Fallowfield Stadium
Encyclopedia
Fallowfield Stadium was an athletics
stadium and velodrome
in Fallowfield
, Manchester
, England
. It opened in May 1892 as the home of Manchester Athletics Club after it was forced to move from its home next to Old Trafford Cricket Ground. Fallowfield was most regularly used for cycling by the Manchester Wheelers' Club
, who held their annual competition there until 1976.
The stadium came to national attention on the 26 March 1893 during the FA Cup final
between Wolverhampton Wanderers
and Everton
which Wolverhampton Wanderers won 1–0. With a capacity of 15,000 the attendance of 45,000 meant the majority of spectators had no view of the match. Despite this, the stadium hosted the 1899 FA Cup semi-final between Sheffield United
and Liverpool
; the match had to be abandoned due to a crush in the crowd.
The cycle track was originally of shale, later resurfaced with concrete, 509 yards in circumference with 30-degree bankings. The stadium hosted cycling events for the 1934 British Empire Games
and the 1919 national championships. In 1955 sprint cyclist Reg Harris
bought the stadium and it was for a period renamed the Reg Harris Stadium.
The stadium hosted the AAA championships in 1897 and 1907. Sydney Wooderson
set a world 3/4-mile athletics record at the stadium on 6 June 1939 with 2:59.5.
In rugby union
, the last England
home international versus Scotland
held outside London was hosted in 1897. In rugby league
, two Northern Union Challenge Cup
finals were held in 1899 and 1900.
Manchester University
bought Fallowfield Stadium in the early 1960s. It was demolished in 1994 and the site is now the Richmond Park Halls of Residence, part of the Fallowfield Campus
.
Results of FA Cup Finals at Fallowfield Stadium
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
stadium and velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
in Fallowfield
Fallowfield
Ladybarn is the part of Fallowfield to the south-east. Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is used by the University of Manchester: it was built by Edward Walters for Sir Joseph Whitworth, as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.-Religion:...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It opened in May 1892 as the home of Manchester Athletics Club after it was forced to move from its home next to Old Trafford Cricket Ground. Fallowfield was most regularly used for cycling by the Manchester Wheelers' Club
Manchester Wheelers' Club
-Formation and early history:The club was formed on 7 July 1883, as Manchester Athletic Bicycle Club, the name being changed to Manchester Wheelers' Club in 1890.The Manchester Wheelers are the most successful cycling club in Britain having produced countless international riders and several World...
, who held their annual competition there until 1976.
1893 FA Cup Final
The 1893 FA Cup Final was an association football game contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton. Wolves won by a single goal, scored by Harry Allen....
between Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
which Wolverhampton Wanderers won 1–0. With a capacity of 15,000 the attendance of 45,000 meant the majority of spectators had no view of the match. Despite this, the stadium hosted the 1899 FA Cup semi-final between Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
; the match had to be abandoned due to a crush in the crowd.
The cycle track was originally of shale, later resurfaced with concrete, 509 yards in circumference with 30-degree bankings. The stadium hosted cycling events for the 1934 British Empire Games
1934 British Empire Games
The 1934 British Empire Games were the second of what is now known as the Commonwealth Games. They were held at the White City Stadium in London, England from 4–11 August 1934, apart from the cycling at Fallowfield Stadium, Manchester, and the swimming, which took place at the Empire Pool in Wembley...
and the 1919 national championships. In 1955 sprint cyclist Reg Harris
Reg Harris
Reginald - 'Reg' - Hargreaves Harris OBE was a leading English track racing cyclist in the 1940s and 1950s. He won the world amateur sprint title in 1947, two Olympic silver medals in 1948, and the professional title in 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1954...
bought the stadium and it was for a period renamed the Reg Harris Stadium.
The stadium hosted the AAA championships in 1897 and 1907. Sydney Wooderson
Sydney Wooderson
Sydney Charles Wooderson MBE , dubbed "The Mighty Atom", was an English athlete whose peak career was in the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of Britain’s greatest middle-distance runners and had an amazing sprint finish...
set a world 3/4-mile athletics record at the stadium on 6 June 1939 with 2:59.5.
In rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, the last England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
home international versus Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
held outside London was hosted in 1897. In rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, two Northern Union Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
finals were held in 1899 and 1900.
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
bought Fallowfield Stadium in the early 1960s. It was demolished in 1994 and the site is now the Richmond Park Halls of Residence, part of the Fallowfield Campus
Fallowfield Campus
The Fallowfield Campus is the main residential campus of the University of Manchester. It is located in Fallowfield, Manchester, 2 miles south of the main university site, to which it is connected by Wilmslow Road and the A34.-History:...
.
Results of FA Cup Finals at Fallowfield Stadium
| Year | Attendance | Winner | Runner-up | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1893 1893 FA Cup Final The 1893 FA Cup Final was an association football game contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton. Wolves won by a single goal, scored by Harry Allen.... |
45,067 | Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
1 | Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
0 |