Roughyeds chiefs making plans for next season already

Roughyeds' managing director Mike Ford

Irrespective of which division they will be in, Oldham RLFC is already planning for next season and its move to Boundary Park, where the brand new state-of-the-art pitch, costing £1m and paid for by Oldham Council, is already in place and looking spick and span.

Those who attended the Roughyeds’ recent Partners Meeting in the new Joe Royle stand at Boundary Park, previously described as a wonderful facility by the completely impartial League Express editor Martyn Sadler, got their first glimpse of the new pitch which is designed to cater for both Latics and Oldham Rugby, no matter whether Roughyeds are in Betfred League One or in the Championship.

At the outset it needs to be stated that the board, represented at the Partners’ Meeting by director Simon Winnard and managing director Mike Ford, is committed to winning promotion while well aware that there are no guarantees.

Whatever happens in the five-team play-offs, however, the directors will press ahead with plans to grow the club, to grow the game locally and to increase public awareness of Roughyeds and all they stand for.

Josh Johnson, the latest signing, has 62 Super League games behind him, an Oldham lad to boot, and the other new guys, Pat Moran and Nick Rawsthorne, have also played in Super League while boasting vast experience in the Championship.

Ford revealed at the meeting that plans for next season were well under way; that talks were going on with other players whose identities couldn’t yet be disclosed; and that everything behind the scenes was going well.

He also confirmed that a Sponsors’ Breakfast would take place at Boundary Park on July 28 when existing and potential new sponsors would be shown the facilities available at Boundary Park and told of the sponsorship packages on offer.

One of the things that made him most happy was the development work with youngsters being undertaken by Joe Warburton and John Byram.

John was at the meeting which was attended also by the Players’ Association (Ray Hicks and John Watkins), Rugby Oldham, the Supporters’ Trust (Ian Wilson), Councillor Ros Birch (Oldham Council), John McAndrew (Club Cash lottery), Lynda McAndrew (volunteer), Michael Turner (Heritage Trust) and Roger Halstead (club president).

John Watkins said several members of the current squad had joined the Players’ Association and that Richard Russell, accompanied by his son Oliver, the Huddersfield Giants half-back star, would be part of the Association group at the Workington game when he would receive his Heritage Certificate.

Richard and Oliver were at the ground early, but because of the match call-off, the presentation to Richard Russell will happen at a later date.

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