2015–16 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season
# 2015–16 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season

The 2015–16 season is Oldham Athletic's 121st season in their history and 19th consecutive season in League One. Along with competing in League One, the club will also participate in the FA Cup, League Cup and JP Trophy. The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.

The club appointed Sunderland coach Darren Kelly as their new manager following the conclusion of the 2014–15 season. However, Kelly's reign was brief and he was sacked after a 5–1 home defeat to Peterborough United with Oldham having won only one of their first seven league games. Kelly was replaced by David Dunn who he had signed as a player just over a month earlier. However, Dunn himself won only two of his 17 league games and was sacked after a poor run of form during which his team picked up two points from a possible 21. Following Dunn's departure, Oldham turned to former player, coach and manager John Sheridan who was re-appointed as manager less than seven years after being sacked from the role.

## Squad statistics

    Last updated 30 January 2016
    Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
    Players with squad numbers struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
    Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Oldham.
    Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.

| No. | Position | Nationality | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Position | Nationality | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | FL Trophy | FL Trophy | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| 1 | Goalkeeper | ENG | Joel Coleman | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Defender | ENG | Connor Brown | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 3 | Defender | ENG | Joseph Mills | 12 (1) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 (1) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | Midfielder | FRA | Timothée Dieng | 15 (4) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 (4) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | Defender | WAL | James Wilson | 25 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Midfielder | SCO | Liam Kelly | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 7 | Midfielder | ENG | Lee Croft | 9 (4) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 (5) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | Midfielder | ENG | Mike Jones | 20 (1) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 (1) | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | Forward | ENG | Dominic Poleon | 13 (8) | 4 | 2 (1) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 (10) | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 † | Forward | ENG | Danny Philliskirk | 21 (2) | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 26 (2) | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | Forward | BAR | Jonathan Forte | 6 (4) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 7 (5) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 † | Midfielder | ENG | George Green | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (3) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 † | Midfielder | ENG | Giorgio Rasulo * | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (5) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Midfielder | ENG | Matt Palmer* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | Goalkeeper | WAL | David Cornell | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Forward | WAL | Jake Cassidy | 7 (3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Midfielder | NIR | Carl Winchester | 14 (3) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 (3) | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 † | Defender | ENG | Jonny Burn * | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | Defender | IRE | Anthony Gerrard | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 † | Midfielder | ENG | David Dunn | 4 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 (5) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | Forward | ENG | Rhys Turner | 2 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 (5) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Forward | IRE | Rhys Murphy | 5 (3) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 5 (4) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Defender | ENG | Brian Wilson | 14 (2) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 † | Defender | IRE | Gavin Gunning | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 † | Defender | IRE | Eoghan O'Connell * | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 † | Midfielder | IRE | Mark Yeates | 8 (8) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 (8) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 † | Forward | LIT | Simonas Stankevičius * | 1 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Defender | ENG | Theo Vassell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 † | Defender | ENG | Richard Eckersley | 3 (1) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 (2) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | Forward | ENG | Jordan Bove | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Defender | ENG | Jack Truelove | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Defender | ENG | George Edmundson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Midfielder | WAL | Danny Byrnes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Midfielder | ENG | Jack Tuohy | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 † | Forward | JAM | Ricardo Fuller | 1 (4) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (5) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Goalkeeper | ENG | Chris Renshaw | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 † | Midfielder | SCO | Jay Fulton * | 9 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | Midfielder | ENG | Alex Read | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 † | Forward | ENG | Michael Higdon * | 9 (2) | 5 | 2 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 (2) | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | Defender | NIR | Daniel Lafferty * | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 35 † | Midfielder | ENG | Richie Wellens * | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Defender | NIR | Cameron Dummigan * | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers

### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 July 2015 | CF | Jake Cassidy | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| 1 July 2015 | RM | Lee Croft | St Johnstone | Free transfer |
| 1 July 2015 | AM | George Green | Everton | Free transfer |
| 10 July 2015 | GK | David Cornell | Swansea City | Free transfer |
| 30 July 2015 | AM | David Dunn | Blackburn Rovers | Free transfer |
| 6 August 2015 | CB | Gavin Gunning | Birmingham City | Free transfer |
| 25 August 2015 | RW | Mark Yeates | Bradford City | Free transfer |
| 18 September 2015 | RB | Richard Eckersley | Free agent | Free transfer |
| 16 October 2015 | CF | Ricardo Fuller | Free agent | Free transfer |
| 30 October 2015 | DEF | Theo Vassell | Free agent | Free transfer |
| 26 January 2016 | DEF | Anthony Gerrard | Free agent | Free transfer |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 July 2015 | LM | James Dayton | Free agent | Released |
| 1 July 2015 | LB | George Elokobi | Colchester United | Free transfer |
| 1 July 2015 | CB | Adam Lockwood | Guiseley | Free transfer |
| 1 July 2015 | CM | David Mellor | Barrow | Free transfer |
| 1 July 2015 | CF | Amari Morgan-Smith | Cheltenham Town | Free transfer |
| 28 August 2015 | CB | Gavin Gunning | Free agent | Released |
| 5 October 2015 | FW | Devante Jacobs | Free agent | Released |
| 4 November 2015 | CM | George Green | Ossett Albion | Released |
| 7 January 2016 | FW | Danny Philliskirk | Blackpool | Undisclosed |
| 7 January 2016 | MF | Mark Yeates | Blackpool | Free agent |
| 19 January 2016 | FW | Ricardo Fuller | Free agent | Released |

