Sunday league football returns

TIME FOR ACTION: Rifle Range’s Nathan Barker (front) and Dog and Partridge’s Christan Shermerdine battle for the ball during an Oldham Sunday League clash last season.

THE 2014-15 Midas Plumbing and Heating Services Oldham Sunday League campaign gets underway in earnest this weekend with the usual batch of new teams.

A total of 33 teams – one more than last season – will make up the three divisions. Ten will contest the Jack Abbott Premier Division, 10 the David Giblin Division One and the remaining 13 the Martin Buckley Division Two.

New teams this season are Oddies 14, Chaddy Cot, Crown Inn, Haughton Arms, Horseshoe. Oldham XI, Rochdale Rangers and a revamped Legends of Lees side.

League chairman Jack Bamford said: “We’ve lost some teams, we’ve gained some teams and we are actually up by one. Thirty-three teams is a decent number in these days of reductions at similar leagues.

“We had one or two problems last season, but I am optimistic for a successful campaign ahead.”

This season has one division fewer following complaints by teams forced to play each other too many times.

Vice-chairman Steve Diggle said: “We have scrapped the third division and now have a very competitive second division instead.”

Last season’s Premier Division champions Rifle Range ‘A’, now known simply as Rifle ‘A’ will face stiff

competition for the title from the likes of Limeside King George, Fitton Hill and Heyside (formerly Crompton House Old Boys).

Newly-promoted Oldham GPO and Westwood will be aiming to get off to a positive start in the top flight.