Oldham Athletic fans openly welcome the threat of administration and points deduction for the new National League season.
The Oldham Times report that former owner Simon Blitz is understood to be considering calling in his debts, something that could put the club in admin and automatically see the club start the campaign on minus points.
Blitz, who co-owns Boundary Park landlords Brass Bank, is owed over £400,000 in overdue rent, however had opted not to pursue the matter while the club was fighting to stay in the EFL.
Administration fear for Latics #oafc https://t.co/zZP1SIMyyr
— Suzanne Geldard (@SuzanneNQNW) April 28, 2022
The America-based businessman has been waiting to see if they could do just that, however they failed with their fate confirmed last week.
Current owner Abdallah Lemsagam surprised many back in January by revealing he was open to offers for the club, the any kind of takeover hasn’t come to fruition.
Oldham Times report that Blitz has lost patience with the current situation as well as the club’s plight, and wants to reclaim what’s owed to him, a second time in two years that he’s taken action, the last time he did so, Oldham avoided administration by settling up.
The club’s latest accounts state that they have debts of around £4million, despite declaring a £108,000 profit on the previous year’s figures.
They have been under a transfer embargo with a six-figure sum of money still needing to be replayed to the EFL for a loan borrowed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Oldham Times understands that there will not be a change to repayment terms, and could see the transfer embargo lifted with the club falling under the jurisdiction of the National League next season, though not confirmed as of yet.
There is also concerns over how going into administration would affect court proceedings in the legal action taken by Lemsagam against Brass Bank with the two quarrelling over rental arrangements and usage of the the stadium and usage.
Oldham fans welcome threat of administration and points deduction for new season
SEE MORE: Surrealness at relegated Oldham with windows boarded stopping fans watching game
Meanwhile, Oldham Athletic’s Supporters Foundation want fans to take over the club from owner Abdallah Lemsagam.
Representative Matt Dean told the Oldham Evening Chronicle that they’re putting together a consortium, which consists of investors and those genuinely interested in the club, to turn around Latics’ fortunes.
They’ve begun upgrading their networks and interest in the club nationally, to increase support for the move.
Matt said: “We currently have a 3% share in the club already and we’re not suggesting we can take over the club alone.
“But we have got several people interested in joining with us, so that we can have different moves going forward and rebuild the club, from the ground up.”
Supporters groups including OASF and Push the Boundary plan to meet on the 12th of May 2022, with the hope of coming together for a proactive discussion on future of the club and what can be done with best interests of stopping the decline.
OASF’s Matt Dean, an Oldham fan since the 1980’s, added: “I’ve seen it all, in the time I’ve been a fan of Latics.
“This weekend marked a new low for me, as a fan. But we can rebuild.
“Where a town has a football club, it’s a good barometer of both of their fortunes, if they’re doing well. Football goes hand in hand with the prospects of the town.
“I think there’s great hope for Oldham, moving forward, if we can reignite some passion in our local club.
“Oldham might have made national and international news, after the weekend’s drop, but I think it creates much needed attention and a spotlight on what some owners are doing in football.
“I think there are better days ahead, but we might have to suffer a bit longer.”
Kieran Maguire (aka The Price of Football) has revealed just how must relegation will cost Oldham.
– Will lose out on nearly £1million a year
“If you’re relegated you get parachute payments for two seasons from the EFL but immediately you lose all of what’s referred to as solidarity payments from the Premier League and they’re worth around about £700,000 a year,” he explained.
“Parachute payments you get £400,000 a year in League Two from EFL deals so I think that gets halved, so you go from about £1.1million to £200,000, and the National League is a really tough league.
“The whole of the National League apart from one club is full time and most of the clubs in National League North a full time.
“You’ve seen clubs like Stockport drop in to National League North as well so there’s no guarantee you’ll even stay there.
“If the culture and things aren’t right at the top of the club you can easily drop through those divisions quite alarmingly.”
In club’s most recent accounts, published last month, Latics made a profit of £108,000 in the last financial year.
It only served to reduce overall losses to over £5.2m, and club’s total liabilities are in excess of £4m.
Could face additional £882,000 due in taxes, although disputed by Lemsagam, who claims this is the responsibility of a previous owner.
He tweeted: “Very sad weekend for all the fans and staff at Oldham Athletic. I’m not saying the people in charge of the club are incompetent & clueless, but they had to publish the 2018 accounts twice, with a £250k difference in cash balance & £4million for profit #OAFC“
Paul Scholes, who used to go to watch games at Boundary Park with his father as a child and briefly managed them in 2019 but left after just seven games due to Lemsagam’s interference with first team matters, spoke about his sadness at seeing the club get relegated.
He told talkSPORT: “It’s a big disappointment. I know I was part of Salford, but that was only a small part of it.
“As an Oldham fan, I went to all those big games as a kid with my dad, my dad was a massive Oldham fan. I’m really disappointed they’ve dropped out of the league.
“They’re hoping to keep (first team boss) John Sheridan for next season, and I’m sure with the right budget… He’s been a fantastic manager for Oldham four or five times now, so hopefully he’s the right man to lead them back to the Football League, and things can improve there.”
As mentioned, Oldham fans welcome the threat of administration and points deduction for the new season…
@rphamer1984: Fear?! This is what we want! It forces Abdallah out & gives us a chance.
@sambucawasevil: Do it leave abdallah with nothing
@mills_thesir: Do it Blitz! DOOO IITTTTTTT
@dancingdickie: Please do it Mr. Blitz, this can be the start of us sorting the whole mess that is Oldham Athletic out #oafc
@John46828064: Bring it on.
@DonkeyDelph: This is the best and quickest way to get rid of AL and to a certain extent make the club more attractive to a buyer although I expect we would start next season with a points deduction.
@markt_john: As much as this is worrying we can’t continue with the present owners I think administration is the only way we are going to get rid of them. I don’t care if we leave boundary park as long as we survive as a club some how somewhere
@leealbi79: Best thing he could do. He owes the fans due to his own failings.
@MaccaTheFourth: Admin or Abdallah. I know what I’d prefer #oafc
@Jordanator83: Blitz doesn’t have the balls to do it. I hope he does. That, and the Tax debt, could see the Lemmies gone if pursued. We need rid asap.
@chaddyender78: As much as administration would hurt us with a points deduction it would give the club and fans such a morale boost in getting rid of these absolute frauds.
@Abdullahsucks: Best news in a long while
@Masonyounge1999: Id take admin so Abdallah goes
@lukeoafc_: brilliant 🤩 #OAFC
@rphamer1984: Get it done! #oafc
Fear? A big yes from me. Blitz has always had the power to facilitate change. Now would seem the perfect time, for him and those that want a brighter future for the Club. It will be challenging, but anything is better than what we have to look forward to at the moment. #oafc https://t.co/WxwQymWSVx
— Neil Joy (@neilsjoy) April 28, 2022
#Justgoaway
The North Stand issue is a smokescreen to justify not paying the rent.
Do it Blitz get rid of the Clowns & the Cling Ons and pave the way for new owners.
We can take a points deduction….having Mo as Sporting Director would effectively be the same thing anyway pic.twitter.com/bHGZfyf1HA— Latics in NZ (@LaticsInNZ) April 28, 2022
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