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by ROGER HALSTEAD OUR third-round Carnegie Challenge Cup tie against the British Army in Aldershot on Sunday (1.30pm kick-off) is attracting the attention of the media, not only in the garrison town but further afield. The Army have been touch with the club to say they had a media conference yesterday (Thursday) afternoon attended by BBC News 24, the Daily Mail, the local press in Aldershot and the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS). The military press, including representatives of 'Soldier' magazine, will be at the game, which will be filmed by BFBS and then edited into a 25-minute highlights version to be screened to British troops around the world in places such as Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. "The Army see it as a great public relations opportunity, and so they should," said Roughyeds chief executive Chris Hamilton. The Army are not allowed to charge for admission to the Aldershot Military Stadium, but they were delighted to take up the Roughyeds' suggestion that fans should be asked to donate £5 per head for adults and £3 per head for OAPs and children with all proceeds going to military charities that look after injured or handicapped service men and women. Added Mr Hamilton: "It was our club's gesture to the Army and we feel it is the least we can do to say thanks for everything Army personnel do for us and for our country around the world." A supporters bus will take a group of Oldham fans down to Aldershot, but many others are expected to travel by car. Cost of admission on the bus is £30, but bookings need to be made by 5pm TODAY (Friday) on 0161 628 3677. It will leave the Black Horse at 6.45am and the Roughyeds social club at 7am. The team will travel down tomorrow (Saturday) and will have a light training session on Saturday evening. Making up the party will be the 17 players on duty against Rochdale in midweek, plus Matty Brooks. Several players picked up knocks at Spotland, but all came through a rehab session last night in the swimming pool. "The only player with a possibility of coming back in is Matty Brooks," said Deaks. "The remainder are still unavailable." That appears to rule out Simeon Hoyle, Gareth Langley and Simon Baldwin as well as the suspended Said Tamghart and long-term injury victims like Lucas Onyango, Lee Wingfield, Lee Sanderson and Daryl Cardiss, who was due to see a specialist today about his dislocated shoulder. Team (from): St Hilaire, O'Connor, Littler, Nanyn, Wilkinson, Roden, Coyle, Boults, Joseph, Mervill, Goulden, Roberts, Grundy, Baines, Stevens, Robinson, Halliwell, Brooks. Said Deaks: "We are privileged to be playing the British Army. To be honest, we could have done without a 520-mile round trip right now, but it is great that the Armed Forces play our sport and are involved in competitions like the Carnegie Challenge Cup and as far as our club is concerned we just have to play what's put in front of us. "It is an opportunity for the Army, as well as for Oldham Roughyeds, to progress to the next round of the cup. "It is also an opportunity for us to prepare ourselves for the many long trips that will be on the agenda when the NL2 season starts soon. We will be travelling to Workington, Gateshead, London and Barrow and this weekend's trip will be a taster for things to come for players and coaching staff alike. "We had a few 'on the road' trips last year, but we have a lot of new players at the club now and this weekend will enable us all, as group, to get our heads round the logistics of travelling the day before a game and preparing accordingly. "It is also an opportunity for us to reach the fourth round of the Challenge Cup, so it is a pretty important weekend for the club." |
