Edge Hall Road

The Edge Hall Road Community Stadium is a rugby union community stadium, located in Orrell, Greater Manchester. Originally built as the permanent ground of the local Orrell rugby union team, but the club departed the stadium in 2007, with the development team of Wigan Warriors beginning to use the ground that same year.

terracing at Orrell

Edge Hall Road
The north stand pictured in 1997
Full nameEdge Hall Road Community Stadium
LocationOrrell, Greater Manchester, WN5 8TG
Coordinates53°31′53″N 2°42′23″W
Capacity3,000
Construction
Built1950
Opened1950
Tenants
Orrell (1950–2007)
Wigan Academy (2007–)[nb 1]

While the ground has a technical capacity of 5,500, the safety certificate only allows 3,000 at present, due partly to damaged terracing. The Wigan Warriors senior team also uses the ground as their training complex. Throughout the latest years, the stadium has had name sponsorship, including The Co-operative, The Wigan Laundry and recently Solid Strip. Currently Wigan warriors are considering selling the ground to a housing developer and relocating their training facilities elsewhere. This would see a further 60 houses being built with only one possible access road.

History

1950–2007: Orrell senior team

Edge Hall Road became the permanent residence of Orrell R.U.F.C. in 1950, replacing several locations previously used by the club, including Kitt Green and Abbey Lakes, both areas within Orrell.

Orrell RUFC were once a successful rugby union team, but the advent of professionalism saw them struggle to return to the Guinness Premiership following their relegation in 1997.

The training pitches that the club formerly used outside of the stadium

With mounting debt, the club was sold to Dave Whelan, then owner of Wigan Warriors and current Wigan Athletic chairman. Following his takeover of the club, and the death of the landlord, the ground and its surrounding land was sold to Mr. Whelan's company, Whelco Holdings. After several successful seasons, Whelan withdrew his financial backing and the club again began to struggle, Whelan charging £1,000 per match to use the stadium. This excessive rent, coupled with Whelan's decision to ban the club from accessing the clubhouse, forced the club to relocate to playing fields at St John Rigby college for the 2007–08 season.

In January 2007, the clubhouse was converted into a state of the art training facility for the Wigan Warriors Rugby League Club.

2007–present: Wigan Academy

The pitch is currently used for training and Wigan Academy games.[1] Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan has recently suggested that he will be investing in ground improvements to enable the Warriors to play lower-key games in the near future.[2] While the ground has a technical capacity of 5,500, the safety certificate only allows 3,000 at present, due partly to damaged terracing. Expected improvements would be replacement of this terracing and a permanent food and drink outlet. As of the 2008 season, fans have been banned from parking inside the ground and have faced increased admission prices.

On 7 July 2008 Wigan Warriors announced a new three year sponsorship deal with the Co-operative and as part of the deal changed Edge Hall Road to The Co-operative Community Stadium.[3] In April 2013 the ground was renamed The Wigan Laundry Company Community Stadium after a draw. Twelve months later, the naming rights went to Solid Strip.[4]

Directions

Exit motorways onto slip road following signs for "Orrell & Upholland". At slip road traffic lights, turn left and continue to next traffic lights. At next traffic lights you will see "Orrell Lock & Key Centre" on your left and "Hills Florist" on your right, Turn left here and continue to next traffic lights. At next traffic lights you will see "The Halifax Building Society", turn left here onto "Church Street". Continue for about 700 yards, Edge Hall Road is on your left hand side just before you go over an old stone railway bridge. Turn left into Edge Hall Road, Orrell R.U. is about 50 yards on your left.

References
  1. The ground is currently uses as the Wigan Warriors senior team training complex and is used by the development squad.
  1. "Orrell to quit Edge Hall Road". Wigan Today. 24 January 2007.
  2. "Wigan can wait says coach Ged". News and Star. 1 May 2008. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008.
  3. "Wigan Announce Partnership with The Co-operative". Wigan Warriors Official Site. 7 July 2008.
  4. "Community Stadium Re-Named". wiganwarriors.com. 12 April 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
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