Stainton Park: Radcliffe FC

From Radcliffe FC

Also known as Stainton Park, Neuven Stadium has been the home of Radcliffe FC since 1969; a time when the football club was known as Radcliffe Borough. The Stainton Park name comes from a local builder, who just happened to be the club’s Chairman at the time that it moved in to the venue. The current moniker of Neuven Stadium comes about thanks to a sponsorship deal, with Neuven Solutions Limited agreeing to give the club money in exchange for having its name emblazoned on parts of the ground. For a time, Bury AFC also used the stadium for its home matches, but that ended in the middle of 2023.

Radcliffe Borough started life as a football club on the 24th of May 1949. Ahead of the 2018-2019 season, a decision was taken to change the club’s name to simple Radcliffe Football Club, which it has been known as ever since. Jack Pickford and a committee of 17 others set the club up in the first place, entering it into the South East Lancashire Football League. In the years since, it is fair to say that it has made its way up through the divisions, enjoying some relative success. There have been some well-known players that have either made their name at Radcliffe before moving on or arriving at the club late in their career.

Stats

Stainton Park Photos

Stainton Park Stadium Stand Behind Goal

Stainton Park Seating Plan and Where to Sit

Although Tainton Park is basic, it has a nice personality to it that you can soak up as you wander around the venue. The Lodge End Stand is found behind one of the goals and is fully seated, being the main stand at the ground. Opposite that is the Pilkington Road End, named after the road behind it rather than Karl Pilkington. It is a basic terrace, which is also the case for the Stainton Park Close End that runs along one side of the pitch. That is also the side where the team dugouts are. Opposite it is the Club House Side, where the recently refurbished club house as well as a covered terrace is.

Radcliffe FC Ticket Prices

Should you be looking to attend a Radcliffe match, you’ll be looking at paying a different fee depending on your personal circumstances. Here is how the ticket prices worked out for the 2023-2024 season:

• Adults – £10
• Concessions – £7
• Under-16s – Free

In terms of concessions tickets, they are available to anyone over the age of 65 as well as students. Disabled supporters can also get a concession ticket, with career able to attend for free. The free tickets for under-16s are only available for league matches, with cup games having different pricing attached to them. There is no discount for buying your tickets online as opposed to at the ticket office.

How To Get Radcliffe FC Tickets

For a lot of the lower league clubs, there is the need to compete with the likes of the Premier League and the Championship. For Radcliffe, that is especially the case, given the fact that the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City are on their doorstep. As a result, the club has a decent website that you can turn to in order to get tickets for their matches, should you be technologically au fait. For those that aren’t, there’s still the ability to buy them on the turnstiles for most matches.

Where to Buy

• Ticket Compare

Getting To Stainton Park

Train – If you want to take the train to the stadium then you’ll be heading into Manchester Piccadilly or Manchester Victoria and then changing onto the Metrolink. The tram will take you to Radcliffe by getting on the line to Bury.

Bus – Should you be the sort of person that likes to get the bus whenever possible, either because of its convenience or because you’re old enough to have received your bus pass, the 98 runs from Manchester out to Radcliffe and drops you off right outside the ground.

Car – Those travelling to Stainton Park in a car will want to take the M60 to Junction 17, following the signs for Whitefield and Bury. At that point, get on the A665 towards Radcliffe via the by-pass to Bolton Road. There is a signpost to turn right onto Unsworth Street just opposite the Turf Hotel, with the stadium being about half a mile further on.

By Air – Given the stadium’s location, it is sadly the case that Manchester Airport is easily the closest. We say ‘sadly’ because many consider Manchester Airport to be one of the seven circles of hell, seemingly punishing you for having the temerity to want to travel. You might consider flying into Liverpool John Lennon Airport instead; yes it’s further away, but the people there don’t act as if you’re inconveniencing them by travelling through it in the same way that they do in Manchester.

Taxi – How much you’ll end up paying for a taxi will largely depend on where you’re taking it from. You might be looking at in the region of £20 if you’re heading in from Manchester city centre, for example.

Parking Near Stainton Park

If you made the decision to drive out to Radcliffe then you’re going to need somewhere to park your car. On that front, the car park at the stadium is only available to players, officials and club staff. You can park at Radcliffe Cricket Club for a nominal fee, or you can take your chances parking on the street. If you choose to do that then make sure that you keep an eye out for any parking restrictions that are in place.

• See Available Parking Near Stainton Park

Useful Resources

• Parking - Just Park

Pubs and Bars Near Stainton Park

About Radcliffe FC

On the 24th of May 1949, Jack Pickford and a committee of 17 others gathered in the Owd Tower Inn with the aim of creating a football club. Off the back of this meeting, Radcliffe Borough was born, entering the South East Lancashire Football League as a result. Soon the team joined the Manchester League and then gained access to the Lancashire Football Combination. By 1974, Radcliffe Borough had joined the Cheshire League, which became the North West Counties League. The first season in its new division saw Radcliffe Borough win the title in front of 1,468 people, which was a record for Stainton Park.

The 1996-1997 season saw the club win its highest honour of the time, claiming the Northern Premier League First Division title by two points. What made it all the sweeter was the fact that local rivals Leigh RMI came in second. Three years later and Radcliffe made it to the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history. It was the 2023-2024 season that really helped the club go up a gear, however. By now the decision had been taken to drop the ‘Borough’, with Radcliffe FC winning the Northern Premier League Premier Division and gaining promotion to the National League North for the first time.

Stainton Park History

Stainton Park was opened in 1969, with the years prior to that seeing Radcliffe Borough playing games at a ground in Bright Street. In 1968, however, the club was forced to move away from the area, playing Lancashire Combination games at the Whitehouse Sports Ground in Crumpsall. It is believed by most that the first competitive match played at the new stadium was between Radcliffe Borough and Wigan Rovers on the sixth of September 1969. It is entirely fair to say that the ground has undergone numerous improvements over the years, with many coming in the wake of the change of management of the club in 2016.

It was at that point that a new stand was built at the Pilkington Road End of the ground, for example. In addition, a new press area and director’s area were built, with the previous ones having been destroyed by fire. A covered turnstile block was installed, whilst a TV gantry, boardroom, club shop and Sponsors Lounge, complete with Social Club, were opened. Bury were ground-sharing with Radcliffe for a while, but that arrangement came to an end in the first part of 2023 when Gigg Lane was able to welcome the club back. The capacity of the venue at the time of writing is 3,500, of which 350 can be seated.