Acklam Park is a

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, two codes of ru ...

and

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

ground located in

Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area. Until the early 1800s, the a ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by national parks, including most of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It is one of four cou ...

, England. Initially opened in 1929, the venue has hosted games of Middlesbrough RUFC since the ground's opening in 1929, as well as

Middlesbrough Cricket Club Middlesbrough Cricket Club plays at Acklam Park in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. The club currently plays in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League (NYSD). It currently has multiple teams: 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3 XI, under ...

since 1932.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club is one of 18 first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Yorkshire. Yorkshire are the most successful team in English cricketing hi ...

also played a number of first class matches at Acklam Park between 1956 and 1996. With a capacity of 5,000, the ground initially cost £1,200 in construction cost upon its opening.

History

Middlesbrough RUFC purchased a 12-acre field in 1928 for a fee of £1,200. The club paid 13

shillings The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, other British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, where they were generally equivalent to 12 pence or ...

, club members paid £500 and £800 was loaned from the

Rugby Football Union The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It promo ...

. Middlesbrough played their first games on their present ground in 1929, having played at several previous venues. Due to the cost of the ground, the club officials began selling oats and wheat from the field in order to pay off their loan from the

. The name Acklam Park was adopted in 1930, and the following year a stand and pavilion was built, funded as a result of 12 interest-free loans of £100 each from local businessmen, the majority of whom refused to take repayment of their loan. In 1932,

became joint-owners of Acklam Park, soon attracting the interest from

, who had a ground history as tenants of the ground between 1956 and 1996. With play halted during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the ground close in 1940, before being re-opened in 1945. In 2008, a new clubhouse was opened at Acklam Park, which includes a bar, a café, a gymnasium, a function room and lounge. Improved changing rooms were also inserted, leading out to an exit to the main cricket and rugby pitches. A new stand was constructed, with seats being placed in front of the changing rooms exit and café door exit. Despite seats, supporters are eligible to stand and watch the rugby and cricket teams play. The stand uses bench seating, though plans are in place to have plastic seats added into the stand. In August 2018, the rugby club added dug-outs to the first team pitch.

Location

The ground sits on Green Lane, and is located near Acklam Shops and Green Lane Primary School, with a range of pubs near ground. On the exterior of the ground, a number of housing estates are on the boundaries of the clubhouse.

Other events

Annually, a summer beer festival is held at the ground, which has raised much money over the years. They also host an annual firework display. On 27 August 2017, the ground hosted a fundraiser event, ''Party in Acklam Park!'', with live music and entertainment. The purpose of this event was to raise more money for the club and for new developments in the youth teams.

References

{{reflist

External links

Middlesbrough RUFC

Sports venues in Middlesbrough Rugby union stadiums in England Sports venues completed in 1929 1929 establishments in England Cricket grounds in North Yorkshire