Town’s glass is half full

Rifle Range 'keeper Lee Mullen

OLDHAM amateur football has definitely seen a mixture of positives and negatives this season.

It would seem that some would have it that way because yes, it is true that on occasion this season there have been some unsavoury incidents to report upon, incidents that cannot be ignored.

But the theme of this review is one of positivity, simply because amateur football in Oldham bristles with the ‘glass half full’ stuff.

The very name of Oldham is carried into four Saturday leagues across the North-West of England by no fewer than 14 strictly amateur clubs – the majority of whom have reserve and third teams, and in some cases fourth teams and junior sections – carrying their name.

And many of these clubs have been recognised by their affiliated bodies for their efforts over the past few years in achieving Charter Standard status.

Let it be known that there have been some outstanding achievements on the pitch by our local clubs in the Manchester League, Huddersfield League, Lancashire Amateur League and the Lancashire and Cheshire League, while the Oldham Sunday League will learn from some of its well-documented disappointments.

That curve of learning is already being tackled as the seeds of a new morning league – planted a month or so ago to counteract an alarming number of teams folding throughout the season – seem set to grow and prosper.

Again, the name of Oldham is spread far and wide across Greater Manchester in Sunday football, with teams in the Rochdale, Middleton and Tameside Sunday leagues.

The Oldham Sunday League is aware of the number of other local Sunday sides in those different leagues and, in quite a few cases, the reasons why they are choosing to compete in them and not their own.

Credit is due to the Oldham Sunday League committee for having the foresight to, as I said earlier, tackle these issues.

Now is the time for the Oldham Sunday League to look forward despite its glorious past – the 2015-16 season could be a make or break one for the competition.