Oldham Athletic
Bristol Rovers take on Oldham Athletic tomorrow evening at The Mem in a match where both sides are looking for their first league win of the season, but while Rovers are pointless after three league games, The Latics have two points from their three matches.
Rovers have played Oldham 58 times so far, and have won 25 of the previous encounters, lost 20 and drawn 13. It will be the 30th time we have played Oldham at home in the league and we’ve only been beaten four times on home soil.
This will be the first time the sides have met in the league since 2021/22, a campaign that ended with Rovers being promoted and Oldham being relegated to the National League. They have returned to league football thanks to a dramatic Wembley play off win against Southend United at the end of last season.
A number of Rovers players have made their league debut against Oldham, Ray Chandler being the first back in April 1954, James Belshaw and Brett Pitman being the last, in the game played at The Mem on 17th August 2021.
A number of players have turned out for both clubs, including current Oldham midfielder Ryan Woods, the 1,000th player to make his league debut for us. Others to have represented both clubs include Jonson Clarke-Harris, Tom Eaves, Paul Heffernan, Joe Jacobson, Josh Low, Matt Lund and Michael Poke.
Joel Senior, sent off at Chesterfield last Saturday, spent nearly a decade with Oldham, but was released at the age of 15 for being too small. He later described it as the worst day of his life.
It’s far too early in the season to be talking about must win games, but Rovers have an opportunity tomorrow, and again on Saturday, to get some points on the board and win back some of those on the terraces and in the stands who have been very critical of performances to date.
Three points in these two home fixtures would do an awful lot to boost confidence and morale amongst players and supporters alike.
Let’s make some noise and really get behind Darrell and the team at The Mem tomorrow.
