Let’s put Oldham back on the rugby map

ON the ball: Steve Molloy, head coach at the new rugby league academy at Oldham College

FORMER Great Britain star and England captain Steve Molloy is set to inspire the next generation of rugby league wannabes in his home town.

Steve is head coach of a new rugby league academy, which aims to put Oldham back on the map for producing top players.

The academy opens at Oldham College in September and is recruiting over-16s, who will train three times a week with Steve and his coaching staff. They can also study a variety of sports courses at the Rochdale Road college.

Steve (44), a product of Oldham’s youth and schoolboy system, started playing at Lyndhurst Primary School and Fitton Hill comprehensive.

The prop went on to play for Warrington, Leeds, Featherstone and Sheffield. He captained England three times and won four caps for Great Britain against France, Fiji and New Zealand.

He was also a player, captain, player/coach and coach at Oldham Rugby League Football Club.

“The launch of the academy is going to be another professional highlight for me,” said Steve, who lives in Moorside and was the Rugby Football League’s talent coach.

“Five years ago Oldham was the second-biggest area for turning out professional players. That has diminished over the last two or three years, but we are hoping to get it back up to how it was.

“There is a massive tradition of rugby league and elite players coming from Oldham such as Kevin Sinfield, Barrie McDermott, Iestyn Harris and Paul Sculthorpe who have gone on to have fantastic careers.

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