OUR extensive spell without a home game — because essential work at Boundary Park at has to be carried out at the height of summer — has a flip side in that seven of our last nine League One games are at home, which is a massive boost in our aim to win the league and thus gain promotion to the Championship automatically.
This year, the winner of the five-club play-off (2 to 6 inclusive) has to take on the team finishing 12th in the Championship for the right to second-tier inclusion next year, so there are very obvious benefits in finishing top of the pile.
For the record, Sean Long’s men are to play five away games on the spin and they won’t be at home again until Hunslet come to town on June 30. However, only Rochdale Hornets and Keighley Cougars spoil the subsequent home run which sees Oldham play Hunslet, North Wales Crusaders, Keighley, Midlands Hurricanes, Newcastle, Cornwall and Workington Town at Boundary Park between June 30 and the end of the regular League One season on September 1.
A reminder that new fans can buy a seven-match ticket for what will hopefully be the “Road to Glory” for a cut-price £115 or £82 for students and over-65s. That’s a bargain by any standards considering what’s on offer in the new Joe Royle stand at BP, the quality of the squad and the facilities available, writes ROGER HALSTEAD.
In the meantime, as Oldham prepare for the long trip to Cornwall, Jay Chapelhow has publicly given the view that our club has a very professional environment.
He told The Boundary Line:
“We are up there with one of the most professional environments I’ve ever been involved with and that’s credit to Jordan Turner and Joe Wardle for bringing in that experience.
“We feel like pro rugby league players, even in League One, and it is scary to think what this club could do in Super League. Sean has given us systems but he doesn’t mind us moving away from them. He wants us to play crowd-pleasing football so you will see us moving the ball around. If you think this is exciting now, this is only the start — honestly.
“We have electric wingers in Mo Agoro and Cian Tyrer and with JT (Turner) in the centre our job is simple — head down, bum up, and get those yards to make everyone else look good.”
