THE board of directors of Oldham Athletic have broken their silence to express their devastation at being relegated from the Football League - but have set out a plan for the future, which they hope will include John Sheridan remaining as manager to lead their bid for promotion back at the first attempt.

The club has also confirmed that owner Abdallah Lemsagam remains “committed to selling the club”, as well as plans to use parachute payments to avoid any alterations to the budget.

But fans have taken their pledges with a pinch of salt.

The statement, which came two days after relegation was confirmed by a 2-1 defeat at home to Salford City, read: “The Oldham Athletic board of directors is devastated at the club’s relegation. The issues that have led to this point go back years but the buck stops with the board and relegation represents a total failure.

“The plan for next season starts now. The objective is clear, promotion and a return to the EFL. Our budget will be unchanged due to EFL parachute payments and we want to start preparations now.

“Key to that is keeping the manager. John Sheridan did the best he could in a short amount of time. With backing and preparation, we think he will get this club promoted back to the EFL, which is where it belongs. In the following days, we will meet with John to agree on a new contract with him.

“The club’s owner remains committed to selling the club. There is a clear process in place for interested parties. Each bidder has been asked to sign an NDA and provide proof of funds. Conversations with those qualified bidders are ongoing and will continue.

“Whilst appreciating the huge upset and disappointment to fans we urge everyone to continue to support the club in these difficult times.

“The board and staff are committed to working hard to restore our rightful position in League Football.”

Fans’ group Push The Boundary responded: “We have been given false promises time and time again and are now being asked to put our faith in a board that have repeatedly let us down.

“This season was not just a ‘total failure’ as the club suggest but an unmitigated disaster where the relationship of trust between supporters and the club has not only disappeared, but has been knowingly vandalised by the current owner and board. It is tantamount to sabotage.

“Fans have played their part this season in giving Shez and the players everything that we promised them. We have filled grounds up and down the country and sang our hearts out. We have asked the club for one thing and that’s transparency and updated progress on the sale of the club. We don’t feel the club have held their end of the bargain and given us the best chance to stay up, something that Abdallah committed to when Shez came back.

“We don’t want to see supporters blindly being asked to commit to support without SUBSTANTIAL proof that the club are doing what they said they would do. All the statement is to us is empty words. It is up to the club to prove otherwise.”