Friends of Birkenhead Park

Sport in the Park

The Rugby Club and two cricket clubs had permanent premises in the Park but initially there was also great competition, between smaller clubs, especially cricket clubs, to get permission to play there. Other sports allowed in the Park included archery, angling, bowls, football, putting, quoits and tennis - all of which could involve the local population. Cricket and rugby could on occasion attract crowds as large as ten thousand.

In the 19th century both Park Cricket Club and the Rugby Club had genuinely national status. International matches were played on the rugby ground for both rugby (Wales v Ireland in 1887 and Wales v England in 1894) and junior soccer. When celebrating its centenary in 1971, Park Cricket Club was able to attract an international XV of the highest quality to play against it. Park Cricket Club played against Oxford and Cambridge Universities and counties such as Surrey and Middlesex. .