Oldham's survival could be confirmed within the next 24 hours after a plan to rescue the Second Division club was revived.
The Latics were on the verge of reaching an agreement with a group of Norwegian businessmen on Friday night, but the deal fell through after the consortium admitted they did not have sufficient financial backing.
The failure moved Oldham closer to liquidation, with marketing manager Sean Jarvis admitting they had "days, not weeks" to save the club - but local investors are now attempting to salvage the situation by relaunching an old survival plan.
The proposal, which will rely on money raised by a panel consisting of local companies and businessmen, the Supporters' Trust, the local council and other outside investors, was shelved when the Norwegian consortium stepped in with a bid.
However, Jarvis has confirmed the plan has once again been put to owner Chris Moore, who has a 95% shareholding at Boundary Park.
Jarvis said: "We are expecting a phone call from Mr Moore as soon as possible so we can take instruction on what to do next.
"We've put forward a proposal to Chris Moore, which was originally superseded by the Norwegian bid that collapsed. That survival plan has now been resurrected and is back on the table. We now have to see if Chris Moore wants us to proceed.
"Unless an investor comes forward, which is highly unlikely, the survival plan is the last option we have."
One potential problem is likely to be a loan from the Professional Footballers' Association, which Moore is believed to want paid off as part of any takeover.
The undisclosed amount was offered to help pay players' wages, and PFA deputy chief executive Mick McGuire confirmed: "We have given the club a loan but we are not at liberty to reveal how much.
"It has been protected. It's there to meet the shortfall in player's wages.
"We had the opportunity to take back the loan from the transfers that Oldham made recently, which we haven't done and wouldn't want to yet.
"We would hold it back for as long as the club stays in being."
The Latics were on the verge of reaching an agreement with a group of Norwegian businessmen on Friday night, but the deal fell through after the consortium admitted they did not have sufficient financial backing.
The failure moved Oldham closer to liquidation, with marketing manager Sean Jarvis admitting they had "days, not weeks" to save the club - but local investors are now attempting to salvage the situation by relaunching an old survival plan.
The proposal, which will rely on money raised by a panel consisting of local companies and businessmen, the Supporters' Trust, the local council and other outside investors, was shelved when the Norwegian consortium stepped in with a bid.
However, Jarvis has confirmed the plan has once again been put to owner Chris Moore, who has a 95% shareholding at Boundary Park.
Jarvis said: "We are expecting a phone call from Mr Moore as soon as possible so we can take instruction on what to do next.
"We've put forward a proposal to Chris Moore, which was originally superseded by the Norwegian bid that collapsed. That survival plan has now been resurrected and is back on the table. We now have to see if Chris Moore wants us to proceed.
"Unless an investor comes forward, which is highly unlikely, the survival plan is the last option we have."
One potential problem is likely to be a loan from the Professional Footballers' Association, which Moore is believed to want paid off as part of any takeover.
The undisclosed amount was offered to help pay players' wages, and PFA deputy chief executive Mick McGuire confirmed: "We have given the club a loan but we are not at liberty to reveal how much.
"It has been protected. It's there to meet the shortfall in player's wages.
"We had the opportunity to take back the loan from the transfers that Oldham made recently, which we haven't done and wouldn't want to yet.
"We would hold it back for as long as the club stays in being."
