Saturday footballers all set for big kick-off

DIGGLE MANAGER RICHARD DEVY

SATURDAY amateur football is back in a big way tomorrow as local clubs in the Lancashire Amateur League, Lancashire and Cheshire League and Huddersfield and District League get their 2016-17 campaigns under way.

In the Huddersfield League, DIGGLE begin their Division One campaign at home to Hepworth United on Tuesday and manager Richard Devy said: "I think we are better prepared than last season and one of our first aims is to get off to a good start."



MOORSIDE begin their Division Three campaign with a trip to local rivals Uppermill on Tuesday and Gary Hyman, a club committee member said: "We let ourselves down last season in terms of consistency and if we can get that right we will do well."



3-D DYNAMOS, who will join Moorside in the third division, are confident of another promotion success and manager Steven Laithwaite said: "I think we can go up again, we have brought in a few new players and we have had a great pre-season."



Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division champions FAILSWORTH DYNAMOS are in no mood to relinquish their championship crown.

Their manager Wayne Kennedy said: "We have lost one or two players during the close season, but with the players that have come through from our junior sides we can retain the title."

Dynamos travel to play Bury GSOB tomorrow.



Newly-promoted to the top flight and with two promotions in the past three seasons, OLDHAM HULMEIANS are expecting a tough campaign this time round.

Assistant manager Dave Bradbury said: "I will be happy with consolidation, it will be much harder in the top flight."

Hulmeians entertain Rochdale St Clements tomorrow.

CHADDERTONIANS start their season in Division One after relegation last term and are eager for a quick return - they play host to Radcliffe St Mary's tomorrow.

Club president John Arrowsmith said: "We were a bit unlucky to get relegated last season and with new manager Martin Cooney coming in we are really confident."



Ross Elliott is the new manager of AFC OLDHAM 2005 in Division One of the Lancashire and Cheshire League, whose league fixtures start a week tomorrow.

Club chairman Peter Bird said: "I think this season is one of consolidation and maybe then we can really move forward."



Under the restructuring of the league, OLDHAM VICTORIA have moved up two divisions to begin their season in Division One and manager Mike Shepherd said: "It is a big season ahead with massive challenges to keep up the progression we achieved last time round."



SANTOS have jumped a division to Division Three and secretary Ian Ward said: "We have signed a couple of new players and the hope is that we're good enough."



CHADDERTON PARK FC have entered their open-age side into Division Three having spent last season in the now defunct Rochdale Alliance League.

Paul Parks will manage the side and assistant manager Terry Jennings said: "We have a new squad and it will be a new experience for us but hopefully all the coaching that the lads have received with us over the last 10 years will be good for us."



OLDHAM Sunday League fixtures begin in full on September 4 - read the preview in the Chronicle on September 2.