Sunday 30th August 2026 ko 14:00

West Lancashire League Premier Division

EAGLEY 2 (Stafford 41 O’Mahoney 67)

HURST GREEN 2 (J Craven 90+3 Bowlin 90+4)

Att 359

Entry £5

Programme £2

We stayed in Bolton’s environs for our next game, and a steady stream of traffic inched to an industrial estate with a sports ground at the back. That gave a hint as to the background of one of the oldest clubs in Lancashire.

The industrial estate sits on the site of the former Eagley Mill, and the sports ground was its works facility. Eagley Mills Football Club were formed in 1874 and in October 1881 were Bolton Wanderers first ever opponents in the F.A. Cup. The sides played out a 5-5 draw in the first round of the competition, with Bolton going through 1-0 in the replay. It’s fair to say the two clubs’ fortunes have diverged since!

That said the facility is mighty impressive with the joint football and cricket clubhouse built in 1992 a focal point. In fact the one issue the club did have was getting the pitch wide enough for FA regulations, I assume the cricket pitch shrunk a little! But those facilities were made to work hard on a wet Sunday afternoon. Eagley were one of a few clubs on the hop with a kitchen, and boy did it work hard! Elsewhere a local brewery did extremely well from their beer tent- there are hoppers that I know will always be found at the beer tent; take a bow Andrew!

But the final word moust go to the game, perhaps the ultimate repost to those who habitually leave before the final whistle. Eagley will wonder how they failed to win, when everyone else just shook our collective heads at the wonder of it all. Just the one game left in the day, but the weather was looking ominous.