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Roger and Out

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Posts posted by Roger and Out

  1. Born-again quarter of a century ago, Oldham RLFC (1997) Ltd has announced it will stage a glittering dinner at The Oldham Event Centre on Friday, November 25 (7pm for 7.30) to celebrate the majestic milestone of reaching its first 25 years in business - and still going strong. Guest speaker will be former St Helens and Ireland pack star Kyle Amor and the first event of its kind put on by Roughyeds for many a year will be compered by MC Pete Emmett, one of the best in the business. Tickets at £35 a head include three-course dinner with coffee and mints. You can book online NOW, via the Roughyeds website, or ring the office on 07904 898177. For further details go to the full story on the website.

     

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  2. THE Roughyeds end-of-season Presentation Night is this Friday (7.30) at the Oldham Event Centre, Boundary Park. Tickets priced £10, including supper, are available online via the Roughyeds website until midnight tonight (Tues). We have to pinpoint a cut-off point for purposes of catering requirements etc. You can also vote online for the supporters' player of the year and you have until midnight tomorrow (Wed) to do that. Our end-of-season bash is always a good do and the Event Centre is smart, comfortable and inviting with access to the large car park off Broadway. If you haven't been before give us a try as we close the book on 2022 and look ahead to 2023. Don 't forget those deadlines though -- midnight tonight for tickets; midnight tomorrow night (Wed) for naming your player of the year.

     

     

     

      

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  3. Winning promotion to the Championship isn't the be-all and end-all of this season. We don't want to be a yo-yo team, up and down, up and down. This season is all about consolidation and building for the future, just as much with off-field and community work as with what happens on the pitch. I know the team and our games are the club's shop window, but there's a lot going on behind the scenes too and in the meantime we rely on the support and backing of the Oldham people. Having said all that, it would be nice to figure in the play-offs even if we don't go all the way.  

    Every time any team takes to the field there's an opposition out to push you down and to do for their fans what our fans would love us to do to them. That's the nature of competitive sport. For every win there's a loss, but the chances of us going from strength to strength and inflicting more defeats on the opposition than they inflict on us depend, to a large degree, on the backing and support of local people.

    As Stu Littler says, we are on a journey. Let me just add that the next milestone on that journey can be found at the Vestacare Stadium tomorrow (3pm start) when we play London Skolars. Get there if you can and enjoy the game in the knowledge that, by your very presence, you are doing YOUR bit to ensuring that Roughyeds continue to fly the flag in Oldham. In the meantime you can find out all you need to know about the game on our Roughyeds website. We know it isn't Super League, or even the Championship. But it's OLDHAM, your Oldham, your Heritage, your town, your team. See you there !

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  4. We have four games left -- TWO at home -- and Roughyeds hope as many fans as possible turn up at the Vestacare Stadium this coming Sunday (3pm) for the visit of London Skolars and again on Sunday, September 4 when Hunslet are here in what might, or might not, have a lot riding on it in terms of play-off qualification. We all know it's been a disappointing season, but pre-season lots of fans were thinking we might not even have a team. We are still alive and kicking and its fair to say, I think, that off the field we are stronger than we have been for years. The club doesn't shut down at the end of the season. Preparations for 2023 are already under way and the more money we can generate for the club the better will be our chances for success next year. That's why it is important we have decent crowds this Sunday and again on Sep 4. It's all about YOU - the fans -- and whether you want to support the club through thick and thin (Roughyeds till I die and all that) or whether you only want to support the club when everything is going well. We are asked to survive on only TEN home games for the full year -- a year in which we have to travel to faraway places like Cornwall, London, Llanelli and the other side of Birmingham. Financially, it's tough for all clubs in League One but tougher for us than a lot of clubs because we don't have our own ground so we can't generate income from bars, food outlets etc. This year clubs like ours have also had to cope with a reduction in central funding of something like 80 per cent. It's not easy but when the going gets tough we like to think Roughyeds in 2022 are resilient enough to roll up their sleeves and get going. This is not a moan -- please don't take it as such -- rather a statement of fact. It was fabulous to see a lot of fans at Solihull last Sunday. I think there were more of us than them. Hope to see you all again, and more, at the Vestacare this Sunday. We owe Skolars one. Let's show our colours, be loud and proud -- and cheer on our boys as we did in Worcestershire last weekend when we went 29-0 up. See you Sunday !

