There were emotional scenes as Micky Mellon and Frank Rothwell celebrate Oldham’s National League playoff final win against Southend.
Kian Harratt hit a 112th-minute winner to seal a return to the EFL after three seasons away for Micky Mellon’s Oldham side.
The Latics staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Southend 3-2 in the National League playoff final at Wembley, watched on by a record 52,115 crowd.
Southend took the lead via Manny Monthe’s own goal, but Joe Garner levelled with a penalty.
Leon Chambers-Parillon restored Southend’s lead in extra time, only for Oldham substitutes James Norwood and Kian Harratt to score within two minutes, and what truly amazing scenes they were.
One of the maddest Wembley turnarounds ever with late drama in 24/25 National League playoff final
Welcome back to the EFL
@OfficialOAFC | @TheVanaramaNL pic.twitter.com/9VaSLLGyAF
— National League on DAZN (@DAZN_NationalLg) June 1, 2025
Can’t beat a bit of Frank Rothwell content
He’s turned the club around
pic.twitter.com/TZSrjcB1jm
— The National League (@TheVanaramaNL) June 1, 2025
Oldham boss Micky Mellon speaking to DAZN: “I’m speechless. Football… this is what it’s all about if you’re on the winning side of it. I’m elated. My players have been unbelievable.
“What a day – it will never leave you, this day.
“It’s the stuff of dreams. All credit to the players because it’s been such a long season – it’s been a month since the league season ended.
“We missed a lot of chances but they managed to keep going and get over the line.
“The momentum will be massive now and going into League Two, Oldham will be a good force.”
Oldham boss Micky Mellon told his post-match press conference: “It’s an unbelievable achievement to get a result from where we were.
“This club is a monster. We were under pressure, we needed to go up, it makes so much difference to everything, we can really build forward. It’s massive to get us in there. Everything changes now. I’m delighted.
“That is supposed to be non-league and you get 53k at the game.
“There are some really big clubs in the NL who have been allowed to stagnate. York should have gone up automatically. It should be three up, three down. Teams like York and Southend would make the EFL better.
“I’ve been in League Two and there are teams there who are not as ambitious as those in the National League.”
Celebratory thoughts from Oldham Athletic manager Micky Mellon@OfficialOAFC | @TheVanaramaNL pic.twitter.com/v5ASapxjHR
— National League on DAZN (@DAZN_NationalLg) June 1, 2025
“It’s the biggest thing that’s happened in Oldham for 35 years”
Oldham owner Frank Rothwell on National League play-off final. pic.twitter.com/WKQxumkXZ3
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 1, 2025
Super Frank #oafc pic.twitter.com/7HmS0K3WPJ
— Cryptoboom (@sportmanhere) June 1, 2025
The party is just getting started!
First stop the dressing room
pic.twitter.com/nf3vnOiVNq
— The National League (@TheVanaramaNL) June 1, 2025
Oldham forward Mike Fondop speaking to DAZN: “Amazing. I would have felt so bad if we lost it because I had two chances that I should have buried, no excuses.
“We were 1-0 down, 2-1 down but we managed to score three goals and that just shows the character of this team.”
Oldham scorer James Norwood speaking to DAZN: “I was angry about the chance I missed in the 93rd minute but I knew I just had to wait for another chance.
“It’s massive, it means everything. The club was minutes away from going out of business and the owner saved them.
“I’m delighted we’ve won – it means a lot to the town, the place, the club, the players, it’s just everything to us.”
Oldham match-winner Kian Harratt to DAZN: “I feel unbelievable. It’s the second time I’ve done it here.
On his goal: “I just put it in an area and it’s gone in – either Mike taps it in or it goes straight in.
“It’s been some years since we’ve been promoted – hopefully we can go on next season and try to get another.”
Southend boss Kevin Maher to DAZN: “It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. Getting the goal early was exactly what we wanted.
“It’s a cruel way to lose, to get the lead in extra time. The winner was cruel, it’s a cross that just evades people and goes in.
“It’s disappointing because I can’t fault the players but congratulations to Oldham – they are a brilliant club and deserve this as much as we would have.
“When we reflect we should be proud as a football club to see how far we’ve come in such a short period of time.”
LISTEN
#Southend United head coach Kevin Maher on his ‘pride’ for his side despite losing in the National League Play-Off Final at Wembley.https://t.co/e0nMCJVTCf pic.twitter.com/Jl9fmiGvpQ
— BBC Sport Essex (@BBCEssexSport) June 1, 2025
LISTEN
— BBC Sport Essex (@BBCEssexSport) June 1, 2025
Fans reacted to the emotional scenes as Micky Mellon and Frank Rothwell celebrate Oldham’s playoff final win…
@VitalSouthend: Urgh. Painful. Well done Oldham. Better team over 120 minutes. Enjoy the celebrations and your return to the FL. As for Southend, we’ll lick our wounds and go all out assault on this fisher price league next year. Time to drown the sorrows. Beer me #oafc #shrimpers
@Gazapalooza: Dear Delph Primary school, my daughter won’t be in tomorrow. She’s not poorly; she not on holiday. She’s experiencing one of life’s greatest feelings right now! #oafc have won at Wembley and she was there to drink every second in! What you can teach her tomorrow won’t compare!
@AshGrant: Lads being serious now. You’ve just made the dreams of every Oldham athletic fan come true & for that, thank you so much 
#oafc
@Tommy_Oldham1: Looking forward to getting pissed wet through in that temporary stand away at Gillingham in the rain on a Tuesday night, that horrible Lego stadium called Colchester, squeezed like sardines away at Barrow, that sounds bowl called MK Dons. Back in the EFL, back in League 2 #oafc
@rammylatic: What a match, the boys are going up! Amazing scenes, over the bloody moon with that. Typical Latics leaving it until second half of extra time. Up the Blues #oafc. Thanks to the Rothwell family. We are back #oafc
@norwood_szn: No Truro, no boring wood, no braintree, no york, no dogdale, the list goes on. No more fa cup qualifying, no more national league cup, no more FA trophy. Fuck life is good #oafc
@Ruby_Actor: Oldham back in the EFL – 113 minutes of madness, a dash of Wembley magic, and Southend left in the rearview. Frank Rothwell’s smile just got promoted too 
#OAFC #WeAreBack #WembleyWonders”
@LukeBruce_:
A couple of instant thoughts I had immediately after the game:
1. Shall I just have an early night?
2. Shit, Carlisle and Truro are well far.
3. Bloody hope we can keep Gussy!!
#sufc #oafc #PlayOffFinal #NationalLeague #Playoffs
@ciaranmartin85: I’ve just seen latics win at Wembley with all my mates, my family and yeah I cried my eyes out. Not one fan base deserves that more than us. league 2 babbi #oafc
@MillyFlanagan: Has that actually just happened 
best day of my fuckin life!!!!! But can we agree to just go up auto in future pls, my emotional wellbeing can’t take anything like that ever again #oafc
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