The Oldham RLFC Players Association are once again proud to present Victor Michael one of the most successful and sought after Tenors in the UK.
Thursday 11th May 2023 at The White Hart, Lydgate, Oldham.
7pm for a 7.30 pm start. Tickets: £25 (includes Supper)
PLAYERS ASSOCIATION TUESDAY CLUB
The Oldham Rugby League Family ‘Tuesday Club’
The weekly get-together for all former players or supporters of amateur and professional rugby league continues to go from strength to strength at Heyside Cricket Club, running from 12.30pm until 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoons. Admission is free.
It is a chance for friends to meet and enjoy each other’s company for a couple of hours.
Please pass this on to anyone you think would enjoy attending ‘The Tuesday Club’. Thank you.
The following statements have been published on the Oldham RL website:
OLDHAM RLFC is delighted to announce that a group led by former player and coach Mike Ford and local businessman Mick Harrington has successfully purchased the club.
The recently-announced return of Oldham RLFC to Boundary Park was a key part of the acquisition strategy and, following detailed discussions, we are pleased to have secured a long-term agreement. This will allow the club to lay down roots as well as allowing access to crucial revenue streams as it looks to build an exciting long-term future.
The new owners left to right: Mick Harrington, Gary Kershaw, Simon Winnard, (coach) Stuart Littler, Mike Ford, Haydn Walker.
The club would like to place on record its appreciation of the fantastic support given to us by the Rothwell family, Oldham Athletic board and Oldham Council during this whole process.
Today marks the culmination of a years’ worth of discussions and meticulous planning. It is also the start of a new journey for Oldham RLFC. Reflecting on that journey,
Mike Ford said:
“We are really excited about the future of the Roughyeds. It’s close to all our hearts and we know the importance of a vibrant, thriving Oldham Rugby to the town and its people.
“We certainly don’t take our responsibility as club custodians lightly and it’s our vision to give the people of Oldham a rugby league club they can be proud of. A club that they are excited and inspired by and one that they can identify with. We cannot wait to get started.”
Mick Harrington, a lifelong Oldham Rugby fan from Delph whose grandfather played for the club in the 1960s, added:
“This is a historic day for an historic club. We do not want to get ahead of ourselves and we know there is a lot of hard work ahead – but we feel that we can do something special here. Oldham remains a rugby league hotbed and we believe the potential – especially with Boundary Park now as our home – is huge.”
Gary Kershaw, a fellow lifelong Oldham Rugby fan from Denshaw who will join the board, said:
“I think this is absolutely brilliant for the town. I just want to help to get Oldham Rugby back to where it should be. If all the kids from Oldham who have played in Super League had played for Oldham we’d have won three Grand Finals.’
Gary added:
“You support the team where you’re from – it has a place in you heart and I want to give something back.”
Today’s announcement comes at a time when the whole sport is going through a significant period of change. The RFL partnership with IMG hails the start of an exciting time for the game and we believe for Oldham RLFC.
It is clear that off-the-field performance will become an increasingly important success factor and the club is committed to developing a winning team both on and off the field.
Oldham RLFC also believes that supporter engagement and involvement is critical. To our fans: we cannot do this without you. The club is committed to working hand-in-hand and transparently with you.
We also hope to see as many as you as possible at the Good Friday game against Rochdale. Great Friday — as we have called it — marks the start of a new era for this 147-year-old institution and we want you to celebrate a momentous day with us.
We know there are many lapsed supporters in the town. We want you — and your families — back. We want to create new generations of Roughyeds fans. We cannot bring back Watersheddings but we can bring back that Watersheddings spirit. The hard work starts now.
The new board is fully supportive of the current coaching staff and playing squad. We look forward to working with Stuart Littler, Brendan Sheridan, the players and other staff — including our amazing supporter volunteers who are the lifeblood of this club.
Over the coming weeks, the club will be finding its feet and formulating a new management structure. As soon as possible, we will then hold an open public forum. Fans will be invited to meet with the new board of directors and the coaching team, where they will be able to hear more about the club’s vision and plans for the current season and beyond.
Finally, we would also like to thank former owner Chris Hamilton for all his cooperation throughout the acquisition process and for his efforts over the last 25 years.
In a prepared statement, Chris Hamilton said:
“So, my time as owner of Oldham Rugby League Football Club has come to an end. That is probably a sentence I never envisaged I would write given how long I have been involved with the club!
