BOUNDARY BULLETIN The official matchday programme of Oldham Athletic Football Club Free to Download Oldham Athletic vs. Grimsby Town Sky Bet League Two - Matchday 44 Saturday 24th April 2021 - 3pm KO KEITH CURLE “With only three games to go until the end of the Sky Bet League Two season, the focus of everyone within the squad is to ensure we finish the campaign on a high.” The results we have managed to achieve in recent weeks have his contribution to the second goal in doing so much of the served to sharpen that determination, because having started hard work having received a fine pass from Alfie was very to show what we are capable of on a consistent basis, we pleasing. want to keep our current momentum going until the end. Although the result at Morecambe last Saturday was not what With three wins from our last four games and 15 goals scored we wanted, it did see Conor McAleny register his 20th goal of in the process, the players deserve great credit for the levels the season, building on his exploits which helped us earn the they have reached in producing those results and wins against Crawley Town and Southend United. performances. With fixtures coming thick and fast due to the condensed I have been at Boundary Park for almost seven weeks and our season, it has been very demanding for every player, so to be current run is the result of a lot of hard work from the group reaching these standards at such a late stage is a credit to them within that time. Every player has shown a willingness to learn, all. adapt and embrace new ideas, and I still believe there is more The current campaign has obviously been a challenging one for to come from us in fixtures that remain. Grimsby Town, our visitors today, but while there remains a We have known all along that we have a very talented squad, it mathematical chance of survival, I am sure they will keep has been about trying to develop the right balance for us to fighting, as shown in their impressive win over Bolton excel as a team, and in that respect the win at Harrogate Town Wanderers last week. on Tuesday night was particularly pleasing. I have stressed to our players that they each have a lot to play For us to emerge with a convincing win and clean sheet from a for individually and with the potential to still move up a number potentially awkward away fixture was an important result in of places in what is a tight league table, it is important that we our progress as a team and I am sure you all enjoyed watching do not let our current levels drop. it from home. We know this season has been difficult for you all without Wins like that require the players to show discipline, being able to attend games but as we near the end, we are composure and adopt the right mentality. Having displayed all pleased that the recent games have at least given you reason to of those qualities, it allowed us to flourish with some fantastic cheer. attacking football. That will again be our aim this afternoon as we look to make It is always a collective effort but within that there have been sure we finish the season as high up the table as possible. some exceptional individual displays, not least from Alfie McCalmont, who continued his knack for producing Keith SPONSORED BY outstanding goals with another excellent long-range strike. The decision to deploy Harry Clarke in a more advanced role on the right again showed the adaptability within the squad and BOUNDARY BULLETIN - 03 VISITING BOUNDARY PARK… THE MARINERS MAN AT THE TOP... PAUL HURST Appointed on 30th December 2020 as the first-team manager Boston United and Grimsby Town before Hurst became the of Grimsby Town after the departure of Ian Holloway. single manager of the Mariners. Previously, Hurst was the manager at local rivals Scunthorpe In the 2015/16 season, he guided Grimsby to promotion to United before his appointment at the Mariners. Sky Bet League Two via the play-offs. Following that, Hurst was The 46-year-old was born in Sheffield and began his career appointed as the manager of Shrewsbury Town in October with Rotherham United in 1993 and made 438 league 2016 and saved the club from relegation from Sky Bet League appearances and scored 13 goals in a 15-year spell with the One in his first campaign in charge. club. The following season, Hurst remarkably took Shrewsbury to Hurst spent his final year in his playing career on loan with the EFL Trophy final and League One play-off final in 2018, but Burton Albion and made 17 league appearances for the they lost both