Barrow AFC have announced that the Club will relocate its first team training operations to Tameside Stadium, the home of Curzon Ashton, ahead of the 2026/27 season.

The move follows a detailed review process over recent months, with new Manager Adam Murray heavily involved in the assessment of a number of different facilities alongside club staff before a final decision was made.

After considering several options, the Club believes Tameside Stadium provides the strongest overall environment to support the first team moving forward.

A major factor in the decision was the quality of the playing surfaces available on-site. The agreement includes guaranteed access to the main stadium grass pitch, while the upgraded artificial surface was also viewed as an important step forward in helping manage player loading and reduce injury risk across the season.

These decisions were supported by the guidance and input of returning Head of Medical, Mark Leather.

The move also allows the Club to maintain its Manchester training base, something viewed as an important strategic part of Barrow AFC’s immediate and near-term planning, particularly from a recruitment and operational perspective.

In addition to the pitches themselves, the Club will continue to benefit from strong on-site facilities including eating and recovery areas, staff working spaces and dedicated cabins that will provide a consistent day-to-day base for players and staff throughout the season.

Manager Adam Murray spoke on the move ahead of the 2026/27 season.

“I’ve been down to Curzon a couple of times now on site visits. We’ve got to know the people behind the scenes there and really understand how we can exist on the site in a way that benefits everybody,” Murray said.

“Out of all the options available to us, I believe this move gives us the best overall environment to work in on a daily basis.

“The quality of both the grass and astro surfaces was a major factor in the decision. Having guaranteed access to the stadium pitch is really important, while the astro gives us a high-quality training surface that can help us manage player loading properly across the week.

“In the modern game, availability is massive. Keeping players fit for as much of the season as possible is crucial, and we feel the setup at Tameside gives us a far better opportunity to do that.

“It’s a professional environment, the facilities are strong and it gives the players and staff a place that can really become our home throughout the season.”

Chairman Paul Hornby also spoke on the move.

“We’d like to thank everyone at FC United of Manchester for our working partnership over the past few seasons. This move is a natural next step for Barrow AFC now as we seek to improve on several fronts. We look forward to working with the people at Curzon Ashton as we forge a new working relationship at the new site.”