Thorneyholme Road is a

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 str ...

and former football ground in Accrington, England. It is the home ground of Accrington Cricket Club, and was the home ground of Accrington F.C. from 1878 until 1896 when they dissolved.

History

Thorneyholme Road was opened as a cricket ground in 1878 when Accrington Cricket Club moved to the site. Accrington F.C. were founded in the same year, and also became based at the ground. The football pitch was located at the western end of the ground, with a covered stand and some uncovered seating built on the western touchline and more uncovered seating installed behind both goals.Paul Smith & Shirley Smith (2005) ''The Ultimate Directory of English & Scottish Football League Grounds Second Edition 1888–2005'', Yore Publications, p126, Accrington F.C. were founder members of

the Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in Association football around the wor ...

in 1888, and the first league match was played at Thorneyholme Road on 6 October 1888. Accrington drew 4–4 with

Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (), commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England, which compete in the . The club has played at Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889. The club's ...

in front of 4,000 spectators. The record league attendance of 10,000 was set on 2 January 1893 for a local derby with

Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club, based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second tier of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...

. At the end of the 1892–93 season Accrington finished next to bottom of the First Division. After losing the promotion/relegation test match to

Sheffield United Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...

, Accrington resigned from the Football League rather than be relegated to Division 2. Instead, the club moved to the Lancashire League, and in 1895 switched to the

Lancashire Combination The Lancashire Combination was a football league founded in the North West of England in 1891–92. It absorbed the Lancashire League in 1903. In 1968 the Combination lost five of its clubs to the newly formed Northern Premier League. In 1982 it ...

, subsequently folding during the 1895–96 season. The area where the football ground was located is now covered by

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

courts.

References

{{Borough of Hyndburn culture Cricket grounds in Lancashire Defunct football venues in England Accrington Sports venues completed in 1878 English Football League venues Buildings and structures in Hyndburn