A reminder that the Law Cup build-up starts tonight (Tuesday) with the appearance of Mike Ford and the famous trophy at the town-centre Fox and Pine around 7pm and thereafter.
Oldham’s next match against our derby rivals on Sunday, January 21 (3pm) may, technically, count for little in terms of the season ahead, but this Crown Oil Arena clash is like any derby – the stakes are high, bragging rights are up for grabs and there’s a lot of pride in the balance in this particular derby given the special circumstances.
“There’s silverware at stake too,”
said head coach Sean Long, who is keen to see his League One favourites improve on their performance at Keighley on Boxing Day, where they won 46-10, and go swimmingly into their 1895 Cup group game against Halifax at Boundary Park on January 28 on the back of two games and two wins.
Big-spending Oldham will be fancied to win, but derbies are never predictable and especially in this one with several Hornets players still smarting at not being offered contracts for 2024.
Oldham must also be aware that Hornets are themselves claiming to be on the crest of a wave.
They had a full page in last Saturday’s Rochdale Observer under the headline: “Hornets want more fans to back big-game ambitions. , The story revealed that they are targeting an average home crowd of more than 1,000 in the coming season.
They said in a statement:
“With solid on-field recruitment and much good work in the community the club and its Foundation are making strides with the aim to be as innovative as possible while attempting to improve the match-day experience for supporters.”
Oldham know that with Jordan Andrade, Martyn Ridyard, Gregg McNally and Deane Meadows in their ranks, among others, Hornets will be no pushovers.
And they are keen to turn Oldham’s big-name ambitions to their own advantage in he knowledge that, in many ways, the Law Cup clash will be viewed as Oldham Old Boys v Oldham and will be seen as a fore-runner to the group game at Boundary Park in the 1895 Cup and the two league games in League One.
That’s four derby clashes at least in the coming season – and with that in mind, No 1 will always be the one that sets the pattern.
Said Hornets chairman Andy Mazey:
“Our big-spending neighbours are coming to town as League One favourites, having already gone public with their aim to go undefeated in League One in 2024. They’ve invested heavily on a top-end Championship budget. Our supporters can be assured, however, that Gary (head coach Gary Thornton) and the group are looking forward to embracing the challenge,”
Its £10 across the board for all adults and FREE for under-16s — a snip at those prices and an opportunity for all those Oldham fans who didn’t go to Keighley to make the short trip to Rochdale to get a taster for the season.
