The funeral for Brian was duly held on Wednesday October 6^th with a service at Holy Trinity Church, Woods Lane, Dobcross, Oldham at 11.30am.

The service was followed by the committal at Oldham Crematorium, Hollinwood at 1pm with an assembly of the mourners back at The White Hart, Lydgate from 1.30pm.

Of course many of Brian’s family and friends were in attendance with the Rugby League community well represented. At the church all of the Heritage Trust trustees were in attendance (Mick Harrop, Tim Hughes, Steve Brown and Michael Turner). “Rugby Oldham” was also well represented with secretary, Ian Wilson giving a thoughtful and sometimes humorous reading bringing to mind Brian’s dealings with the RO organisation.

The Oldham Rugby League club was represented by Roger Halstead who gave the main eulogy on behalf of the Walker family. Roger delivered the piece with style and empathy recalling Brian’s early life and long time association with all things Rugby League in Oldham.

Ray Hicks and John Watkins were there to represent the Oldham ex-players association and Peter Townsend of Saddleworth Rangers was also present with Phil Bradbury representing the Oldham amateur RL at the crematorium.

As would be expected, part of the floral tribute was rugby themed.

I am sure that the thoughts and condolences of everyone associated with Rugby League in Oldham are with Adrian, Charlotte and Oscar at this sad time.

September 21st 2021

It is with sorrow and regret that the news has been received that our friend and colleague Brian Walker has died after a long illness aged 75. A true Roughyed through and through, his presence in and around all things connected with Oldham RLFC will be sadly missed.

Brian was a founder member and trustee of the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust and a true ‘tour de force’ in his aspirations and accomplishments to help the ORLHT become a leader in the world of sporting heritage organisations. Of course most of this concerned his beloved Oldham RLFC and his enthusiasm and passion to help protect and preserve the collection was boundless and second to none. He would, at the drop of a hat, journey right across the country, north to south and east to west to acquire a cap, shirt, medal or anything else that would add to trust’s impressive collection.

When it was time to bring out one of the Heritage Trust books, it was Brian who would charm, cajole and quite often pursue the sponsors until we had sufficient funds to make them happen. Without his input on this front it is unlikely that many of the publications would have seen the light of day and none of these were better received than Brian’s own “Roughyeds – The Story” which quickly sold out after it was published in 2004.

He was a prime mover in setting up the Heritage Trust Trophy which is presented to the Oldham ‘Player of the Match’ in the Law cup fixture against Rochdale Hornets and indeed Brian presented the trophy to the first recipient Ian Watson, again in 2004.

At the weekend he would, more often than not, be seen at Saddleworth Rangers on Saturday and where ever the Roughyeds were playing on Sunday, almost always accompanied by his wife Anne until she passed away a few years ago.

When it came to Oldham Rugby League, Brian was there. A meeting with the Heritage Trust or Rugby Oldham, or the Oldham council, Brian was there. He was there at the championship victory against Hull at Odsal in 1957 and the heartbreaking challenge cup semi-final defeat to Hull KR in 1964. Pre-season friendlies at Barrow and Whitehaven, World Club Challenge matches in Adelaide and Townsville, Brian was there. From Headingley to Hemel and from Paris to Parkside. Brian was there. Freezing nights at Watersheddings, scorching afternoons at Whitebank. St Helens, Leeds, Wigan, Warrington. Brian was there. Keighley, Rochdale, Workington, Batley. Brian was there. Carlisle, Oxford, London Skolars, North Wales. Brian was there.

May I return to the beginning, a true Roughyed – through and through!

September 19^th 2021

The Oldham RL Heritage Trust were saddened to hear of the death of ex Roughyed, Kevin Flanagan.

The sincere condolences of everyone at the Heritage Trust and the wider Oldham Rugby League community go to Diane, his wife, and the extended Flanagan family. Kevin died at the age of 74 after a 15-month battle with cancer.

A tireless worker in the back row of the forwards, Kevin played in 78 senior games for the Roughyeds, thus following in the footsteps of his father, Bill, a hooker who played for Oldham in the mid-1940s, before moving on to Belle Vue Rangers. Both of Bill’s sons, first Kevin, then Terry, did Oldham proud. Kevin also distinguished himself at Rochdale Hornets and is held in the highest regard at our near neighbours.

