Keeping it in the family!

You quickly realise when speaking to Latics’ youngest board directors, Luke Rothwell and Su Schofield - the two children of Latics owner Frank Rothwell - that the apple does not fall far from the tree!

Both immediately exude the bonhomie, charisma and charm that their father possesses in such abundance in their roles as saviours of the club and they are so enthusiastic about their roles.

Clearly, through running a successful business at Manchester Cabins, it has been an ideal breeding ground to hone business skills, enormously useful for Latics going forward.

They were born in the 1970s and their formative teenage years were spent watching Latics at the height of their Premier League success

“Being Oldham born and bred and an Oldham family,” says Luke, the older sibling by two years, “and being the age that we were, it coincided with the Joe Royle era.

"You always have an affiliation to your local team.

"The positivity that a local club can give to a town or city is immense, and you must be careful that you do not take that for granted.

"Everybody in Oldham is proud to be from Oldham (though they like to moan as well!).

“Obviously the football club is not in its rightful place for its fan base.

"It is a striking difference in the number of season tickets it sells compared to similar sized towns such as Halifax and Rochdale.

“A unique set of circumstances drew us as a family to the football club.

"I describe the situation we face as the world’s longest combination on a lock, which seems to be getting longer!

"We are a world away from where we were two months ago, though.

"The opportunity is so exciting in every way.

"The elite off field management team is the blend of the personalities and skillsets within our family, and also with Darren and Peter, who are both incredible people.”

They more than anyone are aware how they have saved the club.

“It gives me goose pimples just thinking about that,” adds Su.

“I was a season ticket holder in the 1990s prior to going to university.

"The first time I saw the pitch after that was when we met former club owner Simon Blitz.

"We were given all the facts from Simon and at first, I thought this is going nowhere.

"But we decided as a family to get on with it, consolidate as much as possible and see what we can do to make sure nothing untoward happens for the future generations of the town.

"In the talks it became real and you fluctuate between being excited and apprehensive, so it was an absolute rollercoaster of all emotions.

"And then it finally became real and felt right.

"If the management team we have now cannot do it, then nobody can.”

She continues: “I want children and families of Oldham to drive to Boundary Park not to drive past as so many do.

"I believe in incremental change.

"If each time our supporters come, something has improved a little bit the experience is better.

“And as a woman,” she laughs, “I still can’t believe I’m a director of a football club!”

With that inherited steely determination, they both have complete clarity about the way forward

Luke continues: “When we were losing during the Scunthorpe game, we were second from bottom, but when we drew, we were eight points from the playoffs.

"It is a bizarre league - entertaining but emotional.

“The most important thing is winning football matches and the rest are nice to haves which we will keep chipping away at.

"We are quickly moving into the next phase and utilising the land around the ground is really exciting.

"Everything we do on that ground has to benefit and feed the football side.

"Getting up to League One and banging on the door of the Championship is where we belong – though it seems a long way away at the moment.”

Su reflects: "Come the end of the season we would all love to bounce straight back again, but if we are in the middle of the table and it is consolidated with its ground and the income generated is going into the club, then we are on the right tracks.

"If in two-five years we have a club which is self-sustainable, we are really on the right tracks.”

Luke stresses that the emotional journey is just the same for a supporter or a director.

“As Director, you have to suppress the highs and lows and try not to over react and under react," he added.

"The day of the procession was the most incredible day, an experience we will never have again and such outpouring of goodwill.

“People will see more and more of our actions over time that we are heading in the right direction.

"We are not afraid to take calculated risks before fully committing time, effort and, in Latics’ case, our family silver.

“We are confident we are like any good team with a blend of skills, but the real difference is that, as a family, we have the musketeer spirit - all for one and one for all.

“We want to make Boundary Park the heartbeat of Oldham, and a healthy heartbeat, for the wellness and health of people in Oldham.

"To make it a place to be inspired – for example those who are inspired by the Athleticos, I don’t think anybody who goes into the Rochdale Road end having not been for some time, leaves without anything but a smile of their face.

"And the guy with the drum was one of the clicks on the combination lock – and a huge click at that!”

Finally, Su concludes: “We are loving that Dad is the one making the headlines – he is social media gold!”

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