Profile

Bryn Vernon Goldswain was born in Merthyr Tydfil. When he was four years old the family moved to the small mining village of Abercrave and it was with the local village team that he played his first rugby, eventually going on to play for the famous Neath club. During the war he volunteered for the R.A.F. and here he alternated between playing soccer and rugby and actually had a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It was whilst in the forces that he made the acquaintance of Ted Bedford of Hull Kingston Rovers and at the conclusion of the war he was invited to go for a trial at Craven Park, on Ted’s recommendation. One “A” team game was enough to convince the Rovers administration to promote him straight to the first team and within a few weeks he was a professional player.

His transfer to Oldham came in July 1949, where he was immediately installed as club captain. This was the beginning of the moulding together of the side that would bring the success of the 1950’s. A superb footballer, Bryn was a skilful ball handler and possessed a fine kicking game, being able to wallop the leather enormous distances off either foot. His own enthusiasm and leadership qualities provided the perfect example for his colleagues to follow. These talents did not go unrewarded and he was to add to the Welsh caps he had already won while at Hull K.R. Under Goldswain’s captaincy Oldham began to gain a reputation for an entertaining style of play, not that he was alone responsible for this development, and he himself was quick to acknowledge the influence of Stirrup, Daley, Keith and others among his contemporaries.

Bryn missed out on the major honours that came to the club at the end of the fifties, picking up just two “runners up” medals from the 1954-55 Lancashire Cup and League Championship Finals. He retired at the end of the 1955-56 season and must have taken comfort in the knowledge that his preferred brand of entertaining, top quality Rugby League Football became the hallmark of the Oldham team. Definitely one of the most influential players in the history of the club.