Profile

When Ike Southward came to Oldham in March 1959 from Workington Town it was for a record transfer fee of £10,650, the first five figure outlay in the history of the sport. It later emerged that the Southward deal was a life saver for the debt ridden Cumbrian outfit with a promise being made that they would endeavour to buy him back if fortunes improved.

Ike made a try scoring debut for Oldham on March 21st, 1959 against Barrow and it soon became apparent that his reputation as a dynamic winger was well warranted. Whether he was keen or not for a change of surroundings in no way affected his form. He scored ten tries in what remained of the 1958-59 season, following this up with 31 in 1959-60 to finish top try scorer for the club.

Fast and strong, he was a real handful, scoring six tries in the second round Challenge Cup tie against Barrow amateurs, Walney Central. He had been on the 1958 tour and continued to represent his country and county while at Watersheddings. Also a superb goal kicker, his career at Oldham coincided with the Ganley era, so the Watersheddings fans never saw that facet of his talents.

Ike never really settled in Lancashire and Workington, true to their word, signed him back for £11,002, 10s. The extra £2 and ten shillings being the price of a bottle of whisky which made the fee in excess of the eleven thousand pounds St Helens had paid Wigan for Mick Sullivan, thus making Ike the subject of a record transfer once more. So Ike returned to Cumberland, his time at Oldham best summed up by his tries to appearances ratio.