THE historic former home of Oldham RLFC won through to the 'World Cup of Stadia'.

But Watersheddings was pipped in the Rugby Football League competition by Batley's Mount Pleasant ground, with 51.1 per cent of the vote.

Rugby bosses had been running an online vote to find the game's favourite setting, from 16 locations, all steeped in annals of the 13-a-side code.

And Watersheddings notched up notable victories over the likes of Headingley, the home of Leeds, The Boulevard at Hull and Post Office Road in Featherstone, in earlier rounds.

First opened in 1889, the ground remained Oldham's home until 1997, when the club left for Boundary Park. The site was redeveloped as housing.

Renowned as the highest professional sports ground in the UK, the record attendance there was 28,000 versus Huddersfield in 1912.