Background: The Early Years

Newton Heath L.Y.R. (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway) Football Club were formed in 1878 by the workers of the Newton Heath Carriage Works and they played their games on a field opposite the works, on North Road (now known as Northampton Road).

The Newton Heath carriage and wagon works, with the football ground to upper left (aerial photo taken in the mid 1920s):


Another photo with the football ground in the upper center, North Road running diagonally across the upper right, with the works to the left of that. Moston Fever Hospital is in the foreground (aerial photo taken in the mid 1920s):


A section of a map from the period when Newton Heath played at North Road:


The ground had a very poor surface, suffered from drainage problems and was not ideally suited to football. The players had no facilities and they had to change in various pubs on Oldham Road, such as the Three Crowns and the Shears Hotel (both now demolished) which were around half a mile away.

The Three Crowns, Oldham Road (photo taken in the early 1970s):


The Shears Hotel, Oldham Road and Shears Street (photo taken in the early 1960s):