Page 56 - Oldham Evening Chronicle - September 2022

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Coming home to roost

Mark Rooney chats to new Latics CEO Darren Royle

IT is hard to imagine a more perfect job from birth in March 1974. At the time his dad Manchester to Chadderton when my dad got Science. There he also combined his studies
fit for Latics’ new CEO Darren Royle, Joe was an established international footballer the Oldham manager’s job. I then settled at with football, playing in the Konica League
combining as it does his love for the town then playing for Manchester City. school at Hulme Grammar prep before going in Wales. He then joined Altrincham, scoring
of Oldham, his football knowledge, a clearly “I can vaguely remember Man City, to the main school.” His first memory of on his debut
relevant set of academic qualifications and his definitely Bristol City,” he explains, “we Oldham was seeing “these strange objects Whilst playing as a semi pro he took a job
work experience over more than two decades. moved around the country and lived in called mills, and all the off licences and chip in the pharmaceutical industry and spent
Clearly, there is no need to ask him when Ormskirk first, then Bristol, Norwich, before shops” some time at Mossley and Ashton United. In
he first got interested in football – effectively moving to Bowden. We moved from South Aside from the academic studies at Hulme, all, he played over 600 games at semi-pro
he also developed his football skills playing level.
for his school and Boundary Park Juniors After the pharmaceuticals industry, he went
from U12s to U16s (where he played the year into football business fulltime, ultimately
above Paul Scholes and Trevor Sinclair.) He becoming a business manager with Prozone,
did his A levels at Hulme and captained the operating globally and was active in setting
school team, something which remains a up operations in several countries including
source of great pride. (He is full of praise Poland, Russia and South Africa. He then
for his favourite teacher, Bernard Counsell, became one of the founders of a sports
who he describes as a “legend” at Hulme). analytics group.
He also played in Oldham Athletic’s youth He also set up a youth academy with the
team, registering an assist at Elland Road to Northern Premier League, because he “saw
secure a draw with Leeds in the FA Youth there was an opportunity for late developers
Cup, and even scored in the replay. coming through semi pro football. We built
While doing his A levels he went that and it got quite big at one stage”
to Rochdale FC. He then became an Fast forward to 2018 and Darren joined
undergraduate at Chester Sports College the board at Wigan Athletic in July 2020,
(part of Liverpool University) to do a BSc becoming chairman five months later.
in Sports Science and Psychology, and while There is no doubt that when Darren
there played for England Students, Great became CEO of Latics in July, the club
Britain, and Chester College, getting the could realistically claim it has one of the
latter to the university cup semi-finals. most accomplished business managers at
Academically he stayed on a further year elite level in the top five tiers of English
to do his MSc in MS, Exercise and Nutrition football.
Must do better

By Simon Smedley “We’re playing against some
experienced and strong players, but we’re
MANAGER John Sheridan has coming unstuck.
demanded his Latics players ‘learn “It’s a learning curve, but we’ve got
quickly’ as they continue to struggle to learn quickly.
in the National League. “We’ve got to be doing a lot, lot
Many Latics fans, particularly after better because it’s been nowhere
the recent club ownership switch, near good enough.
will have been hoping for much- “We’re becoming a soft touch
improved fortunes on the pitch this – we’re showing that in our
season. performances.”
However, despite their traumatic Sheridan felt for the Latics fans
relegation from the EFL last May, who made the 450–mile round trip to
Latics have so far failed to threaten any Woking.
sort of challenge in the lower division this He added: “Apologies for the
time around. performance. Fans travelled all that way on
Ahead of Saturday’s home game against a Tuesday night, and it’s not good enough.
Eastleigh, Latics languished in 16th place “I’m getting sick and tired of the goals
in the table after they were thumped 3-0 by we’re conceding.
Woking in midweek. “I think anyone who watches us just feels
“I pick the players and the team, and like they’re going to score.
once we go out there it’s down to me,” said “We have to show more desire to sprint
Sheridan. and defend better.
“I’m not someone who makes excuses “We have to see danger before it happens,
because of injuries. and every time a ball comes at us we look
“We’ve still got enough players available under pressure.
to go out and get results. “I’m just crying out for the lads to push
“We’ve got a few young lads who have each other a bit more out there on the pitch.
come in on loan, and it is tough, it’s a tough “It’s very, very frustrating for everyone John Sheridan
league to come in and learn the game. involved.”