Profile

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 county honours with Lancashire schoolboys. He made his debut on October 5th against Broughton Rangers, which was a remarkable occasion for one so young, considering that Harry played at prop forward and his “pack mates” on the day included such experienced professionals as Edgar Brooks, Bert Ambler and Norman Pugh.

Although his early career was obviously disrupted by the war period, Harry would emerge as one of the most loyal servants of Oldham RLFC and the club was particularly fortunate to have one great prop forward commence his career with the team just as another (Jack Read) had finished his time with the “Roughyeds”. A tireless scrummager, in an era of interminable scrums, he could also be called upon to kick goals when required and possessed the durability to shrug off injuries making him an automatic selection for the first ten post war seasons.

A benefit match was played for Harry against Huddersfield in May 1953, but far from being the end of his career he would continue to hang on to the No 8 jersey for another two and a half years, until his luck ran out with a serious injury at Workington in January 1956. He picked up runners up medals from the Championship Final and the Lancashire Cup Final in 1954-55 and was selected for a British Rugby League Xlll tour of France in 1946.