fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.
Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.
Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.
Roughyeds show compassion
OLDHAM’S
28-4 win over Keighley Cougars last Sunday could be significant in the Betfred
League One promotion race - but what happened off the pitch was even more
important to one group of people.
The
Roughyeds last weekend hosted six Chernobyl children and their families,
allowing them into the dressing room before the game to get autographs from
Scott Naylor’s
squad before carrying a giant flag onto the pitch before kick-off.
They
then competed in the half-time challenge to hit the crossbar, mingled with
other supporters and were signed up to the club’s junior
supporters’ club, spending time with mascot Roary the lion.
The
children were in town as part of the Oldham Link of the national Chernobyl
Charity, who held a bucket collection at the match so they can
continue to send children from Belarus and Northern Ukraine to the UK for
respite holidays to combat effects from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.
Oldham
chairman Chris Hamilton said: “We couldn't have planned things any
better.
“From the
minute the children arrived at the ground to the moment they left they had an
absolute ball.
"Staff,
players, coaches and fans made them feel welcome and I was very proud of
everybody connected with the club.
“It
underlined the warmth of Oldhamers.
“It was
a good performance on the pitch to set us up for next week's match at
Workington and a good one off it too.
“The
stories we were told about some of the
children were truly sad and therefore it was even more rewarding that everybody
made them feel so much at home that they were able to laugh and enjoy
themselves.”
Although
they speak no English, the children could be heard chanting “Oldham, Oldham” during
the match.
The
Roughyeds
players went over to them post-match to shake hands with their new supporters
and have pictures taken with them.
One
of the children’s hosts Mark Albiston said: "It was a fantastic
experience for the children.
“We
couldn't have asked for more, they were thrilled to bits.
“They had
never even heard of rugby league before but they're confirmed Roughyeds fans
now, that's for sure.”
Clubs
outside of Super League often run terrific initiatives that don’t get
the credit they perhaps deserve, and in the case Oldham should certainly be
proud of their efforts.
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