[themaclad]

Oldham Athletic could be sold within the next month, after the owners of the club and its Boundary Park home agreed to compromise to enable a sale.

The club says an as yet unnamed local business has agreed to buy the club from Abdallah Lemsagam, and Boundary Park from Brass Bank Limited.

The identity of the buyer will be made public once the deal is complete.

The Latics, relegated from League Two last term, say a completed takeover is targeted in "less than four weeks".

How Oldham Athletic stumbled their way to relegation to the National League
Lemsagam has been the subject of protests at the beleaguered club during his four-and-a-half-year ownership, but pledged to sell the Latics in a statement in January.

An ongoing dispute over the ownership of their Boundary Park home, as well as concerns over the safety of their North Stand, has also overshadowed on-field matters at the club.

Former owner Simon Blitz, who owns Brass Bank Limited, and Lemsagam have agreed "significant compromises", although the club do not state what these compromises are.

Oldham say that the buyer is "not a consortium but a long-standing successful local business".

"This announcement is aimed to reduce speculation and provide long-term certainty which will help [manager] John Sheridan continue to build a competitive squad," they added.

'A big compromise that will benefit the club' - analysis
BBC Radio Manchester's Mike Minay

For the past four years under Abdallah Lemsagam, Oldham Athletic have performed badly on the pitch but always with a background of off-field issues.

The biggest part of that has been a wrangling over the newest stand, the Joe Royle Stand, between its landlords and the club owner.

Both have wanted to sell their investments, but at individual prices. This new deal, combining both, shows a big compromise and one that will benefit the club long term.

The news of the club sale will please a large portion of the fanbase who have protested against Lemsagam, for most of last season - feeling that his interest in the club has lessened, the off-field issues the club has faced and his recruitment of both players and managers has been poor.

[themaclad]

Businessman Frank Rothwell has completed a takeover of Oldham Athletic, buying the financially-challenged club from Abdallah Lemsagam.

The deal ends Lemsagam's tumultuous four-and-a-half-year stint as owner.

A club statement also said they are at an advanced stage to buy their Boundary Park home from former owner Simon Blitz over the next week.

"[This] ensures the club can approach the season and beyond with a genuine sense of anticipation," it said.

Rothwell, owner of Oldham-based company Manchester Cabins, has also passed the necessary owners and directors test.

The takeover comes after the club said in June that it expected a deal to take place within four weeks and ahead of the National League season beginning.

That announcement also stated that former owner Blitz, who owns Brass Bank Limited, and Lemsagam agreed "significant compromises".

An ongoing dispute over the ownership of their Boundary Park home, as well as concerns over the safety of their North Stand, has overshadowed on-field matters at the club.

Last season, the Latics became the first former Premier League club to drop out of the English Football League after they were relegated.

"My family have been looking for something to invest in for quite a while," Rothwell told BBC Radio Manchester.

"To get a consortium together and sell the idea to them became too big of a job. It was much simpler for us to buy it and later on bring a consortium in when things are steady.

"We've bought it debt free. We have confidentiality agreements so that's as much as I can say. It's a new era, a new chance and a new start."

Analysis - Reasons to be cheerful at Boundary Park
BBC Radio Manchester's Mike Minay

I was here for the final game of last season with protests against the current ownership and there was not a smile in sight.

As I walked into Boundary Park today, I was met with smiles and people with pints in their hands. They were feeling the optimism of a new era.

Frank Rothwell is certainly a character - donning a flat cap and sometimes forgetting his points - you get the impression he was allowed those missed sentences. Every word seemed positive.

Alongside him he has got some good advisors. Joe Royle is a Latics legend. His son Darren is the new CEO - handy people to rely on.

It's hard to say what may come - there's dreams of a steady climb back through the leagues. Importantly he has unified the club. From the fanbase to the stadium. Perhaps, the only way is up.

[themaclad]

Oldham Athletic will complete a deal to buy back their Boundary Park ground and its surrounding land on Friday.

The club said they had agreed a deal to buy the ground in August 2022 after businessman Frank Rothwell bought the club from Abdallah Lemsagam that year.

They went on to buy Oldham Event Centre Limited, which operates the hospitality in the Joe Royle Stand, in October.

The club had hoped to complete a deal before Christmas, but have now finalised terms to take back control.

In a joint statement Oldham directors Frank Rothwell, Luke Rothwell and Su Schofield gave "huge thanks and gratitude" to the stadium's former owners, Simon Blitz and Danny Gazal - previously chairman and director respectively at the club.

"They have been extremely patient, trusted us 100% and honoured the handshake on 9 May 2022. They have been incredible and are forever welcome to Boundary Park. True gentlemen," they said.

"We are constantly looking at opportunities that would enable us to improve and extend the facilities that we can provide for the benefit of all Oldhamers. For now let's celebrate and enjoy having a forever home."

Oldham, who last year became the first club to have played in the Premier League to be relegated to non-league, are 15th in the National League table and 11 points above the relegation places.