WELCOME TO ORBL
We are the longest-standing badminton league in the North West, formed in the 1950’s after a group of friends decided to form a competitive mixed doubles league.
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home of competitive badminton
Welcome to the official site of the Oldham and Rochdale Badminton League. We are one of the longest-standing badminton leagues in the North West, formed originally in 1950’s after a group of friends decided to form a competitive mixed doubles league.
It’s fair to say we have had our ups and downs but today we are enjoying a resurgence of interest with our open league now has 2 Divisions and teams from across Oldham and Rochdale joined by new teams from Bury and Edenfield. Because it’s an open league, any combination of men and women can play as long as they can regularly field 6 players.
You will find on our website details of all the current clubs, when and where they play and you are welcome to contact any of them or me as the league chair if you are interested in playing at a club. Most clubs will welcome people to come down and give it a go before you decide if it’s for you and a smaller number of clubs run social badminton during the evening where you can practice, make friends, and have fun whilst getting fitter. If you are interested why not get in touch and try it out.
You might already play regularly with a group of people and be looking for more competition and challenge. If so then you are ideally placed to enter a team or possibly play some friendly matches against existing club teams just to see where you stand. If so please get in touch
The league starts playing match fixtures at the end of September and plays through until the end of March. A number of clubs do play social badminton throughout the summer.
The Teams
Division 1
Alpha A & B
Balderstone A
Balderstone Badminton Club play every Monday night from late September to the following Easter. The club is a founder member of the Rochdale Badminton League which was merged with the Oldham Badminton league in 1992/3 to form the current Oldham and Rochdale Badminton League (ORBL)
The club offers both social and league badminton and currently has a team in division 1 and 2 of the ORBL. As well as badminton the club organises social events during the year including for each weather season a full days walk followed by a curry night.
Don’s
Just a little potted history and names, the club was originally formed in the 1960`s passed
from generation to generation,
Martin Spencer currently managing the club started back in 1978 as an 18-year-old, Past players : Dave Fox, Dave Johnson, Pete Ramsden, Frank Stefek, Phil Randle, Keith Hicks, Alan Dunn, Mike Cassidy, Mike Hayes, Andy Pilkington, Mike Omeara, Mike Goman, Harry Lord, Don Diskin, Dennis Middleton, Richard Power, Judith Barker, Kath Howell, Neil Barnes, Ian Barnes, David Hetherington, John Mitchell, Graham White.
Current team 2023 : Martin Spencer, Nick Weston, Neil Tuersley, Eliza Condrea, Mark Webster, Keith Sandiford, Tony Mooney.
GHAP A & B
GHAP are a club playing at Manchester Communications Academy in Harpurhey 8pm till 10pm
Heys A
 MEBC
Manchester Edgeley Badminton Club is the home of friendly competitive badminton in Greater Manchester. We are a modern club that offers “pay as you play” club nights and matches in the Manchester Badminton League. We are affiliated with the Badminton England.
Club nights are 8-10pm on Thursday evenings at Avondale Leisure Centre near Stockport (SK3 0UP). The cost is £8 per club night. All adult players are welcome.
We currently have two teams in the top division of the Manchester League ( Manchester Badminton League ). Last season we finished 2nd and 4th in the league.
We have also fielded a team in the ORBL League.
The teams also operate on a pay-as-you-play basis with a squad of players ranging from county to good league badminton players. We are always looking for new players to strengthen the teams.
Oakgate A
Club night is Fri 7:15pm till 10pm.
Oakgate A Team matches will be played at Heywood Sports Village, West Starkey Street, Heywood OL10 4TW – match start time is 7:15pm.
Please check the fixture location on the match on the website before travelling.
