Southport’s Sporting Calendar

Southport’s sporting culture revolves around a seasonal dynamic: rugby and association football in winter and cricket in summer. In the late 19th century, this interplay between the three sports nurtured a generation of multi-sport athletes and strong links between the clubs. While cricket was the first to establish a formal presence in Southport, rugby quickly followed. Later, the emergence of professional football added a new dimension to Southport’s sporting landscape, ultimately creating three distinct but interconnected clubs.

Cricket in Southport really began in 1859 with the founding of the first Southport Cricket Club. By 1863, the Alexandra Cricket Club had emerged as a new hub of sporting and social life, based on Manchester Road. This club played a pivotal role in maintaining the town’s sporting activity throughout the year. Recognising the need for a winter sport to keep players engaged, members of Alexandra Cricket Club founded Southport Football Club in 1872, playing rugby under its banner. The cricket and rugby grounds stood side by side, reflecting the close relationship between the two sports.

This connection was embodied by the dual-sport pioneers of the era. Prominent Alexandra Cricket Club members, including R.B. Hartley, N. Barron, and the Schofield brothers—C.A. and G.F. Schofield—played key roles in establishing rugby in Southport. Their ability to transition seamlessly from summer cricket to winter rugby symbolised the intertwined nature of the town’s early sporting culture. Even their leadership drew heavily from cricket’s ranks, with Henry P. Stephenson, the rugby club’s first honorary secretary, also a key figure in the Alexandra Cricket Club.

However, rugby’s early development in Southport was not without its challenges. While it initially thrived, the sport experienced a stop-start history, struggling to maintain continuity. It wasn’t until 1906 that the current Southport RFC was properly established, providing the stability needed to ensure the sport’s long-term presence in the town.

Cricket, too, faced difficulties during this period. By the mid-1870s, the original Southport Cricket Club had disbanded after losing its ground, leaving the sport’s future in jeopardy. It was only through the efforts of Thomas Blundell Burnett in the 1880s that cricket was revived. Burnett played a pivotal role in securing new facilities and reinvigorating interest in the game, ensuring that cricket remained a cornerstone of Southport’s sporting calendar. The eventual merger of Southport Cricket Club and Birkdale Cricket Club in 1902 created the Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club, which continues to thrive today.

The emergence of association football in Southport in 1881 can also be attributed to Burnett, and this added a new element to the town’s sporting life. Initially played by amateur clubs, the first of which Burnett took a lead role in forming, the foundation of Southport Central in 1888 marked a significant shift. Unlike its predecessors, Southport Central was formed as a professional club from the outset, setting it apart from the town’s other sporting institutions. This professional ethos was central to its identity, with the club focused on fielding a competitive team to attract spectators and eventually establish itself in the emerging football leagues.

The differences between today’s three clubs—Southport FC (which traces its history back to the formation of Southport Central), Southport RFC, and Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club—are rooted in their distinct focuses. Southport FC was built around professional spectatorship, with the aim of providing an entertaining and competitive team for fans. Although it now includes junior and ladies’ sections, and more recently an academy programme, these additions serve the club’s primary goal of enhancing its senior teams. Matchdays at Haig Avenue remain the focal point, drawing supporters to experience the drama and excitement of live football.

Southport RFC, on the other hand, has always prioritised participation. Its player-focused ethos has shaped the club from its earliest days, offering opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to take part in rugby. The club’s strong junior section is not simply a feeder for the senior team but a cornerstone of its commitment to involvement at every level. Whether through junior rugby, touch rugby, or veterans’ teams, Southport RFC is dedicated to creating opportunities for anyone who wants to play.

Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club strikes a balance between participation and spectatorship. Like Southport RFC, it is a thriving club with a strong participation focus providing opportunities for players, particularly through its well-established junior section. However, by contrast the club also embraces moments of larger-scale spectatorship, particularly when hosting Lancashire County Cricket fixtures. These events draw significant crowds, bringing a touch of professional cricket to the town while highlighting the club’s broader appeal.

Together, these three clubs reflect the varied ways sport has evolved in Southport. Cricket laid the foundation for the town’s sporting life, with Alexandra Cricket Club playing a key role in introducing rugby and creating a tradition of dual-sport athletes. Rugby’s stop-start history eventually gave way to the stable structure of Southport RFC, while association football’s professional ambitions established Southport FC as the town’s most visible and widely supported club. Each has its own unique focus, ensuring that Southport’s sporting culture continues to thrive, offering something for everyone, whether they prefer to play, watch, or be part of the local sporting community.

The alternating football (rugby and association) and cricket seasons provide Southport with a year-round sporting calendar. Many of the early cricket and rugby stars excelled in Athletic sports also, taking part in the annual Southport Athletic society events, which for a time were also stationed on Manchester Road.

Whilst the towns primary sporting clubs share far fewer modern cross over stories, their intertwined histories are key to their very existence today. The Alexandra Cricket Club’s pivotal role in founding Southport’s first rugby team and the contributions of figures such as Thomas Burnett, a key driver in the formation of the first association club, who fought so hard to keep cricket alive, underscored the collaborative spirit that shaped Southport’s sporting traditions. Whether on the cricket field in summer or the rugby pitch in winter, Southport’s athletes laid the groundwork for a legacy of competition and community that continues to thrive.