NewBlue Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Rory Smith is writing an article in the Times this week talking about modern football's 'inbetweeners' - clubs that's chances of winning something is very slim to non-existent, while surviving sustainably. Primarily it's about Newcastle, who are now in a profit and self-sustainable, but have little ambition to be achieving anything beyond what is realistically attainable, which is pretty docile and uninspiring. While most people asking the question what is the point of them? I thought that's pretty reminiscent to the vast majority of the past couple of decades at Latics. He is arguing that when you've got nothing to play for other than survival and the only way forwards is investment a club loses its reason for existing, so should try to form its own identity to keep things interesting at least. He mentions having a club philosophy like Swansea do in playing the right way, having a team full of local players, such as making a policy to play only North West lads, becoming fan-owned, or extending it to fan culture in the form of maybe the Athleticos or in the way of Leeds' 'everyone hates us' defiance. It's a bit abstract but it certainly applies to clubs like Latics in the current football structure when we're losing crowds rapidly, have little or no connection to any of the players and many fans find it a chore to go to the games. I was wondering what stuff Latics could do to promote some sort of identity and whether it would ever happen or be achievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 i gues the best widely known examples of clubs with some additional meaning would be in Spain where I think that the "MoreThan a Club" slogan adopted by Barcelona is probably reasonable given the civil war history and Athleic Bilbao who to the best of my knowledge still adhere to the Basques only policy. It is remarkable that they have retained their status with such a policy in this day and age. My views on the Athleticos fan culture thing are not generally favourable but I accept that's just my opinion and has no more validity than anyone else's while also acknowledging that their approach to matches certainly appeals more than sitting in a morgue like atmosphere. What I do find somewhat ironic is that many of these groups have adopted very similar vocal repertoires - the "Everywhere We Go" refrain having become pretty much ubiquitous in a very short space of time and have therefore achieved the polar opposite of becoming a disctinct identifying factor. The local players thing would be a great identifier (I think local would have to be fairly generous) but it's hard to imagine any club cutting off its nose to spite its face, any more than I can see fans accepting it if it meant relegation, and I can see no other quick win. The only thing is to really integrate and engage with the local community and I know the club does plenty of that but, and it is not a criticism of the club, at all there has always seemed an air of obligation about it to me rather than a genuine raison d'etre. Realistically turning that into reality woudl take generations; I'm not sure y that smaller clubs have that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh Heck C-Beck Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I think this is a very interesting topic that deserves more discussion at clubs like Oldham. How long can we go on treading water in this division waiting for a rich benefactor before everyone gets bored, or we finally run out of luck like Tranmere. I think it would be great to have something else in place for fans to identify with and rally around on top of the faint hope of success. For me that would be a full focus on bringing through our own players. I've got tired of the conveyor belt of journeyman and all the bull:censored: that goes with it. I'd love to support a team where the fans can build up a real rapport with players again been if they aren't all that successful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 i gues the best widely known examples of clubs with some additional meaning would be in Spain where I think that the "MoreThan a Club" slogan adopted by Barcelona is probably reasonable given the civil war history and Athleic Bilbao who to the best of my knowledge still adhere to the Basques only policy. It is remarkable that they have retained their status with such a policy in this day and age. 25 reasons why you should buy shares in Real Oviedo (available from 21st May): http://www.realoviedoireland.com/2015/04/25-reasons-why-you-should-buy-shares-in.html Reason No. 26 – Dr. Diego Cervero is the Club Captain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Rory Smith is writing an article in the Times this week talking about modern football's 'inbetweeners' - clubs that's chances of winning something is very slim to non-existent, while surviving sustainably. Primarily it's about Newcastle, who are now in a profit and self-sustainable, but have little ambition to be achieving anything beyond what is realistically attainable, which is pretty docile and uninspiring. While most people asking the question what is the point of them? I thought that's pretty reminiscent to the vast majority of the past couple of decades at Latics. He is arguing that when you've got nothing to play for other than survival and the only way forwards is investment a club loses its reason for existing, so should try to form its own identity to keep things interesting at least. He mentions having a club philosophy like Swansea do in playing the right way, having a team full of local players, such as making a policy to play only North West lads, becoming fan-owned, or extending it to fan culture in the form of maybe the Athleticos or in the way of Leeds' 'everyone hates us' defiance. It's a bit abstract but it certainly applies to clubs like Latics in the current football structure when we're losing crowds rapidly, have little or no connection to any of the players and many fans find it a chore to go to the games. I was wondering what stuff Latics could do to promote some sort of identity and whether it