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REBELS SET UP AT BROADHURST A piece of good fortune came FC United's way when they became aware that the Dane Bank Stand at Northwich Victoria's former Victoria Stadium was about to be broken up and scrapped by the site's new owners. A behemoth of a structure in non -league terms, the Dane Bank Stand had originally been installed at Northwich Victoria's Drill Field in 1998 at the cost of £450,000. The pitch length covered terrace was subsequently transported to Northwich Victoria's new Victoria Stadium when the Vics left the Drill Field in 2002. Having received the blessing of 1874 Northwich Victoria, like FC United a protest inspired fan-owned club, steel sections were recovered from the abandoned structure, and then re-engineered to create a sizeable covered terrace at the St Mary's Road end of the new stadium. Above: The rear of former Dane Bank Stand, now at the St Mary's Road end. Note the timberboarded theme Below: The former Dane Bank Stand, filled with fans for the game v Wrexham in the Supporters Direct Cup, watched by an all-ticket crowd of 2,022 Photos: Vince Taylor Expecting to move into their new home during 2014/15, FC United said goodbye to Gigg Lane and set up lodgings at Stalybridge Celtic's Bower Fold. By this time the working title of FC United's new home, Moston Community Stadium, had been changed to Broadhurst Park, which refers to the area of greenery of which the stadium forms a part. As the new stadium neared completion, a niggling series of delays resulted in the opening date at Broadhurst Park being pushed back, and FC United's last few home matches, during which they claimed the Northern Premier title and promotion to the National League North, were www.groundtastic.co.uk | Facebook/Groundtastic | Twitter@groundtastic 5