Kevin had two spells at Watersheddings in the late 1960s and then the 1970s scoring eight tries and thirteen goals.

Always friendly and on good terms with the trustees of the ORLHT, the game in Oldham has lost a true gentleman.

The Heritage Trust is pleased to announce renewed links with the Oldham Rugby League Ex Players Association.

We believe that viewers of our website include many former “Roughyeds” and the Ex Players Association are always looking to swell their ranks and acquire new members.

Going forward the Heritage Trust will be glad to post news of the ex players functions and events on the website and are sure that the links between the two organisations can only be mutually beneficial.

Forthcoming Event

OLDHAM RUGBY LEAGUE EX PLAYER ASSOCIATION ANNUAL DINNER

Friday 15th October 2021

St Herbert’s Parish Hall, 148 Broadway Chadderton Oldham OL9 0JY.

Speaker: Iestyn Harris   –   Comedian & compare: John Gillan

£30 (includes 3 Course meal)

Please contact:
Joe Warburton:  joewarby9@aol.com  07882848340 or John Watkins: 07974612038

July 2021

It is with deep sadness that we report the death of former Oldham forward, John Fairbank, at the age of 55.

One of the well-known rugby league-playing Fairbank family of Elland, John joined Oldham from Leeds as part of the deal that took Hugh Waddell to Headingley in 1988.

He won amateur international honours at Elland before joining Leeds where his father, Jack, had played before him and was a member of the Leeds team that won the Championship for the first time in 1961.

He came to Oldham early in the 1988-89 season making his debut against Featherstone on September 11^th, 1988. In just over two years at Watersheddings, John made a total of 52 appearances (31 starts and 21 off the bench) and scored 11 tries.

His brother Mark also played briefly for the Roughyeds during the 1986-87 season.

John was a tough-as-teak prop forward with a good turn of pace for a big man.

I remember him scoring a try and having a storming match against his home town club when the Roughyeds beat Halifax 14 – 3 in front of a crowd of just under 7,ooo, under the Watersheddings lights in October 1989 and going over for a dramatic, last-minute winner at Doncaster a month later.

John was a substitute in the Lancashire Cup final and Challenge Cup semi-final in the 1989-90 season both of which were lost to Warrington.

The condolences of the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust and, I’m sure all of the Oldham R.L. community, are sent out to John’s family and friends and everyone at Elland ARLFC where John returned in a coaching role and is remembered as a much valued and respected member of the West Yorkshire club’s staff.

The Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust has, over the years, built up an impressive collection of match videos.

However, there are a few that would be a welcome addition to the collection if anyone out there has a copy.

The match against Blackpool Borough on September 16th 1984 when a certain Hugh Waddell ran in a hat-trick against his future team-mates in a shock Lancashire Cup victory for the seasiders, is one that people have enquired about from time to time, but is one of the few home matches from the 1984-85 season that we don’t have in the collection.

For the 1991-92 season there are just two matches required. Away at Sheffield on September 1st 1991 and the home match against Leigh the following week on September 8th.

Also from the first super League season in 1996 only the away match at Paris on April 8th is missing from the archive.

Any help in acquiring these matches for the collection of the Heritage Trust would be much appreciated.

The Oldham RL Heritage Trust sincerely apologises for the wrong image being attached to the original Mick Coates obituary.

We are very sorry for any distress this has caused.

27th May 2021

It is with great sadness that the Heritage Trust heard the news that one of our former coaches, Mick Coates, has died suddenly at the age of 61 after being taken ill while out riding his bike in Mossley.

He was assistant coach to Paddy Kirwan for the Roughyeds in 1998 and became head coach the following season and as such was heavily involved in the early days of the reformed club.

A massive loss to the whole of the Oldham Rugby League community it will of course be felt mostly at Saddleworth Rangers where Mick played and coached with distinction and served loyally for many years. Mick devoted much of his life to Rangers and his passing will be felt deeply at Shaw Hall Bank Road.

The sincere condolences of the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust are sent to all of Mick’s family and friends.

The Infirmary Cup (Law Cup) was first contested between Oldham and Rochdale Hornets in May 1921. The trophy was donated by the Rochdale MP, the Right Hon A. J. Law with the proceeds of the match being given over to the infirmaries in the two towns.

