The ground closed at the end of the 2006-07 Football League season and the club moved to a new stadium, provisionally titled The New Meadow, on the outskirts of the town.

Centuries before Shrewsbury Town occupied the site, Gay Meadow was known locally for the fairs, carnivals and circuses which took place there.

[2] In 1739, stuntman Robert Cadman, a "steeple-flyer", attempted to "fly" across the River Severn using a rope attached to St Mary's Church at one side and a tree at Gay Meadow some 200 feet below.

On 25 November 1960, a crowd of 5,448 saw Shrewsbury Town beat Stoke City 5–0 in a match to mark the installation of the lights.

Minor changes in the 1990s included a new Executive Suite, a TV gantry in the Main Stand, the controversial demolition of the ground's wooden scoreboard, and, following the Taylor Report, the removal of perimeter fencing with the exception of the away Station End.

Gay Meadow was located on the banks of the River Severn and was surrounded by trees and parkland, with the town centre towering above the ground on the hilltop behind.

[4] Due to the ground being small and in a cramped location, between the river and a major railway junction, there was little scope for expansion or renovation.

Access was via a small side street known as The Narrows and one of the main reasons the ground's capacity was reduced following the Taylor Report.

Unusually it kept the bottom half of its perimeter fencing right up until its final game, most other stadia in the country having removed theirs following the Taylor Report.

This side of the ground along with the Riverside Terrace formed one large standing area for home fans, with movement unrestricted between the two.

This often resulted in home fans congregating behind the goal on the Wakeman End when Shrewsbury Town were attacking in that direction - leaving the north part of the Riverside Terrace practically empty.

The stand also boasted executive seating for VIPs, sponsors and guests, a TV gantry and press offices.

Amongst other things, opposition from residents delayed the planning and building process until 2006, with the ground not being completed until July 2007.

Gay Meadow's final FA Cup tie was a goalless draw against Hereford United on 11 November 2006 in the first round (Shrewsbury lost the replay at Edgar Street).

The last team to win a professional match at Gay Meadow were Shrewsbury's biggest rivals Wrexham, who won 1–0 at the penultimate league game at the ground on 24 April 2007.

[8] The final senior competitive match held at Gay Meadow was against Milton Keynes Dons on 14 May 2007, the first leg of the League 2 Play-offs.

In addition, 500 unsold seats were purchased by League of Wales side Caernarfon Town, to be used in the redevelopment of a stand at their ground, the Oval.

Over 100 townspeople "flew" from the St. Mary's area of the town centre, over the River Severn to land on the Gay Meadow pitch, emulating Robert Cadman's attempt in 1739.

In addition, sections of the Gay Meadow turf were sold for a small fee for Severn Hospice, the organising charity.