It was the first long term home of Bradford Northern Rugby League Football Club, who played there for 26 years from 1908 to 1934 before moving to Odsal Stadium.

[4] Bradford F.C., the city's senior association football team at the time, spent a season at Birch Lane in 1898/99, when it was banished from its home at Park Avenue.

Later that year, a new embankment at the Cross Street end increased the capacity to 15,000, but Northern still chose to play major games at Valley Parade, home of Bradford City AFC.

A move eventually came in June 1933, when Northern signed a lease with Bradford Council for the site that was to become Odsal Stadium, the biggest ground in England outside Wembley, still the club's home to this day.

[3] Birch Lane at that time, with "its little stand, its surround of rusty galvanised iron pipe, its insecure unvertical posts and its similarity to a hen-run"[3] did little to enhance the club's status.

[1] Bradford Northern Rugby League Football Club had played at Birch Lane for 26 years from 1908 to 1934.

[4] Birch Lane continued to be used for amateur rugby league for a number of years until eventually it was sold for development.