DAVID Wheater is well aware that Oldham’s squad are playing for their Boundary Park futures heading into 2020.

Latics boss Dino Maamria has made no secret of his desire to strengthen his squad when the transfer window reopens in January, citing a lack of firepower in particular.

Skipper Wheater, on target in the 2-1 win over Crawley last time out, believes that the prospect of new arrivals is something that will keep everyone on their toes.

“When the transfer window is open you need to be playing well,” said the central defender.

“I don’t want to be not playing well and then see a centre half come in.

“It’s not going to be what you want and it’s the same for other players as well.

“You need to keep playing well and show that you deserve to be in the side.”

Patchy form on the field, Latics 20th in League Two ahead of visiting Morecambe on Boxing Day, has gone hand in hand with some disgruntlement off the field with supporters’ group Push The Boundary leading the campaign against owner Abdallah Lemsagam.

For Wheater, who arrived at Boundary Park in August after leaving Bolton, it has been so far, so good.

“For me personally the club is in a good way,” he said.

“The staff are good, the players are good and obviously some of the fans aren’t happy with the owners.

“I don’t really understand why, even though I’ve not really looked into it or anything.

“For me, the owners have been fantastic while I’ve been here so for me it’s been good.”

The trip to the Globe Arena is a big one at the bottom, the Shrimps five points behind Latics and second from bottom after a 2-1 win over Newport on Saturday.

“If we can back up the win on Saturday and then hopefully we can go into the new year looking at mid-table,” said Wheater.

“Morecambe had a good win on Saturday.

“We played well against them at home and got the win, hopefully we get another one on Boxing Day.”