The Proctor Park and Police Paddock precinct is expected to be packed to the rafters this weekend, as it gears up to host the Bathurst Cup.
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All up, 81 teams have entered for this weekend's boys pre-season tournament - a record - including two Bathurst District Football teams (13s and 16s) and four Western NSW FC teams across the four age groups of 13s, 14s, 15s and 16s.
Bathurst District Football president Andrew Speed said numbers are massively up from last year's total of 60, an increase of more than 35 per cent.
"We're estimating 1300 players and officials and between 3000-4000 spectators, so it's going to be pretty big," he said.
"Apparently you can't get any accommodation in Bathurst at the moment, so we've had a couple of teams say they can't find anywhere to stay. I've suggested Oberon, Blayney or Lithgow."
The tournament has been well supported in recent years by teams from outside the Western zone including ones in Sydney, Canberra, Wagga Wagga and Albury.
We're estimating 1300 players and officials and between 3000-4000 spectators, so it's going to be pretty big.
- Bathurst District Football president Andrew Speed
Teams from the Western region have also been entered including Dubbo and Orange.
Speed said the popularity of the Bathurst Cup is because of the quality of the fields and amenities at the city's soccer complex.
"It's the best run pre-season tournament in NSW," he said.
"We just manage to get better and better every year. The fields also help, the amenities and everything else too.
"Most of the Sydney teams start in the next week or two, so it's very well timed for all teams too."
While the newer fields at Proctor Park have taken a hit during the drought, Speed believes they'll be at 100 per cent come the kick-off of the Bathurst District Football season in late March/early April.
"We're struggling a little bit with the drought, but council have done a good job to have the fields looking good," he said.
"They're about 70 per cent right, but when we oversow with rye, they'll come good for our local season.
"They haven't obviously been able to get the full water on it that it's use to, but the fields look good."
Eight fields will be in operation on Saturday and Sunday, with the first games kicking-off at 7.30am on both days.
Games will kick-off as late as 8pm on Saturday and 5.20pm on Sunday.
"It's pretty full on," Speed admitted.
And to help cope with the officiating of the 184 games, Football NSW will provide more than 30 referees to help assist with the Bathurst ones.
In 2019, the under 13s was won by Sutherland, under 14s by Blacktown Spartans, under 15s by South Coast and under 16s by Blacktown Spartans.
Bathurst will also host the girls' equivalent tournament - the Proctor Park Challenge - at the same venue from February 22-23.