League Two outfit Oldham Athletic are without a win in their first season back in the EFL, but are aiming to improve their fortunes with the addition of young striker Michael Mellon.
The 21-year-old, whose father, Micky, manages the Latics, had loan spells at Stockport County and Bradford City during the 2024/25 campaign but struggled to score goals, netting just two in 19 games.
Therefore, the Burnley man is in need of a successful loan stint and he has been allowed to join his dad’s team, as reported by journalist Alan Nixon.
Oldham Athletic close to loan signing of Burnley man
After completing their return to the Football League with a 3-2 National League play-off final victory over Southend United in June, the Latics have not had a great start to their season.
Four draws and two defeats so far have left them in 19th place after six matches, whilst they were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Accrington Stanley in a preliminary tie.
Mellon’s side has struggled for goals, hitting the back of the net just three times in the league, despite already signing two new strikers.
Forward duo Kane Drummond and Joe Quigley have arrived at Boundary Park, although both have a lack of EFL experience and success.
They have joined the frontline of Mike Fondop, Joe Garner, Kian Harratt and Billy Waters, but Mellon’s depth of options has not resulted in a flurry of goals.
As a result, he has returned to the market and is set to bring in his own son to solve his issues.
Mellon junior enjoyed his best spell with Morecambe in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring 13 goals in 22 appearances, but has struggled to make an impact since then.
He played just twice for Stockport in the first half of last season before moving to fourth-tier Bradford and, although the Bantams went on to win automatic promotion, the forward scored just twice in 15 games.
He has never featured for Burnley’s first team, so is in need of regular playing time and goals to force his way in.
Lack of goals troubling the Latics
In their eight matches so far, including their 5-1 EFL Trophy defeat to Manchester City U21s, Oldham have netted just five goals and not scored more than once in any game.
Although they have veteran Joe Garner, who has over 100 goals in the Football League, their other five options have a total of just 40 EFL goals across their careers, with 31 of them for Billy Waters.
Their lack of experience and quality has proven to be their downfall so far back in League Two, but the signing of Mellon, who is expected to be a central figure in the attack, could partly fix that issue.
Despite only having one successful season in his career, his spell at the Shrimps showed he is a promising talent.
There will also not be many managers who could get the best out of him than his own dad, who himself has won two promotions from the fourth tier.
As a result, Mellon’s impending arrival is a signal of brighter times for the Latics, and he could prove to be a difference maker in terms of their season’s prospects.