Haig Avenue, Southport

Haig Avenue, Southport, another traditional old football stadium that changed quite significantly following the public inquiry into Bradford City Fire of 1986. The wooden terracing and covered wooden structures over the Scarisbrick New Rd End and along the Popular Side were demolished. The club had been no stranger to fire damage itself. On the evening of Boxing Day 1966, following a 1-0 Southport victory over Wrexham in front of a crowd of over 8,000, a discarded cigarette is thought to have started a fire that ultimately burned down the stand. Fortunately no one was injured in the fire.

It’s said that the only thing that survived the fire was the club safe containing the takings from the previous days match. A temporary stand was erected with the players having to use a local school as changing rooms. The club however went on to clinch promotion in May oy 1967 to the Third Division as runners up. A trophy was presented to the team inside the temporary structure by Eric Morecambe.

The club managed just 2 seasons in the 3rd Division before relegation back to the 4th Division in 1970. However just 3 seasons later The club bounced back as Champions. Again this was shortlived as they were relegated again the very next season. A crowd of 6,533 had seen them clinch the Championship at home to Hartlepool. The average home crowd in that successful season was 3,577. Crowds of that size were soon diminished once “Port” where back in the 4th Div and fell further as the club struggled to eventually be voted out of the League in 1978 to be replaced by Wigan Athletic.

By this time attendances had dropped as low as three figures for home League matches and Haig avenue fell into a state of disrepair. Parts of the old wooden terracing had been closed off from public use long before demolition in 1986

Haig Avenue had hosted some big crowds, non more so than the 20,010 who attended to see Southport take on Newcastle United in the 6th round of the FA Cup. In January 1968 Southport drew Everton in the 3rd round of the FA cup, The official gate that day was 18,795. It is thought the actual attendance was considerably more.

The “New” Stand at Haig Avenue was built in 1968 and still looks a modern structure to this day, A covered Terrace now sits at The Scarisbrick New Rd end while the popular side and Blowick End remain uncovered terracing. The Capacity of Haig Avenue is now 6,008

Southport FC currently have ambitious plans to re-develop Haig Avenue, Rebuilding the Popular side and erecting a roof over the Blowick End. This would see the stadium with cover on all 4 sides for the first time in its history.

Thanks to Port Online Archive. http://www.southportfootballclub.co.uk