Right behind you, son

PROUD AS PUNCH . . . dad Chris dusted off his boots to play in son Ryan’s debut game in Oldham’s first XV.

RUGBY UNION:

AT THE age of 47, most sportsmen have abandoned the idea of playing in the first team.

Not so Oldham Rugby Union Club man Chris Pickles, who on Saturday pulled on the club shirt 29 years after making his senior debut at Manor Park.

But Chris had a special reason to roll back the years: also on the Oldham first-team sheet against Hutton, and making his debut in the club’s top team, was his 18-year-old son Ryan.

Chris admitted it was a proud occasion to be on the pitch on such an important day. The player, who made his Oldham debut in 1983 as a 16 year old, joined the first team two seasons later. For many years he was Oldham’s regular number eight, playing an unbroken stretch at Manor Park between 1985-2005. Since then his appearances have been less frequent, though he occasionally turns out for the Veterans.

“I had known for some weeks that it was on the cards, that Ryan might play in the first team. Ian McCorquodale (director of coaching) asked me if I would like to play in the same match.

“I dusted off my boots and had a game with the Vets a couple of weeks ago. This was a very proud moment with my lad on the field at the same time. I played for an hour and was a bit sore and stiff afterwards.”

Despite playing with far younger men, Chris held his own during Saturday’s North Lancashire Division One game, which Oldham won 36-6.

Ryan can look forward to many more games at senior level - though for now he is a member of the senior colts team, which Chris coaches.