Dave typifies Bulldog spirit

DAVE HUGHES: dedicated to the Fitton Hill cause at both senior and junior level.

IF there was an eighth day in the week, Dave Hughes would spend it like the other seven — putting in a shift at Fitton Hill Bulldogs ARLFC.

The club’s head coach helps oversee the senior team, who play in the North-West Counties League, as well as two junior sides.

Dave lives and breathes Fitton Hill and for his unstinting dedication to the cause, he has been nominated in the sport administrator category in the Pride In Oldham Awards.

He takes great satisfaction from the work he does with some players in the under-10s and under-12s.

Thirteen of the youngsters suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — a condition he admits he knew little about when the children first turned up at training.

Dave (50) said: “I was angry after one particularly session and seriously thought about walking away.

“But I sat down and looked up ADHD on the internet to try to understand what it was all about.

“I’ve been a carer for 40 years. I look after my wife, Sue, who is in a wheelchair, but that is something you can see. This is on the inside.

“With the work that has gone on, everyone can see that their behaviour has improved.

“Ian and Donna Bryson, Steve Gordon and Mick Whaley do so much and, thanks to them, the club seems to be going from strength-to-strength.”

Dave’s knowledge of ADHD recently saw him speak at a seminar on the subject at the Rugby Football League. Fitton Hill help some members of the senior team get back on their feet.

Dave, who is a qualified rugby league coach, said: “Six of the players when they first came here were electronically tagged, but we gave them a chance.

“None have re-offended and all the tags are off.”

Dave played a key role in securing the return of a Fitton Hill open age team after a long absence.

Together with Ray Nevitt, they put together a 22-man squad, which last season entered the North-West Counties League Division Six.

Fast-forward to present day, a league restructure has seen Bulldogs bumped up to Division Four and a healthy start to the campaign, boosted by the arrival of coach Whaley, has given all concerned a warm glow.

And a sprinkle of young talent is also cause for optimism at Fitton Hill.

Dave, who has been impressed by the impact made by Whaley, has been involved with the Fitton Hill club for more than 10 years in total.

“Mick has been fantastic,” said Hughes.

“He has good experience of open age rugby and you can see his knowledge is already paying off.

“Fitness-wise, we are a lot more forward and our skills have also developed,” he said.

But modest Dave is also a vital cog in the Bulldogs machine, having pushed for an open age team in 2010.

A one-off game against Hollinwood gave fellow enthusiasts the taste for action, so Dave and Ray started running training sessions at Hathershaw School of Technology and Sport and moulded a squad.

Many of the players were young, inexperienced and contemplating life without rugby until the reintroduction of the team.

They were handed a stage on which to perform and remain grateful to Dave and Co. for the opportunity.




NOMINATIONS for this year’s Pride in Oldham Awards are now closed. Look out in the Chronicle for news of the shortlist and awards night.