OL14.yeds

Like I’ve said before, I’d rather the club spend 2/3 seasons competing in League 1, even mid table, if it meant resources, fundraising, and the focus was on developing a site in the town. Non league football clubs can do it (Horsham, Scarborough, FCUM etc.), if the will is there, Roughyeds can.

Been to Moor Lane as an Oldham Athletic fan in a sold out away end and the atmosphere was great, from the away fans at least. The parking situation isn’t great, which would definitely be an issue when Wigan, Saints, Leeds etc. are in town, but the transport links into the centre of Manchester are there at least. The ground as a whole probably suites the RL club better in many ways, but it’s definitely a down grade in terms of how it looks on TV, something you hear mentioned in conversations about Super League’s image on TV/Sky deals. I can see Salford as a strong Championship side in a 10+10 league system.

Forty20 podcast did an hour long interview with RFL Chair Simon Johnson last week, and whilst he didn’t confirm anything, it sounded like the amount of central funding maybe distributed based on a number of factors like player development, facilities, on and off the field performance etc.

Had a covid outbreak and wanted the game to be played.

I’d never say never, but there’s so many underlying factors that make that look unlikely. There’s the damaged relationship between the clubs after the rugby club left BP in the early 2000s. There’s the state of the football club now with its shambolic ownership and fan unrest (boycotts, protests, bottom of the football league). There’s the fact the pitch there hasn’t been relayed in years and would need doing so to host both teams, and the the obvious cost that comes with that. And, which is sad to see, there is still a bit of niggle between SOME of the sets of fans. Not exactly on Wigan levels, but as a fan of both clubs and looking at the state of pro sport in the town, it’s not needed.

I work around the borough throughout the week. One day a couple of weeks ago I saw two different people wearing South Sydney Rabbitohs merchandise, a Saints shirt and a Wigan shirt. As for Roughyeds’ gear? Don’t ask. Hearing the stories of old and thinking back to going to Sheddings and then Boundary Park in the Super League days with my Dad, it’s depressing to see where the club is now. Losing the club’s spiritual home was a disaster. And ground-sharing with the football club again is a pipe dream giving the shambolic way they’re been ran at the moment (I support them too, I must of been a real evil person in a past life).

The lad from Saints who played fullback looked decent for about 30 minutes, before getting a straight red vs York.

5th tier football, National League, has a mix of pro and semi pro teams. There’s even been clubs paying full time contracts in the league below.

Have to say, the social media side of things has been much improved this season, however, I think the club definitely needs to improve it’s profile within the town. Even though I’ve moved out of Oldham, I still work in the town and I’m out and about all week. Last summer I saw a bloke wearing one of the NHS shirts we did, and I can’t remember seeing anything else to do with club since then. The club and the townsfolk needs to be engaged again! Where the team plays is obviously one of the big issues, and I think fans want more dialog and/or transparency with the club as to what the long term plan is. The change in funding from the SL tv deal adds another level of uncertainty and angst about the future.

Like I said before, better pie shops in Oldham. In all seriousness, Oldham are really lacking in the halves and fullback positions this season. If McDermott can improve the performances in these positions we may have a chance of staying up.

Having been brought up in Oldham and spent a little time in Toronto, I can confirm Oldham has better pie shops and invented the tubular bandage. Bring on Super League.

What’s stopping us playing at Bower Fold if we went down? Or do we assume the fall in gates would mean we couldn’t afford the rent?

I think it’s still possible, but we really could do with Swinton beating Whitehaven at the weekend.

Away games at Swinton, Sheffield, Whitehaven and Dewsbury to come, plus a home tie against Newcastle, all ‘cup finals’ if we’re to stay up. It’s the right decision by the club, let’s hope a new head coach can galvanise the team and lift their heads. How they work with the 1, 6, 7 positions will be key in us staying up.

Kids interested in Rugby League in Oldham will just get taken to Rochdale on a freebie, or to a Super League game where tickets aren’t much dearer than the Championship. If the club is just gonna flip-flop between L1 and struggling in the Championship, I’d rather see it put effort and resources into establishing a permanent home in the borough, even if it meant less success on the pitch for a period. I’d love to see a return to Boundary Park but I’m not sure how viable it is at the moment with the issues surrounding the ownership of the ground and the football club.