Mark Allott rejoined Latics in summer 2007 after a six-season hiatus.

A long-term target for manager John Sheridan, Allott signed a two-year contract after leaving Chesterfield for an undisclosed fee.

Originally a product of the Boundary Park youth system, Allott scored within ten minutes of being introduced as a substitute for his debut against Bolton Wanderers on December 12, 1996.

Allott established himself by finishing top scorer with eight goals in 1998/99, while 11 strikes also placed him joint top of the scorers' chart the following season.

Made available for transfer in December 2001, Allott joined the Spireites on loan before making the deal permanent in Feburary 2002.

He moved into midfield whilst at Saltergate, and excelled in his new position.

Indeed, Allott made a clean sweep of the end of the season awards in 2005/06 and was also handed the captain's armband.

After 243 appearances (14 goals) for the Spireites, the Ashton-born Allott made his move back to Boundary Park at the end of the 2006/07 season following Chesterfield's relegation to League Two.