Runcorn - Sports

Sports

The main sport played in Runcorn is football, with the town having two senior football teams – Runcorn Linnets FC and Runcorn Town FC – both playing in the North West Counties League, with the town also having a thriving Sunday League and Junior League. There is also an open age women's team Runcorn Ladies FC, who have recently formed. They are affiliated to Liverpool FA, and play in the Liverpool County Women's Open Age Division.

Runcorn Linnets were formed as a trust-based team in 2006 from the now defunct Runcorn F.C. Halton. It has existed in various guises since 1918, and its performance peaked in 1982 when it won the Alliance Premier League, then the highest division below the Football League. The club initially did not have their own ground so, up until the 2009–10 season, they took part in a groundshare with Witton Albion to play their home matches at Wincham Park, Northwich. In their first season the club gained promotion to Division 1 of the North West Counties League. In October 2009 planning permission was granted for the club to build a new ground in the Murdishaw area of Runcorn.

Runcorn Town was formed in 1970 as Mond Rangers FC with the club changing their name in 2005 in order to "try and bring a more professional look to the club in general, and increase support from both businesses and individuals in the local community." After finishing in third place in the West Cheshire League at the end of the 2009/10 season, the club were elected to join the North West Counties League at their AGM, the highest level that they have ever played at.

Runcorn Cricket Club and Runcorn Hockey Club are based at the Runcorn Sports Club in Moughland Lane. Runcorn Rugby Union FC is based at Halton Sports Club in Murdishaw. There is an 18 hole golf course at Runcorn Golf Club in Clifton Road and a golf driving range at Sutton Fields. Runcorn Sports Club is a privately run sports club in Moughland Lane and provides facilities and coaching for cricket and hockey. Halton Sports Club is in Murdishaw Avenue. Privately run swimming pools are at Beechwood local centre and Stockham Lodge Raquet and Health Club. Adjacent to the latter are two artificial ski slopes administered by Runcorn Ski Centre. The Runcorn Rowing Club rows on the River Weaver Navigation near Clifton Village. The local authority runs several sports centres, including: Runcorn Swimming Pool; Brookvale Recreation Centre, offering indoor sporting facilities; and Phoenix Park, with outdoor sporting facilities. Other sports are also catered for. Runcorn also has its own professional wrestling training-school (The Runcorn Wrestling Academy) based in Grangeway, set up in 2005 by Andy Baker and Neil Davis.

In the late 19th century, and prior to the 1895 schism, rugby union footballers from the now defunct Runcorn, Harry Collinge Speakman played during the 1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia, and Samuel Houghton played for England. When the rugby football schism occurred in 1895, Runcorn became founder members of the Northern Rugby Football Union (now Rugby Football League). Runcorn played from the 1895–96 season through to the end of 1914–15 season, they won the Lancashire League in both the 1895–96, and 1899–1900 seasons, and were losing semi-finalists in 1906–07 Rugby Football League Championship, and during the early part of the 20th century five rugby league players from the now defunct Runcorn played for both Great Britain, and England. Runcorn finish bottom of the league in the 1914–15 Northern Rugby Football Union season, and did not recommence playing following the aftermath of World War I. Rugby league in the town is now represented by Runcorn RLC.