LaticsPete

I’m in the Hartlepool-As-Contenders club too. Askey as manager and experience as a club of how to operate in this league. Plus they are not on their uppers financially, so aren’t on a spiral downwards.

It’s the bit about the club not honouring the last two months of his contract that sounds bs. They have to unless the player is culpable of a dismissible action.

Wow. First post and either well informed or a new wind up .

Sorry to pick on this post NZ but it mentioned young Ferguson and, after last night, he seemed worth a revisit! He must now have , on his record, two of the most miserable attempts by his teams at keeping big leads. I'd venture to say that Latics 5-4 win, after being 0-3 down after 45 mins, was more of an achievement than the Wendies clawing back four goals in 90 mins,but either way his defensive set ups must be dire.

Rebirth of the Blues Neil Fitzsimon Pitch Publishing 2023 Paperback 254pp £12.99 The book is subtitled “The rise of Chelsea FC in the Mid-1980s”. If you’re not aware of the history of Chelsea, don’t get too excited. The late 70s were not the best of times, nor the early 80s, when relegation to the Third Division was on the cards. So, any rise was from a fairly low starting position. Having said that, promotion to the top-flight was achieved, and, before relegation back down, two top-six finishes were achieved. It was also the time when Ken Bates rode in to purchase the club for £1, laying the foundations for later partial success (and some financial stability off the field). If anyone thinks I’m being unduly downbeat about the story that’s told, then it possibly reflects the style of the book. This is the third in the author’s series on Chelsea, I haven’t read the other two, and they may engender a warmer feeling towards him and his memories of the period, which actually starts in 1977. I’m not a Chelsea supporter, so can’t reflect on how accurate his memories are endorsed or shared, but his are related in a somewhat disparaging manner about other clubs, girlfriends, players or people he came into contact with. Ipswich and Norwich are “country bumpkins”, Grimsby had a support that “was miniscule”, and the bullying and abuse of a young man and his aunt in a restaurant, “merciless piss-taking” , all don’t create a bond with the writer. His attitude to girlfriends probably wouldn’t endear him to many nowadays either. Like other stories of that period, there’s a good deal about the music scene and politics of the time. They run parallel to the football and although they create a fuller [picture of the author and his life then, don’t really give any great context to what went on at Stamford Bridge. This, however, is where the author probably is at his best. His sense of dejection at how the club were wallowing with little hope of progress is apparent and there are some unusually sympathetic (maybe apathetic?) portraits of managers who tried without success to turn alter the trajectory of the club. Geoff Hurst must have seemed baffled by the lack of talent at his disposal and never really “got the club”, Danny Blanchflower was probably too nice, but Bobby Gould taking over was like “lunatics taking over the asylum”. Players too often seemed like characters merely flitting on and off the stage, never delivering the goods: Duncan McKenzie, Eamonn Bannon, Phil Driver, and many others all promised but never achieved much. It wasn’t until John Neal’s run as manager that the “rebirth” happened. His signings include many who were to become favourites at the time and remained so after their departure; Kerry Dixon, Pat Nevin, David Speedie and Mickey Thomas. Neal had to retire with ill-health after getting a top-six finish in Div. 1, but his tenure was certainly enough for Chelsea to be regarded, at least temporarily, as a major London club again. Will this book appeal to non-Chelsea fans? Probably not, but its very personal style may reach an audience amongst Stamford Bridge denizens.

New shirt sponsorship announced- and DR says new shirt is bespoke design ie not a Puma template kit. https://twitter.com/officialoafc/status/1659121756358033413?s=46&t=mMZAFU7AiZLTDZXdc86DGw

The club will be dismayed to learn of that ( not the visit to your mum)

Deleted , just seen other thread

The debate only really begins when the EFL start talking about it . Just wishful thinking on the part of NL clubs until then.

Aidy White released by Rochdale. Twelve years since we had him on loan from Leeds.

There must be 5/6 at Harrogate…terrible “ramshacklery”

At 75 mins I would disagree. Poor quality esp from Notts. cue them turning it on.

Good luck to the lad.

