Oldham Athletic hit back at claims the club is close to administation

Oldham Athletic have hit back at claims made in the Sun newspaper that the club are close to entering administration. 

The newspaper claims unless owner Abdallah Lemsagam comes to a resolution in a dispute over alleged overdue rent of £170,000 as well as a separate wrangle over approximately £330,000 in unpaid loans, Oldham could face administration. That £500,000 total is allegedly owed to former Latics director Simon Blitz, who is freeholder of the ground as part of his financial company Brass Bank — along with his partner and former director Danny Gazal.

Blitz claims Lemsagam is running up interest of £5,000 per month on over half of that sum and he is now consulting administrators. They also claim that Blitz is also weighing up the nuclear option of attempting to repossess the stadium and thus barring Oldham from playing there.

However, Oldham Athletic have denined the claims. A club statement said:

"We have today read the article in The Sun about Oldham Athletic.

It is clear that Brass Bank wishes to apply pressure on the club to drop its legal action against in respect of the 5.2million pounds provided to the Club by Oldham Council in respect of the the North Stand.

The claim that the club is close to administration is designed to scare - no correspondence has been received on the issue of disputed rent for over three months.

This matter will be dealt with by the relevant authorities in the courts, and not in the media."