LATICS will be led into battle by grizzled veteran David Wheater this season, after the centre-back was named club captain.

Mohammed Maouche was initially named skipper by Oldham boss Laurent

Banide.

But, after displaying his leadership skills in the midweek draw with Exeter and on Saturday at Cambridge United – including scoring a thunderous header for the winning goal at the Abbey Stadium – the 32-year-old has been given the armband for the whole campaign.

“It’s an honour to be given the captaincy and as a senior professional I’ll continue to give my all to the club and help my teammates as I have done since I joined,” said the affable Teessider, who came to the club after more than eight years at Bolton Wanderers.

“I think my initiation helped, that was my first night away, so you get involved with the lads don’t you and that helped.

“I’m a happy character so I just talked to everyone, staff and players.

“I get amongst everyone and it seems to rub off on people and keep people happy.

“I just come in every day happy and train well and hopefully people copy that.

“It was a tough game [at Cambridge] especially with the heat for a big white guy like me, it was a bit of a struggle!

“But we got the job done and we got the early goal, obviously they got theirs but when I scored we sat back.

“I think we defended well and got the job done in the end.”

Wheater’s goal, added to a first-half strike by Urko Vera, gave Oldham their first League Two win of the campaign, lifting them to third-bottom in the table.

And the former Middlesbrough trainee and England youth international believes as the newly-assembled squad will surely improve as they get used to playing alongside each other.

“You could see with the Blackburn game with the confidence and I think we were gelling a bit better and we were getting to where we wanted to be,” he said.

“The last few games I think that we have defended well against Exeter City and we didn’t put our chances away, but against Cambridge United we did and we got the three points which is nice.

“I said to the lads make sure that we get the points to make sure the journey home is a bit better and obviously for the fans as well.

“I’m sure they’ve had a few beers in the sun so it’ll have been a nice day for them too.”