Latics make futsal league

OLDHAM Athletic Futsal Club has qualified as one of the newest teams in the FA Northern National League.

In order to qualify, Latics had to battle it out against futsal teams from York University, Albert Park (Middlesbrough) and East Coast (Scarborough) before facing Liverpool in the final at Sheffield’s Hillsborough Leisure Centre.

Futsal is a five-a-side variation of football played indoors with a smaller ball.

Athletic will play home matches at Oldham Sports Centre on Sundays when the league season kicks-off in January, 2010.

In their first ever campaign in the National League, Latics will compete against Grimsby, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Sheffield and Tranmere Victoria. Latics Community Trust is now looking to develop men’s and women’s futsal squads from under-10s to adult level.”

James Mwale, Latics Futsal Club player/manager, said: “It was a very proud moment for us to qualify to the elite level of English futsal. It’s not only good news for Oldham Athletic but also for the borough as a whole as the club will now push on to develop players for the future to represent Latics at the highest level.

Jamie Blood, Oldham Athletic Futsal Club Development co-ordinator, added: “With the great success on the pitch, Oldham Athletic Futsal Club has the opportunity to develop the game at grass-roots level across the borough.

“This is a great chance to get the ever-growing game played alongside other mainstream sports. The future looks bright for futsal in Oldham.”