Boundary Park facts for kids
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Ice Station Zebra
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The Jimmy Frizzell (Rochdale Road) Stand
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| Full name | Boundary Park |
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| Location | Boundary Park Oldham OL1 2PA |
| Coordinates | 53°33′19″N 2°7′43″W / 53.55528°N 2.12861°W |
| Elevation | 526 feet (160 m) |
| Capacity | 13,186 |
| Field size | 110 yd × 74 yd (101 m × 68 m) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1904 |
| Opened | 1 August 1904 |
| Renovated | 2014 |
| Tenants | |
| Oldham Athletic A.F.C. (1906–present) Oldham R.L.F.C. (1997–2001, 2003–2009, 2024–) |
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Boundary Park is a famous football stadium in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It's home to Oldham Athletic A.F.C., a professional football team. The stadium also hosts Oldham R.L.F.C., a rugby league team. Its name comes from its location at the edge of Oldham, near the towns of Royton and Chadderton.
Boundary Park first opened in 1896. It was originally called the Athletic Ground. The first team to play there was Oldham County F.C. When that club closed, Pine Villa F.C. took over the ground. They then changed their name to Oldham Athletic. Oldham Athletic A.F.C. has played all their home games here since 1904.
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What Boundary Park Looks Like
Boundary Park has several stands where fans sit. The Lookers Stand on the Broadway side was rebuilt. It is now called the North Stand. This new stand opened in 2015. It can hold 2,671 people. It also has a gym, a bar for fans, and event spaces.
The most dedicated Oldham fans used to sit in the Chadderton Road End, also known as the 'Chaddy End'. This was a smaller, traditional stand. Now, these fans sit in the larger Rochdale Road End. Visiting team fans are usually given seats in the Chaddy End. The main stand is one of the oldest parts of the stadium. It has two levels of seating.
How Many People Can Fit?
Today, Boundary Park is an all-seater stadium. This means everyone has a seat. It can hold 13,186 spectators. The stadium became all-seater in the 1994–95 season. This was after Oldham Athletic was relegated from the top football league.
In its early days, the stadium could hold almost 50,000 people. The biggest crowd ever at Boundary Park was 47,671. This was for an FA Cup match between Oldham and Sheffield Wednesday in 1930. The highest number of fans for a league game was 45,304. This was also in 1930, against Blackpool.
Who Owns Boundary Park?
For a long time, the football club, Oldham Athletic A.F.C., owned Boundary Park. This changed in 1999 when the club sold the stadium. It was bought by a company linked to Oldham Council.
Later, in 2005, new owners of the football club bought the stadium back. However, the ownership of the club and the stadium split again in 2011. This led to some disagreements over the stadium's use.
Finally, in March 2023, local businessman Frank Rothwell bought Boundary Park. He had also bought the football club in 2022. This brought the club and its stadium back under the same ownership. This was the first time in over ten years.
"Fantastic on Plastic" Pitch
In 1986, the club put in an artificial pitch. This was a new type of playing surface. It helped the club earn more money. It also came at a time when the team was doing very well. Manager Joe Royle led the team to great success.
In 1987, the club almost got promoted. The 1989–90 season was one of their best ever. They reached the League Cup Final and the semi-final of the FA Cup. They beat big teams like Arsenal and Everton. Some people thought the artificial pitch gave Oldham an unfair advantage.
In 1991, Oldham Athletic won promotion to the top football league. The last match on the plastic pitch was very exciting. Oldham had to beat Sheffield Wednesday and hope another team lost. They were losing 2–0, but came back to win 3–2 with a penalty in extra time. This win meant they were promoted!
However, league rules meant they had to remove the artificial pitch. They played in the top division for three seasons. After that, they were relegated.
Stadium Records
Boundary Park is known as one of the coldest football grounds. Manager Joe Royle gave it the nickname Ice Station Zebra. It is also one of the highest stadiums in England. It sits 526 feet (160 meters) above sea level. Only the Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion F.C., is higher.
Redevelopment Plans
Over the years, there have been many plans to improve Boundary Park. In the late 1990s, there were ideas for a new 20,000-seat stadium. These plans did not happen.
In 2006, the club announced plans to rebuild most of the existing stadium. This project was called the Oldham Arena. It was planned to cost £80 million. The club received permission to build a new Broadway Stand in 2007.
Demolition of the old Broadway Stand began in May 2008. However, building the new stand was delayed. This was due to financial problems in 2008. The club even thought about moving to a new stadium in Failsworth. But these plans were also cancelled.
In 2011, Oldham Council offered the club £5.7 million. This money was to help with the redevelopment of Boundary Park. In April 2013, the council approved plans for the new North Stand. This stand would include a health and fitness center and a supporters' bar.
Construction of the new North Stand finished on October 17, 2015. It is much taller than the old stand. It has space for fans, offices, and a gym.
In March 2023, Oldham Council announced a £1 million investment. This money was for a new pitch at Boundary Park. The new pitch allows for more use. It also means Oldham R.L.F.C. returned to play their games at the stadium from the 2024 season.
