JOHN Sheridan turned the focus on Oldham Athletic's "fanatical" support, rather than talk about a 2-0 defeat at Tranmere Rovers that was a dead rubber in terms of their own cause.

Around 1,000 packed the away end at Prenton Park - a remarkable following considering relegation from the Football League was confirmed a week ago.

Not only did they travel in numbers, but the fans also sang from start to finish. And their efforts were recognised and appreciated by Sheridan, who admitted he "felt sick" before the game with the outcome of no significance to their season.

"It's one of the worst feelings I've had," said Sheridan, who walked over to applaud the supporters after losing to Micky Mellon's play-off chasing Tranmere.

"I've been in the game probably 40 years. Even before the game I felt sick because we're coming here for nothing and I know we're going to have the support we got.

"I got quite emotional towards the end with the supporters. How can you have that support when we've just been relegated, trying to get behind the team? I just find it hard to talk about.

"It's fanatical that support. They don't deserve what's happened, but it has happened.

"If I look at the goals... I don't want to be harsh on the players, I said to them last week you've got to take a long, hard look at yourselves. It's been going on all season, something's not been right.

"I've come in and I was hoping we'd do better than we have done. Unfortunately we didn't manage to turn it around and get to safety.

"I was dying for us to stay up, it hasn't happened. I'm here next year I'm going to try my socks, just for them (the supporters), to try to get us back up as quickly as I can.

"It's not even worth me really going on about the game. I'm 150 per cent going to try my hardest to get a team together that's going to try to get us straight back up."

Of the game, Sheridan added: "Very frustrating. I'm not going to go on to tell you the truth, I know what I need to do and what I'm going to try to do, how we're going to try to improve and bounce back next season."