Frank Rothwell announced Oldham Athletic’s “rebirth” and gave it a historical marker.
“This year is a rebirth of Oldham Athletic. We’re back in the English Football League and it’s really exciting times for everybody,” said Latics chairman Rothwell, who was joined by council leader Arooj Shah for the turf-cutting ceremony.
“SportTown, the £75 million partnership between council and club that is set to revolutionise sport, education, and health in the borough, officially got underway today.
” The original spade that dug the first piece of turf at Boundary Park in 1896 was used to break the soil at Little Wembley, where a new 3G pitch will be installed for the club and community to use.”
This is the shovel that was used to dig the original turf at Boundary Park, and it marks Oldham Athletic’s 130th anniversary this year.
“I want to thank everyone who has cared for this spade throughout history so that we may use it today to cut the turf for the new 3G field that we’re going to have here on Little Wembley in Boundary Park. It’s pure silver and dated July 15, 1896.
“It means a lot to me to be able to leverage something from the past to do this and build something that will change Oldham, leave a legacy, and inspire more people to visit Boundary Park and play (a variety of) sports here, not just football.
“It will make a difference and cultivate more talent.”
Rothwell said that promotion also represented Oldham Athletic’s comeback.
He went on, “It’s exciting times for everybody,”
Over 20,000 individuals were brought to Wembley by us. Ten percent of Oldham residents paid more than £100 apiece to see the Oldham Athletic promotion game at Wembley.
“That means a lot, and thank you to everybody.”
With Rothwell’s recent OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List, the festivities went on.
The 74-year-old joked that it stood for Oldham’s Best Engineer and said, “To get an OBE in the birthday honours’ list was special.”
Read more at;https://www.sportupdates.co.uk
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