The close of the successful 2024 season brought due recognition for the forwards when Jay Chapelhow and Pat Moran were the recipients of the July and August ‘Brian Walker Award’.
Jay went in for surgery on a wrist injury which ended his season after the Midlands match at Boundary Park on August 4th but he had already got the nod for the July award after a tremendous first season in Oldham’s colours. His award cheque was donated to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust.
Left: Jay Chapelhow Right: Pat Moran receives the cheque from Mike Ford and Brian’s son, Adrian Walker.
Pat Moran became the first player to win the award twice after already picking up the the honour in June 2023. After missing some of the early part of the season through injury, Pat has played consistently well since coming back into the team in mid-June in the Roughyeds march to be champions and gain promotion. Pat’s donation went to the St Rocco’s hospice.
The 2024 season has proved to be a remarkable success story for the club and congratulations are in order to Bill Quinn, Mike Ford and everyone who has contributed to the wonderful 2024 campaign. Not least of these are Sean Long and the Oldham players who finished clear leaders of League One to become deserved champions therefore gaining promotion to the Championship for 2025.
The Players, directors and coaching staff celebrate as Jordan Turner holds aloft the League One trophy.
So well done to the Board of Directors, the players, staff and the fantastic supporters, especially those who have stuck with it through thick and thin and now have real hope for the future of their beloved ‘Roughyeds’.
Some of the stand-out facts for the season are listed below
There was only one league defeat which is the best ever in the history of the club but you have to keep in mind that there was only 20 league matches. The next best are:
1897-98 – 2 league defeats (26 matches).
1907-08 – 2 league defeats (32 matches).
1981-82 – 2 league defeats (32 matches).
Much of the success was built on a miserly and resolute defence that kept seven clean sheets, the most times our opponents were ‘nilled’ since the 1910-11 season. This included four consecutive home ‘shut-outs’ at the end of the season, the best since 1905-06.
Cian Tyrer’s 29 tries is the best in a season since Paul Lord got the same number in 1989-90 and Geoff Munro in 1979-80 but if you include the one Cian scored on loan at Workington you have to go back to 1959-60 when Ike Southward scored 31.
Roughyeds try scoring aces – Cian Tyrer, Paul Lord, Geoff Munro and Ike Southward.
This has only been achieved twice before in 2004 and the championship winning season of 1956-57.
What is more remarkable about the 2024 effort is that all three players only played part of the season.
The attendance (2,681) for the final match of the season against Workington Town on September 1st was the highest since the 2,806 watched the game against Doncaster on July 17th 2008. The average attendance, including the home friendly against London Broncos, is 1,579 more than double that of 2023 (741).
The Heritage Trust were sad to learn the news that ex-roughyed Reg Bailey (Heritage number 600) passed away at the grand old age of 94.
Reg was signed from the local Lowermoor club in 1952 and made two first team appearances for Oldham, one of these being a try scoring debut against Liverpool City on March 2nd 1957 as the team went on to be league champions.
He then signed for Rochdale at the start of the 1957-58 season. Reg went on to play a total of 67 games for the Hornets scoring 7 tries and was a member of the side that came within a whisker of reaching the 1958 Challenge Cup final after going down to Wigan 5 – 3 in the semi-final. The condolences of everyone at the Oldham RL Heritage Trust go out to all of Reg’s family and friends.
The club record for ‘points in a match’ was broken on Sunday August 11th in the 84 – 0 victory over Newcastle when newly signed wingman Kieran Dixon scored 3 tries and 12 goals to register 36 points.
This supersedes the 34 which was shared by Andy Ballard, Chris Baines and Lewis Palfrey. Andy got the record first in May 2009 with Chris equalling it four months later. Then Lewis also got that total in August 2015.
Kieran Dixon (left) and Cian Tyrer in action against Newcastle. (Photos Dave Murgatroyd)
Also, in the same match, the five tries scored by Cian Tyrer took his total for Oldham this season to 27, which is the best haul this century surpassing the 25 touchdowns scored by Nick Johnson in 2004.
The Heritage Trust are sad to report the death of former Oldham player Terry Garrett (Heritage Number 725).
A talented, goal-kicking centre, Terry had played for the local St Anne’s club before turning professional with the Roughyeds and was briefly on the books at Oldham Athletic.
