Oldham Athletic A.F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Oldham Athletic Association Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Latics | |||
| Founded | 1895 (as Pine Villa F.C.) | |||
| Ground | Boundary Park | |||
| Capacity | 13,512 | |||
| Chairman | Frank Rothwell | |||
| Manager | Micky Mellon | |||
| League | League Two | |||
| 2018–19 | League Two, 14th of 24 | |||
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Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is a professional association football team from Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. The club is often called "Latics" by its fans. They play their home games at Boundary Park. As of the 2024–25 season, the team competes in the National League. This is the fifth level of the English football league system.
The club started in 1895 as Pine Villa F.C. They played in local leagues. In 1899, they moved to a new stadium and changed their name to Oldham Athletic. They joined the Football League in 1907. The team even reached the top division in 1910. They finished second in the First Division in 1914–15, which was their highest ever league finish.
Oldham Athletic has had many ups and downs. They were one of the founding teams of the Premier League in 1992. However, they were relegated a few years later. In 2022, they dropped out of the Football League. This made them the first former Premier League team to play in a non-league division. The club traditionally plays in blue shirts. They have rivalries with local teams like Rochdale and Bolton Wanderers.
Contents
Club History
How the Club Began
Oldham Athletic started in July 1895. It was first called Pine Villa Football Club. The club was named after a local mill. The "Villa" part might have come from Aston Villa, a very successful team at the time. In 1899, the club changed its name to Oldham Athletic Football Club. They quickly became a professional team.
Oldham Athletic joined the Football League in the 1907–08 season. After three years, they moved up to the First Division. This was the top league in English football. They did very well, finishing 4th in 1912–13. They also reached the F.A. Cup semi-finals that same season. In 1914–15, they almost won the league title. They finished just one point behind the champions. The First World War then stopped their early success.
Challenges Between the Wars
After the First World War, Oldham Athletic found it hard to repeat their early success. They were relegated back to the Second Division in 1923. It took 68 years for them to play in the top division again. Many players from their successful teams had retired or died in the war.
Their best finish in this period was 3rd place in 1929–30. They missed promotion by only two points. The team slowly moved down the league table. In 1935, they were relegated to the Third Division North. They did better in this new division. They often finished in the top five. But the Second World War started in 1939. This stopped league football again.
After the Wars
After the Second World War, Oldham Athletic did not find immediate success. They struggled for several seasons. In 1950, George Hardwick became player-manager. He was a former England captain. His arrival brought excitement to the club.
In 1952, Oldham had a huge win against Chester. They won 11–2, with Eric Gemmell scoring seven goals. This is still a club record! The next season, Oldham won the Third Division North title. They were promoted to the Second Division. However, they had an older team and little money for new players. They were relegated back down the very next year.
Between 1955 and 1960, the club continued to struggle. In 1959, they became a founding member of the new Fourth Division. In 1960, they finished 23rd, their lowest ever league position. They had to ask to be re-elected to the league. They were allowed to stay.
In the early 1960s, Ken Bates became chairman. Jack Rowley was appointed manager. The club's luck changed. In 1962–63, Oldham Athletic won promotion to the Third Division. Over the next few years, the team had mixed results. They were relegated again in 1969.
The Frizzell and Royle Years
In 1970, Jimmy Frizzell became manager. He stayed for 13 seasons. In 1970–71, Oldham finished third and were promoted to the Third Division. In 1973–74, they won the Third Division title. This brought them back to the Second Division after 21 years. Under Frizzell, Latics stayed in the Second Division.
In 1982, Joe Royle took over as manager. He also stayed for 12 years. In 1986–87, Oldham almost got promoted to the First Division. They lost in the play-offs. Royle's team reached Wembley Stadium in the League Cup final in 1990. They lost 1–0 to Nottingham Forest.
The next season, Oldham won the Second Division title. This meant they returned to the top division for the first time in 68 years! In 1992, Oldham became one of the founding members of the new Premier League. After two seasons, they were relegated. Joe Royle then left the club.
During this time, Oldham Athletic reached the FA Cup semi-finals twice. Both times they lost to Manchester United. In 1994, they were very close to winning at Wembley. But Manchester United scored a late goal. Oldham lost the replay. Many fans feel this was the start of the club's decline.
Later Struggles and Relegation
After Joe Royle left, Oldham continued to struggle. They were relegated to Division Two in 1997. They stayed in the third tier for 21 years. The club faced many financial problems during this time.
In 2001, Chris Moore bought the club. He promised to get them back to the Premier League. But he left after a few years, leaving the club with large debts. In 2004, Simon Blitz and partners bought Oldham Athletic. They worked to save the club from going out of business.
