Profile

Tommy Cash was born on Ashton Road, Oldham and was first introduced to a crude form of Rugby football at the local St Pauls school. A diminutive, figure he went on to play for Oldham Edge Recreation and Glenby at half back. He was invited to play for Oldham “A” against Werneth, when he scored three tries which led to him joining the Werneth club.

He eventually joined the senior club making his debut at centre in the 7 – 2 win at Hull Kingston on September 27th, 1902. He made 21 appearances that season, all the rest were on the wing, this being the position where he would become a great favourite with the Oldham crowd. Not that all of his admirers were confined to Watersheddings. On another trip to Humberside, on March 11th 1905, Tommy scored the only try of the match in a 3 – 0 victory at the Boulevard and one of the Hull F.C. officials was heard to comment that ,”little Cash is worth his weight in gold to Oldham”.

He topped the Oldham try list in 1904-05 with 13 and 1905-06 with 21. At times he would be switched to half back prompting the cartoon image featured in the “Athletic News”, with the witty caption “Cash, though changed from ¾ to ½, is still sterling value”.

Irrespective of his slight stature, Tommy was well known for his courage and would take on the heftiest of opponents. Once he received his marching orders, to the amusement of the crowd, after an entanglement with a burly Leeds forward.

Along with several of his team mates, he left to assist the newly formed Coventry club in 1910. During the First World War he joined the Royal Rifles and earned the Military Medal for heroism at Paschendale Ridge.