Saddleworth Independent Sports Editor Tony Bugby brings us the latest from Oldham Athletic FC.
OLDHAM ATHLETIC will certainly have no shortage of firepower going into the 2015-16 campaign.
The three summer signings to date – Lee Croft, George Green and Jake Cassidy – are all attack-minded players.
Add them to last season’s front men Jonathan Forte, Dominic Poleon, Rhys Murphy, Danny Philliskirk, Rhys Turner and Jordan Bove, and that provides new manager Darren Kelly with plenty of striking options.
Croft is no stranger as this is his third spell with Latics while 19-year-old Green, released by Everton, is an attacking midfielder who was recommended by Joe Royle. Cassidy, meanwhile, is a 22-year-old who has been released by Wolves having first come to attention during impressive loan spells at Tranmere.
It is at the back where Latics are looking a little threadbare after George Elokobi and Adam Lockwood rejected the offers of new contracts.
This is the area which requires attention by Kelly with Anthony Gerrard, signed on loan from Huddersfield Town late last season, remaining an option and exactly the sort of commanding stopper they need.
Gerrard is a free agent but, having played in the Championship for both Cardiff and Huddersfield, the 29-year-old may command a salary which is out of reach for Latics.
Latics begin their programme of seven friendlies at Chester on Saturday (July 11) and follow that with games at Stirling Albion (July 17), home to Bolton (July 21), Trafford away (July 22), Blackburn home (July 25), Halifax Town away (July 28) and Carlisle away (Aug 1).
Hopefully that will be sufficient preparation for when their League One campaign kicks off at Walsall on Saturday, August 8.
That will quickly be followed by back-to-back homes games on Wednesday, August 12 against Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup and against Fleetwood in the league on Saturday, August 15.
It promises to be the most interesting League One for years from a geographic perspective with a 17-7 split in favour of the north against the south. That contrasts markedly with recent seasons when the split has been more southern based.
But with the likes of Blackpool, Bury, Rochdale, Wigan, Sheffield United, Chesterfield, Fleetwood, Burton, Port Vale and Doncaster in the division, there is appreciably less travelling.
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