Keith Curle takes his Oldham side to a former club in Carlisle United tomorrow, knowing both are in a dogfight.
Oldham are out of the relegation zone on goal difference only, and at Carlisle’s expense so margins will be tight in their clash at Brunton Park.
Carlisle have not won in League Two since September 4, and a run of defeats prompted the sacking of Chris Beech earlier this month.
Subsequently, United, under caretaker Gavin Skelton, lost narrowly to Tranmere Rovers and picked up a point in midweek at Newport.
Oldham lost in midweek at home to Walsall just when they were showing signs of a recovery with a run of four clean sheets from five.
Curle has admitted an affection for his time at Carlisle (four years) but insists the only thing that matters tomorrow is a win for the Latics.
Speaking to the Oldham Times, Curle said: “After our run of clean sheets it was disappointing to concede against Walsall. There are lessons to be learned, and if we lose we’ve got to learn.
“The players have taken that onboard. We’ll look back at the goals and I’m sure they’ll see the same things that I am doing.”
Oldham captain Carl Piergianni is able to return after a midweek suspension and Curle sees that as a massive bonus.
“We know what Pidge is about, he’s got a presence and a personality,” said the manager.
But what of his time at Carlisle before he moved on to Northampton Town.
“I still speak to a lot of people at Carlisle. I had four very, very good years there and I enjoyed it.
“When I took over the football club they’d just been relegated, four points adrift and everything was doom and gloom. We stayed up the first year, comfortably, and then had three top 10 finishes and a play-off semi-final finish as well.
“With that, there was a lot of work done behind the scenes by a lot of people who probably didn’t get the credit but it was very much appreciated by myself.
“It was a club that had to unite. There were lots of distractions regarding the ownership of the football club, the running of the football club, and the investment in the football club was something that had to get monitored.”
He listed the cup games with Liverpool, in 2015, and Everton, in the fourth round of the FA Cup in 2016, as being particularly memorable.
“We drew with Liverpool away and took over 5,000 supporters to the League Cup tie which we lost on penalties after holding them to a 1-1 draw.
“We had a full house, 18-odd thousand, against Everton in the FA Cup, so the support’s there and it grew and it grew. I’ve got to say I left the place in a lot better shape than it was when I took over.”