After a 0 – 0 draw at the Athletic Grounds on May 7th, Oldham became the first recipients by winning the replay 12 – 2 at Watersheddings on May 13th with Joe Ferguson the first winning captain to hold the cup aloft. The competition would subsequently become a pre or early season event and when, as in 1954 and 1976, the match ended in a draw the cup was retained by the current holders.

Watch this space for further updates and Law Cup facts.

The above article was posted on the Heritage Trusts’ news page back in August 2020 with a further piece being added on January 17^th of this year in anticipation of the match going ahead.

Alas, just three weeks later the news broke that, understandably in the current conditions, the match had been put on hold for twelve months.

However, with the centenary date now with us here are a few more Law Cup facts to add to the information posted in January.

The biggest winning margin was forty points when Oldham triumphed 53 – 13 at Watersheddings in 1961 with the Hornets best effort resulting in a 42 – 8 victory at Spotland in 2006.

Tommy Rees and Jack Read hold the Oldham record for the number of appearances with eleven each. Over more or less the same time period, Tommy was the full back in consecutive Law Cup games from 1928 until 1938 inclusive, while Jack was in the front row on eleven occasions between 1926 and 1938.

 

In those matches Tommy knocked over 33 goals but that’s not the record. Needless to say that honour goes to the “Great Ganley”. Bernard sent 37 efforts between the post in eight consecutive Law Cup games between 1952 and 1959 which also gives him the most points with 74.

Two more Oldham players got into double figures for goals; John Noon 15 and John Blair 10.

The honour for most goals in one match goes to Frank Dyson with nine successes in the 39 – 7 victory in 1964.

This also represents the best ‘points in a match’ haul.

Five Oldham players have scored five tries in Law Cup games: Ernie Large, Alan Davies, Frank Pitchford, Len McIntyre and Geoff Robinson, with Frank’s four in 1961 the most in a single match.

 

Since the value of the score was devalued to one point in 1974, only two Oldham players have scored a drop goal in the Law Cup. Jim Fiddler in 1979 and Lewis Palfrey in 2016.

Since 1999 the Karl Marriott Memorial Trophy has been awarded to the Rochdale ‘player of the match’ in memory of Karl, a popular Hornets’ player who died tragically in October 1998 aged just 28.

The Heritage Trust Trophy was introduced in 2004 with the award going to the Oldham ‘player of the match’.

 

The first recipient was Ian Watson with Danny Langtree the most recent winner in 2020.

April 2021

The Heritage Trust and all of the Oldham RL fraternity were saddened to learn of the death of former Roughyed, Cliff Hill who recently died in a Wigan hospital, aged 78.

Cliff , was a clever ‘old school’ stand-off who joined Oldham from Wigan towards the end of his career and, with prop Frank Foster and coach Graham Starkey, helped to transform Oldham’s fortunes in the early 1970s.

A master tactician he dictated tactics, used to the full his great vision and sense of anticipation, and generally brought out the best in those around him.

Hill captained a side which played a brand of touchline-to-touchline rugby that wasn’t only pleasing on the eye, but brought out the best in outside backs and wingers. Hill, as playmaker-in-chief, and Foster, as the side’s enforcer, were the perfect fit for Starkey’s advanced thinking.

In seven years at Wigan earlier in his career, Cliff scored 57 tries in 192 games and then at Oldham, between 1971 and 1973, he played 59 times, scored nine tries… and made scores of more for others.

Brought up in Ashton-in-Makerfield, he was spotted by the great Eric Ashton while playing for Newton-Le-Willows RU club, the club. In replacing full-back Colin Tyrer, who was injured in the 1970 Cup Final, Cliff made Rugby League and Challenge Cup history by becoming the first substitute in a Challenge Cup final.

The following year Cliff signed for Oldham for £2,250.  He made his debut for the Roughyeds at Halifax on February 7^th 1971 in a team including Martin Murphy, Mike Elliott, Phil Larder, Kevin Taylor, Ken Wilson and Bob Irving.

He made one appearance for Great Britain against the French in January 1966.

The sincere condolences of the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust are offered to Cliff’s family and friends.