Bower Fold (Stalybridge)

Bower Fold in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, England, is the home ground of Stalybridge Celtic football club and, intermittently, Oldham rugby league club.

General information

Arena capacity: 6,500 spectators

Address: Mottram Rd, Stalybridge SK15 2QW, UK

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 53.4752° N, 2.0419° W

Year of construction: 1906

Field: grass lawn

Seating plan of Bower Fold

The ground is set into a hillside, so there is plenty of greenery on view around the stadium. Unlike most grounds in this league, Bower Fold benefits by having two seated stands on either side of the pitch. On one side is the Main Stand. This tidy-looking covered stand was opened in 1996 and sits astride the halfway line. There is a small terrace to one side, whilst the other is a club building. The stand is flanked on either side by two floodlight pylons, but these don’t impede the view.

Opposite is the newish looking Lord Tom Pendry Stand. This stand like the Main Stand is cantilevered i.e. there are no supporting pillars. It is raised above pitch level meaning that you need to climb a small set of steps to reach the seated area. Again, the floodlight pylons are situated to either side. Both ends feature covered terracing, the more substantial of these being at the Mottram End of the ground.

In the event of the need for fans to be segregated, away supporters are housed in the Mottram Stand at the South end of the ground. The entrance turnstiles to this area are located at the far end of the club car park, next to the Gym. The Mottram Stand is a small terrace with some roof cover towards the rear and some portions of open terrace to the front and either side. There are some supporting pillars running across this stand that could impede your view. The Club also provide a small number of seats in the Main Stand. Catering is provided by a small refreshment hut selling hot drinks and pies. Usually a visit a Bower Fold is a pleasant day out. The ground is of a good standard (although the Social Club may have seen better days) and is an attractive setting.

Where to buy tickets?

Celtic’s website is the best place to go if you’re hoping to get a ticket to see them play live. You can also call the club’s ticket office if you’d like to buy tickets over the phone.

Tickets can usually be purchased on the day at the turnstiles but occasionally some games are designated as “all ticket”, please check each individual game for further details and make sure you plan ahead.

How to get there?

M6 Northbound – 30 minutes from leaving the M6:

• Leave the M6 at junction 19 (Northwich).
• At the roundabout at the end of the slip road turn right (exit 3 of 4) to join the A556 towards Altrincham.
• We make dozens of free sports predictions every day.
• Stay on the A556 for 5 miles to a roundabout with the M56.
• Turn right at the roundabout (exit 3 of 4) onto the M56.
• Stay on the M56 for 6 1/2 miles to junction 3 (M60 signposted Sheffield, M67) Stay on the M60 for 7 miles to junction 24 (M67, Denton).
• At the roundabout turn right (exit 4 of 5) to join the M67.
• Stay on the M67 to the very end, Junction 4.
• At the roundabout turn left (exit 1 of 4) onto the A57 (Hyde Road).
• After 1/2 a mile you will reach a set of traffic lights (signposted Stalybridge).
• Turn left onto B6174 (Stalybridge Road).
• Almost immediately, there is a mini roundabout.
• Turn left (exit 1 of 5) onto Roe Cross Road (A6018).
• Follow this road for 1 3/4 miles passing the Roe Cross Inn on the right and through the cutting (the road is now called Mottram Road).
• Find the best odds for sports betting.
• When you pass the Dog and Partridge on the right, you will be almost there.
• Bower Fold is on the left opposite a sharp right turn next to the art gallery.
• If the car park is full (it usually is), parking can be found on the streets on the right of Mottram Road.

M6 Southbound – 25 minutes from leaving the M6.

• Leave the M6 at junction 20A (North Wales, Runcorn) Join the M56 towards Stockport.
• Stay on the M56 for 11 miles to junction 3 (M60 signposted Sheffield, M67) Stay on the M60 for 7 miles to junction 24 (M67, Denton) At the roundabout turn right (exit 4 of 5) to join the M67.
• New predictions for soccer, tennis, hockey, basketball, etc. are created every hour.
• Stay on the M67 to the very end, Junction 4.
• At the roundabout turn left (exit 1 of 4) onto the A57 (Hyde Road).
• After 1/2 a mile you will reach a set of traffic lights (signposted Stalybridge).
• Turn left onto B6174 (Stalybridge Road).
• Almost immediately, there is a mini roundabout.
• Turn left (exit 1 of 5) onto Roe Cross Road (A6018).
• Follow this road for 1 3/4 miles passing the Roe Cross Inn on the right and through the cutting (the road is now called Mottram Road).
• When you pass the Dog and Partridge on the right, you will be almost there.
• Bower Fold is on the left opposite a sharp right turn next to the art gallery.
• If the car park is full (it usually is), parking can be found on the streets on the right of Mottram Road.
• Take a look at the freebets offered by the bookmaker.

M1 – 40 minutes from leaving the M1:

• Leave M1 at junction 35a (Manchester) At the roundabout at the end of the slip road, join

the A616 towards Manchester After 1 mile you will reach a roundabout with the A616.

