An Oldham Athletic fan has been celebrated by the club to mark 75 years of supporting his beloved Latics.

After Norman Barnett had a chance encounter with director Luke Rothwell before Oldham's match against Chesterfield in August, he was invited into the boardroom for the match against Altrincham on October 28 to commemorate his time supporting Oldham.

Norman first started attending Oldham matches at the age of six and despite all of his years of support, he can still remember the early days of his fandom vividly.

He said: “The first match I can definitely remember was a match against Crewe in 1948, which I went to with my Dad and my Grandad.

“I was eight years old, and I can remember exactly where I stood in the Rochdale Road End, which was an open terrace in those days.

“Oldham won 3-2, a chap called Ray Haddington scored two, including a penalty right in front of me, and I was hooked from then on."

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Norman and his family moved to Southport while he was a child due to his father's work, however that did not stop him attending Latics matches.

He said: “By the time I was 13, my Father was working on Saturday so couldn’t take me, so I had to travel to games by myself.

“I would get the train from Southport to Victoria, and then get a bus up to Oldham, have lunch at my grandparents, before watching the match, and going home on the train at 9pm.

“This was during the era of George Hardwick, who I’m glad to say I met in later life, and he signed a copy of his autobiography for me.”

Norman's devoted support even saw him meet footballing legend Sir Bobby Robson when he was a young player at Fulham.

A young Norman managed to get the autograph of the man who would manage England, Barcelona and Newcastle, and Norman even made him laugh by saying Oldham would beat Fulham that day.

Eventually, Norman joined the Royal Air Force and was stationed all over the country, but even that could not stop him from seeing the Latics each weekend.

Norman's children support Oldham, as does his nine-year-old grandchild, meaning five generations of his family have followed the Latics.