A LATICS supporters group fears there is a section of fans that may never return to Boundary Park.

Matchday numbers had been dwindling before the pandemic hit due to growing frustrations and objections towards the ownership and the direction the club was going in.

But after a full season played out behind closed doors, barring one away game, and the previous campaign cut short by coronavirus, the concern is that some people will have found other ways to fill their weekends without it revolving around football.

Oldham Athletic Supporters Foundation, which has a seat on the club’s board, is also mindful that a number of fans will have experienced financial difficulties as a result of Covid-19, be it through being placed on furlough, had their hours reduced or finding themselves out of work altogether.

Despite the installation of Keith Curle on a two-year contract suggesting the desire to bring stability after a turbulent three years under owner Abdallah Lemsagam, and his sporting director brother Mo, the mood remains one of apathy.

Fans will be allowed back into all football grounds next season. But despite being starved of the matchday experience for well over a year, so far only around 600 supporters have bought season tickets for the upcoming 2021/22 campaign.

“What we need are more supporters,” said Philippa Whittaker, OAFC finance director.

“Since the Lemsagams have been in we have been haemorrhaging support.

“At the moment the club is not enthusing fans.”

But Whittaker also recognises there are wider problems at play caused by the pandemic and subsequent knock-on effects.

“Across the league generally there is considerable concern that a lot of fans may not come back to the grounds because they have started doing other things on a Saturday.

“There is concern that crowds right across the EFL will be permanently reduced.

“In Oldham we did a survey at the beginning of the season and something like 30 per cent of the fans were talking about boycotting home games and there’s no reason to believe that will have changed.

“Season ticket sales are down and I think the fan discontent is fairly clear.

“Also some people have been on furlough or off work.

“Other people may not feel happy to back in a pandemic.”

In the 2016/17 season Latics had an average of 4,514 in their 23-game League One season. The following year it dipped to 4,442, then 4,364 in 18/19 before a dramatic decline in 2019/20 to 3,465, albeit with six fewer games as the campaign was curtailed.

Looking ahead to next season, Whittaker continued: “There are a whole raft of issues.

“We are supporting a team with one of the worst home records in the league.

“Even I’ve had to grit my teeth going on week to week to see another poor performance, conceding comedy goals.

“A lot of people aren’t prepared to put up with it.”