Dallimore ‘left Oldham in lurch’

JAMIE Dallimore has quit Oldham Rugby - and left the club in the lurch, says coach Scott Naylor.

Dallimore was adamant he wanted to go so the club released him from the one-year contract, which had months to run.

This paves the way for the goalkicking half-back to negotiate with other clubs as a free agent.

Workington Town, of the Championship, and Oldham's Kingstone Press Championship One rivals Rochdale Hornets and Oxford are thought to be interested.

Oldham said Dallimore dropped his bombshell the day before the Gloucester game, when he learned he was to be rested under Naylor's squad rotation policy.

Naylor said he was "disappointed" by the player's actions.

He added: "I rotate players so they all get games, but Jamie made it clear he didn’t want to stay to be part of the team and the squad.

“He did all the pre-season work with us and we’ve done a lot of work with him since the season started, but now he’s gone and he’s left us in the lurch a little bit. That’s disappointing.

“We were not aware he wanted to leave or that anything was bothering him until he told us, on the Saturday morning, after I had announced the team to go to Gloucestershire.

“We are a team and a squad and we have to stick together in both the good times and the not-so-good times.

“I wish Jamie all the best wherever he ends up. I hope he enjoys his new club and is successful there and I hope he goes in the belief that he has learned a little bit during his time with us.”