Profile

Tommy “Guardsman” Rees joined Oldham in time for the start of the 1928-29 season from London Welsh, having begun his career with Pontyclun. He won full international honours at Rugby Union, gaining four caps. A top class full back and a particularly good field kicker he played in an era when opposing full backs would engage in kicking duels and Tommy was capable of punting the leather tremendous distances in a bid to catch his rival off guard. He was the only player, albeit only once, to keep a fit Jim Sullivan out of the Great Britain team. This was in the first test against the Australian tourists of 1929-30 at Hull.

For Oldham, he was “Mr Consistency”, holding down the full back position for a full decade before his transfer to Broughton Rangers in March 1939. This included 121 consecutive appearances between March 1933 and December 1935, a total which is second only to the 134 by “turn of the century” half back Joe Lawton.

In the 1933-34 season he landed 93 goals which was the club record until Bernard Ganley topped the century mark eighteen years later. Included in that total were three successes in the Lancashire Cup Final, when Tommy as club captain received the trophy after St Helens Recs were defeated 12 – 0 at Swinton.

During the Second World War period, Tommy returned to “guest” for Oldham playing in 26 games between 1942 and 1944. He ended his career having scored over 1,300 points for the club. After his retirement he went on to become a first class referee.