Former Town boss Joe Royle is aiming to make Town's Shane Supple the first signing of his second spell in charge at Oldham. Supple is available for loan as long as the Blues are able to sign someone else to come in as cover.

Royle says landing a keeper is his first priority: "Goalkeeper is a hotspot for us at the moment and I think we need to bring someone in.

"Jan Budtz has gone back [to Hartlepool after a loan spell], Greg Fleming isn't fit yet and Mark Crossley is still injured, so we must look at that position."

Royle hopes that a deal can be sorted in the next couple of days in time for the keeper to make his Latics debut against Tranmere at Boundary Park on Saturday.

Earlier in the month, Supple, who is out of contract with Town at the end of the season, came close to joining Grimsby on loan, but the move fell through due to the Blues' failure to land cover for the Irish U21 international stopper.

Town are likely to be scouring the country for out of favour keepers much in the mould of Nicky Colgan, who moved to Portman Road for the second half of last season while Supple was out on loan at Falkirk.

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