Workington Reds prepare for new season at new home

Workington Reds will prepare for a season of NPL Premier League football at their temporary home of the Fibrus Community Stadium.

They are likely to be over the road at the stadium for 18 months before they can move back to the new Cumberland Sports Village which will be built on the site of Borough Park.

The first date for a friendly at the current home of Workington Town will be a Friday, July 17, when Carlisle United are to send a team to take on their county neighbours.

Reds have also agreed to play Carlisle’s National League rivals Barrow in a friendly at Holker Street on Saturday, July 11, with manager Billy Barr busy sorting out the rest of his pre-season programme.

Borough Park is soon to be dismantled and various items are being sold as mementos of the old ground, which was Reds home for almost 90 years.

Among the items for sale are squares of the turf, bricks, floodlights, bar equipment, furniture and much more.

The items will be sold off at Borough Park on Sunday, June 14 from 10.30am.

The new sports village will be the home of Workington Reds and Workington Town rugby.

It will have capacity for up to 5,000 people and see a new 3G community pitch created.

In April, it was announced that an extra £4.5 million had been secured for the scheme from the recently set up Cumbria Combined Authority.

All the terraces will be replaced and Cumberland Council said it was likely all the work would be carried out at the same time.

Originally earmarked to be open in July 2027, it was revealed the scheme would be project managed and delivered by Cumberland Council and a new timetable for work and opening would be produced.

The application considered by Cumberland Council’s planning committee on Wednesday May 27, was submitted by Cumberland Sports Village Ltd and approved by members.

The project is supported by the Government Town Deal, Cumberland Council and Football Foundation.