AS you will no doubt know by now, a group of fans led by the Hollingworth brothers, Jamie and Kristian, are leading the launch and development of a new group for supporters, called YEDS — the official Supporters’ Group.
Jamie was reluctant to have his name plastered over all our media links because he feels strongly that this isn’t about him, brother Kristian, a third volunteer, John Davies, or a fourth who will be helping whenever he can, Sam Doyle, but is ALL about supporters and the enjoyment they can glean from being a YEDS member.
Sam, incidentally, is the club’s current Unsung Hero, a prestigious award bestowed each year on somebody who has gone the extra mile in the service of our great club. Like the other three who are running YEDS, he is indeed a supporter first and foremost.
All you need to know about YEDS and the new group, says Jamie, is at yedsosg.co.uk
He writes:
”Go to the website link and you will arrive at our Home page. You can then sign up for our new YEDS website, which will run alongside the club’s brilliant roughyeds website, to see things like a forum; receive notifications; and speak with other members.
“If you want to become a Yed Member or a Yed Member Plus, go to the membership page, follow the instructions and make your payment.
“Currently, there are four of us working on this, myself, Kristian (my brother), John Davies and Samuel Doyle, who is the club’s current Unsung Hero for his work as assistant kit man and his willingness to do anything that needs to be done.
“We have been working on raising a social media profile. We are on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as well as having our own website.
“We simply want to carry on from where ORSA left off, but put our own stamp on it. We are very available on social media; we have our very own website, which a lot of fans like to use; and we will have a presence on social media and on the website at every game next season.
“We’re trying to raise funds to enable us to be able to help the club with player retentions.
“We will be hosting fundraisers, with the club and in the community. We are also working with others on trying to get local shops, restaurants, takeaways and other businesses in Oldham involved in any way possible to make this a truly Oldham experience.
“We’re going to be creating fan events to bring the YEDS together — a message that Chris and John are also putting out there. With this in mind, we have been speaking with the club’s travel partner, Swans Travel Ltd, and we will soon have travel arrangements for our first away league game at Hunslet, getting the season off to a flier with fans backing Stu and Shezs lads!
“The aim for the next few months is to build a base, get some fan ideas together, raise some funds and start the season off by sponsoring a player of the Fans’ Group’s choice.
“We have lots of benefits to offer the members, all listed on the website, travel discounts, draws for items such as a £50 gift card to use at the Oldham Rugby League shop, a signed ORLFC shirt from the 2022 squad and a season ticket.
“Hopefully, with these incentives, we will get plenty of interest. With more benefits and incentives still to come we are offering fans a chance to raise funds for the club, which is the main focus.
“We hope to get fans on board and together we will become a strong unit and keep improving. Most importantly, we want fans to put suggestions forward. We will give every suggestion due consideration. That’s a promise.”
From a club point of view, chairman Chris Hamilton said:
“We are delighted to see the formation of a new official supporters club to carry on and expand on the good work done by ORSA over a number of years.
“We have already worked with Jamie and Co on the setting up and launch as the funds they will raise will be important to the club, moving forward.
“It is important for all supporters, at home and abroad, to feel part of the club. It goes without saying that we will continue to support YEDS in whatever way we can.”
