NEWLY APPOINTED Waterhead coach Chris Hough is no stranger at Peach Road.
The 32-year-old prop forward, who retired from playing at Rochdale Hornets earlier this year having helped them win promotion from Kingstone Press Championship One, is back where his playing days began in the juniors at Waterhead.
Chris, whose late father Mick also played and coached at Waterhead, said: “My dad would have been proud that I am following in his footsteps.
“He took me down to the club when I was only four years of age and I played there until I was 17 and the club means a lot to me.
“When chairman Michael Bradshaw contacted me about the job, it was one I couldn’t turn down and a challenge I am relishing.”
It will busy for Chris who will also be continuing with his role as assistant coach at Hornets as well as holding a job as stores manager for Clarke Telecom, Chadderton.
Chris is excited by the challenge and has set his sights on recently relegated Waterheadwinning promotion back to National Conference League, Division One at the first attempt.
He said: “I see no reason why we cannot go straight back up. You have to have ambition and I am very ambitious.
“A lot of the players who won promotion to Division One the season before last are still here so they know how to win promotion.”
Hough is also excited by the young players at Waterhead who have a strong under-18’s side.
He continued: “I watched Waterhead a number of times last season when I was scouting for players for Hornets.
“I noticed a lot of young players coming through and they are the future of the club. Hopefully I can help them with the development.”
Meanwhile, Waterhead were winners of both the under-13 and under-14 competitions on finals day of the Oldham Junior Cup.
The under-13s beat Saddleworth Rangers 44-0 while the under-14s beat Oldham St Anne’s 1-0 through a Liam Aspin goal.
Rangers were beaten by St Anne’s in both the under-12 and under-15 finals.
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