Roughyeds confident of ‘strong grade B licence

DESPITE the disappointment of only a 7.00 grading in the first 'real' IMG report – a slight dip in the figure they got from the international marketing people when they supplied provisional figures a few months ago – Oldham remain confident of a strong grade B licence at some point in the future.

"Whether that's next year, or the year after, we don't know, but we certainly don't think the door to Super League has been locked. That's where we want to be eventually. But we will not be putting a time line on it," said club chairman Bill Quinn.

"We'll carry on what we are doing on and off the field and in the fulness of time that will, we hope, see us through. We've got to keep going and keep on doing the great things we are doing on and off the field. I'm sure our figures will be very different in a year's time."

Managing director Mike Ford said:

"We need to keep winning and we need to keep crowds going up. At the end of the day it comes down to that. The key is 'Stronger Together'. I keep pushing that as our anthem because I know just how true it is. Nevertheless, attendances and results have to be good so, as ever, we are relying on our fantastic fans to do us proud next season in the Championship."

He added:

"What happens on the field will ignite everything else. The fans are coming back because they love to watch a winning team. I see kids with Roughyeds shirts on now, wanting to play for Oldham and we are only just scratching the surface. There have been several positives and our social media, just as an example, has been transformed in the last year. We need all our fans to make sure they follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and You-Tube as all that counts towards IMG, too."

The club issued a statement in which they said they understood the figures, given that the period under review covered three years and that current management had only been in situ for about half that time.

Had 2024 been considered on its own, the Oldham figure would have gone up to 8.97 and a score of 10.22 would be "easily attainable" with a bit of work on a Boundary Park television gantry and tweaks to the club's Foundation.

By way of comparison, 10.22 would give Oldham a B license and would take them higher in the ratings than their Championship rivals Halifax, Sheffield, Widnes and Doncaster.

They are currently rated C alongside most clubs in League One, but club officials are confident they will be in a much stronger position 12 months from now.

Meanwhile, lots of projects are in the pipeline on and off the field, including the formation of a girls/women's team with a FREE open day at Melrose Playing Fields, Fields New Road, Chadderton, OLG 8NH on Saturday, November 23, 10am to noon for under-16 girls (that's school years 7 to ll) and 1pm to 3pm for anyone older tha

Anyone interested is asked to contact Joe Warburton by text to 078828 48340 or by email to joe warby9@aol.com.

My view? It's great to see development of this nature taking place, but this is surely much more than that — namely an opportunity for rugby fans generally to see all the wonderful work that has been done at Melrose. We have heard all about it. Now we have an opportunity to look for ourselves.

So remember the date, Nov 23 at Melrose, 10am to noon for girls and 1pm to 3pm for women.

Also, the current management will have top brass at Melrose on Tuesday at the next Partners' meeting when they wish to redefine the partnership, which originated under the previous management. Organisations like Rugby Oldham, the Supporters' Trust; our Heritage Trust, under Mike Turner; the Oldham Amateur League; the YEDS Supporters Group; the Players' Assn (formerly known as ex-Players); Oldham Council, all attended monthly meetings.

"In terms of the partnerships, where do we stand now ?" said managing director Mike Ford. "We just want to do what's best for the club."

Might I suggest, in view of the fact that we seem to be working closely with Oldham Athletic, that we also invite the football club and/or its owner Frank Rothwell, who seems to be interested in our club and is often a spectator.

Talking of Frank, he was a top table guest at the Players' Association annual dinner which attracted nearly 200 guests and was a huge success thanks to the efforts of Joe Warburton, John Watkins and Ray Hicks.

Sean Long was on the top table; John Chadwick reminded us of those former players whom we lost during the year, and in the body of the hall were director Jim Minton and Roughyeds' commercial manager Keiran O'Reilly.

The next Players' Assn 'do' is a Christmas party at HQ — Springhead Sports and Social Club — on Friday night, Dec 6. Cost is only £10, including potato-pie (or alternative) supper; tickets available from John Watkins, Joe Warburton or behind the bar at the Springhead venue. But more of that later with news of the club's hall of fame and of former Oldham player Kevin Fitzpatrick, now political reporter for Radio Manchester and BBC television's North-West Tonight.