Bower Fold – Stalybridge Celtic

The ground is set into a hillside, so there is plenty of greenery on view around the stadium. Unlike most grounds in this league Bower Fold benefits by having two seated stands on either side of the pitch. On one side is the Main Stand. This tidy-looking covered stand was opened in 1996 and sits astride the halfway line. There is a small terrace to one side, whilst the other is a club building. The stand is flanked on either side by two floodlight pylons, but these don’t impede the view. Opposite is the newish looking Lord Tom Pendry Stand. This stand like the Main Stand is cantilevered i.e. there are no supporting pillars. It is raised above pitch level meaning that you need to climb a small set of steps to reach the seated area. Again the floodlight pylons are situated to either side. Both ends feature covered terracing, the more substantial of these being at the Mottram End of the ground.

Stalybridge Celtic currently plays in the BetVictor Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of English football. This is at Step 3 below the Football League and one League below the National Leagues North and South.

In the event of the need for fans to be segregated, then away supporters are housed in the Mottram Stand at the South end of the ground. The entrance turnstiles to this area are located at the far end of the club car park, next to the Gym. The Mottram Stand is a small terrace with some roof cover towards the rear and some portions of open terrace to the front and either side. There are some supporting pillars running across this stand that could impede your view. The Club also provide a small number of seats in the Main Stand. Catering is provided by a small refreshment hut selling hot drinks and pies. Usually a visit a Bower Fold is a pleasant day out. The ground is of a good standard (although the Social Club may have seen better days) and is an attractive setting.

There is a Social Club at the ground, otherwise there is not much else in the way of pubs near to the ground. 

If arriving by train into Stalybridge Railway Station there is plenty of choice in the way of pubs. At the station itself is the Buffet Bar, whilst there are the Society Rooms, a Wetherspoons outlet on Grosvenor Street, plus the White House on Water Street, which are all listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. 

Leave the M60 at Junction 24 and take the M67 towards Sheffield. Leave the M67 at the end of the motorway at Junction 4. Take the A57 towards Sheffield. After about half a mile turn left onto the B6174 at the traffic lights towards Stalybridge. Then at the mini-roundabout bear left onto the A6018 towards Stalybridge. The ground is a couple of miles down this road on the left. The ground is quite easy to miss so look out for the large red sign advertising the ‘Fitness Experience at Stalybridge Celtic’ which is by the entrance. There is a fair sized car park at the ground which costs £1.

Stalybridge Railway Station is located a mile and a half away from the ground. It is served by trains from Manchester Victoria.

On exiting the main railway station entrance, turn right and proceed along the road going under a railway bridge. Continue straight along this road, passing the Cosmo Bingo Hall on your left, as the road becomes Market Street. At the bottom of Market Street go straight on, passing the large old brick archway on your left. You will then reach a T-junction with the much larger A6018 Stamford Street. At this junction turn right and then after about a mile along this road you will reach the Bower Fold ground on your right, just after the Hare and Hounds pub.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:

Adults £10
Concessions £6

Official Programme £2.

Stalybridge Celtic FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).

Ashton United, Curzon Ashton, Hyde and Droylsden.

Record Attendance
9,753 v West Bromwich Albion
FA Cup First Round Replay, 17th January 1923

Average Attendance
2018-2019: 356 (Northern Premier League) 
2017-2018: 315 (Northern Premier League)
2016-2017: 567 (National League North)

If you require hotel accommodation in Manchester or local to Stalybridge then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Just input the relevant dates and click on “Search” below or on the hotel of interest on the map to get more information. The map is centered on the football ground. However, you can drag the map around or click on +/- to reveal more hotels in Manchester City Centre or further afield.

Official Web Site: www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk
Unofficial Web Site: None at present

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.