Oldham Athletic Football Club (OAFC) has reintroduced synthetic grass at its Boundary Park venue – more than 20 years after it first installed a 'plastic' pitch'.

Working in partnership with Rapid Turf Synthetic, part of the SGC Group, the 3G artificial surface has been installed to create new running areas for assistant referees along the side of the pitch. In addition to reducing maintenance costs at Boundary Park, it is thought the new surface could also have the potential to create new advertising revenue opportunities.

An OAFC spokesperson said: "The reappearance of artificial grass at Boundary Park rekindles memories of the installation of Latics' plastic pitch back in 1986. "Luton, QPR and Preston also had artificial surfaces, but in those long-gone days they obtained a poor reputation as being hard and the cause of more injuries than natural turf."