LEAGUE 1

Oldham Athletic have cancelled their pre-season trip to Israel, the JC can reveal.

As reported in October, the club had arranged friendlies against Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Betar Jerusalem in July but the Israeli teams scuppered the trip as it would clash with the preliminary rounds of the Uefa Cup and training camps.

Oldham have been unable to arrange suitably meaningful matches as part of the programme and postponed the trip indefinitely.

Oldham managing director Simon Corney, who suggested the trip to the club’s manager John Sheridan, said: “We contacted five clubs in an attempt to arrange the tour, but unfortunately they are in Holland or other countries carrying out their own pre-season preparations.

“Therefore, due to our opponents’ prior commitments, we could not guarantee the standard of pre-season fixtures we require. However, we remain determined to see the trip go ahead at some point and are keen to tour Israel prior to the 2010/11 season.”

Corney, who will represent the GB Masters at July’s Maccabiah Games, said: “We will be liaising with the Israeli authorities in due course with this goal in mind.”