Chris Ogden

Home sweet home

 

I remember Notts Forest fans lighting fires on the RRE. If I remember correctly, it was a winter night match and I think Gary Hoolickin broke his leg. I couldn't blame them for lighting fires - it was bloody cold like!!!

I remember this game, I was with my Dad in the Main stand Paddock and witnessed Cloughie arguing with some hecklers;

"We'll win more than you this year......................."

The game was the 0-0 League Cup Game from 78ish. Gary Hoolickin was fowled by John Robertson and did break his leg (although do not think it was reckless and Robertson appeared cut up about it).

You are right about the fires but on a more positive note Mr. Clough was very complimentary about our pitch !

Despite losing the replay we still managed to score twice against the League Champions on their own ground.

Was that the Chelsea match when we lost 3-0 against the Dixon, Nevin, Speedie era team? If so, I was there and featured in close up on MOTD leaning against a crash barrier in my Bunnymen mac!! However, this was shown on Saturday night as I can remember just getting home in time to watch it!!

 

We used to get tiny away followings in the late '70's and early '80's. I remember one match at Ashton Gate during this period when there were about a dozen of us there. A few Bristol fans had come in to our end looking for trouble but ended up chatting and smoking with the Latics fans.

 

Lowest number of Latics fans for a relatively short journey must be Sheff Wed away after the "riot" match. There were less than 50 of us there tucked away in a small section with the home fans on the Kop. Very unpleasant!!

 

Southport away on Easter Monday, 1974 gets my vote as the most away fans for a league match. What a great 4 days that was!! Three wins in three matches.

 

Also, it would be interesting to know how many fans travelled to Plymouth when we won the league on that Tuesday night. Not many, I bet!!

Yes that is the game I am referring to, thought it was shown on Sunday but I beg to your superior memory !

I remember the commentator saying something like "Well that is certainly not the highest following you'll see but they are a loyal bunch and their team are holding their own at the moment."

This was just before Chelsea scored !

I do remember a Latics fan standing against a crush barrier and two uninterested lads kicking a tin can about ?

Recollections of Ancona are in this link to the fishal site.

 

http://www.oldhamathletic.premiumtv.co.uk/...1032628,00.html

 

We travelled to Genoa on the plane with the team and Club officials. The approach to the landing in Italy was horrendous. There was a very strong cross-wind and on its first approach to the landing strip next to the sea, the plane was blown unsteady and unable to land. So it had to go back out over the sea and then approach again. I thought I was the only one scared, but when we landed, spontaneous applause broke out throughout the cabin - the power of prayer is amazing!

 

We had a police escort into the city and we were dropped off in a square full of bars and told we would be picked up early evening. Everyone was warned in writing and orally that we were all representing the Club and country - any misbehaving would be disastrous and anyone getting drunk would not be allowed into the stadium. When it came to getting back on the coach to go to the stadium, many were still in the same bar where they'd been all afternoon. When they staggered onto the coach they were followed by the bar owner who had had something nicked. It was all very embarrassing for Alan Hardy, who used his powers of diplomacy to sort things out. The instruction about not being alowed into the stadium was waived as the culprits were likely to cause less trouble inside than outside.

 

It was absolute brass monkey weather, with a wind-chill factor bringing the temperature down well below zero. We would have loved to swap it for the comparative warmth of a winter's day at Ice Station Zebra! The coppers were begging scarves off the fans, not as souvenirs, but to wear to keep warm.

 

The Genoa fans boycotted the game and it was a bit of a non-event with a 0-0 scoreline. A Scottish fan who followed Latics regularly in those days let off some firecrackers. He also got involved in a fight with his fellow fans when we chanted In-ger-land. For all of the impressive red towers of the stadium, as admired in the 1990 World Cup, it was really a bit of a dump - the urinal was a large hole in the ground with everyone stood round!

 

As we walked round the helter-skelter type staircase down one of the towers to the exit, we could see two lines of combat police waiting to funnel us to the door of the coach - talk about OTT!

 

In the airport AH was worried that the firecracker man might set one off on the plane and there was a lot of security questioning. Some fans had their duty-free confiscated for the duration of the flight, as they were considered to be tanked up enough already.

 

On landing at Manc Airport, one of the fans was taken off first as he was ill.

 

Happy days!

Cheers Diego and thanks also for the link.

"Lowest, probably about 100 or less at QPR in 96/97."

I was at that game, a 1-0 win and remember a reasonable following ?

Neil Warnock's first away game.

The lowest away following was 9 at Hartlepool in a pre-season friendly night match round about 1987.

 

I was also in the 33 at Ancona in the Anglo-Italian Cup. That crowd of 311 is the lowest ever recorded for a competitive game involving Latics.

 

Also been one of the two at away Reserve games.

 

The largest I would think would have to be against Forest at Wembley.

What are your memories of travelling to Italy ?

Really interested Diego........

Difficult question I know but how many travelled to Southport ?

I was at the home game that season where we beat them 6-0 !

This has got me thinking; the support we took to Rochdale that season must have been huge ?

Excluding FA Cup/League Cup Games I would say the highest travelling support I can recall was at Barnsley, early in our promotion season (September 1990) where we took over, well over ! 5000.

Fewest I have been part of was the less than a hundred at Plymouth, November 1988 (3-0) loss.

I do also recall Latics playing the "Lambs To The Slaughter" at Chelsea in the mid 1980's which was featured on Match Of The Day (Sunday Afternoon as I recall). The camera panned on the huge open terrace behind the goal to reveal a "travelling army" of some 50 or so. Not exaggerating here, does anyone else remember this televised game ?

So what is the highest/smallest Latics travelling support that you have been part of ?

A shame that our nearest rival is 160 miles away !!!!

Really we have no obvious rival; United, City in another universe.

Blackburn and Wigan have become Premiership clubs due to generous benefactors

Even Huddersfield have rivalries elswhere.

Praying that Rochdale are promoted, it would be marvellous to have a local rival,especially one we could play Mr Big with !

Luton ?

Similar gates, ground, often have boxed above their weight, close to bigger clubs and even played on a plastic pitch !!!!

Our Southern Cousins ?

Name; D Thompson.

Location; Rochdale.

How Long Supporting 'Tics; 35 years.

Best Away Match You've Been To; Everton as recently as two weeks ago !

All Time Greatest Latics Player; Vic Halom (King Of All Geordies).

Biggest Rivals (In Your Eyes) ? Manchester United.