Latics have rivals for Ridsdale's services

Last updated : 02 July 2003 By Dave Moore

Peter Ridsdale has some serious decisions to make in the next week or so. It has been revealed that Athletic have rivals for his services as Ridsdale has been offered roles with three other second division clubs. Sean Jarvis is hoping for a quick conclusion and said, “We shared some information and Mr Ridsdale left with plenty to think about. He’s very knowledgeable and we hope to be back in touch very soon.” Ridsdale’s visit included a long discussion with manager Iain Dowie.

In an official update on procedings Jarvis said, “Further meetings have been going on today and now it is a case of waiting for the right phone call to allow us to move forward. As I have said before there are a number of exciting plans in the pipeline that should an investor or consortium get involved will mean a bright future for the club. Plans on the table mean a lot of hard work but give the community of Oldham a real say in how the future of Oldham Athletic Football Club can be run."

"However, the important issue now is that we all pull together and focus our efforts on doing our utmost to ensure we have a future. I have spoken to numerous individuals over the past 10 days about the club's survival and one thing is clear, there is a definite desire for the club to live on. Whilst a lot of the organisations we have spoken to are unable to financially support us, they are offering their assistance in many ways that will build our long term future."

"One example, is the Oldham Chronicle, whilst we understand their editorial integrity, I have today spoken to senior officials at the paper who have worked extremely hard behind the scenes. They have also indicated that they have a clear desire to make sure Latics lives on. Once we have secured the future of the club, I look forward to working closely with the Chronicle, Advertiser, Revolution and other media partners in making sure Latics does not fall into this dangerous situation again."

"Another example of support has been Oldham Council, who have offered considerable advice and are willing to help in realising our plans. The conclusion from these meetings is obvious, we must focus our energies, that includes: staff, supporters, sponsors and anybody else linked to the club at building Oldham Athletic on the right foundations. Let's hope that the next few days start to see some good news at Boundary Park. I would finally urge all supporters to back the Supporters Trust and urge as many people as possible to attend the All Stars survival match on Saturday July 12th.”