john in oz

You’re right Pigeon Lofter - Alan Taylor was in charge of commercial matters in the 1970s. I think he’d had a similar role at Everton FC prior to coming to Oldham. I was a pools agent at that time and used to take the money up to his office in the old pavilion on a Friday afternoon. Had an attractive blonde lady assistant if memory serves correctly ! i was an avid programme collector when I first started following Oldham. There was a newspaper called Rugby Leaguer and a fellow called Tom Webb had a programme swapping column under his nom de plume “Arellicus”. Tom was from Oldham and I think was a schoolteacher. I played cricket ( at a very low level ) with his son Bob who definitely was a schoolteacher and played rugby with one of the local amateur clubs - can’t remember which.

This posting is a bit late but it was with great sadness that I read of the passing of Frank Foster. “RL does what Sky says” has recounted how he changed the fortunes of this club in his all too brief stint at Watersheddings. His toughness was legendary but he was also absolute class with ball in hand and a brilliant tactical kicker. I first started watching Oldham in the late 1950s and in my mind Frank rates with very best of that great team. You’re gone Frank but the memories will remain forever.

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.

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

Agree with all the above posts - brilliant !

Dave and Bedford Roughyed taliking a language I don't understand ! I'm sure they're on the ball though.

You've done better than me mate - I can't even find the photo !

Should have also said that Swinton were the last team to play Oldham in the final game at Watersheddings.

Good luck to all concerned at Swinton for your special day. As an Oldham supporter I always had a soft spot for Swinton. In the late 50's as I recall Oldham used to play Swinton at Watersheddings on Xmas Day and at Station Road on Good Friday. Also memories of Test Matches against Australia at Station Road and the heartbreak of the Challenge Cup Semi Final replay between Oldham and Hull KR, when the match was abandoned due to fading light (no floodlights in those days) with Oldham leading, only to be then beaten in the third game at Huddersfield. Have a great day on Sunday.