He made his debut on Boxing Day 1969 at Swinton and went on to play 42 first team matches for Oldham scoring seven tries and 100 goals.
The sincere condolences of the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust are offered to all of Terry’s family and friends.
The Players association continues to go from strength to strength with their growing membership very evident on match days at Boundary Park and also very visible at the away games as the Roughyeds had to endure a lengthy period on the road throughout May and June.
The Tuesday club, now held at the ‘Fox and Pine’ in the town centre, is proving to be very popular. Former club chairman John Chadwick was a recent guest speaker at the popular venue.
At the recent home match against Keighley the ex-players were out in force with Heritage Certificates presented to former Roughyeds: Michael Fogerty, Steve Patterson, Lucas Onyango, Steve Molloy and Valu Bentley. The presentations were made by Oldham RL legends, Mike Elliott and Phil Larder.
Left to right: (at the Oldham v Keighley match on July 21st) Phil Larder, Steve Patterson, Steve Molloy, Lucas Onyango, Michael Fogerty, Valu Bentley and Mike Elliott (photo Dave Murgatroyd)
Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e and Danny Craven are the most recent winners of the Brian Walker Award.
Phoenix has performed consistently well at full-back since his debut at Hunslet in April and at the time of writing has scored ten tries from his twelve appearances. The £250 was given to the ‘Talk You Walk Foundation’.
Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e receives the cheque from club Chairman, Bill Quinn.
Danny has got better and better as the season has progressed and was an obvious choice for the June award after his match winning performance at North Wales at the beginning of the month, and consistent displays ever since. He also has ten tries, seven goals and of course that late, match winning, drop goal down at Colwyn Bay. His donation has gone to the Willowbrook Hospice.
Once again it’s Chairman Bill handing over the cheque to the June winner Danny Craven.
Following on from the Brian Walker Award to Cian Tyrer in the last news article, former Roughyeds favourite, Bill Broomhead, received his Heritage Certificate from the ‘Latics’ chairman Frank Rothwell later in the day in the Broadway Suite. Then after what seemed like an eternity on the road the Roughyeds returned for a home fixture at Boundary Park on June 30th to play Hunslet.
Bill Broomhead receives his Heritage Certificate from Frank Rothwell with Rob ‘Two Bobs’ Roberts seen in Challenge Cup action against Wakefield in 2008.
This coincided with the club’s Armed Forces Day and the attending crowd kept an impeccably observed silence as ‘The Last Post’ was played before the kick-off. In attendance at the match to receive his Heritage Certificate was former club captain Rob ‘Two Bobs’ Roberts.
The Oldham and Hunslet teams line up with veterans and representatives of the Armed Forces at Boundary Park on June 30th 2024.
In form winger, Cian Tyrer deservedly won the April Brian Walker Award after a superb effort which brought him eleven tries in the three games Oldham played in the calendar month, including a wonderful ‘six of the best’ in the match at Hunslet on April 7th. Add to that the fact he also kicked seven goals in those three matches and it is little wonder that Cian got the vote. The £250 prize was passed on to Macmillan Cancer Support.
It is expected that the May award will be presented at the Hunslet match at Boundary Park on June 30th.
Oldham chairman Bill Quinn presents the cheque to Cian Tyrer for the April 2024 ‘Brian Walker Award’.
Following on from the wonderful evening at the club’s ‘Celebration Dinner’ at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on April 26th, the Players Association presented a musical, social evening at the the White Hart, Lydgate on May 9th.
M.C. Michael ‘Braddy’ Bradshaw with Jason Robinson at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
The club dinner at the QE Hall featured the dual-code rugby international, Jason Robinson as the guest speaker who gave a most frank and interesting account of his rugby journey from humble beginnings in Leeds to rugby stardom for Wigan, Great Britain RL and England and the British Lions RU. There was also a talk on the ‘Past, Present and Future’ of the club given by John Chadwick, Sean Long and Mike Ford respectively.
At the White Hart the entertainment was provided by local singers Victor Michael and Andy Lee with an extensive repertoire of songs from various musical genres. The Oldham club was well represented with all the directors present and representatives from the Local Amateur League, Rugby Oldham and the Heritage Trust also in attendance along with members of the Players Association.
A great night was enjoyed by all with the evening a credit to prime organisers; Ray Hicks, Joe Warburton and John Watkins. Stronger together!
Victor Michael and Andy Lee belt out a number at the White Hart.
