THROUGH its long-serving secretary Phil Bradbury, the Oldham Amateur League has confirmed that this year’s Standard Cup Final will be played at Boundary Park
It has been held at Manor Park, home of Oldham RU Club, for many years, but it returns to Boundary Park this year and the Amateur League wishes to place on public record
Its thanks to the RU Club for all it has done for them over the years.
The switch to Boundary Park seemed a natural one, given that both Oldham Council and the Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell have said previously they would like to see Boundary Park become the mecca for Oldham sport — not just for Oldham RLFC, which is already playing there and which next appears there a week on Sunday against Rochdale Hornets in an 1895 Cup group game, kicking-off sat 3pm, writes ROGER HALSTEAD.
The borough Council has a vested interest because it paid £1M for the installation of a new, state-of-the-art pitch.
Oldham RLFC is more than comfortable there and is delighted to be enjoying the fantastic facilities for supporters in the new Joe Royle stand on the Broadway side of the ground
The Joe Royle Stand seats 2,600 and we understand the Amateur League authorities are happy that will accommodate their needs on Standard Cup Final, so in that respect similar arrangements will apply to those used when Oldham play there.
The Standard Cup Final is traditionally played on Good Friday, but Athletic are at home to AFC Fylde that day in the Vanarama National League (3pm kick-off) so the Standard Cup final will be played at Boundary Park on SATURDAY, MARCH 30, kick-off 11.45am.
That same weekend Oldham also play there, but there is no clash because Oldham play on the Sunday, March 31 (3pm) against derby rivals Rochdale Hornets in Betfred League One.
That’s three games in three days on the same pitch — four if you count the under-11s game which will precede the Standard Cup Final on the Saturday.
Amazing what you can do on a pitch like that !
Four teams are competing in the Standard Cup, namely Oldham St Anne’s, Waterhead Warriors, .Saddleworth Rangers and Rochdale Mayfield.
The draw was as follows: Oldham St Anne’s v Rochdale Mayfield; Waterhead Warriors v Saddleworth Rangers.
We don’t have dates yet for these two games, but as soon as we do they will appear on this website. Don’t forget, we are all in this together, all clubs, all ages, all players, the town of OLDHAM.
Events at BP on Finals Day, Saturday, March 30, will start at 10.30am with the Johnny Blair under-11s memorial match in memory of the former Oldham stand-off – a player of some repute who specialised in goal-kicking and drop-goal marksmanship — and respected referee.
We can’t give you the participating clubs at this juncture because they will be the under-11s of the open-age teams which get through to the big day.
However, each player will receive a medal at the end of the game, presented by Johnny’s wife, Linda, and their son Andy.
