Padiham Celebrate Their "Big Weekend"
Wed 9th October 2024 | Padiham | By Martin Fallon
Padiham Football Club held their "Big Weekend" last weekend to celebrate the joint anniversary of two big milestones in the club's history.
It has been 75 years since Padiham moved to the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground (AMSG) and 25 years since the opening of their pitch side Club House & Changing Rooms.
The "Big Weekend" started with a bang on Friday evening when a full house enjoyed a Comedy and Curry Night, with entertainment provided by Gary Marshall, Billy Flywheel and MC Andy Ashworth.
Saturday saw Padiham host Abbey Hey in a NWCFL Premier Division game in the afternoon, with Jakob Hebda hitting a hat-trick in a 5-2 win. This was followed by a Neil Diamond musical tribute night on the Saturday evening.
Sunday afternoon then brought an afternoon of Northern Soul music, with those in attendance reminiscing and listening to some of the sounds played at Blackpool Mecca, Wigan Casino and other North West venues in the 60s and 70s.
The "Big Weekend" marked the conclusion of a summer long festival of events as the 2024 Festival, aimed to showcase the £200,000 investment made at the AMSG, which as well as Padiham Football Club is also home to Padiham Cricket Club. Both come under the umbrella of Padiham Sports Club, with popular former Football Club Secretary Alan Smith the current Sports Club Secretary.
Speaking of the "Big Weekend", Alan said "The Big Weekend proved to be a massive success for the club, playing an integral part of the AMSG 2024 Festival organised by Padiham Sports Club the trustees of Padiham Football Clubs home ground.
"All of the weekends activities were well attended and it proved just how important the Football Club and Sports Ground are to the people of Padiham who came out in their numbers to support the event".
Work undertaken so far at the AMSG range from repairs to the cricket pavilion roof and the addition of new windows and doors to a new children’s woodland play area, a new war memorial and a new football kitchen and fitness room. Further improvements planned include a ‘water harvesting’ scheme that will see the rainwater recycled for irrigation of the pitches.
There is also a mural, designed by Preston based artist Gavin Renshaw, which captures what the sports ground means to the town of Padiham and its residents. Described as the ‘beating heart’ of the town’s sporting and community activities, the moving timeline mural includes images of fans through the ages, from 1949 right through to the present day.
Funding for the improvements have come from a variety of sources, including UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the Lancashire Environment Fund, the Hameldon Hill Wind Farm Community Fund, the English Cricket Board, plus indidicual fundraising from both the football and cricket sides of the club.
Padiham Celebrate Their "Big Weekend"
Wed 9th October 2024 | Padiham
By Martin Fallon
Padiham Football Club held their "Big Weekend" last weekend to celebrate the joint anniversary of two big milestones in the club's history.
It has been 75 years since Padiham moved to the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground (AMSG) and 25 years since the opening of their pitch side Club House & Changing Rooms.
The "Big Weekend" started with a bang on Friday evening when a full house enjoyed a Comedy and Curry Night, with entertainment provided by Gary Marshall, Billy Flywheel and MC Andy Ashworth.
Saturday saw Padiham host Abbey Hey in a NWCFL Premier Division game in the afternoon, with Jakob Hebda hitting a hat-trick in a 5-2 win. This was followed by a Neil Diamond musical tribute night on the Saturday evening.
Sunday afternoon then brought an afternoon of Northern Soul music, with those in attendance reminiscing and listening to some of the sounds played at Blackpool Mecca, Wigan Casino and other North West venues in the 60s and 70s.
The "Big Weekend" marked the conclusion of a summer long festival of events as the 2024 Festival, aimed to showcase the £200,000 investment made at the AMSG, which as well as Padiham Football Club is also home to Padiham Cricket Club. Both come under the umbrella of Padiham Sports Club, with popular former Football Club Secretary Alan Smith the current Sports Club Secretary.
Speaking of the "Big Weekend", Alan said "The Big Weekend proved to be a massive success for the club, playing an integral part of the AMSG 2024 Festival organised by Padiham Sports Club the trustees of Padiham Football Clubs home ground.
"All of the weekends activities were well attended and it proved just how important the Football Club and Sports Ground are to the people of Padiham who came out in their numbers to support the event".
Work undertaken so far at the AMSG range from repairs to the cricket pavilion roof and the addition of new windows and doors to a new children’s woodland play area, a new war memorial and a new football kitchen and fitness room. Further improvements planned include a ‘water harvesting’ scheme that will see the rainwater recycled for irrigation of the pitches.
There is also a mural, designed by Preston based artist Gavin Renshaw, which captures what the sports ground means to the town of Padiham and its residents. Described as the ‘beating heart’ of the town’s sporting and community activities, the moving timeline mural includes images of fans through the ages, from 1949 right through to the present day.
Funding for the improvements have come from a variety of sources, including UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the Lancashire Environment Fund, the Hameldon Hill Wind Farm Community Fund, the English Cricket Board, plus indidicual fundraising from both the football and cricket sides of the club.
