Archibald Leitch.................

I've had a copy of Simon Inglis' book "Engineering Archie" for many years. It's absolutely fascinating (in a stadium geek kind of way), and very well presented. I'd highly recommend it, if it's still available.
 
Archibald Leitch stadia came up as a question on 'Pointless' a few weeks ago. Contestants had to name one of his designs. I was amazed at the number, many of them very familiar to any football fan.

The Repairshop followed by Pointless and maybe a dash of Eggheads or the News? Retirement in Louth living on the edge!! :)??;)
 
I absolutely love his designs. Spurs' new stadium is the only 'new' English stadium I actually like. It's a shame that his work is being erased.
 
Leitch basically invented real stadium design. Really interesting to read about. Unfortunately the Simon Inglis (who has a number of books about stadia) book is out of print and mostly going for crazy prices. Apparently going to be updated/reprinted next year.
https://populous.com/archies-legacy-remembering-the-first-stadium-architect

A friend and business contact of mine, who was principal architect at Populous, is a friend of Simon Inglis and they've collaborated on a number of things. He's a fascinating bloke, although a complete stadium anorak. I first came across him in the 80's when I read his Guide to British Football Grounds. His book about the stadia in Buenos Aires is also fascinating, and a really good read.

As for Archie, it's such a shame that a man who designed (and built) so many of our iconic stadia, which endured for nearly a century, with many millions of people passing through them, died pretty much unknown and unheralded. Everybody reading this forum has been in an Archibald Leitch stadium, but many will be unaware of it.
 
A friend and business contact of mine, who was principal architect at Populous, is a friend of Simon Inglis and they've collaborated on a number of things. He's a fascinating bloke, although a complete stadium anorak. I first came across him in the 80's when I read his Guide to British Football Grounds. His book about the stadia in Buenos Aires is also fascinating, and a really good read.

As for Archie, it's such a shame that a man who designed (and built) so many of our iconic stadia, which endured for nearly a century, with many millions of people passing through them, died pretty much unknown and unheralded. Everybody reading this forum has been in an Archibald Leitch stadium, but many will be unaware of it.
The Guide to British Football Grounds is such an extraordinary book. I was always gutted it was never more recently updated. Not read the BA one, I think I will have to soon.
 
The Guide to British Football Grounds is such an extraordinary book. I was always gutted it was never more recently updated. Not read the BA one, I think I will have to soon.

The football grounds of Europe was a cracking read as well.
 
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