Roughyeds unveil new home venue

VISION OF THE FUTURE: Coach Tony Benson addresses a meeting of Roughyeds fans at the club’s proposed new headquarters at the Whitebank Stadium in Limeside.

Season ticket holders get Whitebank Stadium tour

RUGBY: OLDHAM Roughyeds season ticket holders have been given an exclusive first glimpse into the proposed plans for the future at the Whitebank Stadium.

In a question-and-answer session at the Limeside venue, which the club intends to make its first permanent home since the demise of Watersheddings, chairman Chris Hamilton and coach Tony Benson took the assembled fans for a tour before responding to a variety of queries.

While much of the exact detail is being kept under wraps prior to official confirmation that the Roughyeds are to move in, the supporters’ evening was judged to be a success.

“First we thanked those present for the support in putting their hands in their pockets for season tickets,” said Hamilton, referring to the ‘leap of faith’ taken by fans in paying out before knowing where Oldham would be playing home matches in 2010.

“We then had a tour of the ground and, as far as we could, answered the questions that were put to us.

“The deal is not yet done, but we are hoping it is not far off.

“Once it is, we will then look to undertake work on the stadium — some of which will take place over a period of years rather than weeks or months.

“But we have stressed that anyone who wants a seat for this season will get one.”

A long list of requirements put in place by the RFL to get the ground up to scratch will need to be put in place before the governing body allows first-team matches to be held at the Whitebank Stadium.

But officials are clearly confident and excited about the project and the hope is that the club will be given the green light in time to play out a first-ever game at the venue against Welsh amateurs Blackwood Bulldogs in the Carnegie Challenge Cup third round on Sunday, March 7.

“We still have to speak to the RFL and the Council to get the deal concluded, but hopefully it will be done sooner rather than later,” added the Oldham chairman.

Benson is clearly enthused about the project and is looking forward to the move not least to build bridges between the club and its fans.

“We are all really excited about it and when it comes, it comes, and we will be happy then,” the Roughyeds coach said.

“It is a place where we can get together with our supporters and staff — something we haven’t been able to do up to now.

“We can lay our equipment down and know it will be there the next week and we will have familiar spots to sit in every time we go into the changing rooms. It is then that it starts to feel like home.”