Stockley Park and the big questions answered

“Ooh what about Stockley Park then?”, said one. “Did you hear about Stockley Park”, said another.

Everyone these days seems to be blathering on about this place. It’s become like Abbey Road but without the worshippers or the decent music. I’d never heard of it until mid-2019 and then it was everywhere. The reason? That’s around the time VAR happened.

For football observers, Stockley Park is the Centre Where Furious Football Anger Should Be Directed (CWFFASBD).

So, in a bid to inform fellow fans check out the who, where, why and what the hell goes on at this much-debated area.

Where is Stockley Park?

It’s in Harlington, United Kingdom.

Why do I always hear talk of it on my television?

This would be due to Premier League football’s video assistant referee (VAR). As previously mentioned, most references to the park are angry ones. Plenty of pundits, managers and players can’t get their heads around why decisions that can affect the outcome of a match can be made, in some cases, hundreds of miles away from where the matches are being played.

Not exactly the bright lights – pic: Unisouth / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)

What goes on?

Football-wise, imagine a group of the most brilliant minds in the country gathered together in a huge brainstorming session. And then get that thought out of your mind. It’s nothing like that. It’s just a group of refereeing officials sitting around some screens and watching slo-mo replays. However, I’m probably wrong so this is a proper insight as to what goes on in the ‘nerve centre’.

When was Stockley Park built?

June 6, 1986.

Who owns it?

You’d think it was a titan of world football wouldn’t you? Sepp Blatter perhaps, keen to keep his hand in after his FIFA demise. But no, the park is owned by the Stockley Park Consortium, of which Kajima Europe, a Japanese contractor is the biggest shareholder.

Is it just about football?

Absolutely not. While it’s only recently been known as the venue for controversial footballing decision-making, there are many different companies working out of Stockley Park. Big brands including Apple and Marks & Spencer also operate from its base.

Main image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay