CIRCUMSTANCES meant that the first time John Sheridan spoke publicly about Oldham Athletic's relegation from the Football League, it was five days after the event. Yet the emotions were just as raw as if it had only been five minutes.

"I'm absolutely gutted, still reflecting on getting relegated, trying to analyse what went wrong and what we could have done better. I can't really fault the players' efforts but obviously we fell short and we've ended up getting relegated," he said.

"It's a massive disappointment, it's one of the biggest downers of my football career.

"Obviously with the affection I've got for the club and the supporters I never thought it would happen, but it's happened."

The club legend is still trying to make sense of it all.

He came back to Boundary Park on the crest of a wave of hope that he could add to two previous Great Escapes.

Despite a seven-point gap to safety, a seven-game unbeaten run improved prospects of a third Shezurrection.

But Sheridan had known from the beginning that any serious disruption to his first team would have consequences, and that is what ultimately - in tandem with a transfer embargo - took its toll.

"Probably strength of squad," was his response when asked what the defining factor in relegation was.

"It's cost us, and I knew it from day one. I said to Tommy Wright, my assistant, I knew from day one if we didn't keep certain players fit and out on the pitch it would cost us.

"And I felt it straight away after the Swindon game, we went on a run of seven games where people who were playing week in, week out, I wasn't changing my team too much, but at Swindon we conceded a last minute goal, Clarkey (Jordan Clarke) got sent off, (Harrison) McGahey got injured and was out for four-five weeks, then we went on a bad run. (Sam) Hart got suspended, the captain (Carl Piergianni) got suspended, we're conceding four or five goals in the 93rd, 94th minute, everything seemed to just go against us.

"Then we come back and win a couple of games against Orient and Stevenage.

"It's very up and down but I think the strength in depth...

"I've got to be honest your recruitment's got to be your biggest priority to make yourselves stronger and ready.

"Unfortunately for me I couldn't bring too many players in when I first came in. I know I brought (Mike) Fondop in who got injured after starting well and scoring a couple of goals, and Tope Obadeyi, last minute signings. But in an ideal world I would have liked probably a couple more weeks and brought four or five players in but it wasn't to be. I'm not trying to make excuses. We were good at times and we had some good results and then we just fell short at times."

It hurts. And it will do for a long time. But Sheridan's task now is one of rebuilding.

"I'll be bringing my own players in during the summer," he said.

"I'll make some tough decisions and bring some players in hopefully who are going to make us better and stronger and capable to get out of this National League."