Former Premier League club’s unique stadium now suburban housing estate over 20 years after hosting final game
THE home of a former Premier League club has been turned into a housing estate.
From the lows of relegation in 1993 to the highs of promotion in 1997, the ground has seen it all.
Springfield Park in Greater Manchester stood for 102 years before it was demolished 24 years ago.
It was Wigan Athletic’s home for 67 years, hosting Championship and League One level football for several years.
In its early days, the ground was shared by four football clubs – Wigan County, Wigan United, Wigan Town and finally Wigan Borough.
The Lactics moved in 1932 and stayed until 1999, eventually moving across town to the current DW Stadium.
Back in the day, 30,433 fans packed into a maximum capacity Springfield Park for an FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday in 1929.
And in 1953, the stadium played hosted to another record-breaking cup tie between Wigan Athletic and Hereford.
That day 27,526 supporters turned up, which was the highest ever attendance for a match between two then non-league teams at a non-league ground.
Springfield Park was not just steeped in football history as it also hosted rugby, cycling, horse trotting, wrestling and athletics.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Wigan’s Rugby League club played there in the early 1900s and Springfield Borough used the venue for one season in 1988.
Behind the goal, fans stood on a unique banking that was 2.1m high.
It was actually part of the old concrete velodrome track that was there when it hosted cycling races.
Wigan local Benjamin Jones regularly raced there and he later went on to win two Olympic gold medals at the London 1908 Games.
The ground was sadly demolished just a year after Wigan relocated a 25 minute walk away to the DW.
It has now been turned into a suburban hosing estate and homes were fresh on the market in 2001.