1 - 1 v Nelson (H) 19/11/2024 In the 1884-85 season the original Southport Football Club merged with the Southport Athletic Society.
For two seasons Southport played at the Sports Ground on Sussex Road which had been built for the Athletic Society in 1882 to host their athletics festivals. Upon it’s opening it had a large grandstand, 195 feet in length which could seat 2,000 and the ground was fully enclosed with pay gates on Sussex Road.
In the summer of 1886 the original Southport Football Club folded, and Southport Wanderers, who changed their name to Southport Football Club in September 1886 chose to play their home games at Scarisbrick New Road.
Upon the creation of the towns first professional football club, Southport Central, in 1888, the Sports Ground was once again chosen as the venue, however was used for only one season. The original Southport Olympic Rugby Club breathed its last at the end of Central’s first season, and the club took over their vacant ground.
Sussex Road was briefly home to the new Southport Rugby Football Club between 1891 and 1893, however in January 1892 it became known that the Athletic Society was seeking a new ground upon the expiry of its lease, with it being known that the Sussex Road site was required for building purposes.
In the mid 1890s the Sussex Road ground was demolished .
