Ethan Walker wants to roll back the years and give Latics fans a reminder of an old favourite.

Popular winger David Eyres spent six years at Boundary Park, made more than 200 appearances and earned club legend status.

Eighteen years on from his last appearance for the club, Walker is Eyres' protege.

"I want to try to bring that excitement that he brought," who has been represented by Eyres for the last seven years.

"He's left-footed, I'm right-footed, he's a crosser and got a good shot.

"Hopefully I can get the fans off their seats like he did and they can see the best of me."

After a nomadic loan career from Preston (where he came through the youth ranks) and more recently Blackburn Rovers (whose Under 23s he joined in 2002) Walker is looking for a platform from which his career to kick on, and he believes he has found it in OL1.

"I feel like it was meant to be. One of those weird things that happen," said Walker referring to his squad number unintentionally matched Eyres'.

"I always thought he was number 11 throughout his career.

"If I'd known he was 28 at Oldham I might not have picked it. But I feel like it's all meant to be, I'm supposed to come here and hopefully show people what I can do and kick on.

"I feel coming here was the right opportunity for me and I feel like I can show people what I can do."

Walker looked like he would make a name for himself at Carlisle, when he joined them from Preston, but injury curtailed his progress in Cumbria.

"I think what I struggled with initially was going from youth team to that first team environment. Making the jump from youth team to men's football, I just felt like my body wasn't quite ready for it," he explained.

"The injury that I had at Carlisle was unusual (for an outfield player), I dislocated my shoulder and I was out for three months. I just landed a little bit funny in a tackle, so that held me back, and then when I came back the team were doing really well so the team had changed, so from then on I found it a little bit tough.

"But I had a good season last season with Blackburn's Under 23s in the second half of the season.

"This season I felt like I was doing really well, I'm fit, I just need to find somewhere that I can kick on."

Walker, who was recalled from a loan spell at Morecambe by Blackburn before joining Latics in the new year, added: "I just want to show people what I can do - score goals, assists, just being positive.

"Obviously I know there will be times where you make mistakes and stuff like that, but I just want to keep getting on the ball and try to beat my man and be positive and express myself.

"For me to be a winger, an exciting player, someone that wants to take risks, it gives me a little bit of confidence in the sense that because the club wants to go up, it doesn't feel so much a risk. It feels like it's the right direction.

"Eyresy told me all about Boundary Park and said he had some great memories here and he loved his time here, and he said that I've got some big boots to fill.

"Hopefully the fans can see the best of me."