George Ford could sign for Oldham if Super League promotion achieved

Mike Ford says Oldham’s acquisition of Jack Ormondroyd and Ryan Brierley is indicative of their Super League ambition – and has teased the prospect of his son George playing for them.

The upwardly mobile Roughyeds signed Ormondroyd and Brierley from crisis-torn Salford Red Devils on Thursday and have designs on a place in the top flight as it prepares to increase from 12 to 14 teams next year.

Sale Sharks fly-half Ford, meanwhile, recently reached 100 Test caps for the England rugby union side and is one of the most respected players in the 15-a-side code.

Long-term, should Oldham realise their dream of securing their place in Super League, the 32-year-old could potentially make a cross-code move to his hometown club to finish his playing career.

Ford played rugby league as a youngster and was courted by Wigan Warriors and Bradford Bulls before opting to join Leicester Tigers and making his senior debut as a 16-year-old.

He is a huge admirer of league, though, and a keen supporter of the Roughyeds, where his father serves as managing director and who lie fourth in the Championship.

Ford has been tipped to go into coaching when he finally retires but his dad told Love Rugby League: “Everyone says that about George, but he’s got a couple of restaurants and his wife is a very successful businesswoman.

“They have a young daughter and are going to have more children, so things change don’t they? I’d be surprised if George is not involved in rugby somewhere in the future, even if it’s playing for us at Oldham for a year.

“Especially if we get to Super League. It would be some story, wouldn’t it? George has always fancied a crack at rugby league, so let’s see.”

Bradford Bulls, York Knights, Toulouse Olympique and London Broncos are thought to be the frontrunners among the Championship clubs vying for a place in Super League next year.

But the acquisition of Brierley and Ormondroyd has showed the Roughyeds mean business.

The Championship and League 1 clubs met in Oldham on Wednesday to change their competition structure and Lord Jonathan Caine was present at the meeting.

Super League’s expansion will take place by combining the current club grading system with an independent panel chaired by Lord Caine.

Ford added: “We had the meeting on Wednesday and it lasted three hours, with a lot of the talk about how the criteria for Championship clubs to be in Super League.

“Jonathan Caine fielded a lot of questions and said the two main things were financial sustainability and on-field competitiveness, so I think it’s going to be a fair process.

“The teams we’re competing with to go up are all in the top four – York, Bradford and Toulouse – and you can count London in that group as well.

“If you go up to Super League, you automatically double your attendances – that’s a fact – so that would put us level with Salford and Huddersfield.

“As it stands, we’ve got a good chance. It’s going to be a two-month process and we’ll go for it.”

Enthusing about the acquisition of Brierley and Ormondroyd, Ford said: “Our intentions are clear and that’s for this year.

“Okay, fourteen teams are going to be in Super League next season but we want to win and do as well we can right now.

“Jack and Ryan are great characters and Jack’s dad Ian played here at Boundary Park for Oldham Athletic during his professional football career.

“They bring such great experience and the squad we’ve got now is full of really good people. We’re not full of superstars, but in terms of character we’re right up there.

“When you talk to Jack and Ryan, they’re clearly good players and have put their bodies on the line for the Salford cause this year.

“But they both just want to win and play their part in the success of a winning team. They want to write another chapter in their careers here at Oldham.”

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