Abdallah Lemsagam: Oldham Athletic owner willing to sell League Two strugglers

Oldham Athletic owner Abdallah Lemsagam says he is willing to sell the club and is speaking to "credible bidders" for the struggling League Two side.

Lemsagam, a former football agent, purchased the club in January 2018, with the Latics relegated from League One that season.

Managerless Oldham are four points adrift at the bottom of League Two.

"I can see that my ownership has caused unrest within the club and the fans," Lemsagam said in a statement.

"I want the best for the club and I think the best for the club is that it is now passed on to new owners. My team is speaking to certain credible bidders and I am happy to speak to others."

Lemsagam's arrival at the club came during a season where Oldham struggled on the pitch, as their 21-year spell in English football's third tier ended when they were relegated to League Two.

Under his tenure there have been accusations of late payment of salaries and threats of player strikes - as well as the prospect of administration, which was eventually avoided.

In their three-and-a-half seasons in the fourth tier, the club have had nine changes in head coach, including former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes' 31-day stint in charge.

Bottom of the EFL and without a manager since parting company with Keith Curle in November, Oldham also face becoming the first club to have played in the Premier League to be relegated to the National League.

Fan protests against Lemsagam's ownership have ramped up this season as tensions grew between the two parties, however in September the Moroccan claimed he had not received any offers for the club and "did not want to sell".

Since then, the club's position in the league and relationship with the fanbase has deteriorated, with the Latics going on to ban three fans for three years in December for "promoting their dislike" of the club.

The ban was rescinded two days later by the club, who have won just six of their 34 games in all competitions this season.

Lemsagam ended his statement by asking "every section of the fanbase [to get] behind the team, whatever you think about me, it is in everyone's interests that our great club wins this battle."

BBC Radio Manchester's Mike Minay

After months of pressure, this is the clearest owner Abdallah Lemsagam has been about the future of the club.

For a proportion of the fanbase this will come as welcome news. This season alone we've seen tennis balls launched onto the field of play, pitch invasions and marches outside the ground from supporters asking the owner to sell up.

Although Lemsagam would claim there have been successes under his tenure - in his statement he highlights investing money and "trying to clean the club of all its historic issues" - the results on the pitch only point in one direction. Downwards.

Relegation from League One came in 2018 and now, in another season in the fourth tier, they are battling for their very existence in the English Football League.

Lemsagam's short and medium term goals need marrying. The club will be a much more attractive option to buy if they remain in the EFL.