Ex-scrumhalf

Oldham Community Radio cover most games and it goes out fm and online

Sadly I have learned that Dave actually died on the 9th of November and his funeral is tomorrow (Monday) at 12.15 in Hertfordshire and it is just too short notice to be able to go. Had it been later in the week the distance would have been no problem and I would definitely have gone. As for the story I suppose it is quite nice really but that's Rugby League for you one big family full of really hard men but most of whom have hearts of gold.

I am really and genuinely sad to hear of Dave's passing. Apart from his undisputed ability as a player he was a true gentleman. He was a good friend of mine during his day at Platts where I worked as an apprentice. We talked a lot of rugby together and I remember seeing him on the Monday morning following the HKR semi final. The injury he got was horrendous and his face looked like a lump of liver. Poole should have been banned for a long time for that offence. I forget what Dave's position was at Platts but somehow feel that he was the senior personnel manager, or something along those lines. As a young apprentice and at that time a young player I was late for work on a regular basis even though I only lived round the corner. Never seriously late, a matter of two or three minutes most mornings, but eventually I was brought up in front of Dave for a ticking off. The first question he asked me was why are you always late in the morning? To which I replied I just can't get out of bed because I'm tired. He knew that at that time I was travelling across Lancashire two evenings a week on a motorcycle to train with my team and he also knew just how much that takes out of you. He smiled put his head in his hands and simply said "Go on off you go, try not to be late again and whatever you do don't get brought up to see me again. He was a great guy who I had every respect for and from that day forward he would seek me out on the shop floor and he would give me advice with my rugby career and in return I did my best never to be late again. Even though I have not seen him for many years I miss him being among us somehow. I can't think of another way to put it really. If anyone knows of the funeral details I may try to get there. It's the least I can do for a man who gave me great enjoyment as a player and who helped me such a lot in my younger days. God bless Dave.

Two girls mate. One 12 who is a good and keen golfer, plays for Lancashire Girls and comps tend to be on Sunday though I have taken her to the odd game and she did enjoy it. The other is 5 and has no interest at all except in Peppa Pig.

On the subject of attendances does anyone, like me, wish games would be played on Saturday again and if they were do you think it would help raise attendances? I passed by Boundary Park around 1. 00pm on Saturday and fans were turning up for the game. I felt envious of them and wished I could go to a rugby match on a Saturday. I was brought up on Saturday games, both watching and playing and it would be much easier for me to attend Saturday games than Sunday. I attend occasionally on a Sunday but I really believe that if they played Saturday I would be able to go to every home game at least and probably would. I used to go to a fair number of games on Sunday up until 2006 when my first grandchild was born and then family life changed for me and Sunday became a family day that I got to spend with my granddaughter. I now have two and love to spend time with them on Sunday so going to rugby is a difficult decision, for as much as I love my rugby and Oldham family come first but I am virtually free to do as I please on Saturday. Anyone else in the same boat? I still see Saturday as the traditional day for rugby and football and do believe that it would boost attendances if we went back to it.

Thanks for that information. I can only say that I am shocked and gutted. Whatever possessed him I don't know but he is certainly regretting it now I'm sure.

Can you please explain. Do you mean the ref deserves all he gets for being in the way? or Bridge deserves all he gets? In which case what did he do that was so wrong. I do not believe for one moment that a professional rugby league player would assault a referee

I spoke with Dave Mcgealey who does the commentary and he said something was broken and they wouldn't fix it. Not sure if he meant Roughyeds wouldnt fix it or Oldham Community Radio wouldn't but I was told it was back on at the last home game by someone who said he had listened to it. Didn't hear it myself though, but then I didn't try to.

Told you they would all come out now. I also remember Shawside and Werneth and I think Kevin Taylor played for Werneth before turning pro with Oldham

Very good idea. I'm sure there are lots of old clubs we don't think about any longer. I remember Platt Bros had a team for a while. I even played a few games for them. And I think Ferrantis also had a team. I know in the 60s Saddleworth Rangers were the team to beat. I suspect that lots of people will now come up with long forgotten clubs and long forgotten stories. I hope so it will bring back a lot of memories.

I will have to get into Gary Mellings head this week. He plays at Crompton and Royton golf club where I play. Good golfer, much better than me unfortunately.

Its a good point about the Hemel game and for me it harps back to last season and Dewsbury. Had that game not been postponed I think we wouldn't have been relegated. At that time Dewsbury were down and out and we would have beaten them at Stalybridge. Even a quickly rearranged game would have given us the win. Instead it was left to virtually the end of the season and a rejuvenated Dewsbury then came and beat us in a tight game to send us down. Am I right that those lost two points would have saved us? Hope Hemel don't come good by the time we play them, though I suspect we will good enough to get a place in the play offs anyway.

Great win away from home but the blog makes it sound like there was a massive penalty count in our favour. Which makes a refreshing change.

Don't remember this lad. What did he do wrong when he was with us?

Well I'm still trying for you. I called into the library shop in the market hall yesterday but they didn't have it in. However the guy there took my name and phone number and promised to ring me if one of the five that Oldham Libraries have, ever comes in. My golf partner is a charity shop addict and has promised to keep a look out whenever he is in one. so we haven't given up yet.