Prop Johnson’s ‘big opportunity’

MEET THE NEW BOYS . . . Roughyeds duo Bruce Johnson (left) and Mark McCully.

OLDHAM have dabbled in the player market for the second time in 24 hours to sign former Swinton Lions prop Bruce Johnson.

The 27-year-old may make his Roughyeds debut in the reserves at Keighley tomorrow along with the club’s other new signing, centre Mark McCully.

Club chairman Chris Hamilton said: “Both players have a point to prove — not necessarily to us, but to others — and we expect them to contribute significantly to anything we achieve in the second half of the season.”

Like 31-year-old McCully, Johnson has loads of experience at Championship One level, having played for Swinton for five seasons.

He signed for St Helens as a boy, spent four years at Knowsley Road and then had a season at Widnes before joining the Lions, initially on loan.

He comes to Oldham on contract until November 30, having played only three games for Swinton this year plus one match for St Jude’s in the Wigan Amateur League’s Ken Gee Cup final against Rose Bridge.

“I’ll need to put in some fitness work,” said Johnson. “But I hope to play in the reserves tomorrow and take it from there.

“I see this move as a big opportunity for me.

“Tony Benson was keen to sign me and it was good to feel that I was going to a club that really wanted me.”

Oldham are gearing up to make a big impression in the second half of the season.

It was felt Benson needed more back-up in the front row with Jason Boults out injured and Liam Gilchrist set to leave on a Great Britain Students tour of Australia in mid-July — a pre-arranged agreement with the club.

Benson said: “Bruce is just the type of prop we are looking for. I’ve admired him for a while. Whenever Swinton have played us in recent years, he has always been their strongest forward.”