Championship club confirm Guinness World Record attempt plan

Championship club Oldham have confirmed plans to try and break a Guinness World Record during the 2025 season. The club are preparing for life back in the second tier after winning promotion from League One at a canter last time around and they’ve already caught the eye with their recruitment.

The club have signed a number of players from Super League with the likes of Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson and Adam Milner joining the club as they look to make a splash in the Championship.

However, it seems Oldham are looking to make headlines for other exploits, too, with the club striving to secure themselves a World Record at Boundary Park.

On May 10, ahead of the club’s home clash with Toulouse Olympique, the Roughyeds will invite 2,500 people onto the Boundary Park pitch to set the record for the most backing dancers to a major popstar. Who that artist will be has not been confirmed, but the club have high hopes of being able to break the record and bring more fans to the ground as a result.

Speaking on the latest episode of Oldham’s The Boundary Line, Roughyeds commercial manager Kieran O’Reilly explained the attempt.

“We’re going to do a major mass participation project, the biggest since the London 2012 Olympics, right here on the grass with a major popstar,” he said. “They’ll go through an intensive week to learn the routine and there’s going to be 2,500 young people dancing and singing all together to set the Guinness World Record for the most backing dancers for a major popstar, which is quite a big achievement.

“They’re all going to be doing the same movement and it will be a show of inclusivity and diversity, breaking down barriers. This will be the pre-match entertainment on the field right before a game.

“It will be an eight to 10 minute routine and it will take three or four minutes to get 2,500 people on the pitch. There’s going to be a huge festival outside, the Love Oldham Festival, almost like Silverstone. You walk around, get your food and drinks, live music and we’ll celebrate live local bands as well.

“Get people introduced to rugby, they might not have come for the rugby but they’ll definitely stay for it afterwards when they see our lads tearing it up on the field, who knows who you’re going to inspire to be an Oldham fan.”