Oldham veteran Keith dies

Keith Ashcroft

FORMER Oldham RL forward Keith Ashcroft, who played 121 games for the club between 1970-76, has died in hospital in Wigan, aged 72.

Keith was a hugely experienced front-row man aged 30 when Oldham paid Wigan a £2,000 transfer fee to bring him to Watersheddings.

Ashcroft was one of the first signings of a new regime put in place to improve a side that had finished next to the bottom of the league.

Ashcroft had started his pro career with St Helens 11 years earlier, and later played for Bradford Northern, Warrington and hometown club Wigan before ending his career at Watersheddings at the age of 36, after six seasons.

The funeral will be at St Stephen's Church, Whelley, Wigan (WN2 1BL) at 10.45am on Thursday, then Lower Ince Crematorium (WN3 4NN) at 11.30am.