Halton Stadium

Halton Stadium stands in Widnes, Cheshire, on the site once called Naughton Park. The ground traces its origins to 1895, when Widnes Football Club moved to Lowerhouse Lane and laid out a new field. In the late 1920s the club fought to keep the land, raising £3,250 before the purchase was completed in 1932. After financial troubles the stadium passed to Halton Borough Council in 1995. A rebuilt stadium opened in 1997, keeping the same footprint but adding four all-seater stands. The stadium has hosted top-level sport and entertainment for more than a century. Widnes defeated Australia at Naughton Park in 1978 before 12,202 spectators. Everton Ladies and Liverpool Ladies played home matches here between 2013 and 2018. Elton John drew a sell-out crowd of 14,000 in 2017. The British Drum Corps Championships have been held here every September since 2013. Widnes Vikings still play Championship fixtures on the same pitch. Visitors find four distinct stands around the pitch. The South Stand holds 3,400 seats and contains 30 executive suites, two function suites and a club shop. The East Stand houses the Widnes Rugby League Museum and 2,350 seats. The West Stand offers a National Table Tennis Centre of Excellence, gym, crèche and café. The North Stand seats 4,400 and serves as the Widnes Vikings Performance Hub. The stadium’s 3G pitch, relaid in 2018, remains in constant use for matches and community events.