ROUGHYEDS are proud to announce the signing of Rochdale Hornets’ 28-year-old half-back Lewis Sheridan — goal kicker, try scorer and one of the leading points scorers in Betfred League One in 2022.
He missed the back end of the season because of a hand injury, but still finished among the division’s leading scorers and is described by our coach Stu Littler as an ’exciting player’ whose style will complement perfectly that of his potential half-back partner Martyn Ridyard.
Sheridan himself said the opportunity to fight for a spot alongside Riddy was one of the draw cards for him when Roughyeds made their approach.
He went on:
“I know there will be stiff competition for places, and that’s good, but hopefully I can do enough to earn the right to play alongside Riddy at half-back. The thought of that was very, very attractive and one of the things that interested me about coming to Oldham.
“Another was the way Stu and Chris talked to me about their vision of the club going forward and what they wanted to achieve. I wanted to be part of it.
“Thirdly, I thought about those passionate Oldham fans and what they add to the game-day experience at the Vestacare Stadium and that counted for a lot too.
“Over the years I’ve played for Rochdale a few times against Oldham and the Roughyeds fans have always been passionate and vocal.
“I had a good laugh with a few of them the last time Rochdale played over there and I can’t wait to be playing in front of them again and to be getting to know them all.
“I hope they’re excited about everything that’s going on at the club and I hope they’re ready, as ever, to get behind us.
“I’m sure all the boys will be raring to start the season .”
A Rochdale lad, Lewis played at Mayfield from being a small boy and, aged 16, joined the St Helens junior system. At the age of 18 he signed for Hornets and, in his own words,
“I’ve been to and fro between Rochdale and Mayfield ever since.”
His younger brother Declan, also a half-back, has been at Hornets in the past and is currently the Mayfield captain.
Lewis added:
“Matt Calland has coached me for most of my career, at Mayfield and at Hornets. Try-scoring is something I pride myself on – I think I got 17 in the league last season – and I’d like to think I’ll get a few more for Oldham and help out in that department.”
Littler said Lewis finished in the top-five League 1 points scorers last season and did all sorts of damage in the derby at the Vestacare Stadium when Hornets staged a remarkable second-half rally to win 50-24.
In the league game at Rochdale, he scored two tries and kicked four goals from five attempts for a personal haul of 16 points in a 34-18 win for the home side.
Littler went on:
“We’ve been looking for someone to play alongside Martyn and hopefully Lewis will complement him nicely. He and I go back a long time because Lewis was a very young fellow at Rochdale when I was on loan there.
“He’s well over the injury he had at the end of last season and he’s ready to go and fully fit.”
We will announce another new signing on Thursday as momentum builds to the start of pre-season training in mid-November.
