George Riley, once one of the BBC’s top sports journalists, has joined ambitious Oldham RLFC in a part-time consultancy role.
“George is VERY professional and at Roughyeds we want to be as professional as possible in every aspect of club life,” said managing director Mike Ford.
Riley (45) worked for many years for the BBC and was well-known nationally and internationally as a co-presenter of Channel 5’s ‘Football on Five’.
He was no one-sport pony, however, and at the top of his profession worked at numerous big events such as the 2012 Olympic Games in London; Euro 2012; the 2014 FIFA World Cup; the 2013 Ashes; the 2013 Rugby League World Cup; the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as well as the World Snooker Championship, Wimbledon, the Cheltenham Festival and was a regular voice on the Super League Grand Final.
Since leaving the BBC George has been working in his first love - rugby league, in wide-ranging roles across the sport for the Rugby Football League, Super League, Salford Red Devils, Featherstone Rovers and others, along with his valuable work for mental health charity State of Mind Sport and Rugby League Cares.
Said Ford:
“George was at the Rochdale game last Sunday and, from now on, he will be with us for two or three days each week, giving us the benefit of his vast experience.
“We are delighted to get him. He will help and advise us generally, but his main remit will be to help us to improve the content and presentation of Roughyeds TV which goes out via YouTube.
“We will shortly be re-designing our website, too, and I have no doubt George will be involved with that as well!”
