Oldham Council is set to invest one million pounds towards a new pitch at Boundary Park, the home of Oldham Athletic.

It is hoped that the pitch will boost the future of sport in Oldham, by improving the pitch quality for Latics players. It will also secure the future of rugby in the town, as Oldham RLFC matches will be moved to Boundary Park from the 2024 season onwards. The pitch will be a ‘hybrid’ pitch, containing real grass as well as artificial grass, and work will get underway from May this year.

Speaking to the press today, Oldham chairman Frank Rothwell said, “The pitch will be a partly artificial hybrid pitch, which means the pitch will be much more durable than a grass-only pitch”.

As well as highlighting the practical benefits of the pitch, Rothwell was keen to highlight the effect the pitch may have on the attendance at future rugby matches, with the new pitch allowing Roughyeds to move into the stadium next year. “More people will want to come and watch the rugby when it moves to Boundary Park because now, they will be able to have a beer and sit down whilst they watch”, added Rothwell.

Rothwell also thinks the pitch will have a positive impact on the attendance of football matches, “I think there will also be a crossover with the people who normally just come to watch the rugby, who may now come and watch the football as well”.

As well as football and rugby, Rothwell also has plans to host other sporting events at Boundary Park in the future, such as cricket, “It is my dream to have cricket played on the new pitch, I would love to host a Pakistan vs Bangladesh youth game for example”, said Rothwell.

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