated to a matchday view and experience that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else in this country.
A very unique English football stadium.
bottom of page