Blues Marching In | EA FC26

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House Rules

• Maximum of 25 first-team squad players (this excludes loaned out players and players yet to be promoted from the youth system)
• All players signed must be scouted through the Global Transfer Network or popular/well-known. No use of SoFIFA or other ratings sites.

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Manager History

By the start of the 2025–26 season, Micky Mellon was already regarded as one of the most accomplished managers in the English lower leagues, with a reputation for building disciplined, hard-working teams capable of winning promotion.

Mellon, a former Scottish midfielder, began his managerial career at Fleetwood Town, where he guided the club from the Conference North into the Football League, winning the Conference Premier title in 2011–12. He later took over at Shrewsbury Town, earning automatic promotion from League Two in 2014–15 and further establishing himself as one of the EFL's most reliable promotion specialists.

Following spells with Barnsley, Tranmere Rovers, and Dundee United, Mellon added to his reputation by leading Tranmere back into the Football League via the 2018 National League play-offs before securing a second consecutive promotion into League One through the 2019 League Two play-offs. Although his later second spell at Tranmere ended in dismissal during the 2022–23 season, his résumé already included five promotions as a manager.

Oldham Athletic appointed Mellon in October 2023 with the club languishing in the National League and desperate to end its decline following relegation from the EFL. His first full campaign laid the foundations for a revival, but it was the 2024–25 season that cemented his legacy at Boundary Park. Guiding the Latics to a fifth-place finish, Mellon led Oldham through the National League play-offs, defeating Halifax Town and York City before an unforgettable 3–2 extra-time victory over Southend United at Wembley. The triumph returned Oldham to the Football League for the first time since their 2022 relegation and marked Mellon's sixth promotion as a manager.

Entering the 2025–26 League Two campaign, Mellon was viewed as the ideal manager to oversee Oldham's return to the EFL. His teams were known less for flashy football than for organization, defensive resilience, physicality, and a strong team ethic. Having restored belief at Boundary Park and delivered one of the club's most significant achievements in decades, expectations were that Mellon could not only stabilize the Latics in League Two but potentially lay the groundwork for another push up the football pyramid.

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Oldham Athletic A.F.C. History

Founded in 1895, Oldham Athletic Association Football Club are one of English football's oldest professional clubs. Nicknamed The Latics, the club plays its home matches at Boundary Park in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Throughout much of their history, Oldham have competed in the upper reaches of English football and remain one of the founding members of the Premier League.

Oldham spent the majority of the 20th century between the Second and Third Divisions before enjoying their greatest modern success under legendary manager Joe Royle. The club won the Second Division title in 1990-91, earning promotion to the First Division just before the creation of the Premier League. Oldham famously reached the 1990 Football League Cup Final and the 1994 FA Cup semi-finals, becoming known for attacking football and dramatic cup runs.

The club's fortunes declined following relegation from the Premier League in 1994. Financial difficulties, ownership instability, and years of underinvestment saw Oldham gradually slide down the English football pyramid. After more than two decades in the Football League, the Latics suffered relegation from League Two in 2022, ending a 115-year stay in the English Football League.

Rather than continuing their decline, Oldham began rebuilding under new ownership. Significant investment in the playing squad, infrastructure, and supporter engagement helped stabilize the club. Promotion back to the Football League was secured by winning the National League Play-Off Final in 2025, restoring Oldham's place among England's professional clubs after three seasons in non-league football.

Today, Oldham Athletic compete once again in the English Football League with ambitions of continuing their climb back toward the divisions where the club spent much of its history. The Latics possess one of the country's largest and most passionate fanbases outside the Championship, with strong community support and a renewed focus on sustainable long-term success.

Boundary Park


Boundary Park has been Oldham Athletic's home since 1904 and is one of the highest professional football grounds in England, sitting approximately 526 feet (160 metres) above sea level. The stadium replaced the club's original Athletic Ground and has witnessed every major chapter in Oldham's history, from top-flight football to the National League.