* ↑ Following Elokobi's release he joined Colchester United.
* ↑ Following Lockwood's release he joined Guiseley.
* ↑ Following Mellor's release he joined Barrow.
* ↑ Following Morgan-Smith's release he joined Cheltenham Town.
* ↑ Following Green's release he joined Ossett Albion.
* ↑ Following Yeates's release he joined Blackpool.

### Loans in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Date until |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 August 2015 | CB | Jonny Burn | Middlesbrough | 1 January 2016 |
| 28 August 2015 | CF | Simonas Stankevičius | Leicester City | 20 October 2015 |
| 1 September 2015 | CB | Eoghan O'Connell | Celtic | 1 January 2016 |
| 18 September 2015 | CM | Jay Fulton | Swansea City | 19 December 2015 |
| 23 September 2015 | CF | Michael Higdon | Sheffield United | 19 December 2015 |
| 2 October 2015 | FB | Daniel Lafferty | Burnley | 2 November 2015 |
| 2 October 2015 | FB | Cameron Dummigan | Burnley | End of season |
| 6 November 2015 | CM | Giorgio Rasulo | MK Dons | 2 January 2016 |
| 26 November 2015 | CM | Richie Wellens | Doncaster Rovers | 2 January 2016 |
| 7 January 2016 | FB | Daniel Lafferty | Burnley | 5 March 2016 |
| 22 January 2016 | CM | Matt Palmer | Burton Albion | 11 April 2016 |
| 12 February 2016 | CF | Aaron Amadi-Holloway | Wycombe Wanderers | End of season |
| 15 February 2016 | CF | Curtis Main | Doncaster Rovers | End of season |
| 11 March 2016 | CF | Timmy Thiele | Burton Albion | End of season |
| 18 March 2016 | LB | Tareiq Holmes-Dennis | Charlton Athletic | End of season |

### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Date until |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 10 August 2015 | CF | Jordan Bove | Ashton United | 16 September 2015 |
| 16 September 2015 | LB | Jack Truelove | Brackley Town | 17 October 2015 |
| 17 September 2015 | CF | Rhys Murphy | Crawley Town | 19 December 2015 |
| 17 September 2015 | CF | Rhys Turner | York City | 12 December 2015 |
| 5 October 2015 | CM | Jack Tuohy | Ramsbottom United | 5 November 2015 |
| 5 October 2015 | CF | Jordan Bove | Ramsbottom United | 2 January 2016 |
| 30 October 2015 | DEF | George Edmundson | Ramsbottom United | 30 November 2015 |
| 4 December 2015 | LB | Jack Truelove | Curzon Ashton | 4 January 2016 |
| 7 January 2016 | CF | Rhys Turner | Macclesfield Town | 1 March 2016 |
| 11 January 2016 | LB | Jack Truelove | Hednesford Town | 16 March 2016 |
| 26 February 2016 | DEF | Theo Vassell | Chorley | 26 March 2016 |
| 11 March 2016 | CF | Rhys Murphy | AFC Wimbledon | End of season |
| 11 March 2016 | CF | Jordan Bove | Droylsden | End of season |
| 11 March 2016 | CF | Danny Byrnes | Droylsden | End of season |

## Competitions

### Pre-season friendlies

On 15 May 2015, Oldham Athletic announced they would host Blackburn Rovers in a pre-season friendly on 25 July 2015. Another friendly against Bolton Wanderers was confirmed on 19 May 2015. A day later, Oldham Athletic announced an XI squad would travel to Trafford for pre-season preparations. On 21 May 2015, Oldham Athletic announced they will travel to Carlisle United in a pre-season fixture. On 23 May 2015, Oldham Athletic announced they will travel to FC Halifax Town. On 27 May 2015, Further friendlies were revealed when the club announced their pre-schedule in full.

### League One

**League table**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 15 | Swindon Town | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 64 | 71 | −7 | 59 |
| 16 | Bury | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 56 | 73 | −17 | 57 |
| 17 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 44 | 58 | −14 | 54 |
| 18 | Chesterfield | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 58 | 70 | −12 | 53 |
| 19 | Fleetwood Town | 46 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 52 | 56 | −4 | 51 |

* ↑ Bury were deducted 3 points for playing the unregistered Callum Styles against Southend United on 8 May.

**Matches**

On 17 June 2015, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.

### League Cup

On 16 June 2015, the first round draw was made, Oldham Athletic were drawn at home against Middlesbrough.

### Football League Trophy

On 8 August 2015, live on Soccer AM the draw for the first round of the Football League Trophy was drawn by Toni Duggan and Alex Scott. The Latics will travel to Shrewsbury Town.

