Latest news with #FrankRothwell
ITV News
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Oldham Athletic fans celebrate historic return to the Football League with homecoming party
Thousands of supporters poured into Boundary Park on Monday night to celebrate the club's dramatic return to the English Football League. Music, fireworks, a trophy parade, and plenty of emotion filled the air as the Latics marked the end of a long and difficult chapter in their history. Just 24 hours earlier, Oldham pulled off a stunning 3-2 win over Southend United at Wembley in the National League play-off final. They came from behind twice, equalising with a second-half penalty before clinching the win with two late goals in extra time. It was their first promotion in 34 years, and it sent more than 21,000 travelling fans into complete euphoria. For many, the Wembley trip was a throwback to 1994, the last time Oldham played at the national stadium in an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United. But this win meant even more, a return to League Two after three years out of the EFL, and a full-circle moment after what fans have called "three dark decades" of decline. Monday's celebrations began with a civic reception at the town hall, before everyone made their way to Boundary Park. The stadium was packed, with a big screen in the Joe Royle Stand making sure no one missed out. Players, coaches, and club officials joined supporters on the pitch for speeches, cheers, and an emotional trophy lift. After falling out of the Football League in 2022, the first Premier League side to do so, many feared Oldham might never return. But under new owner Frank Rothwell, who took over that same year, the club has been rebuilt from the ground up. As fireworks lit up the night sky, it wasn't just about promotion. It was about pride, resilience, and a belief that Oldham Athletic is back where it belongs.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Oldham to 'start again' ahead of League Two return
Oldham chairman Frank Rothwell has said the club "have to start again" after their dramatic promotion back into the English Football Latics were facing another season in the National League when they trailed Sunday's promotion final at Wembley in extra-time against goals in two extra-time minutes from substitutes James Norwood and Kian Harratt, however, snatched an incredible 3-2 club had a celebratory event at Boundary Park on Monday evening and Rothwell said the hard work will start told BBC Radio Manchester: "In extra time we had to come back again and score twice and my faith was wavering at that point."I was thinking about doing another whole year to get promoted but we scored and I couldn't believe it. It looked like penalties which are the flip of a coin and then we scored again."It was unbelievable, it was only three minutes before that my son was looking very dejected. All of our plans for the future revolved around us going up and it was slipping away."We have to start again now." Oldham were relegated from League Two in 2022 after a tumultuous spell under the ownership of Abdallah took charge later that summer and said the club have learned from their mistakes in the said: "We are gong to build around the players who are under contract. The previous owners interfered too much with team selection, they did all the buying and selling of players."We have no input into the manager's strategy. I am sure Micky Mellon has people in mind for next season and is pondering his next move."
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Wrexham owner shows his class after rival's 'never heard of them' jibe to Ryan Reynolds and co
Wrexham owner shows his class after rival's 'never heard of them' jibe to Ryan Reynolds and co Oldham owner Frank Rothwell has taken a few digs at Wrexham's co-owners, but Rob McElhenney showed his true colours by congratulating him on his team's promotion to the EFL Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney (left) has congratulated Oldham on their promotion (Image: PA Wire/PA Images ) Rob McElhenney has shown his class by congratulating a football club chairman who once claimed he'd never heard of Wrexham's co-owners. Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell aimed a dig at It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator McElhenney and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds ahead of an FA Cup game between the Latics and Wrexham in 2022. Rothwell spoke dismissively of the two actors during an interview with ITV, saying he was unaware of them and hadn't seen their films or TV shows. He also cast doubt over how long they would stay interested in running the Red Dragons. "I don't know who the hell they are," said Rothwell. "I know they're film stars and all the girls go 'woo' but I've never seen anything they've been in. "These lads have bought a football club for as cheap as they possibly could do so they could tell their friends in Hollywood that they own a club. When they decide they've had enough of this and sell to another investor, it (Wrexham AFC) will disappear. That won't happen to Oldham." Wrexham had the last laugh after beating Oldham 3-0 in the cup clash and securing promotion from the National League later that season. However, McElhenney and Reynolds appeared to take Rothwell's insults in good humour, later responding with a video charting his life. They said: "Born in England in 1950, he grew up to be a 72-year man with a hat and glasses. He founded Manchester Cabins in 1979, he's also the oldest man to row across the Atlantic Ocean. He's got a nice smile. Very nice. Gentle. And he likes to shake hands, looks firm." Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell, pictured celebrating promotion to the EFL, previously took a dig at Wrexham's co-chairmen (Image: PA ) Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. They later donated £1,600 as Rothwell raised funds for Alzheimer's Research UK by rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 2024. Speaking shortly after completing the challenge, the Oldham owner said: "This is what I'd like to say to Ryan and Rob. Thank you so much for donating. You have given what I've done credibility." McElhenney jokingly referenced the original exchange again on Sunday after Oldham sealed promotion from non-league's top tier. The Latics beat Southend 3-2 in the National League play-off final after coming back from 2-1 down to win in extra time. Sending his well wishes to Rothwell and Oldham on social media after the final whistle, McElhenney said: "Congrats @OfficialOAFC and especially to you Frank. So well deserved!!!!! Love, some guy you've never heard of ;)" Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here The tongue in cheek nod to Rothwell's comments was well received by Latics fans on X. John Benson said: "Amazing. Love how from that first interaction it was all in jest, no arrogance and from then was nothing but love and comedy and that @VancityReynolds and yourself clearly 'get' what supporting/following football is about." Article continues below Chris Wall posted: "Class act Rob, great that everyone sees Frank's part in all this." Another said: "Thanks Rob, that's a nice touch, we are over the moon." Someone else added: "Absolute class and bants in equal measures." Oldham will now play in League Two next season, while Wrexham are preparing for life in the Championship after finish second in League One this term. It will be the first time the Red Dragons have featured in the second tier since 1982.
The Guardian
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Oldham Athletic march to playoff final on Royle road back from oblivion
Darren Royle was at Wembley when Mark Hughes broke Oldham Athletic hearts in 1994, scoring a 120th-minute equaliser in an FA Cup semi-final. That day Royle's legendary father, Joe, was in the dugout with the club at their peak in the Premier League but within weeks they had their Cup dreams dashed in the replay and were relegated. That started a first steady and recently drastic decline for the club but 31 years later they are back at Wembley, where on Sunday they face Southend, another club that have come back from the brink, with a return to the Football League at stake and Royle watching on as the club's chief executive. The past three decades have seen Oldham drop down the divisions, culminating in relegation to non-league in 2022, against a backdrop of financial problems and protests against the then owner, the deeply unpopular Abdallah Lemsagam. Coffins were carried outside Boundary Park to mark the death of the club, tennis balls were thrown on to the pitch and invasions stopped matches. Many feared the club would cease to exist. Heading to the National League felt like oblivion, but in stepped Royle Jr and the local businessman Frank Rothwell, who bought Oldham and Boundary Park in separate deals and plotted a course back. 'It's mad, isn't it?' says Royle. 'We're in the fifth division and in '94 we were playing Man United at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final. It's hard to say what's the most important day in the club's history. This does feel like that because getting into the EFL, it's an exclusive club of 72.' Royle Sr's reign began in 1982 – and Darren's association has lasted equally long – and he was at the helm when they were founding members of the Premier League. The recent rises up the pyramid of Stockport and Wrexham gives hope that momentum and careful investment can continue the upward trajectory. Most importantly, the town has a team it can again be proud of and will be in existence regardless of the result at Wembley. 'The club means a massive amount to us, which probably spurred me on when it was in trouble,' Royle says. 