Sean Long

[shrewsbury roughyed]

Released by Oldham Roughyeds “by mutual consent.” Perhaps the apparent and comparative lack of recruitment for the new season was a contributing factor. Sean did a great job, solidly backed by Bill Quinn and Mike Ford in winning the League One championship and reaching the Championship playoffs, at which point the team hit a big bump in the road. Grateful for his work on and off the field; an open, honest man. It felt from the latter stages of last season that a fresh broom and direction was needed. Good luck to him in his next step. Decent bloke who made a difference.

[The Daddy]

So he got them promoted quickly from league one, gets to the Championship play offs and he gets rewarded like this?

 

 

Edited November 11 by The Daddy

[shrewsbury roughyed]

19 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

So he got them promoted quickly from league one, gets to the Championship play offs and he gets rewarded like this?

 

 

There’s more to it than that. One great season; one half great season before lots of additions to the squad and injuries seemed to cause a lack of direction and at the business end and in the big, key games the cutting edge wasn’t there, despite the recruitment of some very experienced players. I don’t think many Oldham fans (myself included) will have anything but gratitude and respect for Sean, but again I think most fans would agree that for us to move consistently forward and up to the next level we need a new coaching leadership and direction to match the ambition and efforts of Mike Ford & Bill Quinn. 

[LittleboroRoughyed]

From the outside it looks a strange decision but with the squad we had for League 1, I could have coached them to the title.

In the Championship, we started really well but as the season wore on the performances got worse & worse & in the big games we were found to be woefully lacking (1895 SF v Fev; Bradford; & Halifax in playoffs all at home with big crowds).

We had a lot of injuries (as do all clubs) but the Board made further investment in the squad & this seemed to further disrupt the team along with shifting players out permanently or on loan unexpectedly.

I liked Sean Long & he delivered what was expected but I’m more concerned with the timing & lack of signings with preseason starting next week hopefully the Board have it all lined up & ready to announce.

Good luck Sean

[SUPERSTUD]

Dead man walking after the Halifax home play off hammering. 

[Curly perm]

Didn’t something like this happen to him at Fev? They were near the top of the Champ, maybe even top, and they got rid of him?

All seems odd. Oldham brought in a raft of players for that final push but it obviously didn’t work. There must be more to it than just end of season performances - 4th in the Champ as newly promoted isn’t bad going. 

[shrewsbury roughyed]

Latest news is that Mike Ford is taking over as coach. Currently Managing Director at Oldham and driver of the club’s rise from the ashes along with Bill Quinn. He has League coaching experience and was certainly a very, very good player but most of his coaching experience had been in Union. I wish him great success but it’s a gamble in my opinion.

[Spidey]

28 minutes ago, shrewsbury roughyed said:

Latest news is that Mike Ford is taking over as coach. Currently Managing Director at Oldham and driver of the club’s rise from the ashes along with Bill Quinn. He has League coaching experience and was certainly a very, very good player but most of his coaching experience had been in Union. I wish him great success but it’s a gamble in my opinion.

Should you be both Head Coach and MD of a club?

[shrewsbury roughyed]

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

Should you be both Head Coach and MD of a club?

It’s a new one in my experience. A lot to take on, to say the least.

[Griff]

7 minutes ago, shrewsbury roughyed said:

It’s a new one in my experience. A lot to take on, to say the least.

Gary Hetherington did it for ten years.

[shrewsbury roughyed]

2 minutes ago, Griff said:

Gary Hetherington did it for ten years.

Fair enough. I’d forgotten that. 

[lucky 7]

9 hours ago, shrewsbury roughyed said:

Latest news is that Mike Ford is taking over as coach. Currently Managing Director at Oldham and driver of the club’s rise from the ashes along with Bill Quinn. He has League coaching experience and was certainly a very, very good player but most of his coaching experience had been in Union. I wish him great success but it’s a gamble in my opinion.

Mike Ford is an intelligent man and I'm sure he will adjust to the coaching role at Oldham if he does take up that position, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doing a Rugby League coaching course now or in the recent past.

[philipw]

7 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

Mike Ford is an intelligent man and I'm sure he will adjust to the coaching role at Oldham if he does take up that position, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doing a Rugby League coaching course now or in the recent past.

You're aware he has already coached in RL? He took Oldham to one game away from Super League in 2001. 

[eclecticsheep]

If Mike's coaching foray doesn't bring success..then what?

 

 

[Spidey]

2 hours ago, philipw said:

You're aware he has already coached in RL? He took Oldham to one game away from Super League in 2001. 

24 years ago?  Think his badges will have ran out

(didn't he fill in for a bit, in 2023 when he took over)

 

Edited November 13 by Spidey

[shrewsbury roughyed]

Mike to be Director of Rugby, overseeing all aspects and teams within the club; a new men’s team coach to be appointed. Sean Long wasn’t happy to work, it appears, in such a way so a mutual parting was agreed upon. I’m sure Sean will find a new opportunity soon. All is revealed in the excellent ‘The Boundary Line’ on Roughyeds TV, YouTube.

[Harry Stottle]

9 hours ago, philipw said:

You're aware he has already coached in RL? He took Oldham to one game away from Super League in 2001. 

Player's were allowed to thump each other much more freely than today back then, if Fordy can get the rules reversed that'll do me.

[Damien]

Mike Ford to take up Director of Rugby position:

Oldham have confirmed they are on the hunt for a new coach in 2026 – but it will NOT be Mike Ford, who will instead take up a new role as director of rugby at the Championship club.

The Roughyeds confirmed on Tuesday evening that Sean Long had departed the club by mutual consent, having guided them to promotion in 2024 and a top four finish in the Championship this year.

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/oldham-confirm-2026-coaching-plans-as-mike-ford-takes-new-role-but-not-as-head-coach

Edited November 13 by Damien

[lucky 7]

15 hours ago, philipw said:

You're aware he has already coached in RL? He took Oldham to one game away from Super League in 2001. 

Yes a few years ago and the game has moved on since then

[philipw]

5 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

Yes a few years ago and the game has moved on since then

I'm aware - just pointing out that he already holds RL coaching qualifications. And if anyone thinks doing the L2 RL coaching badges would prepare them for any kind of coaching role, well then I have some magic beans to sell to you  

[Billy King's Boots]

On 12/11/2025 at 15:12, shrewsbury roughyed said:

Latest news is that Mike Ford is taking over as coach. Currently Managing Director at Oldham and driver of the club’s rise from the ashes along with Bill Quinn. He has League coaching experience and was certainly a very, very good player but most of his coaching experience had been in Union. I wish him great success but it’s a gamble in my opinion.

"Write the theme tune, sing the theme tune..."
 

[Billy King's Boots]

On 13/11/2025 at 08:44, philipw said:

You're aware he has already coached in RL? He took Oldham to one game away from Super League in 2001. 

Then he spent 20 years telling fat lads to 'walk to the breakdown'.

 

[Billy King's Boots]

On 13/11/2025 at 10:28, eclecticsheep said:

If Mike's coaching foray doesn't bring success..then what?

 

 

He could sack himself?

[shrewsbury roughyed]

Er… he’s not the coach. He’s Director of Rugby. Coach to be appointed.