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Oldham RLFC - It's in the Blood


Dave Naylor

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Friday night.  I'm sat at my computer here at home, my wife is upstairs on her computer doing her business stuff and I'm tinkering about with websites and all the gubbins that I do.  So I thought I'd do a long post, a bit like I did in the build up to promotion.  

 

I'm an Oldham lad, born at No.6 Wales Street just off Ripponden Road on the way up to the Watersheddings ground.  When I was a lad we lived in one of the houses in between The Black Horse pub and the Chippy on Ripponden Road.  The lights from Watersheddings used to light up my bedroom.

 

I suppose my (fan) association with Oldham RLFC began sometime in the late 70s and blossomed during the early 80s.  I was at every game home and away with only a few apologies due to work or holidays.  

 

When the old club died and the new club was born, I was along for the ride.  I think my first game for the new club was away at Widnes, I think in the Challenge Cup, I could be wrong.  I remember some Widnes fan bragging that they were winning and I was shouting back that it didn't matter, my club, Oldham, was still alive.

 

As the century turned my life took a bit of a twist and I probably had one of those mid-life crises.  By this time I was living on the wrong side of the pennines and I took up a hobby that became a full time obsession. It kept me away from Oldham rugby.  I sort of thought that ORLFC was something I used to do.

 

Zoom forward to the past few years and the Oldham Rugby spark that used to be so strong has been re-kindled.  I think there's a thing where as you get older you start to value your roots.  No matter where I've lived I always say I'm from Oldham first and then go on to say "...but I live in <random place>"

 

I love shouting for my home town team on match day.  I love the red and white stripes, the blue shorts, the town crest and the accent that we all have that is utterly distinct from that big city just down the road.

 

I love Sammy Gee's smile and beard (or no beard).  I love Gareth Owen's ridiculous dummies.  I love Phil Joy's tackle face and I love the way Danny Langtree looks so blummin' aggressive when he's in possession or tackling.  I love all of them, every last man.  It's because they wear the shirt that bears the badge and that means they're representing me, Dave Naylor, a lad from Watersheddings. They're representing all of us.

 

My Mum used to go to games before I was born.  She's been with me to a few this year and she's been trying to drum up support from her friends.  A lot of them say "Oh yeah, I used to love it at Watersheddings, great days".  

 

Well, we don't play at Watersheddings any more and yes, boy do we wish we did, but we're left with what we've got and to be honest, Bower Fold is a belting little ground.  The team is giving 110%, the fans are devoted beyond belief and the sight of a body of Oldhamers dressed in red and white cheering on the team is enough to bring a tear to my stupid over-emotional it-must-be-my age eye.

 

If you have a mate who used to come to games.  If your Dad/Mum/Aunty/Whoever used to come to games.  Give them a call.  The more bodies through the turnstile the more funds become available and the more we can grow.

 

The town of Oldham was a founder member of the Rugby League.  We carry a very special heritage in our DNA.  We are Oldham RLFC from the youngest little lad legging it up and down the terraces to the oldest man or woman in the crowd who remembers the halcyon days of the 50s.

 

Our time is now.  What went before is done and dusted, all we have is what's in front of us today.  Red and white stripes on a field near you, every Sunday at 3.00pm.  

 

Oldham RLFC, the Roughyeds.  Ignite the spark and come and shout your head off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Although I was barely 3 ,1964 Salford V Oldham is my earliest memory of going to rugby matches.My uncle confirms this so I didn't dream it.I started understanding by 67-68 so the team playing in the "game that got away" documentary on youtube is when I started recognising players.Derek Whitehead,Wilf Briggs,Martin Murphy just starting out.

Very early seventies oldham actually top of the league ,Frank Foster.

Then 80s many lads I went to school with went into it.Terry Flanagan ,Paddy Kirwan for Oldham but others like Gary Ainsworth made the grade,Chris Deakin too.

 

To this day I stand with my family,Cousins Uncles.Usually 3 generations.

Thus you can safely say its in our blood.

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Very similar here, my mum and dad were big fans watching the great team of the 50s. In fact my parents where involved in a bad accident coming home from a match at Blackpool Borough and it was thought my mum who was pregnant with me at the time might lose the baby!  and so there isn't a time when I didn't go to the rugby. I will always miss Watersheddings but still enjoy the buzz of match day and shouting on the lads in red and white hoops. Can't wait for tomorrow! Come on you Yeds!!!!!!!!!!!!

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My Mum used to go with her Dad back in the late forties. She did her teacher training and moved "down south" but from when I can remember it was Eddie Waring on a Saturday afternoon so I grew up with Rugby League. I had to play Union at school. It wasn't until things got better financially that I was able to start coming up to watch the team from where my Mum was born, the team who had been "my team" for as long as I can remember even from afar. Boy am I glad I did start coming up though. I've met some great fans who have adopted me "you're wearing the shirt, you are one of us". 

I talk about Rugby League to everyone I meet and Oldham comes into the conversation very early. "Why Oldham? why not Leeds or Wigan or someone good?" Because they are not Oldham enough said.

Yep it's in the

Come on you Yeds!

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I am not born and bred Oldham

 

However in 2010, I was asked by Chris Hamilton to join the team as Ground Safety Officer.

 

I am glad I did, and for the last six years and hopefully the next twenty, I have lived and breathed Oldham RL.

 

Its my baby, to the point that most of my family help in some way, and we have met many wonderful Roughyeds fans.

 

Here's to many more years together, and who knows, maybe super league in the future.

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Its the day after the Hull KR game and number 2 son, who came up to the Fax game saying he didn't mind watching but wouldn't wear red and white, has turned up for Sunday lunch having spent the morning in town wearing his Oldham polo shirt. Press ganging works! Add another one to the long distance support  :D

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Another great post Dave.

 

It's definitely in the blood!!

 

I started going around 1964 and it was due to my teacher at Parish Church who was Mr Webb.  During the season Mr Webb would have us cutting brown paper cardboard sheets into little rectangles approximately 2 x 3 inches in size.  Mr Webb would then stamp them with a rubber stamp saying something about Oldham Rugby League on them and these became "free" tickets for children.  All of us children in his class were then given around 10 each to distribute to friends and/or family in an effort to get more watching.  It worked with me as, at the age of 9, I made the short trip from Greenacres to Watersheddings, on my own, to watch Oldham. And I've been watching them ever since, even when I moved down to Kent for a couple of years.

 

When it became time I took my son with me and we still talk about how I used to lift him over the wall before paying myself in and meeting him in the ground.  We now talk about this fondly when I take 2 of my Grandchildren along and we laugh when I tell them about the shout I used to make at the Hutchins end - "lad coming over" and wait for the reply "send 'em over".  I aslo let them know that although the pies have been good at BP, Whitebank and BF they don't get close to the pies and the oxtail soup at Watersheddings. The soup that the skin on the top used to stick to your top lip when you took your mouth away from the cup - and I'm sure they used what was left of the soup at the end of the season to paint the stands.

 

Anyway, enough of my meandering thoughts apart from, is it any wonder it's in the blood?

Tony Mac

If you’re going through hell, keep going – Winston Churchill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm a 3rd Generation Fan. My Grandad Jack used to go in the 50's and took my Dad and Grandma with him (She once got knocked out by the ball when it was kicked into the crowd and was taken into the Pavilion to recover. She then met both teams after the final hooter ). My Dad took me in the early 70's and my 1st match was against Widnes. I was one of the many who invaded the Pitch at the final Sheddings game .

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