Thompson hoping for a change of fortune

LIAM Thompson, defined as a "real grafter" by coach Scott Naylor, is hoping his luck will change in his third season at Whitebank.

Still only 22, the former England Schoolboys' loose forward has signed a new one-year deal to become the latest member of Naylor's Oldham class of 2015.

In both of his first two seasons with the club, Thompson has had to fight back from injury, with weeks out due to a bad shoulder and a shattered cheekbone early in 2014, which put him out for three months

"That was a massive blow for me," recalled Thompson, a third-year sports science student at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston.

"It happened in the second game of the season at home to Hemel. I clashed heads with Kenny Hughes, broke my cheekbone in three places and needed an operation. It took me a while to get back to my best. Hopefully, 2015 will be third year lucky."

Naylor has high hopes of this former Wigan Warriors and Widnes Vikings academy forward.

"Despite his bad luck with injuries, he's improving each year and I've no doubt that he will again raise the bar in League One,” said Scott Naylor.

"He's the typical unsung hero. He does a lot of stuff the fans don’t see while doing a job that coaches appreciate more than anyone else.”