Pre-season commenced with uncertainty over the future of the club lingering following relegation from the Football League.[3] Abdallah Lemsagam had announced in January 2022[4] that he was willing to sell Oldham Athletic, but no further announcement had been made as preparations began for the new season. On 24 May 2022 it was announced that only three of Boundary Park's stands would be in use during the 2022/23 season, with the North Stand remaining unopened.[5]
Then, on the day that the new squad met to commence pre-season training, it was announced that Abdallah Lemsagam and Simon Blitz had agreed to sell both the football club (owned by Lemsagam) and the stadium and its surrounding land (owned by Blitz's company Brass Bank Limited).[6] The announcement stated that the target date for completion of the purchase was within four weeks and that the buyer would be a longstanding successful local business.
Frank Rothwell, the founder of Manchester Cabins, was announced as Oldham Athletic’s new owner and chairman on 28 July 2022.[7] Rothwell was introduced at a media conference alongside his fellow directors Peter Norbury, Sue Schofield, Darren Royle and Joe Royle, as well as the club’s manager, John Sheridan.[8]
The season therefore started with a positive atmosphere descending over Boundary Park, exemplified by the procession and celebrations which preceded the first home match, against Dorking Wanderers on 14 August 2022.[9] However, following a sequence of indifferent results, it was announced on 15 September 2022 that manager John Sheridan would leave the club after the subsequent game against Eastleigh.[1]Sheridan ended his long association with the club on a high after a last-gasp 3-2 win[10] and was replaced three days later by David Unsworth.[2]
Unsworth's team struggled at first and a series of new signings and loan players were introduced over the first few months, with Oldham languishing in the relegation zone over the Christmas period.[11] The Latics rallied over the last few weeks of the season, ultimately pulling themselves safely clear of relegation and finishing in 12th position, with the final home game of the season against Bromley seeing central defender and 41 year-old former club captain Peter Clarke being introduced by Unsworth to play as a centre forward for the last fifteen minutes in his final game for the club.[12]
Source: [28] Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[29] Notes:
^Gateshead were deducted one point for playing an ineligible player.[27]
