Reg Farrar set the Oldham tries in a season record in 1921-22 registering his 49^th touchdown in the “Top-Four” play off win over Huddersfield at Watersheddings on April 22^nd 1922. The Roughyeds won 13 – 5 with Reg scoring two tries and two goals.

Reg signed for Oldham from the Halifax Old Boys Rugby Union club, playing his first match against Huddersfield on October 23rd, 1920. He set the trend on his debut by scoring the only try in a 5 – 5 draw against the “Fartowners”. He was selected at centre that day and also for the next few games, but it would be on the wing that he would make his mark. His determined running was supplemented by an ability to leap over would-be tacklers. The following season Reg was installed on the left wing to great effect and his record breaking 49 touchdowns were complemented by 33 goals which meant he topped the Oldham tries and goals list. The club finished at the top of the league table but missed out on the Championship title when losing to Wigan in the Championship final two weeks after Reg had scored his brace against Huddersfield in the “Top-Four” play off.

The rest of his career was greatly disrupted by injury and the next two seasons saw him making only 13 senior appearances. When Jack Corsi was injured early in 1925, Reg was selected to take his place and returned to his old form, helping the club to win through to the Challenge Cup Final. Corsi returned to fitness just in time for the final and this left the committee with a selection dilemma. They chose to keep Farrar and Corsi on the wings and switch Sid Rix to centre, to the exclusion of the unfortunate Albert Woodward. The decision, however, proved to be well founded with Reg being the hero of the final, scoring one try, making two others and kicking two goals from the touchline in the 16 – 3 victory over Hull K.R. at Headingley.

More injuries followed and it looked like his career was over, but after almost two and half years out of the game he made a comeback in 1929, showing the same old style by scoring twelve tries in ten games at the end of the 1928-29 season.

Reg finally called it a day in 1930. Amazingly his career ended exactly as it had begun with him scoring the only Oldham try in a 5- 5 draw ! This time the match was against Leigh at Watersheddings on September 6th, 1930.

A totally emphatic victory by 42 points to nil saw Waterhead lift the BARLA National Cup on April 10th 2022 against Sharlston Rovers.

The match, which was played, more or less, in Sharlston’s back yard at Featherstone’s Millenium Stadium, Post Office Road, was totally dominated by “‘Head” who were accompanied by a wonderful group of enthusiastic supporters who followed them in great numbers over the pennines for the historic success.

The 100 – 4 victory over West Wales Raiders on April 10th 2022 saw club captain, Martyn Ridyard equal the club “goals in a match” record with his 14 conversions out of 18 attempts.

The previous, sole record holder was the great Bernard Ganley who kicked 14 goals against Liverpool City on April 4th 1959 in a 67 – 6 victory for the Roughyeds.

The winning margain of 96 points in the victory over the Welsh team equals the 102 – 6 success against the same side on July 8th 2018.

The Oldham RLFC  Players Association present Victor Michael

one of the most successful and sort after Tenors in the UK.

Thursday 12^th May 2022 at The White Hart, Lydgate, Oldham.

£25 (includes Supper)