27/05/2024
OLDHAM-born Robert Hicks, best known as a former top referee who handled Super League and international matches, but now a leading lawyer and a prominent official at the Rugby Football League, will be the latest big-name guest to speak at tomorrow morning’s fourth Networking meeting for sponsors and business people.
Mike Ford promised locally-born big names as guest deliverers at these important and productive monthly networking sessions and he has come up so far with four Oldham-born big-names in his own middle son George, who has won nearly 100 England RU caps at fly-half; Paul Sculthorpe; Terry Flanagan and Robert Hicks, a former head boy at Hulme Grammar School, Oldham and the grandson of the late Oldham RLFC chairman Ken Fisher.
Robert’s father Ray Hicks, a former Oldham player, is well-known as mine host for many years of the Three Crowns at Scouthead, now retired, and a leading organiser and administrator of the Oldham club’s Players’ Association.
His Mum, Karen Thompson, is the former chair of Saddleworth Rangers — a position she had for years until her recent resignation. Ken Fisher, her Dad, and her first husband Ray Hicks, also had close connections with Rangers.
Robert, a qualified lawyer who lives in Batley with his own family, is the epitome of “the local lad who made good”, as also were George Ford, Paul Sculthorpe and Terry Flanagan, all excellent choices to front an event of this nature.
The fourth Oldham RLFC networking session starts at 10am tomorrow (Tuesday) at Boundary Park.
A short time later, at the town-centre Fox and Pine public house, there will be a special weekly get-together of the Oldham RLFC Family Club at which John Chadwick, as a former secretary and chairman, will talk of his early days at Watersheddings, growing up as an Oldham fan, and recalling stories about and the great feats of the club’s many stars in the 1950s.
“I’ll have the late John Etty’s scrapbooks with me and anyone can look at them,”
said John, who will travel from his home in Lytham St Anne’s to deliver his address.
All are welcome at this Fox and Pine event that will start at approx. 12.30pm tomorrow and will last about two hours.
John currently is the club’s vice-president and a personal friend and ally of the club chairman Bill Quinn.
Image via SWPix