LATICS fans can be key to helping the team turn their season around, that is the view of Keith Curle.

The head coach was impressed with the almost 600-strong following at Brentford on Tuesday night, and has appreciated the backing they have received - home and away - all season.

And Curle is keen to see that support rewarded with results and climbing up the League Two ladder.

“The support that we had down at Brentford was vocal. In a crowd of 12,500 all you could hear was the Oldham fans, which is fantastic,” he said.

“Last week in the game against Hartlepool you could tell the vocal support, the passion, is there - we just need to get it channelled onto the pitch, because we need it.”

That game was preceded by Latics’ fans’ biggest demonstration of the season in an effort to oust the owner.

Other games have been interrupted by missiles and pitch invasions.

“I think it's been evident - very much so - that there is passion at this football club,” Curle continued.

“We've got to play our part on Saturday by getting our focus on the pitch.”

Of the way last Saturday’s protest was conducted, Curle said: “I can only talk about the supporters and the governing bodies of the supporters, they made sure that they had spread their message, voiced their opinion, but they've done it in the right way now.

“First of all it started off with objects being thrown onto the pitch, which is unacceptable; supporters coming onto the pitch, unacceptable.

“They are entitled to their opinion and their peaceful demonstrations and I've got to say the conduct inside the stadiums in the last couple of games has been exemplary. They've shouted, they've been vocal and they've been given a team to support."