Alan Hardy was pleased with the clubs progress and commented, “At the start of the season, we only budget to play one game in the Worthington Cup so any extra games are a bonus. This season, we have won away at Derby and now West Ham and that guarantees us a vital cash injection. We got to the final in 1990 and it was worth around £1 million to us. Now with TV money and sponsorship, it would be worth something like £3 million. We are in a precarious state financially, we are not in administration but between now and the end of the season we need to find £2 million to guarantee our survival. Obviously a good run in the Worthington Cup could solve some of those financial worries and guarantee the survival of Oldham Athletic.”
It is a game which Athletic need not fear as their away form has been tremendous this season although Selhurst Park has not always been a happy hunting ground for the Latics.