“When I started on this journey 25 and a half years ago, little did I know that it would take over my life and that everything I did would revolve around this club.
Chris Hamilton
“Everybody knows that this has not been a journey full of glory, or of continued success but it has certainly been an eventful one for sure.
“In 1997 I was one of four people who wanted to make sure that professional rugby league in Oldham carried on. Of course, for quite a long time now I have been the only one of those four who was still in place.
“As I think about my time at the club there has been an incredible amount of hard work by a number of people to ensure we still have a club today. I wish to thank everybody who has helped to keep the club going.
“In addition, it would be wrong not to thank all those people and clubs who have helped us by providing grounds for the club to play at since 1997, particularly Stalybridge Celtic when we have been in the Championship and, our current hosts AVRO FC.
“Of course, we have achieved much more than simply maintaining a club. Our promotions to the Championship, the number of Grand Finals we have played in, being one match away from Super League. The list could go on and on.
“However, this is a time for looking forward also. With the new owners coming in, the recently announced move back to Boundary Park, the potential for major development at Melrose Playing Fields, then it is not too hard to think that the club is gaining some traction in moving forward.
“I sincerely wish my successors all the very best in their efforts with the club and hope that all of this positivity currently surrounding the club is rewarded with increased numbers at games to back Stuart Littler, Brendan Sheridan and all the squad as they strive to gain promotion back to the Championship this year. Now wouldn’t that be fantastic — first game back at Boundary Park being a game in the Championship!
“I could go on for a long time in this final statement, but it has all been a bit of a whirlwind and the focus must remain on the team and the upcoming match at North Wales Crusaders this Sunday.
“As for me, I hope to be there, cheering the lads on. I will do whatever I can to help the new owner in the transition at the club and will be looking for a new job too — now that will be strange!’
The Oldham RL Heritage Trust would like to echo the above sentiments in thanking Chris Hamilton for all his efforts over the last 25 years and likewise wish every success to the new consortium.
Oldham won back the Law Cup in dramatic fashion on January 29th 2023 with a late winner against Rochdale Hornets at Whitebank.
Deane Meadows with the Oldham RL Heritage Trust trophy presented by Oldham “Hall of Fame” member, Mike Elliott.
The Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust trophy went to Deane Meadows who put in a strong performance and was never far from the action throughout the entire match.
The Hornets looked all set to take the spoils at the Vestacare stadium when leading 14 – 12 deep into injury time but a pinpoint kick from Martyn Ridyard was finished off by a jubilant Joe Hartley who touched down for the match winner. Special credit should also be given to Ridyard, whose ‘three from three’ conversions proved to be the telling factor. The other Oldham tries came from Ethan Ferry and Zac Baker.
The long period of stoppage time was due to a serious knee injury to new signing Lewis Sheridan and I am sure that the best wishes of all the Oldham RL community are sent to Lewis for a speedy recovery.
Left: The Oldham players, staff and family members celebrate the Law Cup victory. Right: Match winner, Joe Hartley.
The Heritage Trust are sad to report the death of former Oldham player Brian Hatherell on Saturday 4th December in Wigan Infirmary .
A talented scrum-half, Brian signed for the Roughyeds from Leigh Colts in the summer of 1958.
He made his first team debut in a 28 – 11 victory over Wakefield Trinity on September 13th 1958 and would go onto make sixteen appearances in the senior Oldham side.
The sincere condolences of the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust are offered to all of Brian’s family and friends.
Oldham RLFC Anniversary Dinner / Players Association Social.
The organisers have left no stone unturned in bringing to the Roughyeds a glittering array of new and up-and-coming after-dinner talent to entertain everyone at a one-off Oldham RLFC Anniversary dinner.
The guest speaker will be former St Helens and Ireland star Kyle Amor, rapidly making a name for himself as TV pundit, commentator, interviewer and after-dinner speaker.
Alongside him as MC at this prestigious event, held to mark the first 25 years of pro rugby league in Oldham under the ‘Oldham RLFC (1997) Ltd’ banner, will be another up-and-coming talent on the circuit — Pete Emmett from Halifax, who has already worked with the likes of Johnny Vegas, Mike Tyson, Dame Kelly Holmes and Sugar Ray Leonard.
VENUE: The Oldham Event Centre at Boundary Park, smart, welcoming with easy access off Broadway and loads of FREE car parking.
DATE AND TIME: Friday, November 25, 7pm for 7.30pm.
