Sam Williams

Profile

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 to a young threequarter from Northampton. The player scored two tries in the 25 – 0 victory and was immediately signed up for the following season. The player was Sam Williams, who had played at centre in the trial, a position that he also filled for most of his eighteen appearances in the following 1897-98 season.
It was however, on the wing that he excelled after being switched to the flank for the 1898-99 campaign.

He topped the try list for the whole of the Northern Union on three consecutive occasions 1898-99 /1899-1900/1900-1901. For the first two of these he was followed on the list by team mate Tom Davies. In these three phenomenal years, Sam scored 104 tries in just 88 appearances and his final figures of 119 touchdowns in 132 games represents one of the best tries to appearances ratio in the history of the club.

Press reports of the time would talk about his “corkscrew” runs as he weaved inside and outside of the opponents’ defensive line. In the successful Challenge Cup run of 1899, Sam scored 14 tries in the competition including five in the first round against Goole and two in the final itself, when Hunslet were defeated 19 – 9 at Fallowfield.
Considering that Sam played in an era when tries were much less in evidence than in subsequent years, his consistency in crossing the “whitewash” is seen as all the more remarkable. Arguably the first “Superstar” of the professional game, Sam Williams is unquestionably Oldham’s most lethal ever wing man.

Career Games

Opposition Venue Date Competition
Oldham v Crompton Home April 30, 1897 Friendly
Morecambe v Oldham Away September 4, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Crompton Home September 6, 1897 Friendly
Stockport v Oldham Away September 11, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Crompton v Oldham Away September 13, 1897 Friendly
Oldham v Runcorn Home September 18, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Salford Home September 25, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Swinton v Oldham Away October 1, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Bradford v Oldham Away October 16, 1897 Friendly
Oldham v Morecambe Home October 30, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Widnes v Oldham Away November 6, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Leigh Home November 13, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
St Helens Recs v Oldham Away November 20, 1897 Friendly
St Helens v Oldham Away November 27, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Halifax Home December 4, 1897 Friendly
Oldham v Warrington Home December 11, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Leigh v Oldham Away December 18, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Rochdale Hornets Home December 25, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Broughton Rangers v Oldham Away December 27, 1897 Lancashire Senior Competition
Wigan v Oldham Away January 29, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v St Helens Home February 12, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Bradford v Oldham Away March 12, 1898 Friendly
Oldham v Runcorn Home March 19, 1898 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Batley v Oldham Away March 26, 1898 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Manningham v Oldham Away April 19, 1898 Friendly
Halifax v Oldham Away April 25, 1898 Friendly
Oldham v Rest Of Lancs Home April 30, 1898 Champs v Rest
Morecambe v Oldham Away September 3, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Runcorn Home September 24, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Huddersfield v Oldham Away September 26, 1898 Friendly
St Helens v Oldham Away October 1, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Broughton Rangers Home October 8, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Workington Home October 15, 1898 Friendly
Salford v Oldham Away October 22, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Swinton Home October 29, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Seaton Home November 5, 1898 Friendly
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham Away November 12, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Warrington Home November 19, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Leigh v Oldham Away November 26, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Widnes Home December 10, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Wigan v Oldham Away December 17, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Stockport v Oldham Away December 24, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Rochdale Hornets Home December 26, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Broughton Rangers v Oldham Away December 31, 1898 Lancashire Senior Competition
Tyldesley v Oldham Away January 14, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Leigh Home January 21, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v St Helens Home January 28, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Swinton v Oldham Away February 4, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Stockport Home February 11, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Salford Home February 18, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Widnes v Oldham Away February 25, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Runcorn v Oldham Away March 4, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Wigan Home March 11, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Goole Home March 18, 1899 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Bradford v Oldham Away April 1, 1899 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Widnes Home April 8, 1899 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Leigh v Oldham Neutral April 15, 1899 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Hunslet v Oldham Neutral April 29, 1899 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Morecambe v Oldham Away September 2, 1899 Friendly
Millom v Oldham Away September 9, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Tyldesley Home September 16, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Runcorn Home September 23, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Stockport v Oldham Away September 25, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Seaton v Oldham Away September 30, 1899 Friendly
