Benfica to play Rebel Reds in ground opening
REBEL football club FC United of Manchester will open the doors of its new ground witha showpiece match against Portuguese giants Benfica tomorrow.
This follows the completition of an ambitious project to deliver a new 4,000 stadium Broadhurst Park in Moston by Preston-based the Frank Whittle Partnership, which project managed the build.
The Benfica match will be a dual celebration since FC United’s promotion to the Conference North was confirmed in April, which means they are now just two divisions below the Football League just a decade after their formation.
The club was launched by disgruntled Manchester United fans unhappy over the Glazer family takeover of the Old Trafford club.
FWP has provided project management and quantity surveying support for the development of the £6.3m development at the Ronald Johnson Playing Fields.
The traditional-style ground, designed by Cheshire-based architects IBI Taylor Young, includes a 2,500-capacity terrace behind one of the goals, which has been created using a stand transported from Northwich Victoria’s former ground.
A new state-of-the art 3G and two grass pitches for community use make up the sporting complex, which will also be home to the Moston Juniors club.
Around half of the cost of the development was funded by the club’s 4,000-plus membership with the rest coming from grants and council loans.
Daniel Thompson, Associate at FWP, said: “Broadhurst Park is looking fantastic and will be a great home for FC United, as well as providing sporting facilities for the local community.
“It has been a real team effort to get to this stage and we’re all looking forward to seeing the team and Benfica step out onto the pitch for what promises to be a great occasion for everyone involved in turning the vision into reality.
“The new ground is a real community asset for Moston and will enable FC United to continue its development as a community football club and continue its success on and off the field.”
FWP has a strong track record in both designing and project managing the delivery of state-of-the-art sporting facilities – particularly to lower Football League and non-league football clubs.
More than 60 sports clubs throughout the country have benefited from FWP’s advice, with many of them going on to design and build modern new facilities.
FWP has worked on projects with Preston North End and Fleetwood Town and is developing stadia and community assets for clubs such as Oldham Athletic, Peterborough United and Berwick Rangers.
