Club History
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Eugene Cross Park is the home of both the town's rugby and cricket clubs. However, cricket predates rugby and Ebbw Vale's first recorded match was played against Blaina in 1852. During the 19th century the influx of people from the surrounding counties looking for work in the local iron works and coal mines gave cricket a boost and "a meeting was held at the Institute to form a cricket club in the town".
Support came from schoolmasters teaching the game as part of the curriculum and from the clergy who as disciples of Muscular Christianity believed that playing games helped to give order and moral structure to life within the tightly knit and drink ridden industrial communities.
- Development of the ground (Revised by Malcolm Keane 10th Nov 2007)
I wonder that with improving transport links was it a coincidence that when railway passenger services came to Ebbw Vale (Monday 19th April 1852), Ebbw Vale Club's first recorded match was played against Blaina later that summer.
Cricket and football matches were played at "Dobbs Field", named after the Landlord of the nearby Bridgend Hotel. The Bridgend Field as it became known was owned by Phillips & Sons, Brewers, of Station Street Newport, who by 1903 were charging £3:50 for a seasons rent. This amount was increased in 1904 to £9:00 and the following year to £10:00. In the early years of the last century "Rolling" of the cricket field needed a horse and two men. In 1908 a sharpening stone for the scythe cost £0:02 while in 1912 a lawn mower was purchased for £10:00.
On the 18th January 1905 the club committee could not decide whether to develop the pitch or build a pavilion, but eventually planned for ground extensions which took place over the next six years. In 1906 the cost was £26:70 and £6:50 was paid for an extension of 10 Yards (9.144 Metres) by 30 Yards (27.432 Metres) in 1907. The digging out of the bank-side of the field added 1300 Sq Yards (1086.93 Sq Metres) for the 1909 season, smaller extensions were added for the 1910 and 1911 seasons.
During this period a decision was taken on the 16th May 1907 to erect a pavilion and to finance these developments it was resolved on the 30th October 1908 "that the sum of £100:00 be loaned from various gentlemen in the sums of £5:00 or multiples thereof - at 5% per annum". However, by December that year the Secretary reported that the appeal for funds "was very poor" and on the 21st January 1909 it was decided that a loan of £50:00 be obtained from the London & Provincial Bank... an account be opened... and cheques will be drawn for all amounts over £1:00.
