Vestacare stadium

[Robthegasman]

I am not an Oldham fan myself,I am a Swinton Lions fan and I am curious to find out what the script is with that stadium as I hear that it is being redeveloped,renamed etc.Will it be  of Championship standard and if it is when do you think you might return there and how helpful,or otherwise have Oldham Council been?I have noted that many fans like Bower Fold and I must admit as a Lions fan it is not a bad stadium,even though it is not a happy hunting ground for the Lions.

[Roughyedz]

As seems highly likely Oldham will be back in Oldham next year at the same place as before , Whitebank , under another name . The local amateur football team Avro have spent a few quid and you would not recognise it now. Wait until The Oldham Chairman get his mitts on it ...............lol, as you say there are at least 500 fans that love Bower Fold , although perhaps not all the 500 that turned out last week to see another loss against Dewsbury i

[Robthegasman]

30 minutes ago, Roughyedz said:

As seems highly likely Oldham will be back in Oldham next year at the same place as before , Whitebank , under another name . The local amateur football team Avro have spent a few quid and you would not recognise it now. Wait until The Oldham Chairman get his mitts on it ...............lol, as you say there are at least 500 fans that love Bower Fold , although perhaps not all the 500 that turned out last week to see another loss against Dewsbury i

So I assume that the stadium will be of Championship standard then with 3000 capacity and a minimum of 750 seats?I hope that if Oldham return there that it works out for them and they can find there forever home.

[tandle]

hi gasman the vestacare stadium  will be  in a trust held by avro afc, they released their covenant on their broadway site in exchange for whitebank the broadway site had a market value of at least 2.5 million. Oldham council got a great deal on this hence the upgrade at whitebank if the upgrade costs a million the council wins hands down Oldham rugby as no claims to vestacare stadium whats so ever. as for a 3.000 capacity and seating for 750 and assistance from Oldham council dream on.

[roughyedspud]

Its not suitable or safe for RL to be played there now

[howardm1978]

37 minutes ago, roughyedspud said:

Its not suitable or safe for RL to be played there now

Looking at the pictures it doesn't look safe for football either..

[Whitworth Yed]

The close proximity of the walls and barriers in relation to the pitch do seem a bit close for RL. I wouldn't fancy sliding into them at full speed. Having said that, what a great job the Avro guys have done, shame CH didn't have a similar vision for the ground.

However we won't have any say if we play there or not in the future. As CH has done the usual of not paying bills it has resulted in us giving up the lease making us homeless yet again!

Wouldn't it be nice for him to announce a long term deal with Stalybridge to stay at Bower Fold for the forseeable future. The reality will be we won't know where we are playing next season until a couple of weeks before the season starts (regardless of which division we are in). 

https://twitter.com/avrojfc/status/875730967289368576

https://twitter.com/avrojfc/status/872431364640997376

https://twitter.com/avrojfc/status/872040658244173824

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I played soccer against AVRO's in the old days. They were in the Manchester Industrial League Division 1 then. That League is long gone I suppose, along with the industry.  AVRO  must have come up in the world pitch wise since then.

[Robthegasman]

I have to say that as a Swinton Lions fan I feel disappointed for our friends from Oldham as it seems that the opportunity that we all thought was there for Oldham to finally return home to Oldham is not there,and I agree from looking at those photos that it looks dangerous for rugby league to be played there with the wall being in close proximity to the pitch.I could see some very serious injuries happening,possibly far worse.It sadly seems that both Oldham and Swinton are destined never to play in our home towns ever again?

[tandle]

ts read my post higher up on this page I think it explains it all. as for the vestacare stadium is this the councils revenge on ch no way will the rfl allow champ. 1 rugby to be played on this pitch.

[BryanC]

Latest fodder for the rumour mill is Tameside Stadium (Curzon Ashton). It does have an OL postcode...

[tandle]

hi bryanc champ. 1 money from the rfl £70.000 pounds per season, rent on Tameside stadium ? money for players? crowds two hundred maybe. survival chances ? condition of patient terminal end of. on to the rumours of no relegation if it is true would it not  be the duty of the rfl to inform all club chairmen of this. to let clubs spend money they might not have in their attempt to avoid relegation when there is no need would be obscene.

 

[BryanC]

Not sure I follow. Crowds of 200? On what basis?

If they played at Curzon, surely BIGGER crowds, as I said, it's an OL postcode after all. Closer to Oldham and not far from Whitebank.

You sound like you're throwing teddy out of the pram on what is just terrace gossip at the mo.

[tandle]

I know  a lot of long time Oldham supporters in their older years if Oldham go down that's the end for them. championship 1 is not a option we would not be able afford to rent a ground and pay the rent and sign descent players to compete we cant do it now on £170.000. 

[Yed17]

I think there has been provision made for the pitch to be narrowed etc for Rugby.

[tandle]

you want to watch rugby on a narrow pitch we are doing that now I hope you have noticed whats happening its 5 drives a  kick hence the injuries pitch to tight.

[BryanC]

53 minutes ago, tandle said:

I know  a lot of long time Oldham supporters in their older years if Oldham go down that's the end for them. championship 1 is not a option we would not be able afford to rent a ground and pay the rent and sign descent players to compete we cant do it now on £170.000. 

Just a thought on the players scenario. Time the club went back to the old way of doing things?

Concentrating on recruiting from local amateur ranks, perhaps. Could well be a way to pick up the next few McDermotts / Fords / Harris's / Sculthorpes / Sinfields? (You'll notice of course that three of the aforementioned never played for their hometown team).

Sure, you can't hold on to them for very long, but you get them when they're young (and cheap), and hopefully make a few bob when they move on. Yes, I know we've got a few good, local lads, but we seem to drag all comers in from absolutely EVERYWHERE nowadays, without knowing a great deal about them.

There must be someone out there who's an Oldham fan, who is well enough connected and willing to do a bit of scouting. Oh, and for nowt...

[roughyed34]

Tandle the injuries argument is totally invalid, we picked up 3 more injuries on one of the widest pitches in RL yesterday!! The style of play has no bearing on the dreadful injury situation.

If the pitch at the Vestacare is to be shortened/narrowed then that would require RFL dispensation as would the under minimum standards capacity. It's a non starter for me. The fans opinion in general is to stay at Stalybridge,it's the most suitable ground within spitting distance of Oldham with enough facilities to cater for all games. It's been a good home for us,and I personally enjoy watching RL at the venue. Guess we will see what happens.

 

[clifford]

Much as I liked the fact whitebank was in Oldham to go back is a non starter 

I don't know whether we will be at the fold next year I think alot depends on whether we are relegated 

I think we as supporters need to get behind the lads on Sunday and see what happens.

The team needs the fans leave any negative thoughts about the owner at the door 

[moorside roughyed]

I'm in favor of the fold also.It's a good venue and when we were in a better situation than we are at the moment a good atmosphere can be generated.

[Dazz]

The Vestacare or whatever it is called is a non starter like r34  stated, why move when we have built up a base at Stalybridge that has everything needed? The Club should put pen to paper and sign on to play games at the bower until we have a suitable venue to play in Oldham.

[tandle]

34 lately I have been 100% in agreement of your posts we play 5 drives and a kick with forwards that are not big enough you mentioned Naylor playing for Bradford and what a massive team they where and he cannot change his game plan bang on. so we take battered players to play away on wide pitches results thrashings and carrying injuries which only get aggravated by chasing players around the pitch. 

[limpett]

think everyone agrees that if you change the W in whitebank for an S .That just about sums it up

 

[tandle]

limpett the correct name for this area  is crimeside even your dog will get mugged.

[roughyed1064]

tandle you are an ignorant moron.