THE Blackburn Combination Veterans’ Division kicks-off on Friday when Blackburn Olympic lock horns with AFC Leyland at St Bede’s High School (7pm).

And the new league, backed by the Lancashire Football Association, has attracted teams from across the county.

Eight clubs — Preston Lane Ends, Fulwood Amateurs, Blackburn Olympic, AFC Leyland, Rock Rovers, Station Vets, Lostock St Gerards and Denton Town — have so far agreed to join the veterans’ league.

Blackburn Combination secretary Bill Markham said: “To have teams from all parts of the region competing, with several more waiting in the wings, is a really exciting prospect.”

Markham says he wants the new competition for over-35s to be flexible, with games arranged between clubs on an ad-hoc basis and at a time that suits them.

Fixtures are 35 minutes each way, with a provision to play nine versus nine if clubs cannot raise a starting XI.

Markham said: “Not every team wants a fixture every week so we will tailor the programme around the wishes and needs of each club.”

Matches will be played on artificial and grass pitches. Markham said: “We need to have a more flexible product, so clubs will also be given the option of playing on whatever day they like, rather than just on a Saturday, to match changing work and life schedules.”

For further details, call Bill Markham on 07909 643527.

Meanwhile, in the Blackburn Combination, Clayton Park Rangers, Cabin End, Rishton United and Blackburn United Reserves are all through to the last four of the Sports Council Cup.

Clayton Park crushed Clifton 5-1 and Rishton United thrashed their town neighbours by the same score.

Cabin End also enjoyed an emphatic victory, 6-3 against The Ivy Veterans, while in the other tie Blackburn United Reserves beat Blackburn Olympic 3-0.

The draw for the Sports Council Cup semi-finals sees Blackburn United Reserves tackle Cabin End while Clayton Park Rangers meet Rishton United.

In the last four of the Birtwistle Cup, The Ivy will play Rishton United while Clayton Park will meet Euro Garages.

In the semi-finals of the Eddleston Cup, Lord Raglan lock horns The Lion while Longshaw meet either The Ivy Veterans or Blackburn Olympic.

Meanwhile, the league is facing a giant fixture backlog as all of last weekend’s league games were postponed.

In the Premier Division, the fixtures between Islington and Blackburn United and The Ivy and Euro Garages were called off.

And it was the same story in Division Two, with the games between Blackburn Eagles and Worth Avenue and Longshaw and The Lion also washed out. The Cotton Cup tie between Anchor and Lord Raglan also fell victim to the weather.

It means the league is facing a growing fixture crisis — and Markham said: “It is a worrying situation because we have so many outstanding games.

“We have not had any break in the weather, and some teams have hardly kicked a ball this year.

“We are definitely looking at clubs playing two or three games a week in April, so it is going to be a very busy end to the campaign.”

THE Blackburn Combination Veterans’ Division kicks off on Friday when Blackburn Olympic lock horns with AFC Leyland at St Bede’s High School (7pm)

And the new league, backed by the Lancashire Football Association, has attracted teams from across the county.

Eight clubs, Preston Lane Ends, Fulwood Amateurs, Blackburn Olympic, AFC Leyland, Rock Rovers, Station Vets, Lostock St Gerards and Denton Town, have so far agreed to join the Veterans league.

Blackburn Combination secretary Bill Markham said: “To have teams from all parts of the region competing, with several more waiting in the wings, is a really exciting prospect.”

Mr Markham says he wants the new over-35s competition to be flexible, with games arranged between clubs on an ad-hoc basis and at a time that suits them.

Fixtures are 35 minutes each way with a provision to play nine versus nine if clubs can’t raise a starting eleven.

Mr Markham added: “Not every team wants a fixture every week so we will tailor the programme around the wishes and needs of each separate club.”

Matches will be played on artificial and grass pitches and Mr Markham added: “We need to have a more flexible product, so clubs will also be given the option of playing on whatever day they like, rather than just on a Saturday to match changing work and life schedules.”

For further details contact Mr Markham on 07909 643527.

Meanwhile, in the Blackburn Combination, Clayton Park Rangers, Cabin End, Rishton United and Blackburn United Reserves are all through to the last four of the Sports Council Cup.

Clayton Park crushed Clifton 5-1 and Rishton United thrashed their town neighbours by the same score.

Cabin End also enjoyed an emphatic victory, 6-3 against The Ivy Veterans while in the other tie Blackburn United Reserves beat Blackburn Olympic 3-0.

Meantime the draw for the Sports Council Cup semi-final sees Blackburn United Reserves tackle Cabin End while Clayton Park Rangers meet Rishton United.

In the last four of the Birtwistle Cup, The Ivy will play Rishton United while Clayton Park will meet Euro Garages.

In the semi-finals of the Eddleston Cup, Lord Raglan lock horns The Lion while Longshaw meet either The Ivy Veterans or Blackburn Olympic.

Meanwhile, the league is facing a giant fixture back-log as all last weekend’s league games were postponed.

In the Premier Division, the fixtures between Islington and Blackburn United and The Ivy and Euro Garages were called off.

And it was the same story in the Second Division, with the games between Blackburn Eagles and Worth Avenue and Longshaw and The Lion also washed out. The Cotton Cup tie between Anchor and Lord Raglan also fell victim to the weather.

It means the league is facing a growing fixture crisis and Markham said: “It is a worrying situation because we have so many outstanding games.

“We’ve just not had any break in the weather, and some teams have hardly kicked a ball this year.

“We are definitely looking at clubs playing two or three games a week in April, so it is going to be a very busy end to the campaign.”