The Cliff (training ground)
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The Cliff is a sports ground in Broughton, Greater Manchester, on the banks of the River Irwell, that was used as rugby league club Broughton Rangers' home ground until 1951, when it was purchased by association football club Manchester United F.C. for use as their training ground. It continued to be used by United until 1999,[1] when it was replaced by the Trafford Training Centre in Carrington, Greater Manchester. However, it continues to host some Manchester United academy matches, and it is sometimes used by the Salford City Reds rugby league side as a training venue.
The Cliff, located on Lower Broughton Road in Broughton, Greater Manchester, started out as the home ground for the now-defunct Broughton Rangers rugby league club, continuing in that regard until 1951, when the site was purchased by Manchester United F.C., to be used as a training ground. Until then, the Manchester United teams had trained on the pitch at their Old Trafford stadium, but the club's management had decided that a training ground was necessary to avoid doing needless damage to the Old Trafford pitch. Floodlights were soon erected at The Cliff – an improvement that Old Trafford did not receive until March 1957 – and a rugby league amateur international match was held there in 1952.[2] That same year, Manchester United entered their youth team in the FA Youth Cup for the first time. Matches were played at night, meaning that the team had to play under the floodlights at The Cliff. In the second round of the competition, the Manchester United youth team recorded the biggest win in the history of the FA Youth Cup; David Pegg, John Doherty and Duncan Edwards scored five goals each and Eddie Lewis scored four in a 23–0 victory over Nantwich Town's youth team.[3]
At the end of the 20th century, it became felt by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson that The Cliff had become too open to the press and the public for him to successfully run the training of the club's first team players, with journalists and opposition spies able to get a look at his tactics all too easily and supporters holding the players up for hours after training with requests for autographs. The club, therefore, decided to construct a new training facility in Carrington, Greater Manchester, away from prying eyes.[4] First team, reserve and academy training is now carried out at the Trafford Training Centre, but The Cliff is still retained for the training of the club's youngest players.[5] The Cliff has even been used by the England national team as a training camp prior to international matches held at Old Trafford.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ "Man Utd Zone: "The Cliff" under "C"". http://www.manutdzone.com/atoz/c.html. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
- ^ Inglis, Simon (1996) [1985]. Football Grounds of Britain (3rd edition ed.). London: CollinsWillow. p. 235. ISBN 0-00-218426-5.
- ^ White, Jim (2008). Manchester United: The Biography. London: Sphere. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-84744-088-4.
- ^ White, Jim (2008). Manchester United: The Biography. London: Sphere. p. 360. ISBN 978-1-84744-088-4.
- ^ White, Jim (2008). Manchester United: The Biography. London: Sphere. p. 361. ISBN 978-1-84744-088-4.
- ^ White, John (2007). The United Miscellany. London: Carlton Books. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-84442-745-1.
[edit] External links
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