Stadium Tours: From Highbury to the Emirates... How EPL stadiums have changed

IT'S been 27 years since the Premier League was first created.

Back in 1992, the old First Division was scrapped after 104 years and a breakaway league was formed in time for the 92-93 campaign, with 22 teams ready to do battle.

Of course, football has changed dramatically since then, as the role of money and business in the "beautiful game" has taken a tighter grip.

It's not just the whopping transfer fees, sky-high wages and sponsorship deals though.

The grounds fans came to love have been modified, streamlined, improved and in some cases totally destroyed and rebuilt from the rubble.

Some clubs have relocated altogether, such as West Ham waved goodbye to Upton Park and moved across East London to the London Stadium.

They're not the only ones to seek pastures greener though, as Arsenal bid Highbury farewell and moved to the Emirates Stadium.

But just how have the current Premier League clubs' grounds changed in the past 27 years? Find out below...

ARSENAL

Stadium(s): Highbury, Emirates

Capacity 1992: 38,419

Capacity 2018: 60,432

INCREDIBLY for the opening day of the 1992-93 season, fans at Highbury were greeted by a mural where the old North Bank terrace once stood.

It depicted the soon-to-be built new two-tier stand.

Clearly the players were stunned too, losing 4-2 at the hands of Norwich.

Arsenal of course shipped off to the Emirates Stadium in 2006 in order to find room for more fans, with Highbury far too cramped amongst housing to build on.

BURNLEY

Stadium(s): Turf Moor

Capacity 1992: 21,401

Capacity 2018: 21,401

THE Clarets have lived and played at Turf Moor ever since 1883.

When the Premier League was born in 1992, the ground was dominated by terracing.

But fast forward 27 years and the stadium is a different animal, fully-seated thanks to the old terraces being converted in the mid-90s.

CHELSEA

Stadium(s): Stamford Bridge

Capacity 1992: 30,000 (approx)

Capacity 2018: 41,663

ALL change, please.

Back in 1992, Stamford Bridge - the very same ground the Blues play at today - was an entirely different entity.

The West London stadium then boasted just ONE stand - the three-tier East Stand - with sweeping bowl terracing covering three-quarters of the ground.

But following substantial work in the 90s and 00s, Chelsea now show-off a four-stand, all-seater 40,000+ seater stadium... with plans for even more work.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Stadium(s): Selhurst Park

Capacity 1992: 20,000 (approx)

Capacity 2018: 25,456

THE Eagles played out a stunning 3-3 draw with Blackburn on the opening day of that season at home, with Rovers new signing Alan Shearer scoring twice.

Palace netted a last-minute equaliser to thrill home fans, many of whom stood in the open terracing at the Holmesdale Road end.

That was replaced in 1994-95 with a two-tier stand, with the other end - Whitehorse Lane -  was roofed and made an all-seater in 1993.

EVERTON

Stadium(s): Goodison Park

Capacity 1992: 40,157

Capacity 2018: 40,157

SINCE leaving Anfield, yes that Anfield, in 1892, Goodison Park has been Everton's home.

In truth, little has changed at the old ground since the Premier League was formed in 1992.

In fact, only the new Park End Stand being built and the transition away from terraces show any difference.

Two stands, built in the 1920s and 1930s are still standing today - but may not for much longer, as the Toffees continue their quest for a new ground.

HUDDERSFIELD

Stadium(s): Leeds Road, John Smith's Stadium

Capacity 1992: 16,195

Capacity 2018: 24,500

BACK in 1992, Huddersfield were plying their trade down in the third tier of English football at Leeds Road - their home since 1908.

For the Prem's first year, their capacity was just over 16,000 - despite boasting a large "Popular Side" terrace.

In the present day, Town play at the John Smith's Stadium, a 24,500-seater stadium and home since 1994.

However, for the first game that summer, two stands were incomplete and took around four years to finally be finished.

LEICESTER

Stadium(s): Filbert Street, King Power Stadium

Capacity 1992: 22,000

Capacity 2018: 32,312

THE Foxes spent over a century at Filbert Street, having played their first game there in 1891.

In 1992, it was a somewhat disjointed stadium, with a two-tier South Stand that towered over the East and North stands.

