Oldham Athletic Striker Set To Snub Potential Exit

Oldham Athletic forward Kurt Willoughby is planning to turn down any offers to remain with the National League team for the upcoming 2024/25 season.

Last summer, the 26-year-old made a switch from Chester to Oldham. However, during the latter part of the 2023/24 season, he was on loan at Ayr United in Scotland. It seems that despite this loan spell, his permanent future lies with Oldham in the National League.

How did Willoughby fair last season?

Willoughby had a challenging beginning at Oldham Athletic, facing competition from players like James Norwood, Alex Reid, and Mike Fondop to secure a spot in the starting lineup.

During his time in the National League, Willoughby played 15 matches but only started four of them, failing to make any contributions in terms of goals or assists for the team.

As a result of his performance, he was loaned to Ayr United in the Scottish Championship, where he managed to rediscover his goal-scoring touch. Despite starting only four out of 12 games for the club, he did score three goals during his time there.

Which clubs were interested in him?

Pete O’Rourke didn’t specify a specific club, but he did indicate that many teams in the National League and Scottish Championship were interested in signing Willoughby during the summer.

Nonetheless, it is anticipated that he will reject offers from other teams and opt to remain at Oldham Athletic to compete for his position in the team for the upcoming season.

What does this news mean for Oldham?

The decision of Willoughby to remain at Oldham will enhance their attacking capabilities for the upcoming 2024/25 National League season. Oldham is counting on the forward to utilize his scoring record from Scotland to enhance their performance compared to the previous season.

Given Chesterfield’s promotion in the previous season, there is no clear favorite for the National League title this time. Despite the loss of Brennan Dickenson, Oldham boasts a deep squad. With an extra striker in their lineup, they could boost their offensive play, leading to an increase in goal-scoring opportunities and overall points accumulation for the team.