john in oz

Good call CCR. Always a sad day now.

When I first started following Oldham regularly, with a mate and his father, we used to stand in the paddock at the Pavilion corner. In those days ( around 1957 ) Oldham Corporation ran buses on match days from the bus garage at Mumps up to Watersheddings and back after the game. With probably 10 to 15 minutes ( I'm guessing now ) to go there would be a huge influx of drivers and conductors to watch the end of the game before disappearing to their vehicles. Whilst the players ran onto the pitch from beneath the main stand at the beginning of the game and after half time, for years they would leave in the corner by the paddock, often with spectators milling around. i remember after a match against Wakefield Trinity, Don Vines, who had transferred to Trinity. belted a spectator who turned out to be a lad from our school. Don said later that he had felt someone kick him and he just lashed out, not completely out of character it has to be said. I can't remember if it went any further than that. Someone on here might recall if it did. Would be all hell let loose were that to happen today.

It was absolutely heartbreaking. Funny how things stick in your mind but all these years later I still have a mental picture of Geoff Robinson going alone for the try line and being tackled when he could have passed to Geoff Sims to put him over in the corner.

I think after height, weight and playing position, the comparison with Jonah Lomu comes to an abrupt halt Arthur !!

It certainly was Howard. Whatever your Dad told you, he would not have been exaggerating.

Brilliant Clifford. Arthur was a very high profile athlete in his day. International athletics was then, at least on the surface, strictly amateur and it irked him that talent and fame in his chosen sport did not generate much by way of monetary reward. The story was that he spent the signing on fee on a new car and a new house.

Love your recent posts about the old days Clifford. My recollection of a story involving the Floating Light pub was that one of our most famous players became, in his wife's opinion, too friendly with the landlady which resulted in him moving to a Yorkshire club with whom he went on to Challenge Cup success.

When you look at the Super League table, there are all the teams that Oldham played against, week in, week out in the days you are talking about Clifford. That a club like Oldham has fallen so low is a disgrace, and the saddest part is that those glory days will never return.

Does anyone else remember when we signed Malcolm Price ? Quite a big deal at the time. If memory serves correctly he picked up a bad injury playing against Hornets, who ironically he went to play for after leaving us.

I don't have BBC player. i just put " Codebreakers BBC Wales " into Google and it came up with the full programme. Fascinating stuff - in passing would say that I Mike Elliott was one of the nicest guys you could meet. Met him a few times years ago.

If memory serves me correctly, not many of the great ORLFC team of the 1950s were from Oldham. Didn't seem to affect their performances for the club much.

So Toulouse beating Swinton and Dewsbury beating Oldham are foregone conclusions are they ? Polite responses only please.

Yes - the Chronicle reporter on Oldham RLFC before Roger Halstead was Bill Doran. For years the reports had the by-line " By W.D. " I can't remember when, if at all, the reports carried his full name. Unfortunately the Internet is slowly killing print media and I am as guilty as anyone for contributing to that state of affairs as I never now buy a newspaper, but get all my news via radio, TV and Internet. I have fond memories of when reading the Green Final and the Manchester Evening News Saturday Pink would keep me occupied all weekend.

Sorry MR - I've tried " Googling" but I can't find any site with a replay. From reading previous posts, Spud seems to be techy so he may be able to help.

If you want to see some of the best rugby league you are ever likely to see, do yourself a favour and watch the first half of last Wednesday's opening State of Origin match in Brisbane.

Excellent stuff - thanks Dave.

Any vision anywhere Dave ?

Good tip mate - just watched it. Excellent performance from Oldham, especially after going behind so early on a pudding of a pitch.

Just following on from OLI's post, and I realise it's off topic, but your nickname "Gerrumonside ref" made me smile too - routinely shouted at Watersheddings and no doubt at all other grounds after every tackle by supporters of both teams playing. I do however recall a variation whenever Oldham played Salford and Trevor Rabbit was playing scrum half for Salford. There was a bloke who used to stand near me and my mates - we always used to stand in the same spot opposite the main stand - who after every scrum would exhort the referee to "Make that Rabbit retire". Cracks me up thinking of it now but I guess you had to be there !!!

With no disrespect whatsoever to Haydock, you would have to say that if you had been allowed to pick your opponent, a home tie against Haydock would have been your choice.

I've subscribed........I think !

Epic encounter in prospect - and Johnathon Thurston and Shaun Johnson worth the admission price alone - sit back and enjoy RL at its best

As far as I can recall, when I started watching ORLFC around 1955, the two clubs in the town were referred to as Oldham Rugby and Latics. I can't remember anyone saying "are you going to the Roughyeds on Saturday".

Well they won't ever be able to deny you're their granddad - inter generational triplets ! Great picture Tony - two more Roughyeds fans for life

Thanks Bryan.