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Edinburgh football teams: A guide to groundhopping in the Scottish City

Written by Will Murray
Last Update: April 12, 2024
Published on

While much of the attention when discussing Scottish football is on Glasgow, people often forget the Edinburgh football teams.

For any supporters who consider themselves groundhopping enthusiasts, Edinburgh is one of the most historic cities to watch football. Not only is Edinburgh the home of Scottish Premiership giants, Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian, but it also has plenty of lower league stadiums and clubs with rich histories to visit.

This article will therefore serve as your guide to groundhopping in the Scottish capital.

A guide to Edinburgh football teams

1. Hearts

Edinburgh football teams
Hearts players in front of their celebrating fans – Photo by Icon Sport

Location: Gorgie, Edinburgh

Stadium: Tynecastle Park

Capacity: 19,852

Dating back to the 19th century, this is the oldest stadium out of all the Edinburgh football teams and is one of the most recognisable venues in Scottish football. With a capacity of nearly 20,000, Tynecastle Park is located in the west of Edinburgh and is renowned for its hostile atmosphere in big games against city rivals Hibernian and the two Glasgow clubs.

Hearts have been extremely successful on the pitch historically, sitting only behind Celtic, Rangers, and Aberdeen in terms of major trophies. In their 150-year history, Hearts have won four Scottish league titles, eight Scottish Cups, and four Scottish League Cups. This includes the 1960 League and Cup double under the guidance of legendary manager, Tommy Walker.

On the occasions that Hearts reach the group stages of a European competition, Tynecastle Park is a special place to visit. Their most recent European campaign was last year’s Europa Conference League, where they played Fiorentina, İstanbul Başakşehir, and FK RFS.

The combination of history, atmosphere, domestic success, and a modern stadium means that Tynecastle Park is a must for groundhoppers visiting Edinburgh.

2. Hibernian

Edinburgh football teams
A general view of the pitch and stands at Hibernian's home ground, Easter Road –  Photo by Icon Sport

Location: 12 Albion Place, Edinburgh EH7 5QG

Stadium: Easter Road

Capacity: 20,421

Located in the north-east of the Scottish capital, Easter Road has been the home of Hibernian since 1893. Not only does Easter Park host every Hibernian match, but it has also hosted Scottish League Cup semi-finals and rugby matches in the past.

Hibernian’s most successful period was in the late 1940s and early 1950s, when they won the Scottish League title on three occasions. Legendary players such as Gordon Smith, Bobby Johsnyone, Lawrie Reilly, Eddie Turnbull, and Willie Ormond spearheaded the club to three titles in five seasons. These five have been dubbed ‘The Famous Five’, and the North Stand was renamed after these five players in 1955 during its rebuild.

As well as this, Hibernian reached the semi-finals of the first European Cup in the 1955/56 campaign, becoming the first British team to achieve this feat.

Hibernian are an iconic football club with a rich history and a capacity of over 20,000, making it the biggest stadium out of all the Edinburgh football teams. If you visit the Scottish capital, then make a trip to either Tynecastle Park or Easter Road a priority.

3. Edinburgh City F.C.

Location: 94 Pilton Drive, Edinburgh EH5 2HF

Stadium: Meadowbank Stadium

Capacity: 3,000 (Seats 504)

Edinburgh City originally dissolved in the 1950s and reformed officially as Edinburgh City F.C. back in 1986. Since then, they have found some stability and currently occupy the third division of Scottish football.

Between 2017 and 2022, the club groundshared with Spartans at Ainslie Park, while redevelopment work was completed at their home ground, Meadowbank Stadium. Eventually, in July 2022, Edinburgh City F.C. returned to their home stadium, which now has a 500-seater stand and a 4G pitch, which is a popular playing surface for teams in the lower leagues of Scottish football.

4. Spartans F.C.

Location: Pilton Drive, Edinburgh

Stadium: Ainslie Park Stadium

Capacity: 3,612 (Seats 534)

Ainslie Park has been the home of Scottish League Two side, Spartans F.C. since 2008. In addition, it is the home stadium for Spartans Women’s team, who play in the top tier of Scottish football. Ainslie Park has been the home stadium of Hibernian Women in the past and, as mentioned above, was Edinburgh City F.C.’s ground for a five-year period.

 

The record attendance is 3,127, which was in July 2011 when Manchester United played a pre-season friendly against Spartans. Meanwhile, for Spartans matches, the average attendance last season was 330.

The surface is also artificial like Meadowbank Stadium, and features a single stand that can accommodate over 500 spectators. It is also worth noting that the ground is less than 5 kilometres from the two main train stations (Waverley and Haymarket), so it is easily accessible for first-time supporters looking to sample one of the Edinburgh football teams.

5. Edinburgh United


Location: Katesmill Road, Edinburgh

Stadium: Paties Road Stadium

Capacity: 2,500 (Seats 200)

Paties Road Stadium is located in the south-west of Edinburgh and can hold 2,500 spectators, which includes a 200-seater stand. Edinburgh United are the primary tenants of this ground, and they play in the East of Scotland League Second Division.

The Edinburgh club moved from the ‘junior leagues’ in Scotland in 2018. Although it may sound like a reference to age, the junior leagues in Scotland can be equated to non-league football in England. For Edinburgh United matches, the average attendance ranges from 100 to 300. If you're looking for Edinburgh football teams to watch and you’re a fan of the lower leagues, you should visit Paties Road Stadium.