A bit of Wembley at the Whitebank

OLDHAM Rugby League Club has received a double boost from local businesses in its continuing effort to improve the Whitebank Stadium.

Specsavers has agreed to sponsor the new scoreboard for this season and next, while a local timber firm has donated a lorry load of hardwood... all the way from Wembley!

“From Wembley to Whitebank, strange but true,” said Barry Whitehead, who runs a reclaimed timber yard in Coal Pit Lane, Hollins, just behind the Roughyeds’ new ground.

The 8ft long timbers, enough to fill two articulated lorries, were bolted together to form a platform for use by excavators and diggers in the construction of the new Wembley.

Barry acquired them from a third party and they were stored in his yard until he was approached by his nephew Sean, a Roughyeds director.

“These timbers are the real deal, eight inches wide, three inches thick, and they don’t need any protective coating,” said Barry. “Roughyeds have had about 40 of them and they are being put to good use.”

Specsavers, meanwhile, is backing the club for the second time in 15 months.

“A lot of work is going on at Whitebank and we wanted to be part of it,” said Rod Fullalove, one of three directors of Specsavers stores in Oldham, Royton and Rochdale.

“It was suggested we sponsor the scoreboard, and we felt that was appropriate,” added Fullalove.

“We are delighted to be linking up with the club commercially again at this exciting time for the Roughyeds.”

Rod, whose son John is playing for the reserves this season, has been a Roughyeds fans for years. He has seen two games at Whitebank and he will be there again on Saturday for the reserves match against York City Knights.