2014–15 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season

The 2014–15 season is Oldham Athletic's 18th consecutive season in the third division of the English football league system and Lee Johnson's second full season as manager of the club.

Oldham Athletic
2014–15 season
ChairmanSimon Corney
ManagerLee Johnson
(until 25 February)
Dean Holden
(from 17 March)
League One15th
FA CupSecond round
(knocked out by Doncaster Rovers)
League CupFirst round
(knocked out by Middlesbrough)
Johnstone's Paint TrophyQuarter-finals (N)
(knocked out by
Preston North End)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Forte (15)

All:
Forte (15)
Highest home attendance6,344
v. Barnsley
Lowest home attendance3,224
v. Coventry City
Average home league attendance4,349

A strong ten match unbeaten run at the end of the 2013–14 season gave Oldham a platform on which to build for the new season as building work literally continued on the new North Stand.[1]

Six of the first team squad who finished the 2013–14 season left the club after their contracts' expired: Jonathan Grounds, James Wesolowski, Terry Dunfield, Anton Rodgers, Charlie MacDonald and Kirk Millar. The club captain Korey Smith was sold to Bristol City.[2] In Smith's place, Johnson signed midfielders Liam Kelly from Bristol City[2] and Mike Jones from Crawley Town.[3] Joseph Mills, who had spent three months on loan during the 2013–14 season, was signed on a two-year contract.[4] In addition, Johnson brought in defenders Brian Wilson[3] and George Elokobi,[5] midfielder Timothée Dieng[6] and forwards Willy Gros, Amari Morgan-Smith[7] and Jonathan Forte[8] before the first game of the new season.

Squad and coaching staff

First team squad

Includes all players who were awarded a squad number during the season.
*Total appearances and goals as at 30 June 2015
Squad
No.
NameNat.PositionDate of birthSigned fromSigned inTotal
Apps*
Total
Goals*
Notes
Goalkeepers
1Paul Rachubka GK21-05-1981Unattached2013390
13Joel Coleman GK26-09-1995Youth TeamTurned pro 2014110
38Neil Etheridge GK07-02-1990Unattached201410
Defenders
2Connor Brown RB02-10-1991Unattached2012841
3Joseph Mills LB30-10-1989Burnley2014500Signed on 4 June 2014.
5George Elokobi CB/LB31-01-1986Unattached2014273Signed on 8 August 2014.
16James Wilson CB26-02-1989Bristol City2014622
18Adam Lockwood CB26-10-1981Unattached2014312
20Brian Wilson RB09-05-1983Colchester United2014390Signed on 10 June 2014.
21Genseric Kusunga CB/RB12-03-1988Unattached2013463
28Jack Truelove LB27-12-1995Youth TeamTurned pro 201410Loaned out for one month on 7 August 2014.
Defenders
4Timothée Dieng CM09-04-1992Unattached2014260Signed on 14 July 2014.
6Liam Kelly CM10-02-1990Bristol City2014431Signed on 27 June 2014.
7James Dayton LW/RW12-12-1988Kilmarnock2013635
8Mike Jones CM15-08-1987Crawley Town2014497Signed on 10 June 2014.
12David Mellor CM/LM/LB10-07-1993Youth TeamTurned pro 2011621
15Carl Winchester CM/RM/RB12-04-1993Youth TeamTurned pro 2011916
Forwards
10Danny Philliskirk FW/CM10-04-1991Unattached20139618
11Jonathan Forte FW25-07-1986Unattached20143715Signed on 1 August 2014.
14Jonson Clarke-Harris FW20-07-1994Peterborough United2013559
22Willy Gros FW31-03-1992Unattached201420Signed on 21 July 2014.
23Rhys Turner FW22-07-1995Stockport County2014173
27Amari Morgan-Smith FW03-04-1989Unattached2014152Signed on 21 July 2014.
29Jordan Bove FW12-11-1995Youth TeamTurned pro 201471

