Latics fans in Penney protest

WE want action . . . Latics director Barry Owen faces the fans

PROTESTING Latics fans took their complaints to the top when club director Barry Owen met with them on Saturday.

But only 25 Oldham Athletic fans gathered outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of a planned march to oust Dave Penney as club manager.

The protest, organised on social networking site Facebook, had promised 143 fans attending, with another 99 as “maybes”.

The march was set to leave from the civic centre at noon and make its way to Boundary Park for the 3pm kick off against Gillingham, a game Latics went on to win 1-0.

In the end, a small group of fans walked to the ground.

Despite the small turnout, disgruntled fans were able to voice their concerns to Mr Owen.
One season ticket holder Luke Butler (15) from Springhead said: “Protesters are marching to Boundary Park to get rid of David Penney.

“We don’t want him. He has been signing and selling the wrong players.”

Another fan said the club should have sacked Penney, as they had done with former manager John Sheridan, and they should do it before the season was out.

Fan Tom Byrnes, from Chapel Road, said it was the club that was at fault, not Mr Penney.

He said: “I think it is a disgrace what they are doing to Mr Penney, he deserves a chance.

“The club should have given him more money.”

Mr Owen, chairman of the supporters’ group Trust Oldham, said fans were entitled to feel the way they did but the survival of the club should be the main focus.

Mr Owen said: “We know how upset people are and the fans are.

“If you feel that strongly about Oldham and the survival of the club, then get behind them.

He added: “Dave Penney is one of the hardest working managers I’ve met.

“There is no suggestion of him being sacked. Oldham will fold if we keep sacking managers.”

Mr Owen admitted the club was languishing in the relegation zone of League One and the football had not been the best ever.

But he remained positive about the future of the club. He said: “I do believe the manager has got the players behind him, I’m strongly of the belief that it will survive.

“Dave has got on with his job, he is a strong manager and has a strong work ethic. We’ve got good owners and board of directors. We’re one of a number of clubs at the bottom, it doesn’t mean we should be panicking.”