Grundy Hill
Encyclopedia
Grundy Hill was the former home stadium of Horwich RMI
association football club in Horwich
, Greater Manchester
, England
, near the Horwich Leisure Centre.
The field had a capacity of approximately 5,000 spectators, with 500 being seated. The terraces were covered on three sides and featured railings.
Grundy Hill's pitch famously sloped both downwards and also side-to-side, and was reputed to have its own microclimate
. "Grundy Hill sloped 16 feet from top diagonal to bottom diagonal and had the contours of corrugated iron, but until the new footballing nanny state prohibited such extreme drops, the ground was Horwich's prime asset." One fan recalled that, as a boy, it was his impression "that the base of the corner flag was level with the top of the crossbar – on the same goal line." From the stands, fans had views over the field's slopes to the Rivington Pike
.
In 1994
, the football club sold Grundy Hill to a housing developer, and moved several miles south to Leigh's
Hilton Park
in time for the 1995-1996 season
. The move also led to the club renaming itself Leigh RMI after its new home town, although the club has subsequently changed its name to Leigh Genesis F.C. Reebok Stadium
, the current home of the Bolton Wanderers
, is located near Horwich, within sight of the old location of Grundy Hill. The stadium was subsequently leveled, and a residential housing development now sits on the former site of Grundy Hill.
Leigh RMI F.C.
Leigh Genesis Football Club, formerly known as Horwich Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. and Leigh Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. , was an English semi-professional association football team that folded after relegation from the Northern Premier League in 2011...
association football club in Horwich
Horwich
Horwich is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Chorley, northwest of Bolton and northwest from the city of Manchester. It lies at the southern edge of the West Pennine Moors with the M61 motorway close to the...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, 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...
, near the Horwich Leisure Centre.
Grundy Hill's pitch famously sloped both downwards and also side-to-side, and was reputed to have its own microclimate
Microclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
. "Grundy Hill sloped 16 feet from top diagonal to bottom diagonal and had the contours of corrugated iron, but until the new footballing nanny state prohibited such extreme drops, the ground was Horwich's prime asset." One fan recalled that, as a boy, it was his impression "that the base of the corner flag was level with the top of the crossbar – on the same goal line." From the stands, fans had views over the field's slopes to the Rivington Pike
Rivington Pike
Rivington Pike is a hill summit on Winter Hill, part of the West Pennine Moors, overlooking the village of Rivington in Lancashire, England. The nearest towns are Chorley and Horwich. The Pike is a prominent local landmark which derives its name from the Old English hreof plus ing meaning the rough...
.
In 1994
1994 in football (soccer)
The following are the football events of the year 1994 throughout the world.-Events:*January 15 – Manager Issy ten Donkelaar is fired by Dutch club FC Twente, and replaced by Hans Meyer from Germany....
, the football club sold Grundy Hill to a housing developer, and moved several miles south to Leigh's
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
Hilton Park
Hilton Park (stadium)
Hilton Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England. It was the home of Leigh Centurions rugby league club and Leigh Genesis F.C. association football club...
in time for the 1995-1996 season
1995-96 in English football
- Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title....
. The move also led to the club renaming itself Leigh RMI after its new home town, although the club has subsequently changed its name to Leigh Genesis F.C. Reebok Stadium
Reebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
, the current home of the Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, is located near Horwich, within sight of the old location of Grundy Hill. The stadium was subsequently leveled, and a residential housing development now sits on the former site of Grundy Hill.