Draw for the 2015 Bolton Hospital Cup:
First Round: Old Boltonians v Breightmet United Eagley v Tempest United Atherton LR v Little Lever Bolton County v CMB Prestwich Heys v Turton Ladybridge v Atherton Town Atherton Collieries v Blackrod Town Hindsford v Stoneclough
Second Round: Atherton Collieries or Blackrod Town v Eagley or Tempest United Prestwich Heys or Turton v Ladybridge or Atherton Town Hindsford or Stoneclough v Bolton County or CMB Atherton LR or Little Lever v Old Boltonians or Breightmet United Dates to be confirmed.
The Bolton Hospital Cup was started in the 1930/31 season and was initially known as the Bolton Royal Infirmary Cup. The first winners were Farnworth FC. Initially the money raised helped to pay for the broadcast of Bolton Wanderers matches to the local hospitals via a specially installed land line. Unfortunately the service came to an abrupt end when workmen constructing the new A666 St Peters Way through the town, ripped up the cables. Since then, many thousands of pounds have been raised for charity, thanks to the hard work of dedicated volunteers and to the clubs involved. The magnificent solid silver trophy was donated by Wilfred Andrews in 1934. It lists all the past winners of the competition and sits on a mural of the Bolton Royal Infirmary which was built by money collected by the Hospital Saturday Fund at the turn of the century. From the mid-30s there was even a Bolton Royal Infirmary Junior Cup running alongside the senior competition, the first winners in 1934/35 being Greenheys Celtic. While it is known this junior competition continued after the second war, the exact date when it was last played is presently unknown. The Hospital Cup competition flourished and in 1970 more than 60 local clubs entered. With Bolton Wanderers hosting the finals at their Burnden Park ground, the popularity of the Hospital Cup was at its height. However, changes in local football which saw some clubs vanish forever, including most of the works teams as factories closed, along with some clubs moving upwards to higher leagues meant that the competition was on the verge of coming to an end. Someone at the time described the clubs as like "little islands". It seemed that Little Hulton United would be the last ever winners of the Hospital Cup in 1995. As word got round though, some good people became involved. Gerry Luczka, John Bullen, Peter Conroy and Brian Frey all put in a lot of hard work to revitalise the competition. They were rewarded with a lot of interest from local clubs which culminated in a thrilling final at Burnden Park which saw NWCFL side Haslingden win the trophy in 1996 for the first time, but not before Eagley gave them a real fright by taking a 2-1 lead. The competition’s organisers were dealt another blow the following season when, because of the move to the Reebok Stadium, it was not possible to stage the final at Burnden Park. With 30 clubs having entered the competition they were stuck for a venue for the final, but Atherton LR stepped in to offer their Crilly Park pitch. The final was played on various grounds until 2000/01 when Bolton Wanderers were again ready to allow their ground to be used for local cup finals. The first final at the magnificent Reebok Stadium saw Atherton Town triumph over Blackrod Town and the tremendous support from Bolton Wanderers has ensured that the Hospital Cup has flourished. But, while we all enjoy the football, we must remember the real reason for this competition is to raise much-needed money for local charities. Bolton Hospice, Vision Aid and Bolton Steps are three which have benefited in recent times. Every club which has entered the competition has made an important contribution towards helping people less fortunate than themselves have a better quality of life. Past winners 1930 Farnworth 1932 Daisy Hill 1935 Tonge United 1936 Tonge United 1937 Holdens Temperance 1938 Tonge United 1939 C W Norris 1946 Walkers Yard 1947 Lomax 1948 Lomax 1949 Halliwell Athletic 1950 Fowlers 1951 Daubhill Rovers 1952 Halliwell Rovers 1953 Little Lever 1954 Walkers Institute 1955 Eagley/Raynors 0-0 Shared 0-0 ET 1956 Little Lever 1957 Willowscence Celtic 1958 Raynors 1959 Eagley Mills 1960 Raynors 3-1 Eagley 1961 Raynors 1962 Raynors 1963 Raynors 1964 Martin Jones 1965 Raynors 1966 Eagley Mills 1967 Walkers Institute 1968 Chequerbent 1969 Eagley Mills 1970 Little Lever 1971 Walkers Institute 1972 Walkers Institute 1973 Park United 1974 Atherton Collieries 1975 Ramsbottom Utd 1976 Park United 1977 Walkers Institute 1978 Bolton Wyresdale 1979 Walkers Institute 1980 Horwich R M I 1981 Radcliffe St Marys 1982 Eagley Fc 1983 Bolton Wyresdale 1984 Bolton Wyresdale 1985 Atherton LR 1986 Daisy Hill 1987 Atherton Collieries 1988 Little Hulton 3-0 Little Lever 1989 Bolton Wyresdale 2-1 Hindley Town 1990 Turton Fc 1991 Hindley Green 1992 Little Hulton 1993 Little Hulton 1994 Eagley Fc 1995 Atherton Town 1996 Haslingden 3-2 Eagley Fc 1997 Little Hulton 1998 Tempest Utd 1999 Ramsbottom Utd 2000 Tempest Utd 2001 Atherton Town 2002 Atherton LR 2003 Atherton Town 2004 Atherton LR 2005 Atherton Town 2006 Ramsbottom United 2007 Ramsbottom United 2008 Ramsbottom United 2009 Eagley Fc 2010 Eagley Fc 2011 Atherton LR 2012 Atherton Collieries 2013 Eagley Fc 2014 Hindsford
First Round: Old Boltonians v Breightmet United Eagley v Tempest United Atherton LR v Little Lever Bolton County v CMB Prestwich Heys v Turton Ladybridge v Atherton Town Atherton Collieries v Blackrod Town Hindsford v Stoneclough
Second Round: Atherton Collieries or Blackrod Town v Eagley or Tempest United Prestwich Heys or Turton v Ladybridge or Atherton Town Hindsford or Stoneclough v Bolton County or CMB Atherton LR or Little Lever v Old Boltonians or Breightmet United Dates to be confirmed.
