Roughyeds fans join clean-up campaign

HELPING HANDS: Geoff and Lynne Hyde are among the volunteers busy preparing the Whitebank Stadium for the Roughyeds.

OLDHAM RL fans are answering the club’s appeal for help in tackling essential work that needs to be done at the Whitebank Stadium before the Roughyeds can play their first game in their new home.

Working parties are at the ground every day under the supervision of Tony Mills and his right-hand man Mick Fogerty, the Roughyeds’ centre and scorer of eight tries in ten appearances during the club’s successful start to the 2010 season.

Jobs are many and varied, ranging from painting to weeding and from cleaning to the clearing of areas within the complex which have not previously been used.

“A lot of work has been done already,” said the Roughyeds’ commercial manager Rachael Marsters, “but there is a vast amount still to be done and we need all the assistance we can get.

“It’s a labour of love and those fans who were working at the ground over Easter, and who have been down there every day since, have really enjoyed doing their bit. Everyone has been pulling together for the Roughyeds and it goes without saying that the club is exceedingly grateful.

“Supporters tell us that after following a club without its own ground for the past 13 years they are thrilled to bits just to be at Whitebank doing jobs and looking forward to the first game in the club’s new home.”

Anyone intending to help is asked to ring the club first on 0161 628 3677 rather than turn up at the ground unexpectedly.

The club has provisionally pencilled in Sunday, May 9, when York City Knights are scheduled to visit, for the first game at Whitebank but that might change depending on Carnegie Challenge Cup results this weekend.

The Roughyeds’ reserve team, meanwhile, will be hoping to play each of its eight home league games at Whitebank, starting with the visit of Sheffield Eagles on Saturday, May 15 (3pm).

The fixtures comprise home-and-away matches against Featherstone, York, Sheffield, Hunslet, Widnes and Leigh plus one-off games against Whitehaven (away), Dewsbury (home), Keighley (home) and Barrow (away).

The first game is at Featherstone this Friday night (8pm).

Junior season-ticket holders are reminded that they can use them for Sunday’s Carnegie Challenge Cup tie at Hunslet on production of special voucher B.