Elsewhere, the Main Stand was rebuilt in the Premier League year, 1992-93, before the moved to the Walker's Stadium - now the King Power Stadium - in 2002.

LIVERPOOL

Stadium(s): Anfield

Capacity 1992: 45,362

Capacity 2018: 54,074

CELEBRATING their 100th birthday in 1992, the Reds opened up the Centenary Stand next to the famous Kop.

Due to safety restrictions, the terraced area had its capacity cut from 30,000 at its peak to 15,000, with the Main and Anfield Road stands already all-seater.

For years Liverpool loitered around the 45,000-seater mark, after the old Kop was demolished in 1994 and replaced by a 12,390 all-seated stand.

A huge main stand opened in 2016, boosting that tally to 54,074.

MANCHESTER CITY

Stadium(s): Maine Road, Etihad

Capacity 1992: 35,150

Capacity 2018: 55,097

LONG before the mega-money modern days at the Etihad, City played their games down at Maine Road.

It was once the largest stadium in England, but by the early 90s, when the Premier League was born, it was showing its age.

The Platt End was rebuilt during the debut year, but its days were clearly numbered.

The club took the City of Manchester Stadium - the home of the 2002 Commonwealth Games - and renamed it, in the place they now call home.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Stadium(s): Old Trafford

Capacity 1992: 44,000

Capacity 2018: 75,643

OLD TRAFFORD had been developed with a long-term plan already in mind come the 1992-93 season.

That allowed United to regularly and seamlessly add to stands or rebuild entirely, with the Stretford End terrace being torn down in 1992 the only real disruption.

It was rebuilt to boost the capacity from 32,000 to 44,000 for the campaign, before two new tiers added to the North Stand in 1996 took that figure up to 55,000.

The East Stand and Stretford End received an extra tier too over the next two decades taking the total to 68,217, before more and more quadrants had tiers added.

The total capacity is now over 75,000 in the red half of Manchester.

NEWCASTLE

Stadium(s): St James' Park

Capacity 1992: 36,000

Capacity 2018: 52,354

PLYING their trade in the second tier in 1992-93, St James' Park has changed a fair bit over the years.

Back in the late-80s and early 90s, stood two stands and two uncovered terraces, at either end.

Since then, the Milburn stand is now a giant three-tier structure, with the Leazes End and Gallowgate End standing tall.

The capacity has increased by around 50 per cent since the Premier League's inception to stand as one of the top flight's biggest... and most spectacular.

SOUTHAMPTON

Stadium(s): The Dell, St Mary's Stadium

Capacity 1992: 15,200

Capacity 2018: 32,505

OUTDATED, cramped, adored. Three words many of the Southampton faithful would use to describe The Dell.

Holding a touch over 15,000 fans, the ground included the famous Milton Road end - a two-tiered, oddly-shaped, tapered stand, due to the road immediately behind it.

That was levelled out in 1994, but Saints moved on to pastures new in 2001, to their fresh 32,505-seater St Mary's home.

TOTTENHAM

Stadium(s): White Hart Lane, Wembley Stadium

Capacity 1992: 36,284

Capacity 2018: 51,000 (expected)

SPURS' old home underwent a host of renovation back in the late 1980s meaning it was a fairly large stadium for the Premier League's birth at over 36,000 capacity.

However, there was controversy owing to the dated and frustrating pillars blocking the view of the pitch.

The addition of executive boxes also caused outcry as it removed the much-loved "Shelf" terrace.

In the modern day, Tottenham are in the process of knocking down White Hart Lane in order to make way for their new stadium - set to open for the 2018-19 season.

They'll play at Wembley during the 2018-19 campaign.

WEST HAM

Stadium(s): Upton Park, London Stadium

Capacity 1992: 35,016

Capacity 2018: 57,000

IN English football's second tier for the Premier League's first season, West Ham did gain promotion that season.

Upton Park on the other hand was undergoing major renovation, with the old North and South Bank terraces replaced by double-decker stands.

The old main West Stand was also torn down in 2001 to make room of the Dr Martens Stand.

The Boleyn Ground is now all-but demolished as the club have spent the past season playing at the stadium used for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Now the London Stadium, the 57,000-seater stadium looks set to be the home of West Ham for decades to comes.