Work underway on Radcliffe Moor Road site for Wyresdale AFC

Wyresdale AFC, which traces its history back over 100 years, had left its old ground off Inverbeg Drive, Breightmet, after the land was sold for housing.

Now, work has begun on a 15-acre site west of Radcliffe Moor Road in Radcliffe which will include two adult and two junior grass pitches, which officials hope will be ready by August next year.

Club chairman Stan Crawford said: “These will be the best amateur pitches for miles around.”

He added: “The new facility will be bigger and better than before and the club which is now also a registered charity intends to significantly increase participation particularly for junior football and also for women and girls.”

Work is now underway (Image: Wyresdale AFC)

The club’s own ground was sold to Westchurch Homes, which now plans to build 94 new homes on the Breightmet site.

The UK Planning Inspectorate decided to approve the plan for the new homes in July last year, overruling Bolton Council’s decision to reject the bid the year before.

Club officials say that the new ground is less than a mile away from Inverbeg Drive, but the old site had suffered from poor drainage, with no possibility of improvement.

They had also been unable to use the pitches for long periods during the winter.

The old site of Inverbeg Drive (Image: Newsquest)

But as well as the pitches, set in line with Sport England guidelines, the new Radcliffe Moor site will include a club house, changing rooms, and car parking.

Wyresdale AFC will celebrate its 130th birthday this year and is now actively recruiting players for the coming 2024/25 season.

The club is also hoping to relaunch its social media activities.

Mr Crawford said: “Getting to this point has been a great achievement for the club and is the culmination of the hard work put in by many committee members and trustees for almost two decades.

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“The club which was founded in 1894 is 130 years old this year and is privileged to have owned the freehold to the ground since 1955.

“The re-investment on the new site will help to secure its future into the next century.

“The committee has recently expanded to take on the challenges of growing the club to maximise the use of this fantastic facility.”

The new facility is expected to be ready for use in August 2025.

The club says it also aims to recruit new volunteers, coaches and players for the 25/26 season.