MOST Oldham fans will get their first glimpse of Roughyeds new boy Pat Moran in Sunday’s clash with top-of-the-table Dewsbury Rams at the Vestacare Stadium, kicking off at 3pm.
The big prop, signed from French club Sporting Olympique Avignon in a deal to the end of this season, had a stint off the bench in our win at Workington last weekend, but he will probably make his home debut this Sunday in front of a full-house Vestacare crowd and with Stu Littler’s men determined to preserve their 100 per cent record on home territory.
So who is this man of Irish heritage who will go down in our club history as the first player to be signed by the new regime since it took over from Chris Hamilton a few weeks ago ?
Well, he’s 25; a forward who can play anywhere in the pack although best known as a prop or what is called a ‘middle’ in today’s rugby league language; and he’ much-travelled, having played for Warrington, Widnes, Rochdale and Sheffield on loan, London Broncos, Newcastle Thunder, Avignon and, internationally for Ireland (twice) under the tutelage of Stuart Littler, then head coach of the men in green, who invariably play for the Emerald Isle as though their very lives depend on it.
It was just about two years ago this week that Moran left Avignon, the town made famous by the well-known ‘Sur Le Pont d’Avignon’ song, for the first time. He swapped the laid-back lifestyle of a sleepy town in the South of France for the hustle and bustle of London where he signed for the Broncos, then under the direction of Danny Ward, who said: “We’ve been looking at him for a while and he’s been playing well.”
Moran said:
“I’d recommend playing abroad to any player who fancies a new life experience.”
It’s back to his North of England roots now for a forward who is looking forward to a life with Littler as his boss again.
“He’s a very experienced coach,” said Moran, " and, hopefully, I can play well and show him what I’m about."
He wants to help in the battle to get Oldham ‘back to where they should be’ and he says he is impressed by the direction in which our club is moving.
Luke Nelmes, a fellow prop, had a blinder up in Workington and you don’t play outstandingly well in that demanding position up there unless you’ve got the mental attitude and the raw-boned aggression to get the job done.
Luke will be playing against his former club and many of his Yorkshire mates on Sunday. Hopefully, that will bring out the best in him and also rub off on the new boy. Best of luck lads.
