‘Money cannot buy this feeling’
AS A licensed FIFA agent, Abdallah Lemsagam was used to squeezing every penny out of clubs from transfer deals.
But as Oldham chairman, he has been on the other side of the pinch – and a huge FA Cup upset has now led him to adopt a more romantic view of the game’s harsher realities.
When he took over 12 months ago, Lemsagam had to cease working for Sport2JLT, where his clients included ex-Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves and Sulley Muntari, who won the FA Cup in 2008 with Portsmouth.
Lemsagam batted away a winding-up order from HMRC, inheriting a backlog of unpaid creditors’ bills and a cash-flow that made last summer’s drought look like the river of dreams.
But all the stark financial predicaments melted away for 90 minutes at Craven Cottage as League Two Oldham beat Premier League Fulham 2-1.
Waiting by the team coach to congratulate the players who pulled off a stunning win, Lemsagam said: “The last year has cost me more than I ever thought but money can’t buy this feeling.”
On Lemsagam’s watch, Oldham were consigned to the fourth tier for the first time in 47 years. In October, players threatened to go on strike when their wages were not paid on time. And they have been through nine managers in four years, culminating in caretaker Pete Wild, promoted from the academy only 11 days ago.
But a year of turmoil evaporated when Daniel Iversen – on loan from Leicester – saved Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty and Callum Lang – on loan from Wigan – headed in the dramatic winner.
Lemsagam said: “This is one of my best moments in football. I’ve been involved in many big deals but at Oldham I’ve been used to losing money!”