DRESS CODE: Preferably lounge suit – either that or smart casual.
TICKETING: £35 a head including three-course dinner with coffee and mints; Kyle Amor; Pete Emmett; players and coaches in attendance. Tickets can be purchased online via the Oldham RLFC website or by a phone call to the Roughyeds office on 07904 898177.
It’s many a year since Roughyeds had an event to compare with this and the club hopes it will attract a lot of interest, especially as it will mark a majestic milestone (the first 25 years of Oldham RLFC (1997) Ltd.)
Oldham RLFC Players Association present a Social Evening with comedian Austin Knight and Music with Bing Findlater.
The event takes place on Friday 2nd December 2022 at The Springhead Sports & Social Club.
A new weekly get-together for all former players or supporters of amateur and professional rugby league will kick-off on Tuesday 18th October at Heyside Cricket Club, running from 12.30pm until 2.30pm.
It will be a chance for friends to meet and enjoy each other’s company for a couple of hours. We will establish numbers over the first few Tuesdays and make this a regular gathering if there is sufficient interest. There is no charge to attend but please register your interest with either Joe Warburton on 07882 848340 or Chris Churm on 07919 691655, or drop us a message via Facebook/ Messenger.
Please pass this on to anyone you think would enjoy attending ‘The Tuesday Club’. Thank you!
A section of the Oldham RL Heritage Trust display cabinet at Gallery Oldham.
To coincide with the start of the Rugby League World Cup, Michael Turner of the Heritage Trust, will be giving a talk including a brief history of the competition and the Oldham links to the event.
This will be held at Gallery Oldham on Wednesday October 12th – 2pm at the location of the Oldham RL Heritage Trust cabinet that is situated in Gallery 1 within the “Oldham Stories” exhibition.
The talk will be approximately 45 minutes and admission is free.
The Heritage Trust was sad to learn of the death of ex Roughyed, Norman Francis. (Heritage Number 962).
Norman, whom Oldham signed from Leeds, made 16 appearances in season 1990-91, scoring four tries along the way.
He began his professional career at Hunslet in the 1982-83 season before moving to Headingley where he made 44 first-team appearances in a five-year stay, scoring 11 tries. He was a wow in ‘A’ team rugby at Leeds where he is fondly remembered by a generation of Headingley regulars for his barn-stoming performances for the Leeds reserves.
After one year at Oldham, he returned to the City of Leeds to join Bramley, thus becoming a member of that elite band who have played for all three professional clubs in the city.
He scored 38 tries in 72 appearances for Bramley over a five-year period before hanging up his boots.
The ORL Heritage Trust send their deepest condolences to Norman’s family and friends at this sad time
It is with sadness that the ORLFC Players Association passes on the news of the death of former Oldham and Rochdale Hornets scrum-half Johnnie Hammond, who died on September 12th at the age of 77.
He made his Oldham debut in the Law Cup game on August 10, 1975 against Hornets, no doubt enjoying the 29 – 2 victory for the Roughyeds against his former club. He went on to make four senior appearances for Oldham, his home-town club, as well as captaining the ‘A’ team to a Lancashire Shield triumph in 1975-76 in which they beat Salford 32 – 17 in a two-leg final with the second leg watched by an enthusiastic crowd at Watersheddings.
They reached the final again the following year, ending up as runners up to Wigan.
John lifting the Lancashire Shield in April 1976 and receiving his Heritage Certificate on July 10th 2022.
John recently attended the Oldham v Rochdale game where he received his Oldham Heritage Certificate (number 784) from the Players Association chairman Mike Elliott.
The sincere condolences of the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust are sent to John’s family and friends.
The Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust would like to be associated with the statement issued by the RFL as follows:
On behalf of the RFL and the whole Rugby League family, we express our deepest and most sincere condolences on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The whole sport is in deep mourning at this extremely sad news.
Her Majesty presents the RL Challenge Cup to Derek Turner in 1960.
The Rugby League was honoured to have her as our Patron until 2016, and throughout her long reign, Her Majesty’s sense of duty and commitment, her spirit and wisdom has been an example to all of us.
We give grateful thanks for Her Majesty’s constant and positive influence on our communities over many generations.
We send our deepest sympathy and most sincere condolences to the Royal Family including the RFL Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.
Our clubs and players at all levels will display their respect to Her Majesty wherever Rugby League is played in the coming days.
