Former Leeds United Chairman Peter Ridsdale has expressed a strong interest in backing the takeover of Oldham Athletic. Ridsdale was pipped at the post when an Icelandic consortium took over at Barnsley, a position that he was considering. Ironically it can now be revealed that the consortium, headed by the mystery £100 million tycoon, had looked into buying Athletic. A businesses consortium are contemplating paying the Latics wages to buy valuable breathing space and Ridsdale hopes to back this short-term investment. Athletic are working hard to avoid selling their only assets, the players, and thereby riding the current crisis to come up with a long term plan of survival.
Rumours are around that Fitz Hall may have to leave unless a survival plan is adopted immediately. Cardiff recently offered a derisory £300,000 but Sean Jarvis, currently carrying the flag for Athletic, said, “Ideally we don’t want to lose players, but it’s something being considered in partnership with the manager, Iain Dowie. More meetings are needed before anything can go through, but hopefully the investors will soon have wages money in place.”
Ex-chairman David Brierley has known Peter Ridsdale since the time Athletic and Leeds tried to forge youth level ties and contacted him as he knows that Rdisdale is keen to get involved with a football team again.