Feature: Matty Reid returns to North West with Oldham

New Oldham centre Matty Reid crowned his playing return to the North West in style with two tries in his Law Cup debut and is pleased to be back in the region.

Warrington based Reid, 25, previously played for Coventry Bears.

“There were a few long nights – a few long drives back and too to Coventry!

“That said the M62, getting across to Oldham from Warrington is a bit of a pain at 5pm but it’s a lot easier travel than getting to Coventry.” He quipped.

There is a lot more to his story.

Matty is an easy bloke to talk with and spoke highly of his spell with the Bears, who he linked up with following time with North Wales Crusaders.

His professional debut came for Crusaders in 2013 but Reid originally started his rugby journey many years before with well known Warrington amateurs Latchford Albion.

“I started at Latchford when I was about eight – came through the juniors there, then left for a couple of years and came back, and played Open Age for a year or two.”

“I played rugby union for a bit – I played for Lymm and wanted to give it a go, but I came back again.”

There is still a great affection for Latchford. “It’s the only club I’m going to play for at amateur level, definitely.”

So did he get scouted to go pro?

“The head coach (at Latchford) at the time was Mike Byron and he knew John Fieldhouse at Crusaders and he set me up with a trial and then it went from there. I still speak to John quite a lot and he had a little bit to do with me coming here, talking to my agent.”

There is little doubt that Reid has made an immediate impression at Oldham, where he scooped the Law Cup Man-of-the-Match award and he could prove to be a really shrewd signing for Scott Naylor and the club in 2018.

The full interview, including Reid’s own description of his tries can be heard on the following link.