Middlesbrough Women Football Club have announced a new groundshare arrangement with Northern Premier League East team, Stockton Town for 2022-23 season.
This announcement will see Boro Women move from Bedford Terrace, Billingham, and play their FA Women’s National League North matches at MAP Group UK Stadium which is currently home to Stockton Town, with Boro playing their home matches predominantly at 2pm on Sundays.
During next season, Boro Women will face local derbies against Newcastle United, Durham Cestria plus Norton & Stockton Ancients, of which the latter team are located just 2.6 miles away from Boro’s new joint home ground.
Speaking about the decision to groundshare with Stockton Town, Middlesbrough Women FC Chairman, Ben Fisher said that he was “delighted” to complete the deal following discussions.
Fisher proceeded to explain why the club decided to groundshare with the Anchors as he continued: “We have held discussions over the past few months and it was evident that both clubs shared aspirations and we cannot wait to make the move to the MAP Group UK Stadium for the 2022/23 season.
“The structure and facilities at the ground made the decision easy. Stockton Town FC have a fantastic fan base and we are hoping that they can come along and cheer on our team.”
Stockton Town Chairman, Martin Hillerby added that he was also “delighted” to have Middlesbrough Women FC playing their home matches at the MAP Group UK Stadium, following discussions and wishes them well in their ambitions during their time at the stadium.
Hillerby also moved to swiftly reassure fans of what this development meant for the Anchors’ own girls and Ladies teams, as he iterated that there will be effects on the club’s ambitions to develop their own female teams, instead hoping that the link can help “strengthen” their aims with more opportunities for the local community to engage with Women’s Football.
This move will have no impact upon Stockton Town’s men’s squad who will continue to play their home fixtures on Saturdays in Northern Premier League East next season, where they are chasing promotion after losing out to Marske United in this season’s Play-Off Final.
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