Mossley’s misery as lights go out

OUT OF ACTION . . . Mossley’s Seel Park will not stage any matches until the floodlights have been replaced.

MOSSLEY are on the look-out for a temporary base to play their home fixtures after the remaining six floodlight pylons at Seel Park were condemned.

The Lilywhites were due to entertain Woodley Sports in UniBond League division one north tomorrow, but that match won’t go ahead unless an alternative venue can be found.

Mossley officials have contacted several local clubs in the area, but have had no luck so far in finding a ground.

Secretary Harry Hulmes said: “We’ve asked Ashton United, Curzon Ashton, Glossop North End, Droylsden, Stalybridge and Hyde United and, because of genuine reasons, they can’t help us.

“If we can’t find anywhere and fast, then we’ll have no alternative but to postpone the fixture.

“We’ve had no income since December 15 when we had our last home game.

“After tomorrow, the next match at Seel Park is on Tuesday week against Halifax Town, which is our biggest home game of the season.”

Two of the eight pylons, which were erected in 1972, collapsed over the festive period, prompting officials to have the other half-a-dozen checked out by an independent structural engineering company.

They were declared unsafe and the club are now looking to raise funds to have them replaced.

The cost for new floodlights is put at around £30,000, but Tameside Council have offered to contribute 50-per-cent of the expense.

However, the club still needs to find the other half and are asking for donations.

These can be made by cheque, payable to Mossley AFC, direct into the club’s bank account or via PayPal on the club’s website, www.mossleyweb.com


Chadderton and Boro raring to go

IT’S all systems go for Chadderton and Oldham Boro in division one of the Vodkat North-West Counties League.

Neither side have kicked a ball in anger since mid-December, but hopes are high of a return to action tomorrow.

Chadderton visit eighth-placed Eccleshall, and manager Paul Buckley says his side are raring to go.

He said: “We are all quite excited. The players are eager to get a game behind them, because it’s been such a long time since they last played.

“I’m not sure how they’ll feel at the final whistle, but it looks like we’re playing again and that’s the important thing.”

Striker James Curley completes his three-match ban tomorrow and defender Marvin Walters is absent because of knee cruciate ligament damage.

But Leon Melia will make his long-awaited debut after his switch from Oldham Boro before Christmas, while Ben Greenidge and Liam Radcliffe have recovered from injuries.


OLDHAM Boro boss Tony Mills is pinpointing maximum points from the trip to Daisy Hill.

Victory would lift the Whitebank Stadium team out of the bottom three, and Mills is confident his side can return home with a smile on their faces.

He said: “We want to build up a bit of momentum for our fixture at Holker Old Boys on Saturday week. That’s our aim going into this game.

“We are a young side with a lot of new players, so there is no pressure on us to perform.”

Defender Andy Smith is expected to return after a calf muscle injury, while Charlie Clark is in line to make his debut after his move from Boundary Park.