Management and coaching staff

PositionNameNotes
ManagerLee Johnson
Assistant managerTommy Wright
First team coachPaul Murray
Senior therapistAnthony Naylor
Head of sports medicineJon Guy
Fitness coach/goalkeeping coachAnthony White
Football analystJack Edward
Kit manStephen Cross

Academy staff

PositionNameNotes
Head of youth developmentTony Philliskirk
Head of coachingSimon Cooper
Youth development phase coachPete Wild
Foundation phase coachPhil McGrath
Senior therapistAnthony Gray

Transfers

Players transferred in
DatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.
27 June 2014MF Liam Kelly Bristol CityUndisclosed[9]
1 July 2014DF Joseph Mills BurnleyFree[10]
1 July 2014MF Mike Jones Crawley TownFree[11]
1 July 2014DF Brian Wilson Colchester UnitedFree[12]
14 July 2014MF Timothée Dieng Stade BrestFree[13]
21 July 2014FW William Gros KilmarnockFree[14]
21 July 2014FW Amari Morgan-Smith Kidderminster HarriersFree[15]
1 August 2014FW Jonathan Forte SouthamptonFree[16]
8 August 2014DF George Elokobi Wolverhampton WanderersFree[17]
15 August 2014MF David Noble Rotherham UnitedFree[18]
1 September 2014FW Dominic Poleon Leeds UnitedUndisclosed[19]
2 February 2015FW Rhys Murphy Dagenham & RedbridgeUndisclosed[20]
Players loaned in
Date fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.
1 September 2014MF Michael Tidser Rotherham UnitedJanuary 2015[19]
12 September 2014FW Conor Wilkinson Bolton Wanderers10 October 2014[21]
9 October 2014FW Jabo Ibehre Colchester United10 January 2015[22]
10 November 2014MF Daniel Johnson Aston Villa5 January 2015[23]
27 November 2014FW Tom Youngs Bolton Wanderers5 January 2015[24]
27 November 2014GK Paddy Kenny Bolton Wanderers5 January 2015[25]
22 January 2015MF Jacob Mellis Blackpool30 June 2015[26]
30 January 2015GK Jake Kean Blackburn Rovers30 June 2015[27]
2 February 2015FW Conor Wilkinson Bolton Wanderers30 June 2015[28]
13 March 2015DF Mat Sadler Rotherham United11 April 2015[29]
13 March 2015MF Luke Woodland Bolton Wanderers11 April 2015[30]
19 March 2015DF Anthony Gerrard Huddersfield Town30 June 2015[31]
Players loaned out
Date fromPos.NameToDate toRef.
12 September 2014MF David Noble Exeter City10 October 2014[32]
17 September 2014MF David Mellor Alfreton Town15 October 2014[33]
3 November 2014DF Connor Brown Carlisle United3 January 2015[34][35]
27 November 2014GK Neil Etheridge Charlton Athletic30 December 2014[36]
29 January 2015MF James Dayton St Mirren30 June 2015[37]
Players transferred out
DatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef
27 June 2014MF Korey Smith Bristol CityUndisclosed[38]
17 July 2014MF Anton Rodgers Swindon TownFree[39]
21 August 2014FW William Gros ReleasedFree[40]
1 September 2014FW Jonson Clarke-Harris Rotherham UnitedUndisclosed[41]
5 January 2015GK Neil Etheridge Charlton AthleticFree[42]
2 February 2015GK Paul Rachubka Crewe AlexandraFree[43]

