Rodney on the wing in UAE dash

RODNEY DEGNAN... hoping to be at Boundary Park for cup tie.

LATICS fan Rodney Degnan is hoping to make a 3,500-mile trip from the United Arab Emirates to watch Oldham Athletic’s fifth-round FA Cup clash against Everton.

He is one of an army of fans around the world planning how to get home for the match following the side’s giant-killing exploits against Liverpool last month

Others will be trying to find a pub or club where they can watch the game as far afield as New Zealand and Canada.

Rodney, a former Blue Coat head boy, leads a team of 70 retired British senior police officers currently hired to remodel all aspects of the police force in Abu Dhabi.

The former Latics season-ticket holder was senior police officer on Merseyside. He travelled extensively and worked with the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Vancouver City Police and forces across Europe.

Rodney (63), who sold programmes at Boundary Park as a youngster, recalls: “You had to be there early and you didn’t get much money for it!

“When I watched the match the other day it just took me back to when we went to Wembley.

“I think Latics have a real opportunity against Everton if they stick to their strengths and the players are confident. The self-confidence is there if you can beat a top side like Liverpool.”

He hopes to get time off for the Everton match and added: “If not, I will watch it at the former British Club in Abu Dhabi.



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E-mail news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk as we track the spread of Latics Cup fever in the Chronicle