ArthurO

Bower Fold. Sunday 2nd April 2017. Let's hope for a repeat performance !

As a matter of interest, Rob, if you substitute the words 'Swinton' with 'Oldham' and 'Station Road' with 'Watersheddings', I think that many Roughyed supporters would agree with your heartfelt comments. I know that I do, just as my late father also did.

Ah. Terry Fogerty. I was at Springhead school with Terry in the 1950s. He was a big lad. Literally 'head and shoulders' bigger than any of the other lads in his age group. He learned his rugby 'trade' at Saddleworth Rangers and Halifax signed him straight from school at the age of 16. He went on to be a brilliant ball-playing second rower. I never understood why he slipped underneath Oldham's scouting 'net' and went over the Pennines to 'Fax. I wished he could have played in our pack along side Bobby Irving. What a partnership that would have been.

Andy. Charlie joined us from Whitehaven in the late 1960s. He was a brilliant ball-playing second rower and played for us in the 1968 Lancashire Cup final, on a Friday night, at Central Park against St Helens. I remember jumping about wildly when we scored first (penalty goal). Unfortunately that was as good as it got. We didn't score again and suffered a bit of a 'pasting' by the final whistle. It was a long, and quiet, journey back to Waterhead on the supporters' coach, that night. Charlie was an electrician by trade and he sadly died as a result of an accident whilst working on the construction of the Channel tunnel in 1990. His name is one of the eleven men featured on a memorial.

I was born and lived in Austerlands. We used to look downwards towards the ground. It was so high up there we could almost see the players running about on the pitch. Then, as a little boy, we moved to Ashes Lane in Springhead. We could always tell when Oldham scored because, even from there, we could hear the crowd cheering. Great days. Great memories.

Arthur was 26 years of age, 6' 2" tall, weighed over 18 stones and played on the wing. He was the Jonah Lomu of his day.

Clifford. Notice the 100% INTENTIONAL similarity in sound between my chosen username (ArthurO) and the subject of this topic ? So, even after all these years thanks to your grandfather, Clifford Bradley, the Spirit and fleeting memory of Arthur Rowe the iconic player, continues to live, on the Roughyeds forum.

Clifford, as a youngster I was there at the 'Sheddings and I watched him play on the left wing. He was a big, strong, physical lad and when he ran, all too briefly, it always took three or four of the opposition to put him on the floor. He only played for the 'A' team on Saturday mornings but even then thousands came to watch him. As you say, sadly he didn't last for very long in our game. In later years I was often reminded of him when I watched our great Charlie Mac and the powerful way that he used to run with the ball.

What about Bobby Irving and his, now 'illegal', spear tackles ?

What a performance ! Absolutely brilliant result. When was the last time we beat Bradford ? February 1968 ? ?