Stat Attack: Notts County v Oldham Athletic

Notts County first played Oldham Athletic all the way back in 1910. During the Division One fixture, played at the Oldham Athletic Ground (now known as Boundary Park), the home side ran out 2-1 winners against the Magpies.

The Latics hold the upper edge against Notts in the head-to-head, having won 36 games to our 34, while 20 draws have taken place.

Of those draws, arguably one of the most important in recent years was a mere four months ago, when Notts travelled to Boundary Park at the end of the 2013-14 season with their League One status in the balance.

I'm sure I don't need to remind people of events on that day - just thinking about that day gives me the willies - but needless to say, Notts got the job done with a 1-1 draw and completed the Great Escape.

The club was formed in 1895 as Pine Villa F.C. When local rivals Oldham County F.C. folded in 1899, Pine Villa moved into their stadium, the Oldham Athletic Ground, and changed their name to Oldham Athletic.

The Latics' most successful season came in 1914-15, when they finished runners-up in the First Division by a single point. They also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, after making the semis just a year earlier.

Boundary Park is less than 9 miles from the nearby stadiums of Bury, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Rochdale.

Oldham's mascot, Chaddy the Owl, has famously been flagged for offside in a game against Peterborough United in 2000, while in 2003, in a game versus Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, Chaddy was involved in a scuffle with Bloomfield Bear after throwing his foam boots into the crowd. Chaddy defended himself, stating that Bloomfield Bear was attempting to break his beak.

Near the end of the 2005–06 football season, Chaddy was ejected from Belle Vue in a game versus Doncaster Rovers. Chaddy was escorted off of the premises after inciting a riot and making obscene gestures.

Notable Oldham Athletic fans include comedy duo Cannon and Ball, professor Brian Cox, ex-Manchester United footballer Paul Scholes, glamour model Michelle Marsh and Hollyoaks star Alex Carter.

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Notts County will check on loanee midfielder Reece Brown, who came off at half-time in the midweek draw with Leyton Orient because of illness.

Hayden Mullins, Mike Edwards, Blair Adams and Kyle Dixon are all still injured.

Oldham striker and former Magpie Jonathan Forte could return after missing the last two games with a thigh injury.

Winger James Dayton is expected to recover from an ankle knock picked up in the midweek draw at Swindon Town.