John Sheridan says he and Andy Ritchie will put their friendship aside when they face each other across the technical area on Saturday.

Latics boss Shez welcomes Ritchie's Huddersfield side to Boundary Park with a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup at stake.

Oldham favourite Ritchie was the man who brought Sheridan to Boundary Park in October 1998, where the ex-Sheffield Wednesday man has remained ever since.

The two met earlier in the season and shared the spoils at the Galpharm Stadium following a 1-1 draw.

The pair remain close, but will battle it out for a Fifth Round berth in front of a big Boundary Park crowd this Saturday.

And there will be no love lost as the Roses rivals go head-to-head this weekend.

"Andy's a great lad who I've known a long time, and we've kept close over the years," Sheridan told Latics World.

"Unfortunately we have to play him.  We'll have a drink and a chat after the game, but until then I'll be working hard to try and beat his team.

"Of course there's other connections between the clubs as Luke [Beckett] used to play here, but that doesn't concern me.

"I will simply be concentrating on putting out a team that can win the game.

"It's a great game.  Huddersfield will bring a big following and there will be a good atmosphere with what will hopefully be a full house.

"Both teams will go into the game thinking they can win, and that's what we'll be setting out to try and do.

"I'm not even thinking about the next round and we will take Huddersfield very seriously, because this will be a very tough game and we will have to work hard if we are to win.

"I will have to think about the best team and formation to win the game, and obviously we've got Lee Hughes suspended.

"Players like Kelvin Lomax and Deane Smalley pressed their claims on Tuesday night and I have some decisions to make."

John Sheridan was talking to Gordon Lawton on Latics World -- the club's exclusive online TV service. Click here to find out more about signing up.

Subscribers to the club's exclusive SMS Text Alert service heard the gaffer's thoughts FIRST, FAST and EXCLUSIVE -- click here to check it out.