Former Oldham Athletic head coach Pete Wild is the new manager of National League FC Halifax Town.

And a fixture quirk means that his first game in charge will be the pre-season friendly between the two sides at Boundary Park on Tuesday, July 30.

Wild twice moved up from his post in the Latics academy last season to take charge of the first team following the departures of Frankie Bunn and Paul Scholes.

His finest hour in the hotseat was the FA Cup third round upset at Fulham, then in the Premier League.

Wild was at the helm as Latics finished 14th in League Two but then moved on, saying he turned down the chance to carry on in the role.

Now he has taken on the challenge at The Shay, whose boss Jamie Fullarton resigned earlier this month after a 16th-placed finish.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead,” Wild said.  

“I feel I can draw on my experiences from last season and work quickly to ensure this Club competes well in this division.

“I’ll be looking to draw on the experience of Nathan Clarke, Matty Brown and the other senior pros to ensure they help drive the squad forward.

“This is an exciting time for us all and a challenge we should all embrace.”