After a short break following their impressive 46-10 win in a friendly at Keighley on Boxing Day, Oldham Rugby League Club’s stars report back for training this coming Thursday in readiness for their next game against derby rivals Rochdale Hornets in a pre-season Law Cup clash at the Crown Oil Arena on Sunday, January 21.

Hornets have no fewer than eight former Oldham players in their new-look squad, several of whom played for Roughyeds up to the end of last season, while Oldham’s star man at Keighley was centre Ben O’Keefe, Rochdale-born and a former Hornets man who was proud, like his father before him, to wear his hometown colours of red, white and blue.

Highly active off the field, Hornets are aiming for an average crowd of 1,000-plus in 2024 and they regard this derby clash for silverware as the best possible way to start.

Favourites to win League One and to get promoted in new coach Sean Long’s first season, Oldham will take nothing for granted and expect a tough game against a Hornets side which will have lots to prove and will love nothing better than to rub Oldham noses into the Crown Oil Arena soil.

Mike Ford, once an Oldham legend and now the club’s managing director, will meet fans with the Law Cup at the town centre Fox and Pine pub tomorrow night to promote the derby clash and to talk about the importance of the big game.

Both clubs have momentum on their side as they look forward to 2024 and neither will want to suffer a setback in this one.

In Ford’s New Year message to fans he said Long would be looking to his squad to get even better than they were at Keighley, improving with every training session between now and January 21.

And he said season ticket sales were also going well.

Ford said: “We urge everyone who has not yet joined us to come with us on this unique and exciting journey.

“For us to be successful in all aspects we need to do it together and we need everyone to pitch in.”

Both clubs regard this Law Cup clash as a new beginning, a fresh start.

It certainly is the most compelling, most important Law Cup clash for years - and it is hoped that will be reflected in the size of the crowd.