Widnes v Oldham Away October 7, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham Away October 14, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Stockport Home October 17, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Salford Home October 28, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Swinton v Oldham Away November 11, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Warrington Home November 18, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Wigan v Oldham Away November 25, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
St Helens v Oldham Away December 9, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Broughton Rangers v Oldham Away December 23, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Rochdale Hornets Home December 25, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Millom Home December 30, 1899 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Bradford Home January 1, 1900 Friendly
Oldham v Leigh Home January 6, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Widnes Home January 13, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Wigan Home January 20, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Salford v Oldham Away January 27, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Swinton Home February 3, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Broughton Rangers Home February 17, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Warrington v Oldham Away February 21, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Leigh v Oldham Away February 24, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Tyldesley v Oldham Away February 27, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v St Helens Home March 3, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Runcorn v Oldham Away March 10, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Manningham v Oldham Away March 17, 1900 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v Manningham Home March 20, 1900 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Halifax v Oldham Away March 24, 1900 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Swinton v Oldham Away March 31, 1900 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Hull Kingston Rovers v Oldham Away April 7, 1900 Friendly
Oldham v Brighouse Rangers Home April 16, 1900 Friendly
Workington v Oldham Away September 1, 1900 Friendly
Barrow v Oldham Away September 8, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Wigan Home September 15, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Barrow Home September 22, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Swinton v Oldham Away September 29, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Runcorn v Oldham Away October 6, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v St Helens Home October 13, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Leigh Home October 27, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Salford v Oldham Away November 10, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Widnes Home November 17, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Rochdale Hornets Home November 24, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Millom Home December 1, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
St Helens v Oldham Away December 15, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Warrington v Oldham Away December 22, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham Away December 25, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Broughton Rangers Home December 29, 1900 Lancashire Senior Competition
Widnes v Oldham Away January 5, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Stockport v Oldham Away January 19, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Broughton Rangers v Oldham Away January 26, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Stockport Home February 9, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Warrington Home February 19, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Runcorn Home February 23, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Swinton Home February 25, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Bramley v Oldham Away March 9, 1901 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Wigan v Oldham Away March 16, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Broughton Rangers v Oldham Away March 23, 1901 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Widnes v Oldham Away March 30, 1901 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Leigh v Oldham Away April 2, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Oldham v Salford Home April 6, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Millom v Oldham Away April 8, 1901 Lancashire Senior Competition
Batley v Oldham Neutral April 13, 1901 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Werneth v Oldham Away April 26, 1901 Friendly
Leigh v Oldham Away September 7, 1901 Northern RL
Batley v Oldham Away September 14, 1901 Northern RL
Oldham v Huddersfield Home September 21, 1901 Northern RL
Oldham v Brighouse Rangers Home October 5, 1901 Northern RL
Oldham v Runcorn Home October 12, 1901 Northern RL
Warrington v Oldham Away October 19, 1901 Northern RL
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham Away November 2, 1901 South East Lancashire League
Hull FC v Oldham Away November 9, 1901 Northern RL
Hunslet v Oldham Away November 30, 1901 Northern RL
Oldham v Leigh Home December 7, 1901 Northern RL
Oldham v Warrington Home December 14, 1901 Northern RL
Oldham v Hull FC Home December 31, 1901 Northern RL
Swinton v Oldham Away January 1, 1902 Northern RL
Oldham v Salford Home January 4, 1902 Northern RL
Oldham v Swinton Home March 1, 1902 Northern RL
Broughton Rangers v Oldham Away March 8, 1902 Northern RL
Maryport v Oldham Away March 15, 1902 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Oldham v St Helens Home March 29, 1902 Friendly
Hull FC v Oldham Away April 5, 1902 Friendly
Hunslet v Oldham Away April 14, 1902 Northern RL
South Shields v Oldham Away April 19, 1902 Friendly
Hull FC v Oldham Away September 6, 1902 Division 1
Swinton v Oldham Away September 13, 1902 Division 1
Oldham v Broughton Rangers Home September 20, 1902 Division 1
Hull Kingston Rovers v Oldham Away September 27, 1902 Division 1
Warrington v Oldham Away November 8, 1902 Division 1
Runcorn v Oldham Away March 17, 1903 Division 1
Oldham v Halifax Home November 5, 1904 Division 1
Bradford v Oldham Away November 19, 1904 Division 1
Oldham v Oldham Present Home January 3, 1916 Special Friendly