Gillam signs new contract

WINGER John Gillam will be back with Oldham Rugby League Club in 2011 — and he hopes most members of the squad will follow suit.

“I hope most of us stick together for another year,” said 25-year-old Gillam, whose performances on the Roughyeds’ left wing in his debut season with the club have earned him a first-time place in Ireland’s squad for the forthcoming Alitalia European Championships.

He flies to France tomorrow with the Irish squad for Saturday’s clash with the French at Avignon, secure in the knowledge that he has a new one-year contract unde lock and key.

The former Oldham St Anne’s flier, a teaching assistant at Saddleworth School, played for both Hornets RL and Blackpool Panthers before getting his chance to play for his hometown club a year ago.

“To sign for another year was a no-brainer,” Gillam said. “I enjoyed it at Oldham so much. Despite the play-off final disappointment — I still can’t understand why we played so badly — we had a great season and I just want to stick with Roughyeds next year to have a crack at automatic promotion..”

Gillam scored 16 tries in 19 games last season but, more significantly, 15 in 17 after returning from a shoulder injury which kept him out of nine games early in the campaign.

He is the fourth member of the senior squad to sign following props Jason Boults and Dave Ellison and young back-row man Johnny Walker.