Roughyeds wait for Hornets news

ROCHDALE Hornets have entered administration, leaving a big question mark hanging over Oldham’s first competitive home game of the season.

The decision was taken by Hornets shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting at Spotland in order to avoid a winding-up order for an unpaid tax bill of £55,000, which was due to be heard today.

Now, the club — founder members of the Northern Union in 1895 — is in the hands of RFL-approved administrators O’Hara’s of Leeds. As a result, Hornets have automatically been suspended as RFL members.

Any newly-formed Rochdale club successful in gaining RFL membership would be likely to start the new Co-operative Championship One season on minus nine points by way of a sanction, as was the case last year with Widnes Vikings in National League One.

The RFL is now set to hold discussions with parties interested in forming a new club, with one possibility being be a link-up with Rochdale FC.

Oldham officials will today contact the RFL to seek clarification as to whether the scheduled Northern Rail Cup clash against Rochdale at Boundary Park, scheduled for Sunday, February 8, is set to go ahead given the tight timescale for potential new shareholders to step forward.

Meanwhile, Oldham’s reserves side began training this week ahead of a league season which will start in early April.

Players from last season’s squad have been working alongside a number of new recruits, mainly drawn from local amateur sides who have offered their co-operation, under the coaching team of John Hough and Leo Casey.


ROUGHYEDS will stage their annual pre-season lunch for sponsors on Thursday in the Boundary Park hospitality suite, from noon to 2pm.

Companies interested in sponsoring the club are invited to attend, providing they inform the office first of their intended participation. The number is (0161) 628 3677.