In 2006–07, Oldham almost got promoted again. They lost in the play-off semi-finals. Over the next few years, managers came and went. The club continued to face challenges. In 2018, a new owner, Abdallah Lemsagam, took over.
Oldham was relegated to League Two in 2018. This was their first time in the fourth tier since 1971. The club continued to have financial issues. In 2022, Oldham Athletic was relegated from the English Football League. This meant they dropped into the National League. They became the first former Premier League team to play in non-league football.
After this, fans pushed for a new owner. In July 2022, local businessman Frank Rothwell bought the club. He also bought Boundary Park, the club's stadium. The team finished 12th in their first National League season.
Team Kit and Badge
Oldham Athletic first played in red and white striped shirts with blue shorts. Later, the red stripes became blue. Then, they wore a white shirt with a blue stripe. In the mid-1960s, the team changed to tangerine shirts with blue shorts.
Since the mid-1970s, Oldham has mostly worn all blue shirts. There was a time in the late 1990s when they used red and blue striped shirts again. But fans did not like them. The club brought back the tangerine and blue as an away kit in 2007–08, which was popular.
Today, home and away shirts often have the slogan "keep the faith." This is a nod to the club's past financial struggles. In 2011, the club introduced a new badge. It has the traditional blue and white colors. It also features an owl on top of a football.
Kit Suppliers and Shirt Sponsors
Here is a table showing who made Oldham's kits and who sponsored their shirts over the years:
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (chest) |
|---|---|---|
| 1975–79 | Umbro | none |
| 1979–81 | Redsure | |
| 1981–82 | none | |
| 1982–83 | J.W. Lees Brewery | |
| 1983–85 | Le Coq Sportif | |
| 1985–87 | Spall | |
| 1987–88 | Umbro | |
| 1988–89 | Martins | |
| 1989–92 | Bovis | |
| 1992–96 | JD Sports | |
| 1996–98 | Pony | |
| 1998–2000 | Slumberland | |
| 2000–01 | Sparta | |
| 2001–03 | Torex | |
| 2003–04 | Horners | |
| 2004–05 | Carlotti | |
| 2005–06 | Carlotti | |
| 2006–08 | Hillstone Developments | |
| 2008–12 | Carbrini | Carbrini |
| 2012–13 | Fila | |
| 2013–14 | Blacks Outdoor Retail | |
| 2014–15 | Sondico | Sports Direct |
| 2015–18 | PFE Express | |
| 2018–19 | Lovell Soccer | |
| 2019–20 | Hummel | Wakelet |
| 2020–21 | Oldham Vending Services | |
| 2021–23 | Bartercard | |
| 2023–25 | Puma | RRG Group |
Boundary Park Stadium
Oldham Athletic plays its home matches at Boundary Park. This stadium opened in 1899. It is located where Oldham, Chadderton, and Royton meet. The stadium can hold 13,512 fans.
The record number of fans at Boundary Park was 47,671. This happened during an FA Cup game against Sheffield Wednesday in 1930. At that time, the stadium could hold almost 50,000 people.
In 2006, the club planned to rebuild the stadium. These plans were very big and would have cost a lot of money. However, due to economic problems, the plans were put on hold. Later, in 2009, the club and the local council thought about building a brand new stadium in Failsworth.
Instead, they decided to redevelop Boundary Park. A new North Stand was built. It has seats for 2,671 spectators. It also has other facilities like a health club and a supporters' bar. This new stand, now called the Joe Royle Stand, fully opened in December 2015.
Club Supporters
Oldham Athletic has many famous fans. These include comedy duo Cannon and Ball. Professor and former musician Brian Cox also supports the club. Other well-known fans are ex-Manchester United footballer Paul Scholes and rugby captain Kevin Sinfield.
Team Rivalries
Oldham's stadium, Boundary Park, is close to many other football grounds. These include those of Rochdale, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
Oldham Athletic has traditional rivalries with several local teams. These include Bolton Wanderers, Bury, Huddersfield Town, Rochdale, and Stockport County. Even if they don't play each other often now, these rivalries are still important.
A survey in 2019 showed that most Latics fans see Rochdale as their main rival. Bolton Wanderers and Huddersfield Town are also seen as big rivals.
Oldham Athletic also has a long-standing friendship with German club Eintracht Frankfurt. Some Frankfurt fans often travel to watch Oldham games.
Current Players
First-Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Youth Team
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Women's Team
Oldham Athletic also has a women's team. They play in the Greater Manchester Women's Football League. In 2024, the club announced a women's academy program. This will give female players a full-time training environment. It also helps them with their education.
