1.

Roger Halstead

It is quite well documented that the first game to feature Roger Halstead as the official Oldham Chronicle reporter for Oldham Rugby League club was the semi-final 2nd replay against Hull Kingston Rovers on April 20th 1964 when the Roughyeds were defeated by 12 points to 2 at Fartown, Huddersfield. A bad omen?

However, Roger had been the occasional Chronicle scribe for Oldham matches going back a full 12 months prior to this when the then current reporter, Ken Ashton was unavailable. The earliest one I can find was ironically again against Hull KR on March 23rd 1963 at Craven Park when rugby had just resumed after the “white-out” winter of early 1963. Unlike the reverse in the semi-final Oldham won that day up in east Hull by 23 – 17, so perhaps the signs weren’t too bad after all!

From then on until he retired as the Chronicle reporter some 41 years later Roger has become synonymous with the club, as much as the beloved old ground at Watersheddings and the famous red and white colours. For over sixty years when Oldham RLFC has been mentioned, it is likely that Roger has been there to comment on the unfolding events or behind the words in the first place.

Even after his Chronicle retirement in 2005 he has been a constant presence on the Roughyed’s scene and was straight away contributing articles to the matchday programme. In 2022 he was appointed club president and as I write these notes in October 2025 you only have to “click” on the News section on the club website to find Roger’s Roundup to see proof that he is still a respected and dependable figure when it comes to supplying the updates for Oldham RLFC.

Add to this his other activities to support the club especially his lottery collections over many years and it is obvious that the club has had wonderful assistance from ROGER HALSTEAD.

It is unlikely that in the whole history of Oldham RLFC there has ever been a more loyal servant amongst the non-playing personnel involved with the club.