Crests and Coats of Arms Club badges and logos seem to be amended and tweaked with a frequency that seems to prosper graphic designers rather than respond to a need from supporters. There are some notable exceptions, but clubs appear to welcome the opportunity to sell their merchandise on the basis of an altered visual representation. Usually, they are stripped down to a handful of components, yet programmes show that heraldry was once a major part of a club’s identity and association with the town where they played. Although some modern badges use amended elements from town arms, it was probably pre-1970s when civic pride was most obviously shown on programmes. Northampton Town emblazoned their crest on their programmes in 1967-8. Heavily based on the town’s coat of arms, the local castle is the centrepiece along with a shoe to mark the local industry, and a Tudor Rose. The maroon and white cover carried no match details, they are on page 8 along with team line-ups, for the 16th March 1968 match against Oldham in Div. 3. That same colour was used extensively inside too although “Club Notes” and Des Talking”, with comedian Des O’Connor reverted to black print. O’Connor had been evacuated to Northampton in the war and was a talented footballer playing for the Cobblers’ Reserves and, later, for the “Show Biz XI”. Bolstered by the inclusion of “Football League Review”, the programme was a mix of local and national football news and comment. The former said Town’s win against Walsall was” one of the best performances of the season”, whilst the latter noted that “Birmingham City have opened a full-time shop on their ground” and claimed it was “especially popular with the schoolboys”. No mention of the Latics squad, struggling towards the bottom, but a 2-1 win was part of a late-season revival that saw them finish 16th, a place above their hosts. Was Des there amongst the 7558 spectators or was he checking to see if any of his records were in stock at “the Midlands Leading Record Store”, John Lever on Gold Street? “May Shrewsbury Flourish” (Floreat Salopia) was an integral part of the coat of arms of Shrewsbury which were adopted by the local football club in 1907 and used without amendment until 1970. Centrally placed on the cover of the programme it proudly displays three Loggerheads (leopards), a possible link to the arms of Edward I, who based his army there to conquer Wales. It was a Lancashire force that had to be overcome on Feb 21st, 1959, however, in the first season of Div. 4, as Oldham were the visitors. They were “having one of those lean spells” (how often could that be written?!) but did boast one former FA Cup winner in Bill Spurdle, ex-Manchester City and one of the few Channel Islanders to play in the top flight. A slim, 8pp, programme led on its front page with a letter of thanks to the “Splendid Supporters’ Club” who had raised significant money for the Shrews, and there was a good deal of club news inside. A photo of Ken Tucker accompanied a small feature on the player, “a likeable little fellow” and winger who had been with Shrewsbury for a year. Team line ups were on the back page and there was considerable doubt as to who would line up at no.8 for the home team: Ambler or Russell or B. Jones were all printed as possibilities – it was the first of these who turned out. Shrewsbury didn’t flourish in this match, but neither did Oldham, a 0-0 stalemate for the 6172 to watch. It was Latics’ solitary point from ten consecutive matches and the Salopians couldn’t match the claim of a local restaurant. Apparently. two certainties were “Sidoli’s for a good meal, Shrewsbury Town for the Third Division”. I hope the food was good. The Tranmere Rovers programme of 29th March 1968 possibly can’t be surpassed for heraldic impact. A large, three colour, coat of arms dominates the front page, derived from those of the town of Birkenhead, with “TRFC” entwined in the middle, and a football replacing a helmet at the top. The borough’s motto, Where There is faith there is light in strength, runs in Latin at the bottom. Adopted in 1962, this was used until 1972. Birkenhead as a strong presence on the cover, Birkenhead Ales advertising strongly at the bottom. In between are the match details for the visit of Oldham on 29th March 1968., just two games after the tip to Northampton. Some decent pen pictures this time, Ian Wood forecast as having “a great future”. Wood went on to play 525 games for the club, a record so that was a decent prediction, whilst it was noted that Tranmere winger Roy Sinclair had just completed 100 games for Rovers. It was a programme with lots of “snippets” of club news: the former Chairman had just had an operation, and the club had requested personal hearings for two players booked at Shrewsbury. It was hoped “to produce some revealing photographic evidence”! Presumably about the match. As with many programmes from this era, they help tell the tale of the demise of local brewing; Birkenhead Beers eventually became part of Whitbreads, and Bents Bitter, “still supreme” on the centre pages also eventually were absorbed into, and eventually closed by, the same company. At least, in 1968, there was something local to sup, and to celebrate with after a 1-0 win, if you were a Rovers fan in the 7454 crowd. Another 1960s example comes from Vicarage Road and Watford. It was just seven years after it had adopted the Borough Council’s arms, adapting them to include “Watford F.C.”. In a prominent position on the programme cover when Oldham visited on 16th January 1968, the two harts for Hertfordshire and wavy lines representing the River Colne, are underscored by “Audentior” (With Greater Boldness) and continued to be used until 1972. Black and amber give an assertive look to this front page, confidently laid out with details of this match, the next one and the club’s name. Inside the content doesn’t quite match up to this authoritative start, masses of advertisements intruding on match and club news. The latter is heavy on the previous week’s FA Cup win over Hereford, setting up a 3rd Round tie at home to Sheffield United. Ticket details for this are added on to the editorial (“Voice of Watford”), whilst those for the League Cup Final are just above Hodsons Furnishing Fabrics. The centre page line=ups have to fight for attention with Jackson the Jewellers, the Palace Theatre pantomime, and two local newspapers. Something different in that there are pen pictures of all three officials, all on the same page as those of the Oldham players. Watford seems to have been an abstemious community, just one ad for a brewery (Ind Coope) and none for pubs. Not much to drown their sorrows in for the bulk of the 12521 crowd, Latics edging it, 2-1.

That’s teams that finished above us. Isn’t that different from teams that were above us when we played them?

Modernist. We managed without numbers in England unti 1939/40…

I remember that too. My recollection was that it was about goal 3/4 but what you described next is spot on ! We were up in the top left of the Chaddy and Villa in the middle . Glory days

Indeed it is

The new girls’ kit supplied by Hope & Glory looks good

I believe Jeremy Corbyn has the backing of momentum.

A Southend player may feature according to a senior executive.

People have to agree to be paid off, it can’t be forced on them. If they’re still here, they can get physio, insurance, etc.

https://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/news/2023/may/01052023-retained--released-list/

As the honours are handed out, spare a thought for @milnrowlatics. He just ran out of steam and finished well below his self predicted promotion. Always better to be realistic and pace oneself - as I did , finishing above him (not for the first time) .

Some of us will remember Graham Bell and Mike Lester. The former even had then England manager Don Revie at Boundary Park to look at him. He had a decent career but never reached the level that was predicted for him. Lester was also tipped for great things and , again, had a decent career but nothing special. So when Vaughan is referenced as a future international or at least, the very top, I’d exercise caution.