No Pyro No Party Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 The AL regime is feeling like our version of Brexit right now and for us younger fans it's a big low point (quite literally and I can give you 88 reasons why). I'm in my mid-twenties and went to my first game back in 2003: Latics 1-7 Caridff -- Andy Goram ruined my childhood with that performance. I've absolutely no memories of us doing well besides the odd cup run or play-off push (QPR, Blackpool), just a relegation now etched into my memory. My generation are all in the same boat though so it'd be good to hear what it was like back when we were a top flight time (I'm talking mainly during our spell in the Prem). Make me dream of a Latics not plagued by Barry Owen's presence. How busy was it around BP? Were all the pubs full? How often would you go to watch Latics? Where was best in the ground for atmosphere? What was it like when big teams came up, i.e. Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea? What was the anticipation like for those fixtures? Was there any belief we could've stayed in the Prem? Were people actually... Gulp... Happy with the club? Would be good to hear what it was like when we were decent. Plus I know this forum is full of old codgers so there can't be a shortage of tales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daboke Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Crying at Wembley ‘91. a ‘highlight’ of my youth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookersstandandy Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Never losing to Man City at Maine Road. Going toe to toe with Yoonited on at least 5 occasions. Dale, Bury, Stockport, Wigan, Bolton, all vastly inferior sides. Taking 6,000 away to Barnsley and not singing we're taking over your town again. It was often really good weather on some of our big days out. Beating Chelsea more times than they beat us. Always expecting to score/win. Never giving up cos we'd scored late or put a run together to get out of trouble so many times. WIngers that hugged the touchline and swung in cross after cross to attack. None of this tippy-tappy yawny bollox. A superb collection of mullets. Freekicks & corners were genuine goal scoring opportunities are rarely hit the 1st defender. The soundtrack, a generation defining music scene based in Manchester. No Bosman rule. You signed for us, we held your registration until we decided to sell you. We had songs for most of our players. Joe Royle once said in an interview in around 1993 as we embarked on another cup run, "We want to threaten Europe". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perfectOzblue Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I'll post more on this later as I have been thinking about this a lot recently. My first match was February 1989, the season before the magical cup runs. For me, two main things have stayed with me (apart from the great football, goals, memories etc): Everything was different. The plastic pitch. The inflatable dogs. Standing on the fence at the Chaddy End. Everything was new and exciting. Plus, even though I was too young for the Madchester thing (and I lived in a shitty area of Rochdale anyway!) it felt like Oldham - and by association me as a fan - were at the centre of the world with things like the Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, the fashion, the music etc. Everyone seemed to be watching Oldham. We were cool! Without getting too wanky about it (which I know how I sound)... that's what it felt like for me. But mostly the football was amazing. I mean fucking amazing. You basically expected us to win and you knew - you knew! - it was gonna be entertaining. You knew there would be goals. Good football. Attacking. Skill. It was FUN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Pubs were packed and bouncing in anticipation of an exciting match ahead, streets were full of smiling faces, having to queue to get in. Twas a great time to be a Latics fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximus1267 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Imagine this, Rivalry and epic league and cup games with with Leeds, City, Blackburn, United, Everton, Sheff Wed, Bolton, Arsenal, Villa and West Ham to name a few. Boundary Park packed to the rafters, great atmospheres, great away days, great players semi finals and a cup final. I am 48 and this does not seem that long ago to me although it is. I started going in the mid 70s with my Dad & Uncles etc and we were Div 1 ( Championshiop ), we had low crowds and we were just survivng season after season at that level. Then came the 80s and a MR J ROYLE, things changed and the fun started. You asked " What was it like " It was the most exhilarating trip of my life, hard for anyone who wasn't there to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 In full JR Hartley mode I'm trying to hunt down a spare copy of my OASIS book, A Fertile Area in a Barren Land. Don't suppose..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookersstandandy Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Just now, Dave_Og said: In full JR Hartley mode I'm trying to hunt down a spare copy of my OASIS book, A Fertile Area in a Barren Land. Don't suppose..... ....I'll meassge the OASIS WhatsApp group.... there are couple of folk in there that met you on Oxford Street on the morning of the LIttlewoods Cup Final.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 My first ever home game was Millwall at home in the Championship season. I sat in the main stand and looked at the Chaddy End, wondering how they fitted so many people in. For me, screaming "Always look on the bright side of life" at the detestable Red wankers for seven glorious minutes at Wembley as they sloped towards the exits was as good as being a football fan can get. The rest, as they say, is history.