Roughyeds axe falls on Deakin

STEVE DEAKIN’S reign as coach of Oldham Roughyeds is over.

Brought in as John Pendlebury’s replacement in March 2006, Deakin has paid the price for the club’s failure to win promotion to National League One.

Deakin’s one-year deal is up next month and will not be renewed.

His final act as coach came on Sunday when Oldham went down 18-10 to Doncaster in the NL2 Grand Final.

Club chairman Bill Quinn and chief executive Chris Hamilton held talks on Monday when they analysed the season, before calling Deakin in 24 hours later to give him the news.

Mr Hamilton said: “The meeting was short and sweet and there was no falling out whatsoever.

“Steve came in at a difficult time for the club and everyone here is very grateful for the job he did, but we felt it was time for a change and a different approach which you will get from a new coach.

“We’ve backed Steve to the hilt. He put together a good squad of players, but we’ve fallen short by one game in each of the last two seasons and there is a feeling, talking to the players, that we’ve underachieved.

“Telling somebody that kind of news is never easy. Nobody works harder than Steve at what he does and I have an awful lot of respect for him as a coach and person. ”

After assembling a talented group of players, many of whom had experience at a higher level, Deakin’s Oldham were made hot favourites to go up.

And the early indications were encouraging as they defeated Salford City Reds in the group stages of the National Rail Cup and reached the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, where they lost to Wakefield.

But the real prize was promotion and, after missing out on a top-two finish — one more point would have seen them claim second place behind Gateshead Thunder — they were faced with a second consecutive play-off campaign.

However, defeat at the Halliwell Stadium ultimately cost Deakin, who has seen service with a variety of clubs including London Broncos, Huddersfield and Catalans Dragons.

Oldham are now putting the wheels in motion to appoint a new coach.

Mr Hamilton added: “We’ve got one or two ideas of our own, but we will also be advertising in the trade press on Monday.

“We want to attract as big an audience as we can to see who’s out there and interested in taking the job on. “