Boundary Park

Boundary Park is a football stadium in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It sits at the edge of the town, where Royton and Chadderton meet Oldham’s north-western edge. The ground opened in 1896 as the Athletic Ground for Oldham County, a short-lived professional club. Pine Villa F.C. took over the next year, changed their name to Oldham Athletic, and have played there ever since. American football’s Manchester Allstars once used the pitch in the 1980s. Rugby league’s Oldham RLFC also shared the ground from 1997 until 2009, returning in 2024. The stadium carries the marks of its long history in every stand. The main stand is a small two-tiered structure left over from the original 1896 build. The old terracing still shows where fans once stood before seats were installed in 1994. The Chadderton Road End was once the heart of the home support, but now the larger Rochdale Road End hosts the main crowd. The Lookers Stand on Broadway was demolished years ago, and a new North Stand with 2,671 seats is planned. At 160 metres above sea level it is one of the highest league grounds in England. Visitors find a working football ground with a mix of old and new parts. The Joe Royle Stand has been closed for safety, leaving three sides in use. The remaining stands frame a pitch that is being upgraded to host rugby league again. The stadium’s nickname, Ice Station Zebra, comes from its famously cold winter winds. Oldham’s record crowd of 47,671 came for an FA Cup tie in 1930, when the ground held nearly 50,000. Even today, the ground keeps the feel of a traditional English football venue.