History of Oldham Athletic A.F.C.

The history of Oldham Athletic A.F.C. football team began in 1895.

The club was formed in 1895 as Pine Villa F.C. before renaming to Oldham Athletic in 1899. Attaining professional status in same year, the Latics played in the local Manchester leagues before gaining entry into the Football League Second Division in 1907. Unlike many clubs, Oldham adapted to their new league status well, finishing in third position in their first league season, missing out on promotion by only two points and boasting an unbeaten home record. After another high finish the following season, the club gained its first ever promotion, finishing ahead of Hull City by virtue of a superior goal average.

In their first ever top flight campaign the Latics again adapted well, finishing in seventh position. After a narrow escape from relegation during the 1911–12 season, the club recovered to reach the FA Cup semi-final in 1913 and achieve a high mid-table finish, followed by a top four placing in the 1913–14 season. The outbreak of the First World War coincided with the Latics' best ever league season – the club finishing runners up to Everton after losing their final two games of the 1914–15 season.

Unfortunately for Oldham, the outbreak of war in Europe forced the domestic English league to be suspended in 1915, and by the time it resumed in 1919, many of the players who had taken the Latics to the brink of the championship had either retired from football or been killed during the war. From this, the club never really recovered and, after battling valiantly against relegation for several seasons, the inevitable relegation finally arrived in 1923 – the club's last top flight game coming away at Cardiff City – a game that would prove to be their last top flight game for 68 years.

Back in the second division for the first time since 1910, Oldham finished around the top half for several seasons before narrowly missing out on promotion by two points in 1930 to Chelsea. Mid-table finishes followed until 1935 when the club finished 21st in table and were relegated to the Third Division (North) for the first time in their history. Successive top five finishes occurred at the new lower level until the outbreak of the Second World War saw the cancellation of the domestic league programme.

Again, the outbreak of war hit Oldham hard and, as with the First World War, the club's results deteriorated significantly when the football league resumed finishing in 19th position in the first post-war league season. Disappointing mid-table finishes followed in the subsequent seasons before the signing of former England international George Hardwick as player-manager in 1950 proved the catalyst to a promotion as Third Division (North) champions in 1953. Hopes were again high at Boundary Park but the Latics slumped to relegation after only one season back in the higher tier. Only 25 points were gained from 42 games and 17 of 21 away games ended in defeat.

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