The first match in the stadium was on 5 March 2005 when Stalybridge Celtic were the first team to play Hinckley United on the ground, and drew 1-1, in front of a crowd of over 2000 [REF].
The FA gave the stadium international recognition in July 2012 when it was selected for two international under-17 matches, alongside Burton's Pirelli Stadium and Northampton's Sixfields Stadium, as part of a friendly tournament involving England, Italy, Turkey and Portugal [REF].