FOUR new clubs will be in the hat for the first round of the 2017 Hospital Cup, to be made on March 6.

Horwich St Mary’s Victoria, Bolton Wyresdale, Elton Vale and Pennington have been included in this season’s new-look competition, fought out between 16 local clubs.

Atherton Collieries – last season’s runners-up and four-time winners – were not invited to compete but the team who beat them at the Macron Stadium last May, Prestwich Heys, will be in the draw.

Bolton County, Little Lever and Blackrod Town are the other teams who competed last season but will not be doing so this time around.

The draw will be made at 7.30pm on Monday at Tempest United Football Club on Tempest Road.

The famous trophy, first competed in 1930/31 and won by Farnworth FC, was then known as the Bolton Royal Infirmary Cup.

The money raised initially paid for broadcasts of Bolton Wanderers games to the local hospitals for patients. These days, vital funds are raised for local charities, with the final being played at the Whites’ home in May.

The entrants for this season’s Hospital Cup in full: Atherton LR, Atherton Town, Bolton Wyresdale, Breightmet United, CMB, Eagley, Elton Vale, Hindsford, Horwich St Mary’s Victoria, Ladybridge, Old Boltonians, Pennington, Prestwich Heys, Stoneclough, Tempest United and Turton.