Coach Naylor talks up third tier

WHILE Oldham await their fate in tonight’s draw for the first round of the new League One Cup, coach Scott Naylor has been banging the drum about the merits of rugby league’s restructured third tier.

Kingstone Press League One will feature 14 clubs including new boys Coventry Bears, who will be at Whitebank for Oldham’s first home league game of the new season on April 12.

In a move designed to give the new boys a lift, the cup draw will be made live tonight on BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire from 6.45pm. Oldham fans can listen by visiting www.bbc.co.uk/bbccoventryandwarwickshire

The 14 League One clubs will be joined by West Hull and East Leeds to give eight first-round ties on the weekend of February 28.

March will accommodate League One Cup and Challenge Cup ties and the new league season will start at Easter, Oldham opening up with a Good Friday derby at Rochdale on April 3.

Naylor said: “In the past a lot of people have talked down this third division, as you might call it, but hopefully this will be the season in which people start to sit up and take note of its quality.

“At this level it will be the toughest season for years. It will be good enough to draw a lot more support and I don’t think anybody will run away with it.

“We hear a lot of talk about the five relegated clubs, but York will be good enough to make a challenge and both Gateshead and Gloucester made huge improvements last season.”