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Oldham Athletic’s hero owner Frank Rothwell showered with praise after promotion back to EFL
Danny Jones
It was a weekend Oldham Athletic fans will always remember as the Greater Manchester club officially climbed out of the National League and back into the EFL, and among the many heroes at Wembley this year, one was showered with more praise than most: Frank Rothwell.
The newly-annointed League Two club owner is the man responsible for saving Oldham from complete collapse just a couple of short years ago; a local businessman who gave them the crucial backing that kept them afloat and who, without whom, Sunday evening may never have happened.
Rothwell went viral before the game with his passionate speech ahead of the all-important playoff tie, but the scenes following the momentous victory for his hometown have proved even more wholesome.
You need only listen to what he had to say after the game to recognise how much it meant not only to him but everyone across the borough.
Credit must obviously go to the players, manager Micky Mellon – who helped steer them this far in what was his sixth promotion – and to Southend United also, who made it a truly thrilling contest and advert for non-league football, not to mention garnering a National League record crowd of 52,115 fans.
Nothing short of incredible support.
In fact, there could have been even more in the stands for both sides were it not for the ticketing and rail maintenance fiasco that meant thousands of fans were simply unable to make it to the match, with each club’s allocation being capped at 21,500 a piece.
As for those who didn’t tune in to watch the thrilling fixture: firstly, more fool you and, secondly, the extra time comeback by the Latics was nothing short of inspiring and you couldn’t help but pray for the camera to pan up to Frank jumping up and down in his seat.
From being handed a big crate of Budweiser by the players to enjoy his first beer since Christmas (again, never one to shy away from a challenge), to take a victory lap around the iconic pitch after the final whistle, it was just as much his day as it was theirs.
It may have been a calm first-half penalty from Joe Garner, an expertly taken equaliser by James Norwood, and Kian Harrat’s fortunately stray ball into the box that got them over the line, but none of them would even be there without Frank Rothwell.
Writing a lengthy post on social media, famed football journalist Henry Winter said: “There’s such a fighting spirit to Oldham Athletic. So close to going out of existence in 21/22. But great fans and good people like Frank Rothwell and Darren Royle refused to let their club die. They fought and survived.
“They were so close to losing the National League play-off, but they fought and recovered and won. Resilience on and off the pitch. You have to feel for Southend United, who’ve also been through the mill in recent years, winding-up threat, transfer embargo, points deduction, prolonged takeover.
“Fighting spirit kept them alive. Amazing tifo at Wembley said it all: never give up. Southend gave everything and contributed fully to an epic playoff.
The quality shown by both sides and the depth of support […] is another reminder of the legitimacy of the campaign to have #3UP from the National League.”
As you can see, he’s not just a club legend already, but he’s even further cemented himself as a local hero throughout the town of Oldham.
He’d already endeared himself to fans, home and away, with various scenes over the past couple of years. Even before rescuing the old Lancashire outfit, he’s raised more than £1.1 million for Alzheimer’s Research and awareness with his epic solo row across the Atlantic.
Basically, he’s done some truly heroic things both within and outside of football, and the 74-year-old’s same indefatigable attitude is the kind of energy that has helped spur them over the past few seasons.
He never gave up his club or his town, and everyone reaped the rewards. Congratulations to the Latics, and we look forward to seeing them back where they belong.
PS — Get yourself an owner like Frank Rothwell.
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Featured Images — Diego Sideburns (via Flickr)/@harryp29311/Oldham Athletic (screenshots via X)
Emily Sergeant -
12th July 2021 
