York the target for fan recruits
Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 28 April 2010
THE HARD WORK STARTS HERE: Roughyeds coach Tony Benson (standing, left) puts his players through their paces at the in-progress Whitebank Stadium.
ROUGHYEDS ROUND UP: PREPARATIONS for Oldham Roughyeds’ first-ever game at their new Whitebank Stadium home are coming on apace, with the club “hopeful” that the venue will be ready in time for the visit of York City Knights on Sunday, May 9.
A lorry-load of 350 seats from Warrington Wolves’ former Wilderspool home are waiting to be installed this weekend under covered accommodation, space has been cleared in order to allow extra car parking and the paint brushes have been out in force in order to turn the ground into a sea of red and white.
Oldham Boro manager Tony Mills and prolific Roughyeds centre Mick Fogerty have been working hard to get the place up to scratch, along with a number of devoted volunteers who have gone above and beyond reasonable expectations.
Oldham’s reserves squad have also been lending a hand and the club’s first-team coach Tony Benson, who helped to ship in the seats from Warrington, is impressed with the progress being made.
“From what I have seen, it is fantastic what has been achieved so far,” said Benson, who took his team through their paces on the playing surface last night.
“It is a lot cleaner and is starting to get a good feel about it.”
Among the other work that has been done to get the ground up to minimum standards set by the Rugby Football League is the considerable task of moving the perimeter fence on the top side of the field back three metres, while a new portacabin is being readied for use by visiting opponents.
Should the Whitebank be deemed fit to host the York game, it would hail the start of an exciting new era.
Not since the demise of Watersheddings in 1997 has the Oldham club been in charge of its own destiny, without the need to funnel ground rent elsewhere.
More volunteers are still needed, in particular joiners and electricians, and anyone who can help is being asked to contact Janet at the club first on (0161) 628 3677.
o A SUPPORTERS’ bus to Doncaster on Monday (3pm kick-off) leaves Mecca Bingo at 12.30pm and the Black Horse on Ripponden Road at 12.45pm. Cost per person is £10.
Seats will be booked on a first-come-first-served basis. Call (0161) 665 1832 or (office hours 9am to 5pm) (0161) 628 3677.
