Halton Stadium
Encyclopedia
The Stobart Stadium Halton (previously known as Naughton Park) is a rugby league
stadium in Widnes
, England
. The Widnes Vikings
play their home games there as do Everton Reserves
. For the 2011 Super League Season
, St Helens have played their home games at the stadium.
The stadium is all seater and has a total capacity of 13,350.
on 12 October 1895.
In the late 1920s it was proposed that the land would be compulsorily purchased to make way for a new council housing scheme. After much lobbying the club were finally given an option to purchase the site for the not inconsiderable sum of £3,250.
Club secretary Tom Naughton was instrumental in raising the necessary funds but before the formal completion of the purchase in 1932 he died in a car crash, leading to the ground being renamed in his honour. Naughton Park stadium was owned by Widnes FC (later Widnes RLFC Ltd) but when financial difficulties set in they sold the ground to Halton Borough Council
in 1995.
Halton Borough Council in partnership with Widnes Vikings agreed to build a new stadium on the site of Naughton Park. This stadium would provide a multi-purpose complex including a social club, conference facilities, recreational facilities and catering/function facilities.
The stadium was officially opened on 2 November 1997. A new stand was built in 1998 with funding from Halton Borough Council and on 29 January 1999 the club's remaining 40% share in the ground was sold to the council.
The stadium became known as the AutoQuest Stadium in 1999 due to sponsorship.
In 2000, Runcorn FC sold their Canal Street ground and moved to the Halton Stadium. The club renamed itself Runcorn FC Halton to reflect its new location.
AutoQuest's sponsorship ended in 2001 and the stadium became known as the Halton Stadium.
In 2005 the East Stand was completed making the Halton Stadium a complete four-stand all seater stadium. Runcorn FC's precarious financial state caused them to move out of the Halton Stadium and into Valerie Park
.
In December 2007 a sponsorship agreement was made with Stobart Group
Limited and the stadium was renamed Stobart Stadium Halton. In Febrauary 2008 the North stand seats were changed to spell out VIKINGS, West stand seats are sponsored by STOBART and East stand seats are sponsored by HALTON Borough Council as part of the stadium sponsorship deal.
The stadium was a temporary home to St Helens during the 2011 season, as Langtree Park only opened for use in time for the 2012 season.
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...
stadium in Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
, 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...
. The Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
play their home games there as do Everton Reserves
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...
. For the 2011 Super League Season
Super League XVI
The 2011 Super League season was the sixteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996...
, St Helens have played their home games at the stadium.
The stadium is all seater and has a total capacity of 13,350.
History
Widnes Football Club had a number of grounds before settling at Lowerhouse Lane in 1884/85 on a site a few hundred yards north of the current location. That land was leased on behalf of the rugby organisation by Widnes Cricket Club but, to coincide with the breakaway from the Rugby Football Union in 1895, Widnes FC obtained a lease for land on which they laid out a new ground (the Naughton Park/Stobart Stadium site). The first game on the new field was against LiversedgeLiversedge
Liversedge is a township in the former parish of Birstall, in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Liversedge lies between Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike about southwest of Leeds.-Settlements within Liversedge:...
on 12 October 1895.
In the late 1920s it was proposed that the land would be compulsorily purchased to make way for a new council housing scheme. After much lobbying the club were finally given an option to purchase the site for the not inconsiderable sum of £3,250.
Club secretary Tom Naughton was instrumental in raising the necessary funds but before the formal completion of the purchase in 1932 he died in a car crash, leading to the ground being renamed in his honour. Naughton Park stadium was owned by Widnes FC (later Widnes RLFC Ltd) but when financial difficulties set in they sold the ground to Halton Borough Council
Halton (borough)
Halton is a local government district in North West England, with borough status and administered by a unitary authority. It was created in 1974 as a district of Cheshire, and became a unitary authority area on 1 April 1998. It consists of the towns of Widnes and Runcorn and the civil parishes of...
in 1995.
Halton Borough Council in partnership with Widnes Vikings agreed to build a new stadium on the site of Naughton Park. This stadium would provide a multi-purpose complex including a social club, conference facilities, recreational facilities and catering/function facilities.
The stadium was officially opened on 2 November 1997. A new stand was built in 1998 with funding from Halton Borough Council and on 29 January 1999 the club's remaining 40% share in the ground was sold to the council.
The stadium became known as the AutoQuest Stadium in 1999 due to sponsorship.
In 2000, Runcorn FC sold their Canal Street ground and moved to the Halton Stadium. The club renamed itself Runcorn FC Halton to reflect its new location.
AutoQuest's sponsorship ended in 2001 and the stadium became known as the Halton Stadium.
In 2005 the East Stand was completed making the Halton Stadium a complete four-stand all seater stadium. Runcorn FC's precarious financial state caused them to move out of the Halton Stadium and into Valerie Park
Valerie Park
Valerie Park, traditionally known as Hope Street, is a stadium in Prescot, Merseyside. It is located on Eaton Street in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley. It is home to Prescot Cables of the Northern Premier League and, since their formation in 2008, A.F.C...
.
In December 2007 a sponsorship agreement was made with Stobart Group
Eddie Stobart Ltd.
Stobart Group Ltd is a large British multimodal logistics company, with interests in Transport and Distribution, Estates, Infrastructure and Civils, Air and Biomass, through operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Belgium...
Limited and the stadium was renamed Stobart Stadium Halton. In Febrauary 2008 the North stand seats were changed to spell out VIKINGS, West stand seats are sponsored by STOBART and East stand seats are sponsored by HALTON Borough Council as part of the stadium sponsorship deal.
The stadium was a temporary home to St Helens during the 2011 season, as Langtree Park only opened for use in time for the 2012 season.