League Express, which provides a brilliant service as Rugby League’s one and only trade paper, and comes out every Monday for only £2, has a half page special about our club in this week’s issue, written by chief news reporter Doug Thomson and headed: “Oldham’s new era.”
Sub-headed: “DOUG THOMSON sees a smoother future for the Roughyeds”, the article is a 17-par assessment of everything that is going on at Oldham right now and is supported by large pic of our boys celebrating a try and largely featuring Martyn Ridyard, Luke Nelmes and Jordan Paga.
Thomson writes:
“A SWING of Leon Hayes’ left boot might have ended Oldham’s hopes of promotion as they went down 13-12 to North Wales Crusaders in their League One play-off elimination semi-final at Boundary Park.
“But perhaps its only a matter of time before the Roughyeds return to the Championship amid a new wave of optimism in the proud old Rugby League town sparked by a takeover fronted by local lad and former club player and coach Mike Ford.
“It’s been generally hard going since the current version of the club rose from the financial wreckage of the relegation of Oldham Bears from Super League in 1997,
“In the 22 seasons since 1998, in which three divisions have existed (the expanded Northern Ford Premiership ran from 1999 until 2002), Oldham have been at the lower level in 14 of them.
“There have been two promotions, in 2015 and 2019, both under Scott Naylor, but each time the Roughyeds lasted just two seasons before being relegagated.”
“A series of ground changes, a number of them taking the team outside the town, have hardly helped attract new fans – or keep existing ones.
“But the latest move, from the basic Vestacare Stadium in the Limeside area in the south of the town, the limited nature of which has meant a move each time the club has played in the second tier, back to Boundary Park, where two ’taster’ games have taken place ahead of next year’s permanent switch, seems very positive.
“It’s a third spell at the home of footballing neighbours Oldham Athletic to where the previous club moved in 1997 after the sale of their Watersheddings ground and where the current version played from 1998 until 2001 and again from 2003 to 2009.
“It’s been significantly redeveloped since then with a new stand, complete with modern facilities, which open up key income streams. Constructed and a new council-funded £1 million pound pitch recently laid.
“With an eye on IMG’s incoming club-grading scheme, an agreement to play at the 13,500-capacity venue in the north-west of Oldham was seen as a key part of the late-March deal in which Ford, back in Rugby League after a lengthy and high-profile spell in Union, and a consortium, purchased the club from long-term owner Chris Hamilton, who is now head of operations at Widnes.
“Ford, who in his days as a talented scrum-half also played for Wigan, Leigh, Castleford, Warrington, Wakefield and Great Britain before embarking on a coaching career which, as well as Bramley and Oldham has taken in Union roles as an assistant with Ireland, England and the British and Irish Lions as well as stints at Saracens, Bath, Toulon and Leicester, has been a busy bloke,
“As well as becoming Oldham’s managing director, the 57-year-old stepped in as interim coach following the early-August departure of Stuart Littler and led his charges to a final position
of forth in League One before play-off defeats at Doncaster, then at home to North Wales.
“Promotion would clearly have been welcome, but now the focus is on building on the foundations that have already been laid ahead of next season.
“The eye-catching additions of Jordan Turner from Castleford and Joe Wardle from Leigh on two-year contract follow the mid-season signings of their fellow former Super League players, half-back Jamie Ellis from York and prop Josh Johnson from Bradford on deals which cover 2024.
“As well as playing, both Turner, who like Johnson was brought up in Oldham, and Wardle will be part of a new-look coaching team, the head of which. Ford, is currently in the process of recruiting, having ruled himself out of taking the role on a longer-term basis.
“Turner will mentor the backs and Wardle the forwards and its expected that current assistant coach Brendan Sheridan will retain that position.
“The former Sheffield and Batley hooker coached Dewsbury Celtic before linking up with Naylor’s successor, Matt Diskin, at Oldham in 2019.”