matches. Brewers. He then made into management in 2009 as joint Hurst was appointed at Ipswich Town in May 2018 but was manager of Ilkeston Town with Rob Scott. sacked in October after a poor start to the season before He continued his joint management role with Rob Scott at having a spell in charge at Scunthorpe. BOUNDARY BULLETIN - 05 FOR THE RECORD... LOOKING GOOD FOR GRIMSBY TOWN #1 JAMeS McKeown #7 MATT Green The experienced goalkeeper arrived at Blundell Park in 2011 The experienced striker signed for Grimsby Town in June 2019 after a short spell in the Netherlands with RKSV Leonidas. after helping Salford City gain promotion to Sky Bet League The 31-year-old has established himself as the number one at Two. Grimsby Town and has made 410 appearances for the club so Green began his career with Newport County, playing 69 times far and he was part of the side that helped the Mariners to win and scoring 12 goals in two seasons before moving to Cardiff promotion out of the National League in 2015/16. City. McKeown has won numerous awards whilst at the club, Whilst with the Bluebirds, he had numerous loan spells with a Grimsby supporters’ player of the season (2012/13, 2013/14, host of clubs, his loan move to Mansfield Town, before joining permanently 2015. Overall, Green had two playing spells with 2017/18), Reusch goalkeeper of the Year (2014/15) and the Stags and made 192 appearances and netting 56 times. National League Team of the Year (2015/16). After impressing with the Stags, Birmingham City signed the GrIMSBy Town - CLUB HonoUrS Division Two striker on a two-year deal, but his opportunities were limited Champions (1900/01, 1933/34), Play-off winners (1997/98) #6 LUKe wATerfALL at St Andrew’s. The 30-year-old arrived at Blundell Park in August 2019 from Division Three Champions (1925/26, 1955/56, 1979/80) Sky Bet League One side Shrewsbury Town on a two-year deal. Division four Waterfall has plenty of experience in the game playing for Champions (1971/72) numerous clubs which includes Gainsborough Trinity, football Conference Scunthorpe United and Macclesfield Town. But his most Play-off winners (2015/16) notable spell in the game was with Lincoln City during 2015 Auto windscreen until 2018. Winners (1997/98) The defender was appointed club captain at Lincoln, and he League Group Cup Winners (1982) made 55 appearances and scored seven goals during the Last season, the 34-year-old joined Salford City in December Lincolnshire Senior Cup 2018 and was part of the squad that guided the Ammies to 2016/17 campaign as Lincoln were promoted to League Two as Winners (1885-86, 1888-89, 1896-97, 1898-99, 1899-1900, Vanarama National League champions. promotion. 1900-01, 1901-02, 1902-03, 1905-06, 1908-09, 1912-13, In 2018, Waterfall left Lincoln to join Shrewsbury Town for an 1920-21, 1922-23, 1924-25, 1928-29, 1929-30, 1932-33, undisclosed fee and on a three-year deal but after one season #9 JAMeS HAnSon 1935-36, 1936-37, 1937-38, 1946-47, 1949-50, 1952-53, he departed the Salop to join Grimsby. The 33-year-old arrived at Blundell Park in June 2019 from AFC 1967-68, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1979-80, 1983-84, 1986-87, Wimbledon and started his spell in style after netting five and 1989-90, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, assisting three in the first month of last season. 1999-2000, 2011-12, 2012-13) #4 DAnny roSe Hanson was playing for Guiseley, scoring 44 goals in 91 games Rose put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal with the Mariners in before Bradford City signed the striker for a reported £7,500. MATCH reCorDS vs oLDHAM ATHLeTIC August 2020 after leaving Swindon Town to become the club’s He became a fans favourite with the Bantams, spending eight- record win sixth summer signing. years with the club. Grimsby Town 6-2 Oldham Athletic (11th November 1972) record Loss Born in Bristol, the central midfielder began his career at During his time with Bradford, he guided the Bantams to the Manchester United in 2002 and had a loan spell at Oxford Oldham Athletic 6-0 Grimsby Town (8th February 2004) Football League Cup final in the 2012/13 season, but they first Game United during his time at Old Trafford. were beaten by Swansea City at Wembley. As well as, helping Oldham Athletic 2-0 Grimsby Town (16th November 1907) During his career, he played for Oxford (two more times), secure promotion through the play-offs from Sky Bet League Last Game Newport County, Fleetwood Town, Aldershot Town, Two.