• Go straight across on the roundabout (exit 3 of 5) to join the A616.
• After 9 miles you will reach the Flouch Roundabout with the A628.
• Turn left on the roundaout (exit 1 of 4) to join the A628 (Woodhead Road).
• After 13 1/2 miles you will reach a set of traffic lights (signposted left to Glossop) go straight across.
• After these lights move into the right hand lane.
• At the next set of lights, turn right onto Back Moor (signposted Stalybridge).
• After a few hundred yards, you will reach a mini roundabout.
• Bear right (exit 2 of 5) onto Roe Cross Road (A6018).
• Follow this road for 1 3/4 miles passing the Roe Cross Inn on the right and through the cutting (the road is now called Mottram Road) When you pass the Dog and Partridge on the right, you will be almost there.
• What can you bet on today? The answer is here.
• Bower Fold is on the left opposite a sharp right turn next to the art gallery.
• If the car park is full (it usually is), parking can be found on the streets on the right of Mottram Road.

M62 – 20 minutes from leaving the M62:

• Leave the M62 at Junction 18 to join the M60.
• The M60 junction has its own lane.
• Join the M60 heading South towards Oldham, Ashton and Stockport.
• Stay on the M60 for 8 miles to junction 24 (M67, Denton).
• At the roundabout at the end of the slip road, turn left (exit 2 of 5) to join the M67.
• No questions? Place a bet now.
• Stay on the M67 to the very end, Junction 4.
• At the roundabout turn left (exit 1 of 4) onto the A57 (Hyde Road).
• After 1/2 a mile you will reach a set of traffic lights (signposted Stalybridge).
• Turn left onto B6174 (Stalybridge Road).
• Almost immediately, there is a mini roundabout.
• Turn left (exit 1 of 5) onto Roe Cross Road (A6018).
• Follow this road for 1 3/4 miles passing the Roe Cross Inn on the right and through the cutting (the road is now called Mottram Road) When you pass the Dog and Partridge on the right, you will be almost there.
• Bower Fold is on the left opposite a sharp right turn next to the art gallery.
• If the car park is full (it usually is), parking can be found on the streets on the right of Mottram Road.
• Follow the link and get your prediction before the match starts.

M60 – 10 minutes from leaving the M60:

• Leave the M60 at junction 24 (M67, Denton) at the roundabout join the M67.
• Stay on the M67 to the very end, Junction 4.
• At the roundabout turn left (exit 1 of 4) onto the A57 (Hyde Road).
• After 1/2 a mile you will reach a set of traffic lights (signposted Stalybridge).
• Turn left onto B6174 (Stalybridge Road).
• Almost immediately, there is a mini roundabout.
• Turn left (exit 1 of 5) onto Roe Cross Road (A6018).
• Follow this road for 1 3/4 miles passing the Roe Cross Inn on the right and through the cutting (the road is now called Mottram Road).
• When you pass the Dog and Partridge on the right, you will be almost there.
• Bower Fold is on the left opposite a sharp right turn next to the art gallery.

The ground is quite easy to miss so look out for the large red sign advertising the ‘Fitness Experience at Stalybridge Celtic’, which is by the entrance. There is a fair sized car park at the ground, which costs £1.

Stalybridge Railway Station is located a mile and a half away from the ground. It is served by trains from Manchester Victoria.

On exiting the main railway station entrance, turn right and proceed along the road going under a railway bridge. Continue straight along this road, passing the Cosmo Bingo Hall on your left, as the road becomes Market Street. At the bottom of Market Street go straight on, passing the large old brick archway on your left. You will then reach a T-junction with the much larger A6018 Stamford Street. At this junction turn right and then after about a mile along this road you will reach the Bower Fold ground on your right, just after the Hare and Hounds pub.

Where to eat?

There is a Social Club at the ground; otherwise, there is not much else in the way of pubs near to the stadium.

If arriving by train into Stalybridge Railway Station there is plenty of choice in the way of pubs. At the station itself is the Buffet Bar, whilst there are the Society Rooms, a Wetherspoons outlet on Grosvenor Street.

Accessibility

Broadhurst Park has excellent facilities for people with disabilities. Disabled supporters at the ground is through a stewarded gate next to the first set of turnstiles that you approach from the car park. Disabled seating and wheelchair spots are to be found in the main stand and in the east and west stands. Disabled parking can be arranged in advance by contacting the FC United office.

Admission is the relevant standard charge for the disabled supporter and a carer gains free admission.

History

Before the construction of their own ground, F.C. United of Manchester used the ground for some home games from 2009 whenever Gigg Lane was unavailable, usually when Bury were scheduled to play a home game on the same day. FC United generally exceeded Stalybridge’s home attendances when they played at Bower Fold. Bower Fold was F.C. United’s official home ground for the first half of the 2014–15 season.

It was announced in December 2015 that Oldham RLFC would play their home games at Bower Fold from 2016 onward, as their previous home was seen as unfit to host Championship rugby competitions. On 5 November 2019 it was announce that Oldham would be returning to Bower Fold after the Rugby Football League informed the club that the Vestacare Stadium the club’s home for the past two seasons did not meet the standards for Championship rugby.