'Its culture, spirit and infrastructure were broken. There was a desperation by everybody to try and change things and change the direction of travel and us coming in and Frank being such a great guy, he's the local business ambassador, a successful self-made businessman, we were really well received. I think what everybody wants, ourselves included, is success as quickly as possible. Sometimes disappointment does turn into frustration but on the whole, we were really welcomed and it was a celebration as much as a relief.' When Royle and Rothwell arrived they struggled to find a replacement for the manager, John Sheridan, who decided to depart early in their first season in charge. Few were interested in the manager's role at a club that had seemed to be spiralling. David Unsworth steadied the ship and Micky Mellon has taken it forward over the past 19 months. There is a wider picture beyond Sunday, as plans are in place for the Sportstown development around Boundary Park that will mean a sport campus, 3G pitch and netball stadium constructed as part of a £70m investment. 'It's very important to point out it's Oldham, not Oldham Athletic,' Royle says. 'We're bigger than a club. We've got an effect and an impact on the local community and you can see that now with the sense of civic pride with Oldham Athletic reaching Wembley. We're aware of our responsibility, but it's a wonderful opportunity and tool to change the direction of travel for the town as well.' After finishing 12th and 10th in the past two seasons, Oldham finished fifth this year, before brushing aside Halifax and York, the latter who finished second with 96 points, by a combined score of 7-0 in the playoffs. There is plenty of Football League experience within the squad, led by the captain, Charlie Raglan, and confidence is high. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion One upset for Oldham is the limit on tickets available at Wembley, capped originally at 17,500 for each club because engineering works are closing Wembley Park underground station. Demand has been severely underestimated, as no one involved in the discussions of attendance has understood Southend and Oldham have the two biggest fanbases and average attendances in the division, leaving the Latics hierarchy deeply frustrated. Eventually the authorities, after much lobbying, relented slightly, increasing the availability by 4,000 per club. 'If you're out and about, in shops and stuff, people are buzzing, there's smiles on faces, there's excitement. And it's nearly 20 years since we were in the playoffs. And it's 30 years since we were at Wembley, so that's how long people have had to put up with stuff. You could say there's clubs with other sets of supporters that haven't had anything for similar periods of time. 'I think in terms of underachievement rankings, we head that up from where we were to where we are now after three years of progress and rebuilding. It's like the analogy is a big ship, you turn the wheel and eventually it starts turning. It's not something that's instant.' The Royles will, health dependent, be sat together at Wembley. What does Dad think of his son and the Rothwells bringing Oldham back from the brink? 'Very proud,' Royle Jr responds. 'The thought of his legacy [being lost] … the club could be liquidated was the worst case scenario, and it was close to that, very close. 'I'm absolutely delighted for the Rothwell family. They're a wonderful, close-knit family who really care about the football club and the community, which is such a huge thing to get owners like that. So to be there in the first place is amazing. It's going to be a really tough game. If we get the victory, it will be a very emotional time for the family.' Royle means his own but it feels like Oldham is a united family once more, too.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Oldham ready to 'finish job at Wembley'
Oldham Athletic will head to the National League promotion final at Wembley ready to "finish the job", boss Micky Mellon has Latics finished in fifth place during the regular season and set up Tuesday's play-off semi-final against third-placed York City by beating Halifax 4-0 in the qualifying round earlier this stunned their hosts 3-0 to reach the final on 1 June, despite finishing 23 points behind the Minstermen this term."What I will say, and I mean this, every single player that I went to said to me 'let's go to Wembley and finish the job'," Mellon told the club website., external"We'll go there and play very well and try to seal the deal." Goals from Joe Garner, Vimal Yoganathan and Joe Pritchard wrapped up an emphatic win for Mellon's side at will face the winner of Wednesday's second semi-final between Forest Green and Southend is the first time in 35 years that Oldham Athletic have reached a Wembley final and Mellon paid tribute to owner Frank Rothwell and his family, as well as chief executive Darren Royle and his family."I'm so pleased for the family that we can take them to Wembley, they've done so much for the football club," Mellon added."We'll give them that now but we'll be going there to try to get Oldham back into the Football League."We know whoever we play against will be a difficult game but we'll be ready to go."
