Coyle agrees to Vikings switch

THOMAS COYLE signed for Widnes last night after accepting an offer “too good to turn down”.

The 21-year-old half-back, who played a pivotal role in Oldham’s Co-op Championship One play-off campaign which ultimately ended in disappointment, put pen to paper on a two-year deal.

He said: “It is a bit of a wrench to leave Oldham, because it is a very good club. The fans are excellent and if you ever wanted anything all you had to do was see either Tony Benson (coach) or Chris Hamilton (chief executive) and they would sort it.

“But this is a big chance for me, with an option of a Super league contract if Widnes get there.

“They are also part-time and I’m doing an apprenticeship to be an electrician, so everything fitted in, really. It was an offer too good to turn down.”

Coyle said the uncertainty over the Roughyeds future had some influence on his decision.

He also believes Sunday’s defeat in the play-off final was one big game too many for Oldham.

“If we had played Keighley a week earlier, then I’m sure we would have battered them,” said Coyle. “It was the end of a tough spell of matches and I think it probably caught up with us.”

A product of the St John Fisher School and Wigan St Pat’s, Coyle joined Oldham 24 hours after it was announced that elder brother James, who later moved to Barrow, had agreed a one-year contract.

Coyle graduated through the Wigan Warriors scholarship system and went on to play for the first team.

He had a loan spell at Halifax in 2008 before switching to Oldham, where he played in all but three of the Roughyeds’ 29 league and cup games, scoring 15 tries.

Mr Hamilton said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Thomas. He spoke to Tony before signing, so he has done everything in the right way. He takes all our best wishes with him.”