Former Carlisle United manager John Sheridan is back in football - for a SIXTH spell at League Two's bottom side Oldham Athletic.

The struggling Latics have turned to Sheridan once again in a bid to escape relegation to non-league.

Oldham, seven points adrift of safety with 21 games to go, announced Sheridan's return after their latest defeat.

In a short statement, the club said: "Oldham Athletic can confirm that John Sheridan has agreed to return as head coach with immediate effect.

"More details will follow next week but the club would like to thank Selim Benachour for his time in interim charge."

It was reported earlier this week that 57-year-old Sheridan had offered to work for free in a bid to help Oldham avert the risk of relegation.

The experienced manager has been out of work since his departure from Swindon Town before the end of last season.

He is a highly familiar face at Boundary Park having had two caretaker stints there in 2001 and 2003, before spells as full-time boss from 2006-9, 2016 and 2017.

Among the fixtures facing the Latics are the visit of Sheridan's former club Carlisle to Oldham on March 5.

The former Republic of Ireland midfielder was in charge of the Cumbrians in the 2018/19 season, leading the Blues into the automatic promotion places before quitting the club in favour of a move to Chesterfield.

He went on to manage Waterford, Wigan Athletic and Swindon.

Oldham have struggled at the wrong end of League Two all season under the unpopular ownership of Abdallah Lemsagam, who has gone through a string of managers during his tenure.

Ex-United boss Keith Curle left the club in November, with academy coach Benachour taking caretaker charge but failing to win a league game, the latest outing a 3-0 defeat at Harrogate Town on Saturday.

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