History
Hawthorne Road was originally a cricket ground, but began to be used for football in 1884 when Bootle F.C. moved to the site. At the time the only spectator facility was a cricket pavilion on the east side of the ground, with football being played at the southern end of the site. In 1889 the football club opened a seated stand behind the western goal and a covered stand flanked by two open terraces on the southern touchline.Paul Smith & Shirley Smith (2005) ''The Ultimate Directory of English & Scottish Football League Grounds Second Edition 1888–2005'', Yore Publications, p63, The ground's record attendance was set on 26 December 1889 when 20,000 saw Bootle play Everton in a friendly match. Bootle joined the Football Alliance in 1889, and in 1892 were elected into the Second Division of the Football League. The first League match played at the ground on 10 September 1892 saw Bootle beat Sheffield United 2–0 in front of 4,000 spectators. However, crowds rapidly dwindled, and dropped below 1,000 by December. Although Bootle finishing eighth in the Second Division, financial constraints forced them to resign from the league, with Liverpool elected to replace them. The last Football League match was played at Hawthorne Road on 15 April 1893, with 2,000 watching Bootle beat Lincoln City 4–1. The ground remained open for cricket, and was briefly home to Bootle Athletic. However, housing was later built over the part of the site where the football ground was located when Wadham Road was extended.References
Football Alliance venues Defunct sports venues in Merseyside Defunct football venues in England Cricket grounds in Merseyside Sport in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton Sports venues completed in 1884 {{England-sports-venue-stub