would ever happen or be achievable. The article sounds a right load of bollocks and a by product of the culture of demanding instant success that's been spoiling football for some time. The vast majority of league clubs have only ever achieved anything once in a generation or less (far less in the case of the club in question Newcastle which makes even more of a mockery of it) - what's changed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 i gues the best widely known examples of clubs with some additional meaning would be in Spain where I think that the "MoreThan a Club" slogan adopted by Barcelona is probably reasonable given the civil war history and Athleic Bilbao who to the best of my knowledge still adhere to the Basques only policy. It is remarkable that they have retained their status with such a policy in this day and age. My views on the Athleticos fan culture thing are not generally favourable but I accept that's just my opinion and has no more validity than anyone else's while also acknowledging that their approach to matches certainly appeals more than sitting in a morgue like atmosphere. What I do find somewhat ironic is that many of these groups have adopted very similar vocal repertoires - the "Everywhere We Go" refrain having become pretty much ubiquitous in a very short space of time and have therefore achieved the polar opposite of becoming a disctinct identifying factor. The local players thing would be a great identifier (I think local would have to be fairly generous) but it's hard to imagine any club cutting off its nose to spite its face, any more than I can see fans accepting it if it meant relegation, and I can see no other quick win. The only thing is to really integrate and engage with the local community and I know the club does plenty of that but, and it is not a criticism of the club, at all there has always seemed an air of obligation about it to me rather than a genuine raison d'etre. Realistically turning that into reality woudl take generations; I'm not sure y that smaller clubs have that long. To the tune of "everywhere we go"......... "We all sing the same songs, we all sing the same songs........" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I think this is a very interesting topic that deserves more discussion at clubs like Oldham. How long can we go on treading water in this division waiting for a rich benefactor before everyone gets bored, or we finally run out of luck like Tranmere. I think it would be great to have something else in place for fans to identify with and rally around on top of the faint hope of success. For me that would be a full focus on bringing through our own players. I've got tired of the conveyor belt of journeyman and all the bull:censored: that goes with it. I'd love to support a team where the fans can build up a real rapport with players again been if they aren't all that successful. We should become a "sports club" similar to how a lot of Spanish clubs operate. The football club is the behemoth but they have a basketball team, handball, all sorts..... I do a bit of running but not enough to join Royton Road Runners or similar - if there was an OAFC running club I'd pay to join and pay for the blue running vest with our badge on. Despite all the good work the Community Trust do why aren't hundreds of kids (male & female) taking part in football training with an Oldham Athletic Juniors instead of Heyside Jrs, Chaddy Park Jrs, Santos etc....? This would secure many future fans and involve lots of parents with the club NOW who wouldn't otherwise ever go to a game or pay any attention to us... Give one free ticket every season and some free advertising to bars or restaurants willing to give 10% discount to season ticket holders, or members.... The "OAFC Card" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewBlue Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 (edited) The article sounds a right load of bollocks and a by product of the culture of demanding instant success that's been spoiling football for some time. The vast majority of league clubs have only ever achieved anything once in a generation or less (far less in the case of the club in question Newcastle which makes even more of a mockery of it) - what's changed? I'd think that it's changed in that you're essentially in purgatory. Either have got funds and you're languishing in mid/lower table or you haven't and are waiting for investment. The likelihood of achieving anything with a small budget is miniscule and with the added fact your players come and go every year it can become pretty boring and predictable. It's just saying that if you're stuck in the same position in the same league almost every year then you might as well have some sort of other objectives that give you a bit of an identity and a purpose other than aiming for mid table every year. It's a bit of a novelty really. Edited April 27, 2015 by NewBlue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh Heck C-Beck Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 We should become a "sports club" similar to how a lot of Spanish clubs operate. The football club is the behemoth but they have a basketball team, handball, all sorts..... I do a bit of running but not enough to join Royton Road Runners or similar - if there was an OAFC running club I'd pay to join and pay for the blue running vest with our badge on. Despite all the good work the Community Trust do why aren't hundreds of kids (male & female) taking part in football training with an Oldham Athletic Juniors instead of Heyside Jrs, Chaddy Park Jrs, Santos etc....? This would secure many future fans and involve lots of parents with the club NOW who wouldn't otherwise ever go to a game or pay any attention to us... Give one free ticket every season and some free advertising to bars or restaurants willing to give 10% discount to season ticket holders, or members.... The "OAFC Card" I like these ideas especially becoming a sports club as it brings people on from across the community: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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