The number of teams in and around Manchester that command a sizable portion of supporters time is quite remarkable. The tale of FC United of Manchester is a short but blossoming history. Broadhurst Park is where our next 'Residence' takes us.
Built by the fans, for the club it is an almighty symbol as to just how far this club and community has come in its ten years of existence. FC United, a club created amidst the steady tide that rose against the ownership of Manchester United, it's become an expression and a legacy for the future built with independence at it's core. Fresh thinking running throughout, the stadium is less than a year into its life and it's proving to be quite the home for a team in a state of positive flux and an upward trajectory of strength.
The stadium itself is a contemporary structure; Surrounded in wooden cladding, there are nods around Broadhurst Park that have been used to represent the foundations laid down by Newton Heath - the club that eventually became Manchester United. Not merely an off-shoot, this club is growing all the time with the people who make the party, the fans, being central to all major decisions.
Innovative thinkers, the stadium was built as efficiently as possible costing £6.3 million in total - one observation being the St Mary's Road end which sits proudly behind one of the goals. This complete stand was bought from Northwhich Victoria when they went into administration and resurrected as a vocal stand for the FC United faithful.
We went behind the scenes at Broadhurst Park in the Mavericks & Disruptors issue of the SoccerBible Magazine to capture the spirit of a club that has created something remarkable out of collective might. You can pick up a copy here. Photography by Robbie Jay Barratt. The club go toe-to-toe with Chesterfield in the first round of the FA Cup on Monday, it's live on BT Sport to boot.
Opened: 2015
Capacity: 4,400
