Plaque marks historic rugby match

Pictured at the unveiling of the plaque (l-r): Chris Hamilton (Oldham Rugby League club chairman), Mayor Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman and Jon Dutton, director of projects at the Rugby Football League

ONE of Oldham’s best-known sporting venues has been recognised with a new commemorative plaque.

The former home of Oldham Rugby League in Watersheddings was officially recognised with an anniversary blue plaque. The plaque, at the junction of Ripponden Road and Counthill Road, was unveiled on Friday ahead of Oldham’s promotion final triumph over Keighley.

The unveiling was part of celebrations to mark 120 years of the Rugby League. The ground is a site of national importance.

The plaque reads: “On this site on 21st September 1895, Oldham played their first home game under the rules of Rugby League (then known as the Northern Union) Oldham 3pts v Tyldesley 11pts”.

The new plaque will go alongside an existing plaque.

At a reported 770ft above sea level the stadium, which hosted its first rugby game in 1889, was the highest ground of any professional sport in the United Kingdom.

The last game there was in 1997. Houses now stand on the site.