The Bolton Hospital Cup was started in the 1930/31 season and was initially known as the Bolton Royal Infirmary Cup. The first winners were Farnworth FC. Initially the money raised helped to pay for the broadcast of Bolton Wanderers matches to the local hospitals via a specially installed land line. Unfortunately the service came to an abrupt end when workmen constructing the new A666 St Peters Way through the town, ripped up the cables. Since then, many thousands of pounds have been raised for charity, thanks to the hard work of dedicated volunteers and to the clubs involved. The magnificent solid silver trophy was donated by Wilfred Andrews in 1934. It lists all the past winners of the competition and sits on a mural of the Bolton Royal Infirmary which was built by money collected by the Hospital Saturday Fund at the turn of the century. From the mid-30s there was even a Bolton Royal Infirmary Junior Cup running alongside the senior competition, the first winners in 1934/35 being Greenheys Celtic. While it is known this junior competition continued after the second war, the exact date when it was last played is presently unknown. The Hospital Cup competition flourished and in 1970 more than 60 local clubs entered. With Bolton Wanderers hosting the finals at their Burnden Park ground, the popularity of the Hospital Cup was at its height. However, changes in local football which saw some clubs vanish forever, including most of the works teams as factories closed, along with some clubs moving upwards to higher leagues meant that the competition was on the verge of coming to an end. Someone at the time described the clubs as like "little islands". It seemed that Little Hulton United would be the last ever winners of the Hospital Cup in 1995. As word got round though, some good people became involved. Gerry Luczka, John Bullen, Peter Conroy and Brian Frey all put in a lot of hard work to revitalise the competition. They were rewarded with a lot of interest from local clubs which culminated in a thrilling final at Burnden Park which saw NWCFL side Haslingden win the trophy in 1996 for the first time, but not before Eagley gave them a real fright by taking a 2-1 lead. The competition’s organisers were dealt another blow the following season when, because of the move to the Reebok Stadium, it was not possible to stage the final at Burnden Park. With 30 clubs having entered the competition they were stuck for a venue for the final, but Atherton LR stepped in to offer their Crilly Park pitch. The final was played on various grounds until 2000/01 when Bolton Wanderers were again ready to allow their ground to be used for local cup finals. The first final at the magnificent Reebok Stadium saw Atherton Town triumph over Blackrod Town and the tremendous support from Bolton Wanderers has ensured that the Hospital Cup has flourished. But, while we all enjoy the football, we must remember the real reason for this competition is to raise much-needed money for local charities. Bolton Hospice, Vision Aid and Bolton Steps are three which have benefited in recent times. Every club which has entered the competition has made an important contribution towards helping people less fortunate than themselves have a better quality of life. Past winners 1930 Farnworth 1932 Daisy Hill 1935 Tonge United 1936 Tonge United 1937 Holdens Temperance 1938 Tonge United 1939 C W Norris 1946 Walkers Yard 1947 Lomax 1948 Lomax 1949 Halliwell Athletic 1950 Fowlers 1951 Daubhill Rovers 1952 Halliwell Rovers 1953 Little Lever 1954 Walkers Institute 1955 Eagley/Raynors 0-0 Shared 0-0 ET 1956 Little Lever 1957 Willowscence Celtic 1958 Raynors 1959 Eagley Mills 1960 Raynors 3-1 Eagley 1961 Raynors 1962 Raynors 1963 Raynors 1964 Martin Jones 1965 Raynors 1966 Eagley Mills 1967 Walkers Institute 1968 Chequerbent 1969 Eagley Mills 1970 Little Lever 1971 Walkers Institute 1972 Walkers Institute 1973 Park United 1974 Atherton Collieries 1975 Ramsbottom Utd 1976 Park United 1977 Walkers Institute 1978 Bolton Wyresdale 1979 Walkers Institute 1980 Horwich R M I 1981 Radcliffe St Marys 1982 Eagley Fc 1983 Bolton Wyresdale 1984 Bolton Wyresdale 1985 Atherton LR 1986 Daisy Hill 1987 Atherton Collieries 1988 Little Hulton 3-0 Little Lever 1989 Bolton Wyresdale 2-1 Hindley Town 1990 Turton Fc 1991 Hindley Green 1992 Little Hulton 1993 Little Hulton 1994 Eagley Fc 1995 Atherton Town 1996 Haslingden 3-2 Eagley Fc 1997 Little Hulton 1998 Tempest Utd 1999 Ramsbottom Utd 2000 Tempest Utd 2001 Atherton Town 2002 Atherton LR 2003 Atherton Town 2004 Atherton LR 2005 Atherton Town 2006 Ramsbottom United 2007 Ramsbottom United 2008 Ramsbottom United 2009 Eagley Fc 2010 Eagley Fc 2011 Atherton LR 2012 Atherton Collieries 2013 Eagley Fc 2014 Hindsford
