Ashton: Roughyeds right for me

TOM ASHTON . . . three years at Sheffield Eagles.

OLDHAM RL Club have signed Sheffield Eagles’ young centre Tom Ashton to the end of the season.

Leigh-born Ashton (22) was at Sheffield for more than three years and had re-signed for 2015.

For much of that time he lived in Mossley and had a part-time job outside rugby. Circumstances changed and he found it impossible to fulfil his Eagles commitments, so asked to be released.

“Two or three other League One clubs were interested, but when I talked to Oldham and trained with them a couple of times it just felt right,” said Ashton. “There was a buzz and everybody seemed very ambitious.”

Ashton becomes Oldham’s second centre signing in six days following the return to Whitebank for a third loan of Salford’s Jon Ford. Unlike Ford Ashton is not expected to play for a couple of weeks.

Coach Scott Naylor said: “It will take him a bit of time to get used to us, and to understand what we are trying to achieve, but I am looking forward to working with him.”

“I hope I can add something to what everyone is trying to achieve at Whitebank,” said Ashton, who was at school in Leigh with his new Roughyeds team-mate George Tyson.