Saddleworth A
Contact:
We play at Saddleworth High School, Huddersfield Road, Diggle, OL3 5NU, our Club night is on Wednesdays from 08.00 pm to 10.00 pm and we endeavour to play year-round. The charge for a visitor is £8.50 per night
We are a well-established all-inclusive Club that prides itself on our friendly competitive attitude, having two teams in the 2nd division of the ORBL League. Although we are not set up for complete beginners anyone with any experience is welcome to come down and give it a try. In the event we have a home match on a Wednesday we still have courts available for Club members and visitors to play.
Todmorden A
Contact:
Going back to at least 1976, Todmorden has played at various venues throughout the years, including Tod High School, and The Sports Centre & most recently have upped sticks & moved to Littleborough. Playing with plastics for most of that, they moved to feathers (not before time) when they started playing out of Littleborough.
Having been Champions of the Burnley League numerous times with plastic shuttles & being the last team to win before the league folded, they have transitioned to feathers & gone on to win the 3rd division at the Oldham & Rochdale Badminton League at the first attempt, & the following year fielded a second team who won the second division at the first attempt, however, they were demoted back to the 2nd division the following year.
Division 2
Alpha C & D
Balderstone B
Balderstone Badminton Club play every Monday night from late September to the following Easter. The club is a founder member of the Rochdale Badminton League which was merged with the Oldham Badminton league in 1992/3 to form the current Oldham and Rochdale Badminton League (ORBL)
The club offers both social and league badminton and currently has a team in division 1 and 2 of the ORBL. As well as badminton the club organises social events during the year including for each weather season a full days walk followed by a curry night.
David Lloyd
Edenfield
A very warm and welcoming club, open to everyone of all ages and at any level of play. if you are looking to play badminton to improve your game or just to stay fit and healthy then look no further, why don’t you come along and see for yourself?
The club is based at the Hazelwood High School, Tuesday, 8-10.
Heys B
 Oakgate B
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Club night is Fri 7:15pm till 10pm.
Oakgate B Team matches will be played at Heywood Sports Village, West Starkey Street, Heywood OL10 4TW – match start time is 7:15pm.
Please check the fixture location on the match on the website before travelling.
Oakgate C
Please check the fixture location on the match on the website before travelling.
Saddleworth B
Contact:
We play at Saddleworth High School, Huddersfield Road, Diggle, OL3 5NU, our Club night is on Wednesdays from 08.00 pm to 10.00 pm and we endeavour to play year-round. The charge for a visitor is £8.50 per night
We are a well-established all-inclusive Club that prides itself on our friendly competitive attitude, having two teams in the 2nd division of the ORBL League. Although we are not set up for complete beginners anyone with any experience is welcome to come down and give it a try. In the event we have a home match on a Wednesday we still have courts available for Club members and visitors to play.
Shawclough A & B
Founded by a like-minded group of friends in the 1950s, Shawclough Badminton Club was one of the founding clubs of the Rochdale Area Badminton League. It has continued without break to play in both mixed and the open leagues since then. Its home venue has been Falinge Park High School for over 30 years and has seen many improvements to the sports facility to today’s modern 5-court venue.
Membership of the club, like many, has declined from a position of 50 members with a waiting list, to around 20 today. However, the club remains stable and has a consistent reputation for fielding a mixed team in the Whitefield League and at least one open team in the Oldham and Rochdale Badminton League together with a popular club night every Wednesday evening from September through to April each year. For the last few years a summer club has also run at Oulder Hill School. Anyone who has played badminton and is interested in playing at a friendly and open club is welcome and some basic coaching and guidance is available to those who want it.
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Todmorden B
Contact:
Going back to at least 1976, Todmorden has played at various venues throughout the years, including Tod High School, and The Sports Centre & most recently have upped sticks & moved to Littleborough. Playing with plastics for most of that, they moved to feathers (not before time) when they started playing out of Littleborough.
Having been Champions of the Burley League numerous times with plastic shuttles & being the last team to win before the league folded, they have transitioned to feathers & gone on to win the 3rd division at the Oldham & Rochdale Badminton League at first attempt, & the following year fielded a second team who won the second division at first attempt. Back in Division 2 this year though for the B team!
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About playing in the league