Club Management
Club Officials
- Chairman: Frank Rothwell
- Directors: Frank Rothwell, Luke Rothwell, Su Schofield, Darren Royle, Joe Royle, Kevin Roberts
- CEO: Darren Royle
- Club Secretary: Mark Sheridan
- Chief Finance Officer: Donna Worthington
- Finance Executive: Joseph Dyson
- Football Liaison Officer: Sue Bowskill
- Safety Officer: Rod Cross
- Club Doctors: Dr David Nichols & Dr Natalie Cheyne
- Crowd Doctor: Dr Jim Weems
Coaching Positions
- Manager: Micky Mellon
- Assistant manager: Gary Brabin
- Goalkeeper coach: Steve Collis
- Physiotherapists: Rebecca O'Loughlin, Claire Swindall, Mick Rathbone
- Sports scientist & strength and conditioning coach: Trystan Jones
- Performance analyst: TBC
- Kit manager: Dean Pickering Sr.
Academy Staff
- Academy manager: Paul Murray
- Head of coaching: Craig Large
- Professional development phase lead coach: Chukwuma Akuneto
- Youth development phase lead coach: Dmtri Lavrinovic
- Foundation development phase lead coach: David Hankey
- Strength & conditioning coach: Imogen Barnes
- Physiotherapist: Mick Rathbone
- Head of education: Phil Arbelo-Dolan
- Head of recruitment: TBC
- Academy administrator: Graham Yates
- Head of player care: Frank Wolstenholme
Managerial History
Only three managers have won a league title for Oldham Athletic. These are George Hardwick (1953), Jimmy Frizzell (1974), and Joe Royle (1991). Frizzell and Jack Rowley also led the team to promotions.
Some say David Ashworth was the most successful manager. He joined in 1906. In his first season, he helped them win the Lancashire Combination Championship. They also got promoted to the Football League. In 1910, they moved up to the top league in English football. Ashworth later managed Liverpool and won the League Championship with them in 1921–22. He is the only Oldham Athletic manager to have won the Football League Championship with any club.
Club Achievements
Oldham Athletic has won several titles and reached important finals. Here are some of their main achievements:
League Titles
- Second Division (level 2)
- Champions: 1990–91
- Runners-up: 1909–10
- Third Division North / Third Division (level 3)
- Champions: 1952–53, 1973–74
- Fourth Division (level 4)
- Runners-up: 1962–63
- Promoted: 1970–71
- Lancashire Combination
- Champions: 1906–07
Cup Competitions
- Football League Cup
- Runners-up: 1989–90
- Lancashire Senior Cup
- Winners: 1908, 1967, 2006
- Anglo-Scottish Cup
- Runners–up: 1978–79
Club Records
- Highest League finish: 2nd in Football League First Division, 1914–15
- Best FA Cup performance: Semi-finals, 1912–13, 1989–90, 1993–94
- Best League Cup performance: Final, 1989–90
- Record league victory: 11–0 vs. Southport, Division Four, Boundary Park, 26 December 1962
- Record FA Cup victory: 10–1 vs. Lytham, first round, Boundary Park, 28 November 1925
- Record League Cup victory: 7–0 vs. Scarborough, second round, Boundary Park, 25 October 1989
- Record home attendance (all competitions): 47,671 vs. Sheffield Wednesday, FA Cup, fourth round, Boundary Park, 25 January 1930
- Most league appearances: 525, Ian Wood, 1966–1980
- Most overall appearances (all competitions): 582, Ian Wood, 1966–1980
- Most league goals: 141, Roger Palmer, 1980–1994
- Most overall goals (all competitions): 156, Roger Palmer, 1980–1994
- Most league goals in a season: 33, Tom Davis, Division 3 (North), 1936–37
- Most overall goals in a season (all competitions): 38 Tom Davis, 1936–37
- Most goals by a single player in a league fixture: 7, Eric Gemmell, 26 December 1951, Division 3 (North)
- Most capped player: 25, Gunnar Halle – Norway, 1991–1996
- Record transfer fee paid: £750,000 Ian Olney, Aston Villa, June 1992
- Record transfer fee received: £1,700,000 Earl Barrett, Aston Villa, February 1992
- Oldest player: David Eyres aged 42, vs. Scunthorpe United, 6 May 2006
- Youngest player: Zak Emmerson, aged 15 years 73 days, vs. Walsall, 22 October 2019
Images for kids
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Chart of yearly table positions since Oldham joined the Football League.
See also
In Spanish: Oldham Athletic Association Football Club para niños
