Record-breaker Roden calls on familiar names for testimonial year

Neil Roden and his testimonial committee are planning a variety of events in the coming year.

OLDHAM RL stalwart Neil Roden plans a mixed bag of events during his testimonial year, which gets underway with a quiz night at Whitebank on February 1.

With the whole of 2014 at the disposal of his six-strong testimonial committee, he is looking at a sportsman’s dinner, a golf day, a poker night and a benefit match, among others.

Only the quiz night (7.30pm for 8pm) is confirmed so far, but the committee is coming up with dates for the other fund-raisers. Plans include a dinner at Whitebank and perhaps another one in Roden’s home town, Wigan.

Now 33, Neil first signed for the Roughyeds in 2000 when he was 19 — a clever footballer with good hands, a sharp rugby brain and a nifty turn of pace.

They were qualities that were to serve him well throughout an Oldham career in which he posted 113 tries in 296 cup and league games over a total of 12 seasons in two separate spells at the club.

Having retired as a player at the end of last season, he is now in his first coaching job as boss of the Roughyeds' under-20s squad.