Players’ association gets new president

PHIL Woolas, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, has accepted an invitation to become the first president of the recently-formed Oldham Rugby League Club Players' Association.

"He is delighted to be our figurehead, and he will help in any way he can," said a spokesman for the Association, which has 94 paid-up members, but is striving hard to recruit more.

Mr Woolas, the Minister for Immigration at the Home Office, is no stranger to rugby league. He is also president of the amateur game's ruling body, the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA).

Australian forward John Alchin, who played 11 senior games for Oldham in the early 1970s, is the latest ex-player to join the Oldham association, which is confident of recruiting more members during the current World Cup competition in Australia.

An association representative, David Whitehead, is 'down under' with membership forms and he is expected to meet up with many of the Aussies who played for Oldham in the club's Watersheddings days.

The association's first annual meeting will be held at the Saddleworth Rangers club on Tuesday, December 2, starting at 7pm.

Former players wishing to contact the association can ring Dave Walker on 0161 290 0435 or Bob Henthorn on 0161 652 2918 or email as follows: davewalker49@ntlworld.com or robert.henthorn@ukonline.co.uk

Officials were delighted with the success of their first sportsmen's dinner which will now become an annual event in October.