Special chance, says Frank

DREAM TEAM? Latics legends Andy Ritchie (left) and Frank Bunn are being linked to take the reins at Boundary Park.

FRANK Bunn has thrown his name into the management frame at Athletic.

The legendary former striker told the Chronicle he would be delighted to return to Boundary Park — possibly in a link-up with Andy Ritchie — to try to lift the club out of the doldrums, describing the possibility as “very special”.

Dave Penney was relieved of his duties as Athletic boss, with assistant Martin Gray taking temporary charge for tomorrow afternoon’s Coca-Cola League One home match with Charlton Athletic.

With season tickets to sell for next term, the club’s owners are looking for a change in direction after a depressing season.

And a Ritchie-Bunn ticket — which would recall the fabulous “pinch me” season double-act of 20 years ago — would certainly re-energise the club and its fans.

“There are a lot of things that need sorting out at the club but I will be applying for the job,” Bunn told the Chronicle.

“It is a club close to my heart and I still have a lot of affinity with Oldham Athletic.

“I care a great deal what happens to the club so if the chance to go back came along, it would be very special.”

Bunn (47) lives in Saddleworth and is available for work after leaving Coventry City, where he was first-team coach, earlier this week along with manager Chris Coleman.

His coaching career began at Wigan Athletic and he subsequently joined Manchester City as reserve-team coach in 1998, spending nine years there before moving on to Coventry as first-team coach under Iain Dowie.

Bunn’s work with the youth team under Jim Cassell at Manchester City will certainly be viewed positively by the Athletic hierarchy, who are keen to bring players through the system. He helped develop the likes of Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha and Stephen Ireland, all now household names in the Premier League.

In addition to Bunn and as Ritchie, who has experienced similarly lean times at Athletic when managing the club for three years up to 2001, other names mentioned so far include former Stockport and Peterborough manager Jim Gannon and ex-Shrewsbury boss Paul Simpson.

Club captain Sean Gregan is also a candidate, possibly in the role of an assistant.

The decision to sack Penney was taken following a conference call between the club’s board of directors.

A number of factors are believed to have come into the equation, including potentially poor ticket sales for next term should the ex-Doncaster manager have stayed to see out the second of his two-year deal.

And after returning from a morning trip to undertake a League Manager’s Association fitness test yesterday, Penney was relieved of his duties upon his return to Boundary Park.

The players were informed of the board’s decision after they had finished a training session which was taken by caretaker boss Gray.

In a short statement, the club are now accepting applications for the post and that Gray will be a candidate for this role alongside others of suitable experience.

It added: “The board of directors would like to place on record their sincere appreciation for Dave Penney’s work at Boundary Park.

“The board would like to stress that Dave has been tremendously professional while at Oldham and is a man of great personal integrity.

“On behalf of the entire club the Directors would like to wish him and his wife Karen all the very best and we look forward to facing a team led by him in the future.”