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perfectOzblue Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 For three-four years, every match was big. And not in a "We have to beat Walsall or we'll be bottom of League Two for fuck's sake" way. I mean BIG. It was either a huge cup match, or another step towards promotion, or one of the 'big' teams at home. Every single match you had anticipation, nerves and excitement. Can you believe that?! Night matches at BP were electric, especially cup matches. You knew something amazing was going to happen - either another comeback from the dead, a brilliant goal or just a great game. You looked forward to games. You liked going to the games. Being at the games was fun. We had genuinely really good players. Jobson, Ritchie, Marshall, Barrett...these guys were quality footballers. They were skilful. They were heroes. It was just great really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 26 minutes ago, Dave_Og said: In full JR Hartley mode I'm trying to hunt down a spare copy of my OASIS book, A Fertile Area in a Barren Land. Don't suppose..... Still has pride of place on my bookshelf! I'll see if there's a way I can get a copy to you.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy55555 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 1 hour ago, Daboke said: Crying at Wembley ‘91. a ‘highlight’ of my youth Didnt go to Wembley in 91! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyPimp Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Back in those days the internet was still in black and white and only on for three hours a day. When we’d finished with the computer we’d all stand up and sing the national anthem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 39 minutes ago, lookersstandandy said: ....I'll meassge the OASIS WhatsApp group.... there are couple of folk in there that met you on Oxford Street on the morning of the LIttlewoods Cup Final.... Someone has joined work whose Dad was in OASIS back then. I think the only time I met him was outside Selfridges that morning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsPete Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 31 minutes ago, dannyboy55555 said: Didnt go to Wembley in 91! Crying because he turned up a year late Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Burns Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 33 minutes ago, JoeP said: Still has pride of place on my bookshelf! I'll see if there's a way I can get a copy to you.. l would also like to read this.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 2 hours ago, Daboke said: Crying at Wembley ‘91. a ‘highlight’ of my youth 37 minutes ago, LaticsPete said: Crying because he turned up a year late Or 3 years early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLDHAMADE Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 37 minutes ago, LaticsPete said: Crying because he turned up a year late He was lost in a Forest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldham82 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Just YouTube the final game when we beat Sheffield Wednesday 3_2 . The crowd the atmosphere all on pitch. Sheridan was playing for Wednesday then. That team we had If we had that now we would be top of championship at worst !!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh_latics Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 This thread is sickening. I've had a lifetime of games against Port Vale, Walsall, Doncaster and Shrewsbury, seemingly on repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanny Adams Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I hate hearing stories of 'the good old days'. It's mainly out of jealously but its also depressing that so many people are still clinging on to memories of nearly 30 years ago. I've been going since 1992. I wonder how much longer I have to wait to see success Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I've seen Oldham lose more times this season than I saw them lose for the first 3 seasons I went to watch them. One of those loses was in a cup final too. We were that good, and it helped we didn't lose at home on a Saturday for 2.5 years. Football was in vogue, we had a fashionable band do the England World Cup song, and Oldham Athletic were everyone's 2nd team (unless they were your favourite team). Times were good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 NPNP might want to check out this thread: http://www.owtb.co.uk/topic/50371-days-gone-by-v-now/ I’ve been supporting Latics for 70 years and that day out at Fulham last season takes some beating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stargazer Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 The one moment that still sticks out to me as to how surreal it was is.... Walking to the ground for the FA Cup 6th Round tie with Aston Villa , I thought to myself they have no chance. To put this into perspective ,they were top of the football league and we despite our cup success up to that point , were a second tier club. We beat them 3-0 , it could have been 6-0 . Regular early morning queues to get tickets for the next big cup game , as more and more people wanted part of this. We were often described as every football fans second favourite team. Ian Marshall became a scoring centre forward sensation ......because teams played so defensively we had no need for four defenders , he was sent up the park and the rest is history. We played non stop attacking football , Henry , Milligan and Redfearn would win the ball and give it either to Holden or if he was being double or triple marked give it to Adams (who was some player himself). Ritchie our greatest ever player , alongside Marshall , Bunn or Palmer would do the rest. The sheer pace of Warhurst and Barrett , the skillful Barlow and the magnificent Irwin sat behind this attacking tour de force. And with two quality goalkeepers .......it was magical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry the Berry Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Having a declutter, found about 20 issues of “ Beyond the Boundary “ fanzine ! great reading , first one says it must be a long time since we had 2 players in the full England squad as Jobbo and Earl Barrett were in that week , Happy Days , not going to get much work done and these are not going to get thrown out . BTB was produced and edited by Pete Mason , Kaptain Klueless and Brian T Green First memories getting the “ Soccer Special “ from Middleton town centre up to BP , away days on Yelloways then Barlows coaches , Jim Fryatt scoring diving headers at the Chadderton End , the local derbies against Blackburn and Burnley when there was always a bit of a “ rumble “ then we move on to the Big Joe era , Meat Pie Fred remember him in the Chaddy, could go on , the state the club is in now so tragic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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