 Playing at a higher level, he was not to achieve quite the same success as he had in the lower divisions, scoring 17 league goals in 65 starts for the Midlands club.He was already starting to suffer from niggling injuries towards the end of his time there, and in October 1975 he moved back to Oldham on a free transfer.He maintained a more than reasonable strike rate on his return to the club, netting 21 goals in his 59 appearances over the next three years, but he was troubled by a knee injury for much of this time and was forced to retire in 1978.