Trailblazer Vimal Fixes His Eyes On Ultimate Prize

It doesn’t matter how good they are, or what impression they’ve made on your club, you can simply - under no circumstances - fall in love with them. Nothing good can ever come of it.

It‘s so easy to see why the Latics have struggled to keep their emotions in check when it comes to Vimal Yoganathan.

He’s got the swagger of a player going places, and the 19-year-old has time and talent on his side.

Borrowed from Barnsley, the young Tyke is the type of energetic midfielder that has the potential to be one of Sunday's National League Promotion Final’s main protagonists.

It’s little wonder he has already won a place in Oldham hearts.

He can’t wait to walk out at Wembley after putting the seal on their semi-final success.

"It was such a good feeling," Yoganathan said, summing up his emotions and after his goal helped defeat York City 3-0. "It helped us get another foot in the game, and it helped us along the way to get that win.

“Everyone dreams of playing at Wembley and doing well at Wembley, so obviously the focus is now on winning that game. It’s all that matters. It’s a great experience to get there in my first full professional season and I'm looking forward to it.

“We've done only a part of the job, so we got to finish it off now. The loan spell has been great, it’s been full of ups and downs, and that’s just a part of football. I just want to do my part now.”

Talent, and a trailblazer. When he signed from the League One club in January, Yoganathan became the first Tamil footballer to play professionally in England.

The teenager, who grew up in the depths of the Welsh countryside, hopes his appearance in the final today can spark up a conversation around the representation of the British Asian community in the professional game.

He is one of just a handful of players from a South Asian heritage playing in the top five divisions and it is a subject close to his heart.

“Since I made my debut, it’s important that I do what I can to raise awareness around the issue,” said Vimal. “I think it’s something that everyone can play a part in as we take steps to becoming more inclusive.

“Zeshan Rehman was once one of the only players of Asian descent in the professional game, and now there’s obviously more representatives playing in the EFL.

“The PFA’s scheme has helped in building that network and community within the leagues, so I’ve been fortunate enough to meet people of a similar background who I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”