United head for Boundary Park on Sunday afternoon, as the TV cameras once again set their sights on Gary Johnson’s men.
Having claimed all three points on the road at Dagenham & Redbridge last weekend to move off the foot of the table, The Gulls will be looking to maximise their final league game before Christmas and seal back-to-back victories for the first time this term.
Who’s the Boss?
After making a name for himself as both a player and coach at Everton, it was to David Unsworth that the Oldham Athletic hierarchy turned to in September, as the former England defender was chosen as the successor to John Sheridan.
A playing career that took in spells in the top-flight with the Toffees, West Ham, Portsmouth, Sheffield United and Wigan gave Unsworth plenty of experience to prepare him for coaching, and having fulfilled caretaker roles at both Preston North End and at Goodison Park, it was the challenge of reviving Oldham’s fortunes that eventually persuaded David to take up his first senior managerial role.
How have they been doing?
The prestige of having Athletic – a former Premier League Club and FA Cup semi-finalist as recently as 1994 – on the National League fixture list may have delighted many rival teams, however the first half of 2022/23 has proven to be anything but welcoming, with the Latics currently occupying 23rd position in the table.
Although Oldham do possess a number of games in hand over their relegation-haunted adversaries, a 2-1 reverse at Boreham Wood saw another opportunity to pull away from danger passed up, with the chances of the side regaining the Football League status having been put on hold, until the prospect of dropping further down the footballing ladder has been averted.
Player to Watch
Amid a season of much frustration thus far, the performances of summer signing Ben Tollitt have given Oldham fans some cause for optimism, with the former AFC Fylde attacker notching 6 goals in 20 outings.
Beginning his career in non-League circles with Widnes and then Skelmersdale, Ben broke into the EFL ranks with Portsmouth and Tranmere – via promotion, before a subsequent unsuccessful spell at Blackpool signalled a return to the fifth tier once more.
Played for Both
Whilst his solitary season in Greater Manchester wasn’t particularly memorable, Rodney Jack had already won the hearts of the many supporters who witnessed the lightning-quick striker in his pomp – with the Yellow Army the first to fall in love with the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines striker.
Following a pre-season friendly with touring side Lambada FC in the summer of 1995, United chairman Mike Bateson pulled out all the stops to secure the services of Jack, who rewarded his faith handsomely by playing a pivotal role in Kevin Hodges’ side going within a whisker of Division Three promotion in 1997/98, before earning the Club £650,000 following his transfer to Crewe Alexandra – a record fee received by Torquay, and one that still stands a quarter of a century later.
Five years at Crewe preceded one at Rushden & Diamonds under Brian Talbot, and after Talbot left Nene Park to become boss at Oldham, Rodney duly followed suit in 2004. Unable to replicate his previous form during an injury-plagued twelve months at Boundary Park, the player would eventually move on to Waterford United (Ireland) before returning for a second stint at Crewe, prior to winding down his career in non-League football with the likes of Southport and Nantwich Town.
Previous Encounter
Oldham Athletic 1 – 2 United, 2004/05, League One.
With it being eighteen years since both sides shared the same division, many of the Yellow Army will have no recollection of The Gulls’ last win against Sunday’s opponents, however anyone who travelled to see Leroy Rosenior’s side overcome Oldham during the latter stages of 2004/05 are sure to hold many happy memories on a day when United overcame the odds to seal a famous away-day victory.
Despite falling behind against the run of play to David Eyres, two goals four minutes either side of the interval from Matt Hockley and Adebayo Akinfenwa breathed new life into Torquay’s battle to stay in League One, with their hopes eventually extinguished on the final day of the season after a 2-1 defeat at Colchester.