Results and fixtures

League One

9 August 2014 1 Colchester United 2–2 Oldham Athletic Colchester Community Stadium
15:00Magnus Okuonghae 7'
George Moncur 58'
[44]Jonathan Forte 18', 40'Attendance: 4,023
Referee: Dean Whitestone
16 August 2014 2 Oldham Athletic 1–3 Leyton Orient Boundary Park
15:00Jonathan Forte 16'[45]Darius Henderson 20'
Dave Mooney 58'
Kevin Lisbie 81'
Attendance: 3,754
Referee: Darren Bond
19 August 2014 3 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Port Vale Boundary Park
19:45Wilson 64'[46]Pope 8'
O'Connor  45+2'
Daniel  77'
Attendance: 3,592
Referee: Kevin Wright
23 August 2014 4 Preston North End 1–0 Oldham Athletic Deepdale
15:00King 4'
Little  9'
Humphrey  83'
[47]Kelly  11'Attendance: 11,678
Referee: Scott Duncan
6 September 2014 6 Oldham Athletic 1–0 Fleetwood Town Boundary Park
15:00Forte 45+3' ((p))[49]Hogan  35'Attendance: 4,425
Referee: Mark Brown
13 September 2014 7 Oldham Athletic 0–0 Gillingham Boundary Park
15:00ReportAttendance: 3,785
Referee: David Webb
16 September 2014 8 Swindon Town 2–2 Oldham Athletic County Ground
19:45Obika 27'
Williams 80'
ReportDayton 23'
Kelly  50'
Jones  56'
Philliskirk  65'
Morgan-Smith 84'
Attendance: 6,332
Referee: Graham Horwood
20 September 2014 9 Notts County 0–0 Oldham Athletic Meadow Lane
15:00Harrad  78'ReportWilkinson  8'
Mills  80'
Attendance: 5,109
Referee: Brendan Malone
27 September 2014 10 Oldham Athletic 3–2 Scunthorpe United Boundary Park
15:00Forte 29'
Philliskirk 66', 83'
Kusunga  88'
ReportBoyce 26'  61'
Fallon 34'
O'Neill  69'
Williams  77'
Attendance: 3,837
Referee: Richard Clark
4 October 2014 11 Peterborough United 2–2 Oldham Athletic London Road
15:00Bostwick 18'
Maddison 51'
Payne  54'
ReportForte 6'
Wilson  48'
Kelly  51'
Kusunga 66'
Attendance: 5,508
Referee: Chris Sarginson
11 October 2014 12 Oldham Athletic 2–1 Walsall Boundary Park
15:00Wilkinson 31'
Jones 75'
ReportCook 10'  66'
Butler
Attendance: 4,178
Referee: Carl Boyeson
18 October 2014 13 Chesterfield 1–1 Oldham Athletic Proact Stadium
15:00Clucas 57'
Evatt  62'
Gardner  90+2'
ReportWilson  9'
Poleon  33'
Forte 49' (pen.)
Dieng  90+4'
Attendance: 7,130
Referee: Geoff Eltringham
21 October 2014 14 Oldham Athletic 4–1 Coventry City Boundary Park
19:45Philliskirk 9'
Forte 29', 41'
Ibehre 78'
ReportMaddison 35'
Thomas  89'
Attendance: 3,224
Referee: Nigel Miller
25 October 2014 15 Oldham Athletic 2–1 Bradford City Boundary Park
15:00Forte 7'
Jones 24'
ReportHalliday 45+1'
McArdle  76'   90+1'
Sheehan  90+3'
Attendance: 5,832
Referee: David Coote
1 November 2014 16 Bristol City 1–0 Oldham Athletic Ashton Gate
15:00Williams  40'
Agard 57'
Freeman  60'
ReportWilson  66'Attendance: 12,696 (490 visiting supporters)
Referee: Phil Gibbs
