That’s our boy

OF the four players who stepped up from the reserves to sign 2012 first-team contracts at Oldham only one — David Cookson — was reared on rugby locally.

Jamie Dallimore comes from Wigan; Danny Langtree from St Helens; and Alex Thompson from Warrington.

A 23-year-old centre, Cookson was born in Rochdale, but he spent nearly all his years in junior and amateur rugby with Oldham St Anne’s, and it was that local connection which caught the eye of the Oldham Past Players’ Association when the committee decided to support the Roughyeds by sponsoring a player.

Past Players’ chairman Martin Murphy, a full-back who made a post-war club record 462 appearances for Oldham between 1966 and 1982, said: “A few players were available, but we felt it was appropriate for our organisation to back a local lad and one who was just starting out on his Roughyeds career.

“It's good for us to have a link with the present-day Oldham club and we wish Roughyeds, and David in particular, a successful 2012 season.”

Cookson added: “I feel very privileged to be sponsored by the Past Players’ Association, whose members include some of the all-time greats of rugby league in Oldham.”