Oldham RLFC Heritage Trust
32 players whose contributions to Oldham Rugby League have earned a place in the club’s Hall of Fame.
There could easily be many more. The selection celebrates players from across the club’s history, while recognising the many international, county and long-serving Roughyeds who also deserve to be remembered.
See Outstanding ContributionPlayers’ Hall of Fame
The first players honoured when the Hall of Fame opened in 1995.
Inducted 1 November 1995
Oldham career: 1899-00/1922-23
There can be no doubt that any player in the whole history of Oldham RLFC has made his presence felt or left an impression quite like Joe Ferguson. A native of …
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Inducted 1 November 1995
Oldham career: 1950-51/1961-62
Alan Davies is regarded by many supporters as the best player ever to have played for Oldham RLFC and the fact that he is the most capped player in the history …
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Inducted 1 November 1995
Oldham career: 1950-51/1960-61
William Bernard Ganley signed for Oldham originally as an amateur in August 1950, turning professional one year later. His father Bert had played for Leigh, …
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Inducted 1 November 1995
Oldham career: 1954-55/1958-59
John Etty was born in the Yorkshire wool town of Batley and would give just under ten years great service to the “Gallant Youths”, before he was lured over the …
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Inducted 1 November 1995
Oldham career: 1955-56/1958-59
Derek “Rocky” Turner, came to Oldham from Hull K.R., playing his first match against Hunslet on September 3rd 1955. A loose forward of immense power and …
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Inducted 1 November 1995
Oldham career: 1964-65/1973-74
Signed from the St Joseph’s amateur club in Huddersfield in January 1965, when still only sixteen, Bob had a meteoric rise to senior status in the Oldham side …
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Inducted 1 November 1995
Oldham career: 1979-80/1993-94*
Andy Goodway came to the club early in 1979, after being spotted playing for Castleford amateur team Redhill against Saddleworth Rangers. This was when Oldham …
Read player profilePlayers’ Hall of Fame
Players added from 1998 through 2005.
Inducted 8 April 1998
Oldham career: 1966-67/1981-82
Signed in early December 1966, Martin Murphy made his debut against his home town club of Leigh just a few weeks later. When the slightly built full-back took …
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Inducted 14 January 2001
Oldham career: 1913-14/1925-26
Herman Hilton was one of the greatest forwards ever to play for Oldham RLFC. A local man, he joined the club from the local “Healey Street” team in November …
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Inducted 14 January 2001
Oldham career: 1950-51/1959-60
Born in Leigh, Frank Stirrup came to Oldham from Salford in November 1950, making his senior debut on January 20th, 1951 in the match against Belle Vue Rangers. …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1895-96/1906-07
Arthur Lees was born in Lees village in 1874 and played his first football with the Leesfield Trinity club, which was founded by his namesake, Sam. He joined …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1925-26/1939-40
Jack Read had represented Gloucestershire at union before signing for Oldham. He made his debut against Hull on New Years Day 1926, the first of 463 first team …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1926-27/1938-39
Fred Ashworth, a strong running and fierce defending Cumbrian forward, joined Oldham in 1926. Although still only a teenager he was immediately installed in the …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1932-33/1948-49*
Born in Newport, Alex Givvons came to Oldham from the Cross Keys union club in 1933. A speedy, agile and enthusiastic halfback who eventually made the …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1940-41/1955-56
Harry Ogden joined his home town club in September, 1940, at the tender age of sixteen, having first played with the Hey St Johns club during which time he won …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1951-52/1958-59
Born near Carlisle, Sid Little an ex – R.A.F. pilot and both Harlequin and Cumberland union player, joined Oldham in1952. A fast second row forward, he would …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1962-63/1978-79
Mike Elliott arrived at the club, as a seventeen year old, from Blaina in South Wales, making his debut against Wakefield in October, 1962. Although it would be …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1962-63/1976-77
Kevin Taylor signed for Oldham shortly after his sixteenth birthday, having played for the Werneth club and having captained Oldham schoolboys to win the …
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Inducted 24 November 2005
Oldham career: 1979-80/1988-89
Oldham signed Terry Flanagan amidst much competition from other professional clubs in the summer of 1979. He came from Saddleworth Rangers with a big reputation …
Read player profilePlayers’ Hall of Fame
The latest additions to the players' Hall of Fame.
