Profile

Joe Warham signed for Oldham from Swinton just before the Challenge Cup transfer deadline of 1949. He had previously played for the Royal Navy.

He made his debut at Liverpool on January 29th, 1949 in the right wing position and although appearing occasionally on the left flank and at stand off half, it would be in the No 2 shirt that he would excel for Oldham finishing top try scorer in his first three full seasons with the club. His best total came in 1951-52, when Joe crossed the line for 25 touchdowns helping Oldham to finish fifth in the table, just one point behind Huddersfield and a place in the play offs. This was the best league placing the club had achieved for twenty years.

An accomplished “finisher”, Joe was always quick to acknowledge the contribution of his team mates to his scoring achievements, especially centre, Billy Mitchell. A total gentleman on and off the field, he played his last game for the club at Fartown against Huddersfield, scoring a try in the 20 – 27 defeat on August 22nd, 1953.

He left Oldham to become manager at Rochdale Hornets and later began a long association with the Leeds club for whom he became a director.