Heyside promotion one of so many highlights

SEASON OF SUCCESS . . . Heyside's Mark Hopwood

HEYSIDE were the leading light in the 2016-17 amateur football season, gaining a second promotion on the bounce to make it to the top flight of the Manchester League where they will join three other local sides.

It makes for a mouthwatering season to come in the Premier Division with local derbies aplenty. It will be a hard-fought division with the likes of Springhead, Royton Town and Avro - and of course Heyside - with plenty to prove next term.

For Avro, it will be a new start altogether as they take up residence at the Whitebank Stadium after many, many years at the Lancaster Club, whereas Royton Town and Springhead, even though the latter finished in third place in the Premier Division, will be aiming to eradicate inconsistencies to launch a more robust title challenge.

Fifty-six-year-old Wayne Thomas was installed as Springhead's new president after almost a lifetime's devotion to the club.

FINISH

In their first seasons as joint-managers of Royton Town, Carl Taylor and Ben Greenidge did well to secure their side a seventh-placed finish.

As for Heyside, manager Geoff Howard is aware that this is a massive step-up for his young side and consolidation will be the first priority.

In Division One, Hollinwood finished strongly after a slow start and there is much hope that a promotion push can be sustained, while Uppermill will welcome back Steve Southern as first-team manager in a bid to become more competitive and move forward once more.

All of these clubs highlight the strength and well-being of amateur football in Oldham, especially those in the top flight whose development plans for on and off the pitch activity bode well for the future.

Failsworth Dynamos sealed yet another title success in the Premier Division of the Lancashire Amateur League, with Oldham Hulmeians, who are currently seeking a new manager, finishing in a respectable mid-table position.

In the Huddersfield and District League's First Division, Diggle found themselves entrenched near the bottom in late September and struggled to find form up until the turn of the year, when a succession of positive results involving hefty scorelines eventually propelled Richard Devy's side into fourth place.

In Division Three, Moorside's early 8-2 walloping of Brighouse Athletic was the catalyst for a campaign that ended in promotion, the local side only missing out on the title when they failed to beat Hade Edge in their last match at a tense Crompton Cricket Club ground.

Oldham Victoria endured a difficult campaign in Division One of the L and C, winning just six times all season, whilst the most improved local side in the league was Santos, who despite a slow start to the season, finished in fifth position in Division Three thanks in part to the goal-scoring exploits of Ant Duffy and the off-field commitment of club secretary Ian Ward.

The Oldham Sunday League continued to struggle in its 50th season with team numbers dwindling again.

Talks of a merger with the Bolton at Home League and the Bury Sunday League showed promise in the early stages, but it now seems highly likely that Oldham will retain its current status and hope that it can entice more teams to sign up to play in the league.

A low point for the league came in mid-season when an investigation into allegations of racial abuse by one club to another involved Manchester County FA and the league itself. That issue has now been resolved.

SUPERB

One of the high points was the staging of the league's various finals at Chadderton FC, which produced some really entertaining football and superb goals in front of large and enthusiastic crowds.

Another highlight came when Horseshoe's Ash Ainsworth (pictured) broke the league's goal-scoring record - previously held by Paul Buckley and Mervyn Davies - when he bagged TWELVE goals in a 16-3 drubbing of Old Bank.

For the first time in the league's history, two teams - Limeside King George and Crown FC - met in three finals. George retained the Jack Abbott Premier Division title to remain as the force to be reckoned with in the league, although Crown managed to beat them in the Premier Division Shield final.

It could be easy to forget the fortunes of other local clubs playing in leagues outside of Oldham, but the Chronicle certainly didn't, covering Royton Park's 14-1 destruction of Oxford Inn in Division Three of the Sports Tours International Tameside Sunday League and a 14-0 destruction of Tameside Wolves.

Park secured a third-placed finish, with Daisyfield Rangers just two places behind them.

Uppermill and Heyside Womens' teams continue to prosper, while Chadderton FC Walking Football Club is proving very popular for veterans.

See you next season.