Halton Stadium
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| Stobart Stadium Halton | |
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| Full name | Stobart Stadium Halton |
| Location | |
| Opened | 2 November 1997 |
| Owner | |
| Tenants | Widnes Vikings Everton F.C. Reserves |
| Capacity | 13,350 |
The Stobart Stadium Halton is a rugby league stadium in Widnes, England. The Widnes Vikings play their home games there as do Everton F.C.'s reserves.
The stadium is all seater and has a total capacity of 13,350.
[edit] History
Widnes Rugby League Football Club had a number of grounds before settling at Lowerhouse Lane in 1884/5. The tragic death of their club secretary, Tom Naughton in 1932, led to the ground being renamed Naughton Park. Naughton Park stadium was owned by Widnes RLFC but when financial difficulties set in they sold the ground to Halton Borough Council.
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.[1] In Febrauary 2008 the North stand seats were changed to spell out VIKINGS, East stand seats are sponsored by STOBART and West stand seats are sponsored by HALTON Borough Council as part of the stadium sponsorship deal.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Stobart Group maps out road to success for Vikings. Halton Borough Council. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
[edit] External links
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