Haig Avenue

Haig Avenue (originally known as Ash Lane) is a football stadium in Blowick, Southport, Merseyside, England, that holds 6,008 people (1,537 seated, 4,471 standing). Since its opening in 1905 it has been the home ground of Southport.

The ground is situated in Blowick, which is just inside the east boundary of Southport near the A570, the main road from Southport to Ormskirk and the M58 motorway. It is sited at the edge of a residential area, adjoining school playing fields.

Haig Avenue now has a capacity of 6,008 but its record attendance is 20,010 for two matches played by Southport, against Newcastle United in the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1932 and against Everton in a 1968 FA Cup tie. Since Southport lost Football League status in 1978, the ground has seldom operated at more than a quarter full, although nearly full houses were registered for key matches such as the 1998 FA Trophy semi-final against Slough Town, which Southport won to reach their first ever Wembley final, and their 2010 FA Cup third round home tie against Sheffield Wednesday.

The ground has a covered main stand on the north side of the ground (the entrance to it is from Haig Avenue, the road) called "the Sam Shrouder Main Stand". This is opposite an uncovered terrace on the south side, known as "the Poplar Terrace". Behind the goals, the west (Scarisbrick) end is covered and this is where the majority of the home fans congregate. The west stand is called the "Jack Carr Stand", after a popular director at the club, and was named shortly after his death. The east (Blowick) end, used mainly by away team supporters, is open to the elements. The north and west sides of the ground back onto residential property and the uncovered south and east sides onto the playing fields of the nearby Meols Cop High School. Haig Avenue is a thoroughfare linking Scarisbrick New Road (A570) with Meols Cop Road and Norwood Road.

There are limited car parking facilities and these are reserved for home, away and match officials. There is usually ample parking in local streets.

Southport F.C. moved to what is now called Haig Avenue in 1905 (then called Ash Lane). The road the ground is situated on and the ground itself were officially renamed Haig Avenue after Earl Haig in 1921.

The grandstand that now stands at Haig Avenue was opened in August 1968, two years after the original main stand had burnt down. The wooden structure, which had been purchased from the Southport Flower Show, caught fire on 27 December 1966, destroying the stand, dressing rooms and offices. The fire began at around 5am and destroyed most of the club's possessions, including kits, with only the club safe, holding some of the takings from the previous day's victory over Wrexham surviving. Following the fire, the club appealed for donations to help towards the £70,000 restoration costs. A temporary main stand was put up instead during the season Billy Bingham's side won promotion to the Third Division. Eric Morecambe presented the club with a trophy to commemorate their achievement.

In April 1973, following his first Grand National victory, Red Rum was presented to the crowd at half time during a match against Lincoln City.