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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.
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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.
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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."
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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.