Huyton - Sport

Sport

The area is served by Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park (Longview Drive) and King George V Sports Centre (Longview Lane).

Huyton-with-Roby boasts two 18 hole golf courses: Huyton & Prescot Golf Club (Founded in 1905, it can be found at Hurst Park, Huyton Lane) and Bowring Golf Club (According to a sign at the course, it is the oldest municipal golf course in England and can be found at Bowring Park, Roby Road).

Huyton has its own cricket club, located off Huyton Lane which was founded in the mid 1860s by the Stone family and the town has produced at least one first class cricketer: Reginald Moss.

Huyton also had a professional rugby league club from 1968 to 1985. It was formed from Liverpool Stanley (1934–1951) and Liverpool City (1951–1968). Huyton RLFC struggled in the second division of the Rugby Football League until 1985, when they were replaced by Runcorn Highfield. This club, later renamed Highfield, struggled on near the bottom of the pro game - in 1995–1996 they gained just 1 point all season and changed their name to Prescot Panthers, Prescot Panthers finally disappeared at the end of the 1997 season (see List of defunct rugby league clubs). (Huytonians still interested in supporting pro rugby league have the choice of either St. Helens and Widnes Vikings, both of whom are 6 miles (9.7 km) away from Huyton).

Huyton has been much more successful in producing professional footballers. In recent years the town has produced two outstanding, combative and skilful, midfield England internationals: Peter Reid (Everton) and Steven Gerrard (Liverpool). Other footballers include: Joey Barton, Craig Hignett, Tony Hibbert, David Nugent, Lee Molyneux, Leon Osman, John Relish, Greg Tansey and Lee Trundle. Notably on 28 March 2007, two of Huyton's most prominent footballers starred for England in a 3-nil away win in Andorra. Goals came from Steven Gerrard (2) and David Nugent in a proud night for Huyton. Both players were educated at Cardinal Heenan High School, who have a track record as one of the country's top schools for sport.

Huyton contains many amateur football teams at both junior and senior level, but only one FA Charter Standard Club, which is Paramount Community Football Club.

Despite producing so many pro footballers, Huyton has never been able to sustain a semi-pro club for long. Nearby Kirkby Town changed their name to Knowsley United in 1988 and moved to Alt Park, the former home of Huyton Rugby League Club. In United's first five seasons they were hugely successful. In 1988-89 they finished runners-up in the North West Counties Football League. The following season they were champions and won promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One. They were accordingly promoted to the Premier Division. The following season they fought their way to the first round proper of the FA Cup, only to be beaten by Carlisle United at home. Unfortunately the momentum did not last and Knowsley United ceased to be a senior semi-pro side in 1998.

Huytonians wishing to support a local semi-pro outfit have Prescot Cables F.C. located at Valerie Park in the Northern Premier League (Premier Division) less than 2 miles (3.2 km) away.