Oakwell Stadium
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England
Oakwell Stadium, Barnsley, England — opened 1888, 2 rugby league games hosted, home of Barnsley FC (football) -- rugby league use here was purely as a temporary borrowed venue for other clubs.
Sourcing caveat: Wikipedia's Oakwell article dates the Wakefield Super League fixture to "1998", which conflicts with Rugby League Project's precise 14 May 1999 date (matching our own directory's "last used 1999") -- likely an imprecise paraphrase on Wikipedia's part rather than a genuine alternative date.
Ground facts
| Opened | 1888 (Built 1887, opened 1888 as the home of Barnsley FC (football), which remains the ground's sole permanent tenant. Current capacity approx. 23,287.) |
| Home club | Barnsley FC (football) -- rugby league use here was purely as a temporary borrowed venue for other clubs |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 2 |
| Top recorded crowd | 5,104 |
| Capacity | approx. 23,287 |
| Years used | 1990–1999 |
| Location | Barnsley, South Yorkshire |
Name history
Rugby league history
Both of Oakwell's recorded rugby league matches were temporary home fixtures for clubs unable to use their normal grounds. On 4 February 1990, Sheffield Eagles beat Wakefield Trinity 24-10 in front of 5,104 (this entry's top crowd) -- Sheffield had been forced out of their usual Owlerton Stadium home after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster left it deemed unfit for professional rugby league, and played at seven different temporary venues in this period, Oakwell among them. On 14 May 1999, Wakefield Trinity themselves hosted St Helens at Oakwell in a Super League fixture, winning 23-22 in front of 4,556 -- no source could confirm why Wakefield's own Belle Vue ground was unavailable for this specific match.
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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