     

     

     

     

     

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  5. John Holdsworth is very much alive and he is a very nice guy.

    All referees have to make vital split-second decisions in the heat of the moment. Like you and I they are human. They won't always get decisions right, nor would you or I. The call in particular was a very close call and I would challenge anyone who claims they know for 100 per cent certain that Lordy was onside.

    Even if it was ever proved that he was onside, John wouldn't be the first ref --- and he sure won't be the last --

     to err on a v ital decision. Some decisions go for you; some go against you. It happens. Thanks for your services to the game John -- and long may you enjoy it !

     

     

       

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  6. People have short memories. These things happen in sport. I remember the days of one division of about 30 clubs and one season we finished next to bottom. The only team below us (I think) was Blackpool Borough. These days it's all about money and we aint got much. What we do have is an owner who's an absolute gem at keeping us going against all the odds.

     

    Again, let's talk about memory. Only a few short months ago, the big debate among fans was whether or not we would even have a club. Well, we are still here. struggling on the field, that's true, but probably stronger off it than we have been for years with John Roddy in as vice chairman; new and regular links with the other rugby league organisations in the town; a vibrant new Supporters Club, YEDS, run by young people; new relationships with Oldham Council; the new agreement for joint use of Melrose which opens up new training and community-initiative opportunities; the launch of a women's team and a masters team for over-35s. I could go on.

     

    Suffice to say, a lot of people are giving their time, energy and skills to battle and work for the club they love, so PLEASE stick with us and give us your support. Times are tough, we know that, but we either throw in the towel or we fight the good fight.

     

    We prefer to do the latter -- and thus give a lift to the guy who, for nearly quarter of a century, has proved time and again that he doesn't know the existence of the word 'quit'.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  7. An important game for both sides, for sure, with an interesting ######-bit, given the number of cross-club connections. Rival coaches Stu Littler and Allan Coleman are good pals and former Swinton colleagues. The Lions have SEVEN ex-Oldham players in their squad, five of them from as recently as last season, namely Dan Abram, Max Roberts, Lewis Sheridan, Matty Wilkinson and Jack Spencer. The other two are Will Hope and Richard Lepori. In our camp, we have a former Lions player, assistant boss and then head coach in Stu Littler; an ex-Swinton chief in vice-chairman John Roddy and senior players who were also at Heywood Road last season in Martyn Ridyard and Tom Spencer.

    There are loads of other things going on too -- like the relaunch of Roary's Pride for boys and girls; like the three World Cups on view; like the curtain-raiser featuring Limehurst Lions and Saddleworth Rangers under-10s; like the appearance of numerous former Oldham players, including Alex Melling, Scott Ranson and Shane Tupaea; like the presentation of the match ball to the referee by teenage boxing star Naomi Kalu, whose CV suggests she is heading for the top in women's boxing.

    Throw in the Melrose Playing Fields adventure; the launch of a women's team, with a Masters team to follow; the introduction of a regular Roughyeds podcast on social media; and the Roughyeds On Tour darts competition at venues across the borough, starting next Thursday, and you can see how much work and effort is being put into the club in order to have more involvement with the community.

    Sunday is the club's first home game since April. Hope to see you there !

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  8. Don't forget Thursday's public meeting at the Fox and Pine, Greaves Street, Oldham in which Roughyeds will give you all the facts and information you require about the formation of the club's new women's team. Women's rugby league is a massive source of growth for our sport and it will be fantastic to see a team of OLDHAM women representing our club and our town.

    The meeting starts at 7pm and the club will welcome anyone and everyone to listen to what Roughyeds have to say about their new women's team. It also goes without saying that anyone interested in playing, coaching or taking up one of the many off-field roles can take advantage of this opportunity to find out all about the new project and to register their interest.

    That's 7pm Thursday at the town-centre Fox and Pine in Greaves Street. See you there ! 

     

     

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  9. WE are at home again this Sunday to West Wales Raiders (3pm kick off) and if you go on the website and read the article headlined 'Three days to go to the next home game' you will see there are a whole host of initiatives, all designed to enhance the game-day experience at the Vestacare Stadium. We can, of course, climb into the play-off places if we beat West Wales and other results go our way. But please read the website to get a flavour of all that's going on behind the scenes as we till and toil, mainly as volunteers, to move the club forward in these difficult times. UTY !

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