Making a mark at the top level

Earl Barrett in 1991

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We’ve been profiling the top 25 players to have worn the Latics shirt since Athletic reached the League Cup final 25 years ago.

Here’s the final three - but see below for a chance to vote on YOUR favourite of the last quarter century


RICHARD JOBSON

Watford boss Graham Taylor knew he had made a mistake in letting Richard Jobson go to Hull for £40,000 - he admitted afterwards he should have had a clause in the contract giving his side a share of any later transfer fee.

Over 200 league appearances later, Jobson arrived at Boundary Park for a then club-record fee of £460,000 - and more than lived up to his big-money price tag, helping Athletic to win the second division title in his first season, as well as two England B caps, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals and being named in Taylor’s England squad.

Taylor had originally plucked Hull-born Jobson from non-league obscurity at Burton Albion, whlie working towards a civil engineering degree. He gave up his studies for a £15,000 move to Vicarage Road.

“I started last season at Hull and was expecting another year struggling,” Jobson said in October 1991.

“I came to Oldham, we won the Second Division title and I am now playing in the top flight. It shows how things can change in football.”

His performances led to rumours of a £2million bid from Liverpool, then struggling under Graeme Souness, and in April 1994, Jobson’s starring role in FA Cup semi-final against Manchester Unietd at Wembley brought a recall to the full England squad. He was named in a 24-strong training squad ahead of a friendly against Germany.

Plagued by injuries in 1994-95, he eventually joined Leeds United in an £800,000 deal after Athletic were relegated. After playing until he was 40, he later became chairman of the PFA.


STEVE REDMOND


THE biggest transfer deal in Athletic’s history led to Steve Redmond joining the club 13 years ago this week.

The Manchester City centre-back arrived from Maine Road alongside team-mate Neil Pointon in a £1.2 million swoop - with Rick Holden going in the other direction.

“It was obvious I was never wanted at Maine Road,” Redmond said following his Athletic transfer.

“The manager never spoke to me about it, he just left me out of the team.”

Liverpool-born Redmond had been part of City’s famous side of youngsters who won the 1986 FA Youth Cup. He made his Maine Road debut as an 18 year old and became the club’s youngest captain at 20, playing in every match for three seasons until 1990, when he fell out of favour.

Redmond was an integral part of the team at Athletic, making 239 appearances and scoring four goals in a six-year stay that was a sucess story. Redmond played his part in the side that reached the 1994 FA Cup semi-finals – though he missed the original clash with Manchester United at Wembley


EARL BARRETT


Born in Rochdale, the smooth, speedy defender started out at Manchester City before Royle pinched him for £35,000 after one first-team appearance under Mel Machin at Maine Road.

Versatile and able to fill in at right-back when needed, Barrett went on to play over 200 games for Athletic in the glory years. He was ever-present in the brilliant 1989-90 season, his part in which was

recognised by a selection after that campaign in England’s under-21s for the summer Toulon tournament.

A man for the big occasion, Barrett was outstanding in the Littlewoods Cup final, scored in an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United, and at Liverpool notched Athletic’s first goal back in the top flight after a 68-year absence.

He was capped once for England with Athletic, three times altogether, and was reluctantly sold for a club record £1.7 million to Aston Villa in 1992. Royle blamed the sale on the need to sell to convert Boundary Park to an all-seater stadium.

Barrett also enjoyed spells with Everton and Sheffield Wednesday - the club he was with, aged 33, when a long-standing knee injury led to his retirement. Barrett currently works with Stoke City’s under-14s side.



THE candidates have now all been named, and it’s over to YOU.

We want readers to select their favourite, taking the League Cup final at Wembley as a starting point. You aren’t restricted to the list below.

Players who haven’t featured as nominees include Neal Eardley, Fitz Hall, Chris Armstrong, Paul Warhurst, Lee Duxbury, Tony Carss, Mark Allott and Chris Porter. There are plenty of very strong candidates.

Email sport@oldham-chronicle.co.uk with your choice, using the subject line “25 from 25”, by August 12. We’ll reveal the winner in the following day’s Park Life section.

Happy voting!


OUR 25:

Jose Baxter, Rick Holden, Sean Gregan, Ian Marshall, Neil Redfearn, John Sheridan, Nick Henry, Mike Milligan, Chris Taylor, David Eyres, Lee Richardson, Richie Wellens, Carl Winchester, Gunnar Halle, Kieran Lee, Gary Kelly, Paul Gerrard, Andy Liddell, Neil Adams, Paul Bernard, Andy Ritchie, Roger Palmer, Steve Redmond, Earl Barrett, Richard Jobson.

Is your favourite on our list?