15 November 2014 17 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Crawley Town Boundary Park
13:00Johnson 7'BBC ReportKeane  40'
Edwards 42'  76'
Henderson  45+2'
Attendance: 3,924
Referee: Mark Heywood
22 November 2014 18 Sheffield United 1–1 Oldham Athletic Bramall Lane
15:00Doyle  16'
Flynn  54'
Harris  56'
Campbell-Ryce 63'
Scougall  77'
McEveley  90'
ReportForte 16'
Ibehre  33'   87'
Dieng  50'
Kusunga  83'
Attendance: 19,767
Referee: Andy Davies
29 November 2014 19 Rochdale 0–3 Oldham Athletic Spotland
15:00ReportJohnson 24', 80'
Forte 72' (p)
Attendance: 7,269
Referee: Dean Whitestone
13 December 2014 20 Oldham Athletic 0–4 Yeovil Town Boundary Park
15:00ReportArthurworrey 21'
Edwards  22'
Gillett 28'
Hoskins 40'
Ofori-Twumasi  51'
Moore 90+1'
Attendance: 3,706
Referee: Peter Bankes
20 December 2014 21 MK Dons 7–0 Oldham Athletic Stadium mk
15:00Grigg 17', 49'
McFadzean  40'
Bowditch 43'
Spence  45+2'
Potter 51'
Alli 77'
Afobe 84'
Baker 90'
ReportWilson  35'
Kenny  71'
Attendance: 7,998
Referee: Simon Hooper
26 December 2014 22 Oldham Athletic 1–2 Crewe Alexandra Boundary Park
15:00Elokobi 75'ReportRay  56'
Ajose 70', 86'
Attendance: 4,782
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
10 January 2015 23 Oldham Athletic 2–2 Doncaster Rovers Boundary Park
15:00Ibehre 23'
Elokobi 54'
Mills  75'
ReportBennett  24'
Tyson 78'  88'
Keegan  90+3'
Coppinger 90+5'
Attendance: 4,181
Referee: Carl Boyeson
17 January 2015 24 Fleetwood Town 0–2 Oldham Athletic Highbury Stadium
15:00Jordan  63'
Sarcevic  90+1'
ReportWinchester 51'
Jones 64'
Attendance: 4,312
Referee: Mick Russell
24 January 2015 25 Gillingham 3–2 Oldham Athletic Priestfield Stadium
15:00Marquis 7', 14'
Nelson  19'
Dack  45+2' 70'
Hessenthaler  58'
ReportKelly 20'
Morgan-Smith  22'
Poleon 23'
Wilson  45+1'
Brown  90+4'
Attendance: 4,959
Referee: Andy Woolmer
31 January 2015 26 Oldham Athletic 3–0 Notts County Boundary Park
15:00Elokobi 30'
Morgan-Smith 32'
Forte 73'
ReportCarroll  31'
Noble  33'
Attendance: 3,493
Referee: Peter Bankes
3 February 2015 27 Barnsley 1–0 Oldham Athletic Oakwell
19:45Hemmings 12'ReportWilson  35'Attendance: 9,135
Referee: Steve Martin
7 February 2015 28 Scunthorpe United 0–1 Oldham Athletic Glanford Park
15:00ReportWinchester 84'Attendance: 4,125
Referee: Darren Deadman
10 February 2015 29 Oldham Athletic 2–1 Swindon Town Boundary Park
19:45Jones 10'
Wilkinson 11'
Mills  90'
Poleon  90+5'
ReportBranco  7'
Thompson  32'
Luongo  60' 63'
Swift  73'
Stephens  90+5'
Attendance: 3,451
Referee: Scott Duncan
14 February 2015 30 Oldham Athletic 0–1 Colchester United Boundary Park
15:00Elokobi  37'ReportSzmodics 2'
Porter  87'
Attendance: 5,668
Referee: Robert Lewis
21 February 2015 31 Leyton Orient 3–0 Oldham Athletic Brisbane Road
15:00Dossena 3'
Mooney 25' (pen.)
Sawyer  39'
