National League club Oldham Athletic have published the list of players they are retaining and releasing following the conclusion of their league campaign last weekend on the club’s official website. Four out-of-contract players are in talks over signing a new deal, whilst nine others have been informed that they will be leaving the Latics when their contracts expire.
Oldham Athletic’s relegation amidst serious off-field issues continued to affect the club at the start of the season. However, they have managed to rally and survive obtaining a respectable mid-table finish which fellow League Two fodder Scunthorpe United were relegated again to regionalised football. Oldham will be keen to kick on next season and a clear indication as to how a season might go is the retained list.
Who Is Leaving And Who Has Been Offered New Deals?
Perhaps the most notable name on the released list is veteran striker Chris Porter, who has scored 196 goals in nearly 700 appearances in professional football, however the 39-year-old has not featured since a 2-1 loss to Wealdstone in August.
Antigua and Barbuda international Zaine Francis-Angol and St Kitts and Nevis midfielder Lois Maynard (cousin of Manchester United and England striker Marcus Rashford) are also departing the club along with experienced former Coventry and Scunthorpe defender Jordan Clarke and midfielder Jack Stobbs who has recently been on loan at Torquay United.
Youngsters Joe Edwards, Oliver Kilner, Trey Turner and Vani Da Silva complete the released list, whilst reserve goalkeeper Matthew Hudson and forwards Devarn Green, Junior Luamba and Joe Yarney have been offered new contracts.
Loan players returning
Meanwhile, four players who were on loan from EFL clubs have returned to their parent teams, namely forward Timmy Abraham (brother of Roma striker Tammy) and experienced centre-back Peter Clarke who have both returned to Walsall. German striker Bassala Sambou returns to Crewe having scored twice in nine games during his loan spell at Oldham whilst midfielder Ellis Chapman returns to League One club Cheltenham Town.
Club Statement:
In a statement, the club said the following:
”We would like to place on record our thanks to all the players who have not been retained for their contribution whilst at Boundary Park and we wish them well in their future careers”
Oldham finished the season 12th in the National League after going unbeaten in their last six games, which is a respectable result considering that they looked at risk of suffering a second successive relegation back in February when they were 20th at the time.
Writer’s view
Announcing the retained/released list so soon after the final league game of the season suggests Oldham are not wasting time in preparing for their second successive season in non-league. The chaos of the Lemsagam era that saw the club drop out of the EFL appears to be well behind them now and manager David Unsworth will feel that the team’s strong finish to this campaign will help lay the foundations for a promotion push next term as the former Premier League club looks to regain their EFL status sooner rather than later.
