mikejh45

Is the 2nd. left Maurice Whittle?

The decision to make Sharp manager was, I believe, taken on the advice of Big Joe who felt that Stitch wasn't up to the job. As it turned he was right not to recommend Stitch but wrong in advising the board to take on Sharp. In Sharp's defence, he presided over the break up of the last of Royle's squad and unable to replace those leaving with similar quality due to the Lees brothers reducing the annual bill in preparation of selling up. Hence, honest troopers such as Alf Garnett and Gary Kelly coming in. One last point, at least Sharp realised he would never make a manager and gave up the idea rather than joining the merry go round of lower league managers who move clubs every other year only to get sacked (sorry - that should read "left by mutual agreement"). It's time some of these managerial failures gave up and let some of the younger ex-pros have a go. KEEP THE FAITH

Can't argue with you. If my memory serves me right, I had a belly full of Front House Boddingtons. But I do remember both Richardson & Kenny coming in as an emergency midfield partnership and performing brilliantly. Shame Kenny couldn't repeat it.

I think it was Burnley where he was partnered in midfield with a tragic but stupid lad called Billy Kenny in the season's opener just after after our relagation from the Premiership. Billy had an absolute stormer where he just ran the midfield and let Richardson play.

I heard a rumour from a friend who knows a bloke down the pub whose wife talks to a woman in the launderette who has a son who interpreted a message from Skippy the bush kangaroo (for the older fans) that all the sites that Hillstone have are on stop and nobody is working on them and that they owe Latics about £70,000 for this years sponsorship. My source is very reliable. Honest!!! KEEP THE FAITH

At one point during the game, Constantine berated Eardley (I think) for lumping the ball in the air and the indicated that he wanted the ball to feet or no higher than his chest. The lad knows his strengths so we should play to them. KEEP THE FAITH

How about playing yesterday's starting 11? Also prefer Stam to Gregan, who is just as capable of making gaffes the same as Stam, but he is less mobile. KEEP THE FAITH

Waddya mean "A few twitchy bums in the youth team if he comes"? Never heard that rumour!!!

Ok, boys and girls! Let's all put aside our varying differences on Shez, the owners and Alan Hardy (ok, just a bit on him) and stop the backstabbing, throat cutting, mob lynching etc. that goes under the guise of opinions. Who, of the loan players we've got now and who we had earlier in the season would you make a bid for and sign? Let's be realistic here - we are not going to get Bertrand. Constantine - would be available because MacAllister is looking for new forwards. Kilkenny again - won't be at Leeds if they don't go up. Giddings. Jarrett. Livermore. Beresford. O'Donnell. KEEP THE FAITH

Not trying to put a dampener on this story because if true, it's great news!!! But why no mention on the official site? KEEP THE FAITH

We are all fully aware of what happened between Moore and Ritchie and the unfathomable decision to employ Mick "beats workin' down pit" Wadsworth, but just remember the Dowie season! Shame it brought on the nightmare months. KEEP THE FAITH

Knowing Oldham's luck, we probably wouldn't get a work permit for him on the grounds that some Home Office faceless git (with a big desk and an even bigger salary wedge) deems Scotland and the Premiership to have different rules to the little clubs. KEEP THE FAITH

Just a thought! Could he be coming because Paul Murray has recommended him? KEEP THE FAITH

Ah, the one where he got Nicky Butt to react by sticking his hand up Butt's shorts and yanking his pubes. Not nice. Evil little git that Wise.

Some good calls on here. But it has to be Savage for me. Not only does he kick out, but he will cheat and dive to get an opposition player sent off.

Over the years, various Latics managers have pulled players from the bargain basements of football and polished them into good solid pros. They don't always fit in with their old teams style of play or simply the manager doesn't like them. Remember the likes of Linighan, Marshall and Barrett for Big Joe; Hall for Dowie and more recently Trotman? All going nowhere with their respective clubs and all resurrected their careers with the Latics. Gradi has been doing this for years at Crewe. Let's welcome the lad and give him a chance. KEEP THE FAITH

Just got in from the game. We were appalling in the first half, massive improvement in the second. Shining light in the game was Smalley, playing on the wing and up front. He won headers, beat people and generally played with intelligence. This intelligence bit seems lost on the likes of Eardley and especially Taylor. Neither could pass to a blue shirt. But at least Eardley defended reasonably well whereas Taylor just looked lost, off the pace and incapable of reading the game. I've been reading some of the messages on here and can't quite understand the logic. One post stated we had money to spend. Didn't we lose a packet paying Ricketts off? Another said we should be covering for these injuries with additional signings. Look at our squad from the start of the season to now. Totally different. Who could honestly say that we would have foreseen our injury crisis? KEEP THE FAITH

Name? Mike J H Location? Olney, Bucks. (Oldham until mid 2007 prior to relocating) How Long Supporting the Tics? 38 years Best away match you've been to? Liverpool (opening match of our first season in Div.1 - so proud of our team) All Time Greatest Player? Roger Palmer Biggest Rivals (in your eyes)? Manchester United (because without their television dominance, we could have a bigger home support)