Resilient Vic beat the odds

DAVID CORCORAN, Carol Carr and malcolm Carr. Picture: Chris Sunderland

FOOTBALL: OLDHAM Victoria have long been in danger of becoming this area’s forgotten football club, playing as they do out of the borough at Broadhurst Park in New Moston.

But Vics are certainly alive and kicking, although at one stage this season it seemed as though the club might go to the wall.

And while it is often the case that the success of an amateur football club is measured by the amount of trophies it has won, success for Vics comes in its longevity as members of the local soccer scene.

The club was formed in the early 1980s by Malcolm Carr, Gordon Schofield and Malcolm Keast and was known as Korverton United.

The aim was to satisfy the needs of young footballers in the Hollins area of Oldham who weren’t necessarily connected to a club.

Two of those players were the twin sons of Schofield, Mark and Gordon junior.

Club chairman Carr epitomises the club’s continued existence and the 67-year-old is still very much the face of the club.

Carr said: “At the outset, we got a good set of lads together and, although we haven’t won an awful lot in the last 26 years or so, it has all been a good experience for me and it gave me the chance to meet lots of players and officials from other clubs.

“There have been ups and downs during that time, but we marked our 25th anniversary in good style with a Sportsman’s Dinner.”

There were times this season, however, when the future of the club looked quite bleak.

Duncan Statham, who was Vics’ manager for the best part of two decades, resigned from his role in the close season and the club had a struggle to find a replacement.

Carr said: “Since Duncan stepped down we have had one or two managers come in but it has not really worked out.

“At one stage this season we had an exodus of players which seems to happen with a change of manager.

“You can’t lose so many players and not expect to struggle - you only have to look at Hollinwood to see what effect this can have on a club.

“Seven players who were in the first team last season are no longer with us, but we keep going despite the impact.”

Taking up the managerial reins is 24-year-old Richard Rawsthorne junior, who agreed to step in following the upheaval.

And while Carr has undoubtedly been the rock that has helped to keep the club standing tall, they say that behind every great man is a great woman.

The woman in this case is Carr’s wife, Carol, who did her bit for the club in the early days by assisting with backroom and administrative duties.

If Carr is the rock, than David Corcoran is certainly the glue that has helped keep Oldham Victoria together for more than 20 years.

Joining the club shortly after its inception, Corcoran became a most adept committee member and was rewarded for his efforts when he won the Lancashire and Cheshire League’s secretary of the year award several years ago.

That same honour was twice bestowed upon Carr in the club’s Manchester League days when he held the position of secretary.

Corcoran (67) said: “The club has always been able to field two teams and that is something I am proud of.

“It means 22 players get a game of football every week.

“In Richard, we have an enthusiastic manager and the future looks bright for the club.”

And it was in the Manchester League that Oldham Victoria reached their peak, with David Kershaw becoming the league’s top scorer with an amazing 52 goals in the late 80s.

The club made the move to the Lancashire and Cheshire League 18 years ago and, with it, the move to New Moston following what the club then saw as a lack of maintenance on pitches in the Oldham area.