When Roger Halstead was a boy he wanted to be a football player or a rugby league star but, realising he was never going to be the next Stanley Matthews or Billy Boston, he turned to sports reporting instead.

Now after more than 40 years as rugby league reporter for the Oldham Evening Chronicle, he has decided to blow the whistle on his career in newspapers, and retire.

“As far as the Chronicle goes I have no regrets whatsoever,” says Roger.

“And my only regret with Oldham Rugby League Club is that they never played at Wembley.”

Roger (pictured) joined the Chronicle in 1961, after a short time working at a news agency in Rochdale, and started out as a news reporter.

But after three years he won his dream job, as the paper’s rugby league reporter, and has held the post ever since.

Roger, (64), said: “It’s not widely known but I did apply for the Oldham Athletic football reporter job first, but they said I was too young as I was 22 at the time.”

A year later Roger took on the rugby league job, covering Oldham Rugby League Club – or The Roughyeds – as they are often known, and he can still remember his first match.

Roger said: “It was the semi-final of the Challenge Cup in 1964. They played Hull Kingston Rovers at Headingley in Leeds, and Oldham were trailing until the last minute when Oldham hooker Len McIntyre dropped a goal. It soared between the posts, forcing a draw.

“The replay was at Swinton near Manchester and was another close match with Oldham behind in the last minutes of normal time. Oldham got a penalty near the half-way line and full back Frank Dyson kicked a magnificent goal to level the score again.

“As it was the second tie it went into extra time whereupon, horror of horrors, the referee abandoned the match because of bad light. Few grounds had floodlights back then.”

Oldham lost the second replay, and four more semi-finals during Roger’s time at the Chronicle.

Roger has also reported on the club’s various promotions and relegations, and followed them to Austrialia for the World Club Championship and Paris for a pre-season tour.

He also reported on the club’s demise in 1997 after it went into voluntary liquidation with debts of £2m, and the formation of a brand new club with the help of a small group of fans.

Roger said: “There is never a dull moment at Oldham Rugby League Club. I’m sure I will continue to follow them – when you have reported on a club for so long you are bound to form an attachment.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I’ve had up and downs and the rugby club has had ups and downs, but I’ve made more friends than enemies.”