Goldline draw 2008/2009

On Tuesday 27th May the draw was made for the 2008/09 Goldline Trophy. This competition, started in 1998 for clubs in and around the Bolton area, has proven itself to be the premier non league cup competition in the north west, this season's final attracting only just short of three times the attendance gained for the Lancashire Trophy final between Chorley and Southport, and that was for two West Lancs League sides - Euxton Villa and Charnock Richard - who provided a highly entertaining final. The record attendance was 2,400 in 2004 when Atherton LR met Blackrod Town in the final. The high attendances are in no small part due to the games being played at Bolton Wanderers Reebok Stadium.

The Wanderers supported the competition from the start, initially helping out behind the scenes with such things as printing the tickets for the finals, the first two of which were played at Leigh RMI's Hilton Park ground. Since then, all the finals have been at the Reebok Stadium, with Radcliffe Borough and Chorley usually able to help out by making their grounds available for the semi-finals.

The popularity of the competition draws famous names to the final, apart from the invited guests. Amongst the many well known faces spotted in the crowd in 2008 was ex- Manchester City, Sunderland and Leeds manager Peter Reid.

Other Football League clubs have come to the Wanderers to look at the competition to see if it would be possible to arrange something similar in their own areas, but the success of the Goldline Trophy is down to hard work by the clubs involved, a hard working committee and the full support of Bolton Wanderers and their back room staff, many of who give their time free of charge on the day of the final to support local football.

The competition is organised on a group basis, with all the group games being played pre-season. The top two from each group qualify for the quarter finals.

Group A consists of Atherton LR, Charnock Richard, Hindsford and Prestwich Heys.

Group B, Atherton Collieries along with neighbours Atherton Town, Bolton County and Breightmet United.

Group C has Daisy Hill, Elton Vale, currrent holders Euxton Villa and Stoneclough.

There will be a local derby in Group D where Ashton Athletic and Ashton Town have been drawn, along with Eagley and Tempest United
The competition now has its own web site - see www.thegoldlinetrophy.co.uk

GROUP D FIXTURES

Tuesday 21st July 2008
Ashton Town v Ashton Athletic
Eagley v Tempest United

Saturday 26th July 2008
Eagley v Ashton Athletic
Tempest United v Ashton Town

Thursday 31st July 2008
Ashton Athletic v Tempest United
Ashton Town v Eagley