 A 23rd-place finish in 1959–60 again meant that they had to convince their peers to keep them in the Football League.Under the stewardship of new boss Jack Rowley, they rose to 12th place in 1960–61, before posting an 11th-place finish in 1961–62.In Spurdle's final season at Boundary Park, 1962–63, Oldham won promotion as the division's runners-up.