Inducted 22 December 2024
Oldham career: 1998/2007
Local born John was the first player to sign for the reformed club in late 1997. He had played his early rugby down at Keb Lane for Oldham Rugby Union before …
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Inducted 12 January 2025
Oldham career: 1968-69/1980-81
Born locally in Moorside, Phil played for the Werneth club before switching codes and going to play for Oldham Rugby Union. His good form down at Keb Lane made …
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Inducted 12 January 2025
Oldham career: 1987-91/2001*
Mike Ford signed for his home town club in January 1988 from Leigh, after having first had a successful spell with Wigan, tasting Wembley glory in the 1985 …
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Inducted 27 June 2026
Oldham career: 1908-09/1920-21
Although born in Wolverhampton, Alf Wood played his first rugby down in the West Country and was full back for the Newton Abbott Rugby Union club at the tender …
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Inducted 27 June 2026
Oldham career: 1921-22/1928-29
Bob Sloman came to Oldham from the Plymouth Albion Rugby Union club in August 1921, making his debut in the 10 – 3 victory over St Helens on August 27th of that …
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Inducted 27 June 2026
Oldham career: 1979-80/1987-88
Mick Worrall was part of the successful youth recruitment programme of the late 1970’s and played a starring role as the Oldham Colts team swept all before …
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Inducted 27 June 2026
Oldham career: 1982-83/1990-91
Des Foy came back to play for Oldham after originally turning professional with Widnes. A centre with real pace, Des was the leading Oldham try scorer on four …
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Inducted 27 June 2026
Oldham career: 1999-2000/2013
Neil signed for Oldham in March 2000 and was a non-playing substitute at Featherstone on the 26th of that month. The following week at Sheffield, Neil was again …
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Inducted 24 October 2026
Oldham career: 1897-98/1904-05
At the end of the second season of the “Northern Union”, Oldham played a friendly match against the local Crompton club and took the opportunity to give a trial …
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Inducted 24 October 2026
Oldham career: 1920-21/1930-31
One hundred years have come and gone since the Oldham record for tries in a season was set in 1921-22 and with the current reduced fixture lists this seems to …
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Inducted 24 October 2026
Oldham career: 1971-72/1985-86
Local born, Geoff Munro worked his way up through the club “B” team, playing initially in the second row. He would eventually convert to the back division …
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Inducted 24 October 2026
Oldham career: 1979-80/1986-87
Widnes born Ray Ashton came to Oldham from the Widnes Tigers club in 1979 and played a prominent part in the success of the Colts team of the late 70’s / early …
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Inducted 24 October 2026
Oldham career: 1980-81/1985-86
Mick Parrish was signed from Hunslet, in time to make his debut in the narrow 16 – 11 defeat at high flying Hull F.C. on September 21st, 1980. A tall goal …
Read player profileClub artwork
Commissioned to celebrate Oldham’s representative players, this watercolour by supporter Andy Pemberton gathers 42 figures from across the club’s history. Captains of Australia, New Zealand, Wales, England and Great Britain appear together in one imagined moment.
Back Row (left to right): Maseese Solomona (1992-94) Oldham & New Zealand. Bob Irving (1965-73) Oldham, Great Britain - Tourist 1970. Andy Goodway (1978-85 & 1993-94) Oldham, England, Captain of Great Britain - Tourist 1984. Derek Turner (1955-59) Oldham & Great Britain. John Armstrong (c1884-92) Oldham & Lancashire RU. Billy Farnsworth (1912-20) Australia & Oldham. Bryn Goldswain (1949-56) Oldham, Wales & Other Nationalities. Sid Little OBE (1952-59) Oldham & Great Britain. Bob Lindner (1993-94) Captain of Australia & Oldham. Hugh Waddell (1986-89) Oldham & Great Britain - Tourist 1988. Bob Sloman (1921-29) Oldham, England & Great Britain - Tourist 1924 & 1928. Sir Philip Sidney Stott (c1877-85) Oldham. Ike Southward (1958-61) Oldham & Great Britain. Joseph Platt (1885-1930) Oldham FC President. First Hon Secretary Northern Union 1895-1919.
Third Row (left to right): Harry Varley (1893-97) England RU & Oldham. John ‘Ben’ Andrew (c1891-95) Oldham, Lancashire RU & South Africa. Syd Dean (1908-12) Captain of Australia, Rorkes Drift Test & Oldham. Bert Avery (1905-14) Oldham, England & Great Britain - Tourist 1910. Bill McCutcheon (1888-97) Oldham & Wales RU. Bernard Ganley (1951-61) Oldham & Great Britain. Abe Ashworth (1891-93) Oldham & England RU. Alex Givvons (1933-42 & 1948) Oldham & Wales. Ken Jackson (1950-61) Oldham & Great Britain - Tourist 1958. John Etty (1955-59) Oldham & Yorkshire. Reg Farrar (1920-30) Oldham & Yorkshire. A. E. ‘George’ Anlezark (1909-14) Australia & Oldham.
Second Row (left to right): Martin Murphy (1966-82) Oldham & England. Frank Stirrup (1950-60) Oldham & Lancashire. Mike Ford (1987-91 & 1999-2000) Oldham & Great Britain - Tourist 1988. Jim Lomas (1910-13) Oldham, Captain of England and Great Britain. George Tyson (1902-11) Oldham, England & Great Britain. Viv Farnsworth (1912-15) Australia & Oldham. Sid Rix (1919-32) Oldham, England & Great Britain - Tourist 1924. George (GW) Smith (1908-14) New Zealand All Black RU, New Zealand All Golds RL & Oldham. Herman Hilton (1913-25) Oldham, England & Great Britain - Tourist 1920. Joe Ferguson (1899-1923) Oldham & Captain of England.
Front Row (left to right): Alf Wood (1908-20) England RU, Oldham, England & Great Britain, Rorkes Drift Test - Tourist 1914 & 1920. Billy Hall (1913-25) Oldham, England, Great Britain, Rorkes Drift Test - Tourist 1914. Terry Flanagan (1979-89) Oldham & Great Britain - Tourist 1984. George Frater (1896-1905) Oldham & Other Nationalities. Arthur Lees (1892-1907) Oldham, Lancashire RU & Lancashire RL. Alan Davies (1950-61) Oldham, England & Great Britain - Tourist 1958. Dave Holland (1913-21) England RU, Oldham, Great Britain, Rorkes Drift Test - Tourist 1914.
A record of the honours
Read the names, induction dates and player profiles directly below.
