Oldham Athletic appoint David Unsworth as successor to John Sheridan

The rhinoceros has joined what was until recently an endangered species.

David Unsworth, nicknamed after a frenzied run that knocked four opponents out of the way, is the new manager of Oldham Athletic, a club that was just hours away from extinction just a few months ago.

There have been few bright spots at Everton lately – where the 48-year-old served with distinction. In his role as head of the academy, Unsworth was responsible for many of them.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tom Davies and Anthony Gordon all came through the ranks under Rhino’s watch. Winner of the FA Cup in 1995 with 350 appearances and twice as interim manager, he was well regarded by fans and staff at Goodison Park. In this world of quick fixes and hectic turnover, he had perhaps the closest thing to a job for life imaginable.

Indeed, offers from clubs in League One had previously been rejected. But in April, he decided the time was right to cut the tightrope and stepped out of the role to focus on becoming a first-team manager.

Around the same time, Premier League founders, Oldham, dove out of the EFL for the first time in their 115-year history. It wouldn’t turn out to be the most appealing first performance. But in July, when the tax authorities were ready to close the doors of Boundary Park, the rescue came in the form of a local portable cabin-building family.

Darren Royle, son of Oldham and Everton legend Joe and former Wigan CEO, knocked on the door in a desperate attempt to assemble a consortium to save the club he had a season ticket with.

The Rothwells, Frank and Judith and their corporate children Sue and Luke told him to forget the consortium – they would do it themselves – and agreed to spend £12 million to buy the club, stadium, surrounding land and pay off debts . Philanthropic doesn’t come close.

Things have changed since then. On a wave of goodwill caused by the solo Atlantic rowing Frank wearing a flat cap, the crowd is bigger than they’ve been in years. The atmosphere is arguably as good as it has been since the glorious Joe Royle era. For Unsworth’s first home game, high-flying Wrexham (which may bring 3,500 of their own supporters), they are expecting north of 10,000.

It’s starting to make sense. More so, when Unsworth speaks to Sportsmail.

“It’s a blank sheet of paper,” he says. “I have been asked to come for a period of time and rebuild the football side, not just to focus on the team on Saturday. Build an infrastructure. Sort the academy, bring in a ‘B’ team, recruiting analysis. It’s so attractive for a young coach to do that at a club with the potential it has.’

When the takeover took place (and before leaving the press conference room to serenade an elated crowd gathered outside with his own version of Dion’s The Wanderer), Frank Rothwell stated that he recognized Oldham’s natural position as League One. saw who was on his way to the championship.

Unsworth, who will be joined by former Evertonians John Embrell and Francis Jeffers, is on board and even suggested they might look even higher. “Completely agree,” he says. “I played against Oldham in the Premier League. Look at Bournemouth, what Portsmouth did. You look at teams in the National League and League Two and it’s unbelievable how much success you can achieve when it’s done right and what can happen when it’s not done right.” He pauses and shakes his head.

“A club of this size in the National League. I’m aware of the potential, but it doesn’t happen overnight.’

The steps are already being taken. At a recent strategy meeting that included the board of directors and future president and former Saatchi and Saatchi chief executive Kevin Roberts, the group was asked to come up with words that would describe what they wanted to see as what the culture should be.

‘Clean’ was one of the more popular suggestions. Correct is how they handled the departure of Unsworth’s predecessor, John Sheridan.

‘Shez’ as he was affectionately known was in his sixth stint as manager and much loved by his fans. He had come back for his last rescue mission with a toxic atmosphere and tried in vain to keep the club in the league.

After the takeover, he agreed to stay on, but many of his signings have ended up on the injury table and form has been disappointing. Fans who loved him may never have turned against him, but there was a fear that his legacy would be tarnished by many more. A mature conversation was held and it was agreed that Sheridan would leave but that he would be given one last game after the announcement was made, a chance for fans to give him the goodbye he deserved.

“This feels good,” Unsworth explains. “I know we’re in the National League, but I’ve been told that if you work for good people, you’re more likely to succeed. These are good people that I know I work for. Frank and his wonderful family. I think he’s crazy, but very crazy. He loves this city, this club. They are great people. You know immediately that you are going to work with them. Darren is excellent as a CEO, the people he knows, the integrity he works with and Joe has clearly been a huge mentor of mine. You have to go up and down and we have a real chance because we have good people here.’

In cricket we have Bazball, in football we have Moneyball and others. So, last question, what does Rhinoball look like?

‘Rhinoball is a new concept!’ says Unsworth with a smile. “It would look like a team that people are afraid of, a team where when you play against them you know you have to be your best to play. A little bit of everything, a team that can physically match you, outrun you, play through the lines. A team where everyone defensively knows their trade. A team that everyone buys into and a team that players in the same division or the one above look at and think “there’s something special going on there and I want to be a part of that”. Above all, a team that wins.’