Oldham Athletic relegated: Farcical final scenes sum up Abdallah Lemsagam's reign

It was fitting that Oldham Athletic’s relegation to non-league was confirmed in farcical circumstances on Saturday.

With results going against them, Oldham trailed 2-1 against Salford on Saturday and needed two goals in 12 minutes to stand any chance of a great escape. But their long-suffering fans knew it wasn’t coming.

They invaded the pitch, not for the first time this season, and didn’t leave. A banner reading ‘Get out of our club’ was held up and broadcast nationwide. Youngsters got a ball and started playing their own game. The match was abandoned and essentially confirmed Oldham’s 116-year stay in the Football League was over.

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When fans left the pitch due to the club turning on the sprinklers, over an hour later, the game was restarted behind closed doors. Fans downing their sorrows in the Joe Royle Stand tried to watch through windows, but Boundary Park stewards used advertising hoardings to block their view - and seemingly fire exits from the fan’s bar according to footage on social media. Oldham didn’t find the goals they needed and they were relegated in pathetic circumstances. Lemsagam, his brother, or any director have been notably absent from Boundary Park to see the demise of the club they have now taken down two divisions in four years.

Yet, when Lemsagam took over Oldham in 2018, he spoke of a ‘vision’ he had for the League One club. When Oldham were relegated that season, Lemsagam published a three-year plan aiming to return to League One by 2022 and aim for the Championship by 2025.

Lemsagam has successfully taken Oldham out of League Two in this timeframe, and it has been achieved entirely in his image. Except