Photographs © Peter Moore.
These photographs were taken at a match between Manchester Spartans and Fylde Falcons on Sunday, 28 May, 1989. Final result was Manchester 28 Fylde 20.
In 1986, Hyde United had taken the radical step of selling Ewen Fields to Tameside Council so that a synthetic Baspograss pitch could be laid. The ground was also used to host American Football as seen here. The ground returned to grass in 1995.
Peter writes
"After completing the regular season 9 and 1 Manchester Spartans went on to win the Britball that year beating the Birmingham Bulls 21 - 14 in the final. I was supporting Fylde and recall that their American players were QB Cliff Walker and DE Jeff Christmann. Fylde finished the season 6 and 4 then lost in the first round of the playoffs to the London Ravens.
I also saw Accrington Stanley play against Hyde around that period and can safely say that the crowd for the American Football game was quite a bit bigger, probably because it was a sunny Sunday afternoon rather than a wet Tuesday evening in January."
See also A brief history of Hyde FC.
Photos of the laying of the artificial pitch can by found on Hyde Cheshire; part 1 and part 2.
Visit Peter Moore's website.
