Liverpool Women’s St Helens Stadium Move Hailed as Success Despite Search for First Home Win

Despite not yet securing their initial Women’s Super League win at their new St Helens Stadium, Liverpool’s relocation appears to be a beneficial decision for the club, with players engaging with supporters by signing autographs post-match. This season, the team, known as the Reds, transitioned to the new venue following a six-year tenure at Prenton Park, the home ground of men’s League Two club Tranmere Rovers. Manager Matt Beard commented that the new location “already feels like home.” BBC Sport investigated Liverpool’s adjustment to the new stadium and the alterations they have encountered. An 18,000-capacity rugby league venue in St Helens was outfitted with a Premier League standard pitch in anticipation of Liverpool’s move. The amenities provided are precisely what the women’s squad requires. The sole setback in their otherwise smooth transition across Merseyside has been a three-game period without a victory at the new site. Nevertheless, Beard expressed no apprehension regarding Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea, which extended their wait for a win. He stated, “Once we get that first win, we’ll be all right.” He added, “Long-term it’s a fantastic move for us. It was always going to take a little bit of time to settle in. We’re really pleased with how it’s gone so far. We just need to get that first win.” Chelsea had been an adversary Liverpool frequently defeated at Prenton Park, a venue Beard described as possessing a “unique atmosphere.” Their previous stadium was considered a stronghold, where prominent Women’s Super League teams, such as Chelsea and Manchester United, experienced unexpected losses. On Sunday, Chelsea defender Millie Bright even conceded that prior visits to Liverpool had been “in the back of her mind.” Chris Brack, a Liverpool season-ticket holder, informed BBC Sport, “That’s been the frustration so far this season. We have had too many draws.” He continued, “We’re still a hard team to beat but we’ve not quite finished teams off. When we get that first home win, more will hopefully follow.” Although on-field performance remains an ongoing development, Liverpool’s off-field endeavors have proven successful. The relocation to St Helens has coincided with enhancements to training facilities at Melwood. This week, the LFC Foundation, the club’s fundraising charity, launched a new center at the women’s stadium, establishing a connection with their rugby club equivalents. The club anticipates this initiative will aid in broadening their supporter base in Merseyside, particularly as the stadium’s new location places them further from the Wirral, the area from which most Liverpool Women’s season-ticket holders originate. Nicki Fitzpatrick, a dedicated fan for the last five years, is among those undertaking an extended journey to attend home games this season. She informed BBC Sport, “Obviously it’s a bit of a travel for some supporters. One of the buses was late this morning so there’s always a little bit of a worry with travel considering it’s a home game.” She continued, “But I think it’s a great move and it’s a red stadium. The concourse is really nice inside. It’s spacious and during the winter we can actually head inside. The pre-match build-up is really nice and it’s a lot better than it was at Prenton Park.” Prior to the match, supporters have the opportunity to gather in a designated outdoor zone to observe players entering the stadium and to take photographs. A new fanzone is available, featuring small-sided football cages, penalty shootout contests, creative areas for bracelet crafting, and a live musician in the bar, replicating the pre-match entertainment provided at Anfield. Furthermore, the club can now market hospitality packages and provide private seating for friends and family. Olivia Brack, aged 11, a season-ticket holder alongside her father, expressed a preference for the experience at St Helens. She told BBC Sport, “There’s more stuff for the fans here than there was at Prenton Park. We usually go to the fanzone and meet up with lots of other supporters, then we tend to get some food from the stadium. I like it.” Last season, Liverpool defeated Chelsea 4-3 at Prenton Park. The subsequent objective is to cultivate the matchday atmosphere. As the club endeavors to expand its supporter base, fans are currently seated in the main stand across from the dugouts, a configuration that offers improved visibility for broadcasters. This arrangement positions away supporters in the corner close to the managers, and the approximately 600 Chelsea fans who traveled on Sunday appeared to appreciate the experience. Beard acknowledged this week, “I do miss our fans being behind the dugout like we had at Prenton Park.” The club harbors long-term aspirations to occupy both stands, enabling home supporters to return to seats behind the dugouts. However, Fitzpatrick views the current situation as merely “teething problems” and generally considers the atmosphere to have been robust. The attendance of 4,514 on Sunday marked their largest crowd of the season and was distinctly evident, with both groups of fans vocally participating throughout. Fitzpatrick commented, “Liverpool are trying to make it more inclusive so everyone can sit together. That also means the season-ticket holders are spread out a little more.” She added, “It’s harder to get the atmosphere. It’s a big stadium to fill and to create that noise but we’re getting there. It’s still very new. The players seem to like it. I know Matt Beard said he liked having fans sat behind him and a lot of the supporters have echoed that. It’s just little things like that – but it’s been good.”