"OLDHAM had a very successful period in the 1990s, with Oldham Athletic getting to the cup final in 1990 and two semi finals in 1994, and the band were successful at that time as well."

The band in question were the Inspiral Carpets. The man celebrating the success of his home town is Graham Lambert, guitarist and founding force behind the former mill town's finest ever contribution to the charts.

"We also had David Platt, an Oldham lad and Michael Atherton captaining England at football and cricket -- it was Oldham attacking on all front," adds Graham.

Oldham may never have repeated that success on the sports field or in the charts, but the Inspiral's music has carried on and influenced a generation of young musicians -- including a young lad named Noel Gallacher, who used to be an Inspirals roadie before joining Oasis.

Now, after eight years doing their own thing, the Inspirals are back together.

Fresh from a successful spring tour and a starring role at Glastonbury, the group are now set for their biggest ever gig on home turf in Manchester's Move Festival.

"We played in front or 10,000 people at the G-Mex centre, many moons ago," said Graham: " This is taking place at the cricket ground, which holds about 20,000 so it could be our biggest Manchester gig ever."

Guitarist Graham started the Inspiral Carpets as long ago as 1982, but the band had many forms until it really began to take off in the late 1980s.

They were always considered, along with the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, as the flagbearers of the Madchester scene which lit up British music at the dawn of the 1990s.

But, in 1995, the group went their separate ways after releasing a greatest hits album and securing their release from their record contract.

But Graham admits that the band always had one eye on the possibility of a reunion.

"My attitude is always 'never say never.' From the time we decided to knock it on the head, I said 'give it a year' -- it took seven years before we eventually did it, though there were always bits of things going on -- discussing using tracks for compilations or music for advertisement."

The band remains close to its roots in the area, and Graham, like many people in his home town of Oldham, is currently fretting about the fate of the cash strapped local football team.

"I'm the only one of the band who is really an Oldham fan -- it's a shame to see them in such financial trouble after such a good season. We've got a promising team at the moment, and a very talented manager in Ian Dowie."

But Graham, who admits that he has neither the cash or the time to steer the Latics out of their crisis, is concentrating on the music.

"It's interesting to see that there are so many bands coming out of Liverpool right now -- the Corals being the best known.

"It reminds me of much of the 80s, when we had the Stone Roses, Happy Monday and ourselves coming out of Manchester, while the Charlatans and James carried on where we left off.

"They continue to be very successful -- if you take a band like the Charlatans, they have gone through all the ups and downs and are still making great music."

As for the Inspirals, they have a packed year of live dates to look forward to, and release a new single, Back Tomorrow, a week on Monday.

The Move Festival takes place at Old Trafford on July 11, 12 and 13. The Inspiral play on Saturday night, sharing a bill with the likes of the Charlatans.