Lottery winner offers to improve struggling Oldham's lot

Oldham could be in line for a much-needed financial boost following a £4.2m National Lottery win by one of their staunchest fans, Thomas Cone, who has said that he wants to become a director of the impoverished club.

Chris Hamilton, the club's chairman, who has met Cone twice since his win, said: "If he's serious we certainly wouldn't turn him away, but we don't want to put any pressure on him."

A cash injection now could help the National League One club fund a move for their former player Tommy Cunningham, who has been told he is no longer wanted at St Helens.

Another Saint apparently on his way out of the club, Tim Jonkers, could earn a reprieve after John Stankevitch was found to have suffered ligament damage that will keep him out for six weeks. Saints will now reconsider their decision to let Jonkers leave on loan.

London Broncos have been encouraged by talks with Liam Botham, which have convinced them that the out-of-contract Newcastle player's ambition to join rugby league is genuine.

The League is looking into the incident in which Saints' Sean Long put on headphones to listen to his coach, Ian Millward, on the pitch at Warrington on Sunday.

But the Leeds winger Mark Calderwood will not face action over his try celebration which mimed throwing a hand grenade into the Wigan crowd on Friday. The League received no complaints and the incident was not mentioned in the match commissioner's report.

Jeff Wittenberg has become the third Huddersfield player this season to retire through injury, after failing to recover from a knee operation.