RL stalwart passes away

SADDLEWORTH Rangers are mourning the death of another stalwart, with the news that club president Ken Fisher has died aged 82.

Having been ill for a number of months with stomach cancer, Fisher — who had put in 30 years of service at Rangers — passed away at his Shaw home in the early hours of yesterday.

The sad news brings down the curtain on an entire era at the Greenfield club, with the death of the former chairman of Oldham RL club following on from that of chairman Ronnie Hardaker and secretary Colin Clare, all occurring within the space of little over two years.

“It is very sad news,” said current Saddleworth chairman Terry Flanagan. “Ken was an ambassador for the game of rugby league as a whole and had been president of Rangers for a significant number of years.

“He led the club through its successful years and, latterly, its resurgence. He loved his rugby and was a dedicated family man who had friends rights across the country.

“The last two years have been difficult for the club in that regard as three absolutely top blokes have passed away. But their vision and energy over the years has helped put the club in very positive shape.”

Ray Hicks, landlord of the Three Crowns at Scouthead, was Fisher’s son-in-law.

Having signed for Oldham RL club in 1968 when Fisher was on the committee, Hicks’ appointment as Rangers player-coach a decade later helped entice Fisher, whose business interests were in textile machinery, to the Saddleworth club.

“He was my mentor,” said Hicks. “Ken was widely respected both as a successful businessman and in sport and he was a fantastic father-in-law. Throughout rugby league, both in the professional ranks and, latterly, the amateur game, he was widely known and well respected.”

John Stringer, now 65, met Fisher on becoming secretary of the Oldham RL club in the mid-60s and the pair remained firm friends since.

He said: “Ken always listened to peoples’ problems, not only on the administrative side but also with the players. He had time for everybody and was the life and soul of any party.”

The funeral will be held at St James’s Church, Barry Street, on Tuesday at 1pm, with the committal at Oldham Crematorium at 2pm.