THREE days to go . . . and we can tell you that our hugely popular club mascot Roary will be back on duty after a two-year absence when we start our 2022 Betfred League One adventure against Keighley Cougars at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday (3pm kick-off).
Even better, he’ll be back for the whole of this our 25th Anniversary year and we may see him with a new lease of life and a fresh pair of dancing shoes! Read into that what you will.
Roary had been with us for nearly a decade when Covid struck so cruelly and we had the first and most significant lockdown a couple of years ago. We never guessed then, at the end of the home game against Dewsbury Rams on March 8, 2020, that we wouldn’t see him again for so long.
Last season wasn’t quite the same without him. Biased we might be, but is there a more popular mascot in the whole of the Rugby League?
Our young fans love him and, dare we say it, so do the ladies. He couldn’t have timed his comeback any better than to coincide with Mothers Day and his first job on Sunday will be to meet and greet Mums at the turnstiles and to hand out a daffodil and a draw ticket to each of them.
Each Mum will get a chance to win one of three prizes - a spa day for two with afternoon tea; flowers; chocolates. The winning numbers will be announced at half-time and the lucky winners will receive their prizes in hospitality immediately after the game.
Said Roary:
“It will be fantastic to be back with the Roughyeds.
“It gives me immense pride to support my home-town rugby club and also my home town. Its a privilege to represent both of them at Roughyeds’ games home and away and at social events around the town. And its an honour to wear the emblem.”
Our young fans will be delighted to learn also that their favourite mascot and our club photographer David Murgatroyd are together working hard behind the scenes to restart Roary’s Pride — the group for juniors with Roary at its head which proved so popular pre-Covid.
The plan this time is to get Roary more active on the club’s social media platforms and out in the community.
You can buy tickets for Sunday’s big game in advance by visiting our ticket page.
