Euro 2022: A summer like no other for the town of Leigh

Before the Netherlands hosted the Netherlands last week, Daan Schippers of the Dutch Football Association admitted that he hadn't heard of Leigh.

I know about Wigan because they used to have some good Dutch players in the premier league. It wasn't so much.

To be fair, Leigh was not an obvious choice when it came to selecting venues for "the biggest women's European sports event in history".

But the town, four miles from where England forward Ella Toone grew up in Tyldesley, has pulled out all the stops to prove itself a fitting host for the European Women's Championship.

Over the past two weeks, fun-loving fans of the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal and Switzerland have transformed Leigh into a party town.

Locals in a rugby league hot spot have turned out in large numbers for games. More than 20,000 people have watched three games at the home of the Manchester United women's Super League team.

There is more coming.

The grounds that have been selected to host the quarter-finals are as follows: BRIGHTON, BURNLEY, and RWE marks have been chosen to host the quarter-finals.

Sweden, ranked second in the world, and their party-loving blue and yellow clad supporters are back in town on Friday to face Belgium for a place in the semifinals. The residents of the street can't wait.

The area has embraced the spirit and feel-good factor of a record-breaking Euro 2022.

David Wands, who has lived in the town for five years, said he had never seen so much enthusiasm.

'Never seen anything like it'

There was a scene outside his house on 13 July, a stone's throw from Leigh Sports Village.

Defending champions the Netherlands were in town to face Portugal and hundreds of visiting supporters waving Dutch flags were marching behind a bright orange double decker bus pumping dance music from giant speakers as it snaked its way along the narrow street towards the ground.

I wondered what all the noise was outside. I saw a sea of orange when I opened my door.

I've never seen something like that before. I used my phone to record something. Residents came out onto the street to watch the Dutch fans.

The orange double-decker attracted the attention of locals who wanted to take pictures of it in the town centre.

One Dutch fan said that the bus is famous back home and has traveled all over the world. At the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, and now the women's Euros, it's inLeigh.

'A rugby league town that has embraced women's football'

There is a reported row over the bunting which hangs in the town centre to celebrate the event.

According to the Daily Mail, the small flags flapping in the wind is ruining the peace and quiet for residents.

"I know there's more important things to worry about, but the noise is ear-bleeding - they're so loud," one unnamed business owner said.

There has been a carnival atmosphere at the fan park in the town's civic square, where thousands of supporters have mixed drinking beer, singing songs, eating ice cream and dancing to some of the best Euro beats.

The civic square is next to the library, but reading books in peace on match days has become a challenge due to the outdoor parties taking place several hours before kick-off

An eye-catching backdrop to the fan zone has been provided by a mural in honor of PeteShelley of the Buzzcocks.

The town centre was bouncy when the Netherlands was there. John and Miek were dressed in their national costumes for the first time in their lives.

"We've been all around the world supporting the Netherlands, not just the football team, but hockey and volleyball as well."

We've never been toLeigh before. I would love to go to a rugby match with my friends.

Pubs and shops have made a lot of money. The beer garden was taken over by Sweden fans before their game against Portugal.

A street trader made a lot of money by selling mobile fans on the pavement close to the ground, for as little as 6 or 10 pounds.

Fourteen goals were scored in the three group games at Leigh Sports Village, while three of Manchester City's Portuguese players showed up to support Portugal.

More than half a million tickets were sold before the start of Euro 2022, the most ever for a single tournament.

If larger grounds other than the Academy Stadium and Leigh Sports Village had hosted matches, the figure would have been more.

A positive spotlight has been shone onLeigh, which has enjoyed a summer unlike any other.

He said it was great for the town to have these matches. Leigh is probably a rugby league town, but it has embraced women's football.