Vincelot  77'
Bartley  82'
Dagnall  90+5'
Simpson 90+5'
ReportBrown  75'Attendance: 4,423
Referee: Darren Sheldrake
28 February 2015 32 Oldham Athletic 0–4 Preston North End SportsDirect.com Park
15:00ReportHuntington 2'  3'
Johnson 32'
Garner 52'
Johnstone  54'
Humphrey  76'
Beckford 82'
Attendance: 5,935
Referee: Mark Haywood
3 March 2015 33 Port Vale 0–1 Oldham Athletic Vale Park
19:45Inniss  29'
Veseli  90'
ReportJones 42'Attendance: 4,423
Referee: David Webb
7 March 2015 34 Yeovil Town 2–1 Oldham Athletic Huish Park
15:00Foley  43'
Grant 55'
Sheehan  63'
Webster  89'
Hayter 90'
ReportWinchester 44'  77'
Wilson  63'   79'
Kelly  70'
Attendance: 3,917
Referee: Lee Collins
14 March 2015 35 Oldham Athletic 1–3 Barnsley SportsDirect.com Park
15:00Lockwood  7'   90'
Brown  35'
Jones 42'
Woodland  45'
Wilkinson  90'
ReportNyatanga 33', 70'
Hourihane 39'
Pearson  74'
Ibehre  88'
Attendance: 6,344
Referee: Mark Heywood
17 March 2015 36 Oldham Athletic 1–3 Milton Keynes Dons SportsDirect.com Park
19:45Turner 80'ReportBowditch 25'
Powell 37'
Reeves 65'
Attendance: 2,445
Referee: Eddie Ilderton
21 March 2015 37 Crewe Alexandra 0–1 Oldham Athletic Gresty Road
15:00ReportBrown  38'
Wilkinson 74'
Attendance: 4,669
Referee: Patrick Miller
24 March 2015 38 Oldham Athletic 3–0 Rochdale SportsDirect.com Park
19:45Turner 30' 61'
Forte 58'
Brown  59'
ReportAttendance: 5,322
Referee: Darren Bond
28 March 2015 39 Bradford City 2–0 Oldham Athletic Valley Parade
15:00Liddle  27'
Clarke  61' 71' 90'
ReportBrown  45'Attendance: 14,010
Referee: Mike Russell
3 April 2015 40 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Bristol City Boundary Park
15:00Winchester 75'ReportSmith  9'
Wilbraham 71'
Attendance: 4,577
Referee: Seb Stockbridge
6 April 2015 41 Crawley Town 2–0 Oldham Athletic Broadfield Stadium
15:00McLeod 15'
Wood 33'
Oyebanjo  43'
ReportSadler  33'Attendance: 2,520
Referee: Oliver Langford
11 April 2015 42 Oldham Athletic 2–2 Sheffield United Boundary Park
15:00Poleon 22' 43'
Mills  39'
ReportReed  33'
Holt  45' 56'
Murphy 73'
Attendance: 5,072
Referee: Richard Clark
14 April 2015 43 Coventry City 1–1 Oldham Athletic Ricoh Arena
19:45Pennington  41'
Johnson 90'
ReportPhilliskirk 13'
Murphy  81'
Kelly  85'
Jones  88'
Morgan-Smith  90'
Attendance: 7,256
Referee: Andy Madley
18 April 2015 44 Oldham Athletic 0–0 Chesterfield Boundary Park
15:00Dieng  90'ReportEvatt  77'Attendance: 4,557
Referee: Graham Horwood
25 April 2015 45 Walsall 2–0 Oldham Athletic Bescot Stadium
19:45Bradshaw 18' 24'ReportAttendance: 4,699
Referee: Darren Sheldrake
3 May 2015 46 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Peterborough United Boundary Park
12:15Poleon 9'  89'ReportEdwards  67'
Bostwick 76'  90'
Attendance: 3,943
Referee: Gary Sutton

