Fed-up Casey quits coach role

Anthony Bingham — left the club.

OLDHAM have announced two departures from their reserves team set-up, with one coming in.

Leo Casey has decided to step down from his position as assistant coach to John Hough — who picked up his first home win of the year with an emphatic 52-10 victory over Barrow at the weekend — and full-back Anthony Bingham, who signed a two-year professional deal prior to the start of this season, has also departed the club.

Casey, a former prop forward with the Oldham Bears and the new club, had been Hough’s right-hand man since the reserves re-formed last year but he has now decided to give up on coaching altogether.

“I’m not enjoying coaching any more, and it’s as simple as that,” he said.

“I’ve decided it isn’t for me any more. I’ve been coaching for six or seven years and I’ve had enough. I’m getting less and less enjoyment from it, so what’s the point?

“Rather than carry on banging my head against a brick wall, I am going to try to find something else that will give me some enjoyment.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I didn’t want to leave John (Hough) in a tight spot and on his own.”

As for Bingham, a new job means he is unable to get to training and a line has therefore been drawn under what had appeared to be a promising, if fledgling, rugby league career.

The 24-year-old full-back, an exciting and elusive runner with an American Football and soccer background, failed to make a competitive first-team appearance in his time at the club and picked up a number of niggling injuries this season which restricted his progress.

The signing of the experienced Chris Hough two weeks ago will help matters when it comes to the coaching following the loss of Casey, while on the field the reserves had another playmaker to feed off on Saturday.

Matt Ashe, a 23-year-old Kiwi stand-off who has played professionally on these shores for Barrow, Blackpool and Rochdale, has joined Oldham on a month’s loan from Swinton with a view to helping out the reserves.

Next Saturday’s scheduled second team game against Keighley has been held back until later in the season, as Sedgley Park will not be available due to pitch maintenance work.

The next game for the reserves is Whitehaven away on Saturday, June 20.