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MOOR LANE ’ S CLASS ACT

SALFORD CITY UPGRADE MOOR LANE TO RETAIN THEIR 2020 VISION
The current Main Stand at Moor Lane Photo : Paul Claydon
Thanks to the success of the BBC series Out of Their League , Salford City ' s fame extends far beyond the usual non-league circles . Part owned by Paul Scholes , Nicky Butt , Ryan Giggs and the Neville brothers , the involvement of the Manchester United ' Class of 92 ' alumni has reaped great rewards so far , with the club rising from the Northern Premier League Division One North to the upper reaches of the National League North . But what of their Moor Lane ground , which has provided a suitably gritty and down at heel backdrop to Salford City ' s recent adventures ? As we speak , Moor Lane is undergoing a complete refit , which will eventually see new stands on all fours sides of the ground , with an EFL satisfying 5,000 capacity . But how many know that Moor Lane and its environs has a rich sporting history going back to the 17th century ?
The current ground at Moor Lane occupies a portion of the old Manchester racecourse which once formed part of Kersal Moor . Meetings took place from 1681 until 1847 when some of the site was reshaped to create the Kersal Cricket Ground . After athletics and tennis , rugby union side Manchester FC were the next sporting concern to be connected to Moor Lane , the club moving there in 1919 . Formed in 1860 , they predate both Manchester City and Manchester United and , at a time when there was still some fluidity between the association and rugby codes , Manchester FC even competed in the FA Cup in the 1870s and 1880s . With seating initially confined to the finely tooled but tiny grandstand on the Moor Lane side of the ground , additional accommodation arrived in the mid-1930s , when a concrete stand was opened parallel to Nevile Road . Unusually for the time period it was entirely made of pre-cast concrete , and was as solid and strong as the stand facing it was delicate and effete . Six extra-thick beams bore the weight of the roof , with the slightly elevated seating deck made of concrete also . Beautiful it might not have been , but this was a stand that wouldn ' t get blown down in a hurry .
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