Roughyeds pair agree new deals

Craig Littler: New one-year deal with Oldham RL.

CRAIG LITTLER and Gary Sykes are the latest confirmed signings by Oldham Roughyeds for the 2010 season.

The pair have penned one-year deals to return to the club they helped reach the play-off final in Co-operative Championship One last season, providing plenty of joy for Chris Hamilton.

“With Craig, he struggled to get into the side at the start of the season,” said the chairman. “But after returning from a loan spell at Swinton he was a regular in the team at the end of the year and played in the final against Keighley.

“He knows what the club is about and we are pleased to have him.

“For Gary’s part, he was bitterly disappointed to miss out on that final. He is a committed trainer who enjoyed his first year with the club and we are pleased to have him back to provide us with options at hooker and loose forward.”

Coach Tony Benson, who took charge of pre-season training for the first time last night, now has Danny Whitmore, Martin Roden, Matty Ashe, Littler and Sykes as confirmed senior professionals for next season.

Further signings are expected this week.

England rugby union defence coach Mike Ford has ruled out the possibility of taking over the nation’s rugby league side.

Ford, a former Wigan and Castleford scrum–half, had emerged over the weekend as the surprise favourite for the position recently vacated by Tony Smith.

The 44–year–old was once rated as one of the brightest coaching talents in the British game but chose to switch codes after a stint in charge of hometown club Oldham.

His announcement comes after another candidate for the post, Wakefield’s John Kear, also distanced himself from the vacancy.