More 'wow' on the menu, please

PRE-MATCH EXPERIENCE . . . diners of all ages at the Oldham Event Centre

ATHLETIC are looking to step up their corporate offer and are calling on local businesses to use their excellent match-day facilities to entertain clients and staff.

Interim chief executive Mark Moisley knows that forging good relationships with business in the borough will go a long way to injecting much-needed revenue into their operation.

On Saturday, against AFC Wimbledon, the match sponsors were MA Kitchens and Hills Panel Products who have been working with Athletic to improve dressing room facilities.

SUPPORTERS

Both Mark Harrington and Shaun Nolan are big supporters of Athletic and they were pleased to be able to reward their hard-working staff with a fun day at the game.

There were also very special match-ball sponsors when the friends and family of Chadderton man Bernie Exton surprised him with a 'One Bernie Exton' day as the long-time Latics fan battles terminal stomach cancer.

Bernie (57) had a great time with a pre-match tour of the ground - it was arranged so that his friends and family could sneak in for the surprise - and presenting the match ball on the pitch.

"Good friends are hard to find," said Bernie at the end of his day.

Packages start from £65 a head, which include an excellent pre-match meal.

The staff in the Oldham Event Centre are attentive, pleasant and very smart. They are a credit to the club and very much enhance the experience.

In the same way that Latics need to step it up in front of goal, maybe the Latics hierarchy could consider putting a bit more 'wow' into the entertainment.

Brief Q&As with a player pre-match and a swift interview with the chosen man of the match post-match are standard, but it would be good to see this supplemented by involving former players - they are always good for a tale - and maybe a joke or two and a bit of banter to lift the mood prior to the action. Memorable days bring repeat visits.

Clearly, getting the fans' bar completed on the second floor will widen the scope for the club to really crank up the volume on the corporate experience.