SELIM Benachour has urged Latics fans to put their differences with the club's owner to one side for the sake of the team.

The club's interim head coach said he was aware of supporters' reasons for staying away from games, as well as other recent protests.

But he has asked those who are against the regime to channel their energies towards' Oldham's fight against the drop, saying that they needed everyone on board in their bid to climb away from the bottom.

Latics go into this afternoon's crucial derby at Salford City just once place and two points above the relegation zone, and Frenchman Benachour, who takes charge of his first game today, said: "I think the fans must be behind us because it is tough at the moment.

"We need everybody to help us, not only players, not only staff, we need our fans to come back.

"I know it's difficult, I know it's a tough situation between owners and fans but we need them. They are very important for us.

"They will see some change, I am quite sure, about mindset and maybe an idea that I have about formation and things like that. We are trying to do our best, Conor (Marlin) and me, but we need our fans and I send this message for them to support us and I'm sure we will turn this situation (around)."

He added: "We need to perform now and deliver on the pitch but in the right mindset and the right direction, altogether.

"We need to create a team spirit and I think we will go in the right direction like that."