A LATICS’ fans’ group insist they will not be ignored by the club’s hierarchy after a deadline to respond to their petition passed without a public statement from owner Abdallah Lemsagam.
Just shy of 3,000 Oldham supporters signed Push The Boundary’s open letter calling for the Moroccan former football agent to sell the club after three tumultuous years at Boundary Park.
And while it is understood there was a private acknowledgement from the ownership of the petition through chief executive Karl Evans, the club elected to stay silent on the matter having been given until yesterday to reply.
PTB are now set to increase the pressure on the owner with another initiative to be announced by the end of the week.
They will also be seeking meetings with MPs Jim McMahon and Debbie Abraham.
A statement read: “As fans of Oldham Athletic we ask for very little, however one of the main things we ask for is to be shown an adequate amount of respect.
“Supporting a club is sometimes not always easy to do, but we do it because it’s a tradition passed down from our mums, dads, grandads and grandmas and gives us a sense of togetherness that we are with like-minded people who share the same love.
“For most of us, we have an attachment or a memory which started this love affair, unfortunately for many, they are beginning to turn their backs on the club they fell in love with, and this is absolutely heartbreaking to see, hear and read about.
“Once again the owner of our club Mr Abdallah Lemsagam has chosen to ignore the loyal supporters of our club.
“A large number of supporters have spoken, supporters who may have had season tickets, followed the club up and down the country, even taken days off work to see us play on a Tuesday night in some far end of the country.
“Supporters who have bought merchandise, been to events with the manager, bought a brick or subscribed to iFollow from further afield.
“In all 2,987 supporters signed a petition requesting he sell his stake in the club and find a new owner, of which we know there is plenty of interest, to finally give the fans the fresh start that is needed, yet there’s still not even the decency to provide a response to the petition or show fans any plans around how he believes this can be turned around. In 18 months, the disgruntled voices have gone from 300 to nearly 3,000 and this will only continue to grow.
“After hearing and speaking to other clubs, you CAN be heard and you CAN make a difference. Our future is not set in stone and there is no better time to dig our heels in and take back what is ours.
“We stand by the fact that this club is filled with potential, we just need the right people to unlock it. Let’s not be defined by the ownership that is looking to drag us into the mire.
“Now is the time for supporters to take a stand and say no, without supporters backing the owner, the financial pressure has to grow.
“Let us be clear this does not prevent supporters ‘supporting the team’ just not supporting the regime. Stand up and be counted and be part of the revolution.”
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