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