Throughout the twentieth century the stadium underwent numerous redevelopments, with traditional terracing gradually giving way to all-seater accommodation following the Taylor Report. The most significant recent redevelopment came with the construction of the Joe Royle Stand, completed in 2015, named in honour of the club's most successful modern manager.

Boundary Park currently has a capacity of approximately 13,500 spectators. Despite periods of decline on the pitch, the stadium remains one of the most recognizable venues in the lower divisions of English football. The ground's elevated location often produces challenging winter conditions and has become one of its defining characteristics.

In recent years, improvements to supporter facilities, hospitality areas, and training infrastructure have accompanied the club's resurgence under new ownership. Boundary Park continues to serve as the heart of Oldham Athletic and remains one of the club's greatest assets as it looks to establish itself once again higher in the English football pyramid.

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Oldham Athletic Looking to Build Momentum Ahead of 2025–26 Campaign
Boundary Park -- After one of the most memorable seasons in recent club history, optimism has returned to Boundary Park.

Oldham Athletic enter the 2025–26 campaign back where many supporters believe they belong: in the English Football League. The Latics ended a three-year stay in the National League by producing a dramatic comeback victory over Southend United in the National League Play-Off Final at Wembley, sealing promotion back to League Two under manager Micky Mellon.

Now, however, celebration gives way to expectation.

A New Challenge
Promotion has restored belief throughout the club, but the jump from the National League to League Two presents a different test. Every point will have to be earned, and the physical demands of a 46-match campaign leave little room for complacency.

Manager Micky Mellon, entering his second full season in charge, has quickly built a reputation for organization, defensive discipline, and creating teams that compete regardless of opposition. Having earned promotion with Oldham—the sixth of his managerial career—his task now shifts from rebuilding the club to establishing it once again as an EFL side.

Stability Returns to Boundary Park

Perhaps the biggest victory over the last several years has occurred away from the pitch.

After years of ownership uncertainty and financial instability, the stewardship of Frank Rothwell and Darren Royle has transformed the atmosphere surrounding the football club. Supporters who once feared for Oldham's future are now discussing ambitions instead of survival.

Attendances have steadily climbed, optimism has returned, and the connection between supporters and club feels stronger than it has in years.

Recruitment Will Be Key
League Two offers little margin for error.

Oldham's recruitment this summer has focused on retaining the core responsible for promotion while adding experience and depth capable of handling the increased quality throughout the division. The club knows that continuity can be valuable, but improvements will still be required if the Latics hope to compete comfortably.

Maintaining the defensive resilience that characterized last season while finding additional goals could determine whether Oldham spends the year looking upward or simply avoiding danger.

Realistic Expectations
Few supporters are expecting another promotion charge immediately.

Instead, success for Oldham this season may simply be establishing themselves back in League Two, avoiding a relegation battle, and continuing the club's long-term rebuilding project.

A comfortable mid-table finish would provide another important step in restoring one of English football's historic clubs.

Yet football has a habit of rewarding momentum.

If Mellon's side adapts quickly, keeps Boundary Park a difficult place for visiting clubs, and remains healthy throughout the campaign, few would be surprised if Oldham quietly entered conversations about the playoff places by spring.

For a club that only recently fought its way back into the Football League, simply having those conversations again would represent remarkable progress.

Prediction: 14th–17th in League Two, with a solid foundation laid for a push toward the top half in future seasons.

[JustinCase]

Interesting! Always love a good road to glory with a realistic expectation for the first season I see. They had a few seasons in the Premier League in the early 1990's, so maybe you could put them back up there in time. Good luck mate...

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Interesting! Always love a good road to glory with a realistic expectation for the first season I see. They had a few seasons in the Premier League in the early 1990's, so maybe you could put them back up there in time. Good luck mate...

That's a big part of why I went with these guys. The fact they just got promoted out of the National League actually came to me later and was an added bonus.

obligatory s/o to xman as this will probably look a lot like some of his stuff while we get the ball rolling over here