Stopper Monthe sees similarities between Oldham and Tranmere

The towering defender is one of a number of Latics players and staff who have connections to their FA Cup first round opponents.

Manager Micky Mellon is the most obvious one, having served the club as both player and manager, winning back-to-back promotions during his first spell in charge at Prenton Park.

Monthe played in both of those Wembley wins, after signing initially on loan from Forest Green towards the end of their first promotion season via the National League play-offs.

The move was made permanent the following summer as Tranmere maintained momentum to go up again by the same route in 2019.

In the same season they reached the FA Cup fifth round.

And he believes Latics are capable of following a similar pattern under Mellon, having made a good start to the season to sit fifth in the table ahead of first round weekend.

"It's the demands the gaffer has of players and not falling behind those," said Monthe of what the secret to Mellon's success is.

"The minimum you have to do in your job is work hard.

"Sometimes as footballers you can forget that that's the minimum requirement that you need, to work hard, so he sets those high standards and expectations to work hard and give everything on the pitch.

"And also being good people as well; when you're a good person, giving that positive energy it creates a good team chemistry and a good bond which allows us to all perform well.

Micky Mellon sets high standards of his players, says Manny Monthe (Image: Phill Smith)

"If you give each other positive criticism on the pitch everyone takes it well, and from there anyone that's playing next to you always has your best interests at heart, wanting to do well.

"That's what creates a team and that's what gets you success.

"We had this at Tranmere; team chemistry and togetherness."

They also had momentum, with a cup run in their second promotion season, ending with a home defeat to Tottenham in the fifth round.

He feels it was inevitable that, with so many links between the clubs, that being drawn together was inevitable.

"It had to be Tranmere. It's the magic of the FA Cup, full of surprises," said Monthe, who hopes his return trip to the Wirral goes better than his last, when he was sent for an early bath in the 76th minute.

"It's been a while since I was there, probably about two years.

"I think I got a mixed reception. I also got sent off for two yellows.

"But I'm looking forward to the game and a chance to use it for momentum.

"We don't look at the links, we look at it as a chance to win a game.

"Our main aim is to win, that's what we want to do, and go on a run to create momentum to go back and do well in the league and take it to the next game at Barnet.

"It's having that consistency of having that same feeling of winning, which gives you confidence that you can see on the pitch.

"Our aim is to get promoted and hopefully go again, like Tranmere did. But we're not looking too far ahead into the future. The best way to look at it is game by game and analyse it."