FA Cup

The draw for the first round of the FA Cup was made on 27 October 2014.[50]

8 November 2014 First round Oldham Athletic 1–0 Leyton Orient Boundary Park, Oldham
15:00Jones 38'
Philliskirk  45+1'
Kelly  48'
Wilson  72'
ReportBatt  35'
Baudry  42'
Attendance: 3,034
Referee: Seb Stockbridge
6 December 2014 Second Round Oldham Athletic 0–1 Doncaster Rovers Boundary Park, Oldham
15:00Forte  84'ReportCoppinger  53'
Wabara  81'
Kusunga 86' (o.g.)
Attendance: 3,242
Referee: Lee Collins

League Cup

The draw for the first round was made on 17 June 2014 at 10am. Oldham were drawn at home versus Middlesbrough.[51]

12 August 2014 Round One Oldham Athletic 0–3 Middlesbrough Boundary Park, Oldham
19:45ReportWilliams 29'
Leadbitter 48'
Kike 59'
Attendance: 4,311
Referee: James Adcock

Football League Trophy

2 September 2014 Round One Oldham Athletic 1–0 Bradford City Boundary Park, Oldham
19:30Bove 88'ReportAttendance: 2,535
Referee: Scott Mathieson
7 October 2014 Round Two Oldham Athletic 2–2
(4–2 p)
Barnsley Boundary Park, Oldham
19:45Poleon 22'
Philliskirk 44'
ReportBerry 53'
Winnall 90'
Attendance: 2,502
Referee: Gary Sutton
Penalties
25 November 2014 Round Three Oldham Athletic 2–2
(9–10 p)
Preston North End Boundary Park, Oldham
19:45Poleon 46'
Philliskirk 59'
Dieng  79'
ReportLaird 32'
Clarke  68' 80'
Attendance: 3,056
Referee: Tony Harrington
Penalties

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
13Doncaster Rovers461613175862−461
14Walsall461417155054−459
15Oldham Athletic461415175467−1357
16Scunthorpe United461414186275−1356
17Coventry City461316174960−1155
Updated to match(es) played on 3 May 2015. Source: BBC Sport
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored

Squad statistics

Source:
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with squad numbers struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Oldham.
Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.
No.PositionNationalityNameAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
LeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalDiscipline
1Goalkeeper  EnglandPaul Rachubka22010102026000
2Defender  EnglandConnor Brown22 (2)0000 (1)00 (1)022 (4)000
3Defender  EnglandJoseph Mills28 (2)000102 (1)034 (2)031
4Midfielder  FranceTimothée Dieng15 (7)000102 (1)018 (8)040
5Defender  CameroonGeorge Elokobi20 (4)310101023 (4)310
6Midfielder  ScotlandLiam Kelly37120101 (2)041 (2)160
7Midfielder  EnglandJames Dayton5 (12)10 (1)00 (1)0308 (14)100
8Midfielder  EnglandMike Jones45611003049730
9Forward  EnglandDominic Poleon21 (14)410002224 (15)640
10Forward  EnglandDanny Philliskirk37 (6)420103243 (6)630
11Forward  BarbadosJonathan Forte32 (2)1520000 (1)034 (3)1520
12Midfielder  EnglandDavid Mellor1 (1)00010002 (1)000
13Goalkeeper  EnglandJoel Coleman10 (1)010 (1)0000010 (1)000
14Forward  EnglandJonson Clarke-Harris510010006100
14Forward  IrelandConor Wilkinson *3 (2)00000003 (2)010
15Midfielder  Northern IrelandCarl Winchester110000 (1)01012 (1)000
16Defender  WalesJames Wilson11100101013120
17Midfielder  ScotlandMichael Tidser *000000000000
19Midfielder  EnglandDavid Noble0 (2)00000000 (2)000
20Defender  EnglandBrian Wilson9000101011000
21Defender  AngolaGenséric Kusunga2 (1)10000002 (1)110
22Forward  FranceWilliam Gros0 (1)00010001 (1)000
23Forward  EnglandRhys Turner0 (1)00000000 (1)000
27Forward  EnglandAmari Morgan-Smith0 (7)10000101 (7)100
29Forward  EnglandJordan Bove0000000 (1)10 (1)100
Players not included in matchday squads
No.PositionNationalityName
18Defender  EnglandAdam Lockwood
28Defender  EnglandJack Truelove

References