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Kelvin's contract delight

Gavin Browne
8/ 2/2007

LATICS defender Kelvin Lomax admitted it was nice to prove former manager Ronnie Moore wrong after earning himself a new contract.

Having been let go by Moore at the end of last season, Moore's successor John Sheridan brought Lomax back to Boundary Park and gave him a short-term deal.

His stay has now been extended until the summer of 2008 after impressing last week when coming on for Simon Charlton against Moore's Tranmere Rovers.

The right-back said: "I tried to do my best and everyone said I played well. I was glad to do it in front of Ronnie Moore as well seeing as he was the one who showed me the door at the end of last season.

"I was gutted about that because I've been with Oldham since I was eight and come through the ranks. I think it was the knee injury when I was out for three months that did me because I didn't have much time to impress him.

"I was surprised because I'd played a few games for the first team at a young age and a lot of people thought I was a good player, but I mustn't have been in his plans."

One summer phone call later and Lomax was back at Boundary Park, attempting to impress Sheridan who had been his boss at youth and reserve team level.

Having done well when filling at right-back for the injured Neal Eardley earlier in the season, Lomax was then asked to fill in on the other side after Charlton came off last weekend.

His reward for a good 45 minutes was a contract for another 18 months but Lomax is aware that areas of his game must be worked on.

He said: "I'm really made up (about the new contract). I obviously didn't know where my future was going to be because I was signing two or three-month deals but the manager got me in his office and offered me another year.

"I've got to keep working hard. I'd have liked a longer deal but I'm grateful he (Sheridan) gave me the chance to come back and prove myself. Hopefully I've done that and that's why I've got a longer deal."