Chairman Hamilton's 'great faith' in Oldham

SCOTT Naylor

OLDHAM RL chairman Chris Hamilton has revealed that he has "great faith" in his head coach Scott Naylor, assistant coach Peter Carey and the Roughyeds' squad of players.

They go into tomorrow night's Bower Fold clash with next-to-bottom Dewsbury Rams (8pm) after six Championship defeats in a row, but the Roughyeds' owner says: "When we stick to Scott's instructions and play to the best of our ability we are a very good team."

Their last win was at Dewsbury on April 30 and they have since gone down to London Broncos, Batley Bulldogs, Rochdale Hornets (Summer Bash), Swinton Lions, Hull KR and Halifax.

After Sunday's 30-12 loss to Halifax - a cracking game in which the score didn't reflect Oldham's contribution - Naylor asked supporters to stick with the club while he and the players find a way to win again.

Crucially, their next two games are against 11th-placed (out of 12) Dewsbury at Bower Fold tomorrow and on Sunday at bottom club Bradford Bulls, who have lost nine in a row.

In his latest programme notes, Hamilton wrote: "The last few weeks have been difficult, but it amazes me that people talk of a crisis.

"If people in my position reacted the way some others do when things aren't going our way we would be changing things from top to bottom every week.

"People would then be calling for stability.

"As a club we have always stuck to our ideas because we have faith in them and in the people (coaches and players) who carry them out.

"To put your faith in people who are entrusted with a massive amount of responsibility, upon which the club sinks or swims, is the greatest faith you can show.

"I am certainly not losing faith. People have short memories at times and it is part of my role to keep a level head. I will.

"Having said that, no one hides when things are not going to plan and again that is due to the characters we have at the club - another deliberate choice.

"We have a lot going for us as a club and it saddens me sometimes that not enough people in Oldham recognise it.

"People from other clubs certainly do . . . a sign of the times I suppose.

"There is nothing better than fighting for all you are worth when things are going against you, either individually or as a club, and believe me we are kicking and screaming right now as we fight our way out of the present run of no wins in five (now six).

"The support from fans who made the effort to be at the game last Sunday (against Hull KR) was outstanding, in the level of noise that was generated and the way it was kept going throughout the match.

"We aren't far off and when we do get our next win the supporters will all have played their part in it."