ghostofcecere

I like to think I'm optimistic, but there is always a Senor Coconut lurking underneath my surface!

Looks like we might get a flashy new scoreboard at BP. One question: can somebody tell me in plain english where it will be located, I'm not sure about all this Horners/Cable Comms malarky. Do they meand between the Main Stand and the Rochdale Road end? Linky Linky

He hasn't won me over yet by any means but he does seem to get better each game. The one thing he hasn't had in the last 4 years in a lengthy run in the team at any of the clubs he has played for which has cost him fitness and therefore goals. I think Shez should keep going with him in the team, we should get 20 games out of him on the bounce and then judge him. I think he will turn out ok.

Yeah Littlewoods Cup Final for me too, that day was all about the acheivement of a club like us getting there rather than the result. In all honesty as Latics fans who'd ever have thought we would see our team walk out of the tunnel at a Wembley cup final. Happy days.

Surely some of these comments are libelous. He says Hughes was drunk and drugged up, was this ever proved? I think I saw a post saying Hughes had admitted it, but if not surely Gaunt's comments could get him in trouble.

Bertrand impressed me more on his debut on Saturday than Giddings has in his two games, so Bertrand for me.

Yeah I lived on the corner just before you go up the hill, about 4 or 5 houses further up than Rick. I remember the Drakes very well and also Lee Garrett who were city fans; intrerstingly it always seemed like the City and Latics fans used to actually go to the game, where as the scummers never did. I also remember lots of Everton fans appearing on the estate when they had some success in the early to mid eighties. I used to get a lift off Boothy to away matches, he used to have a mate called Bob who lived near the lake that used to drive us. I see him from time-to-time still myself, though not for a while, last time he was living in Germany working as a translator for Bielefeld Council who are twinned with Rochdale. Because of this he got over here quite often. He said he always tried to time it for a big Latics game. I remember too the boom time in the village (brought on by Boothy) when the free tickets were knocking around, I didn't really know the lads to well who you're on about (I know the faces), but I can remember the Latics scarves suddenly appearing at school. I can also claim to have been the one who got the likes of Pixie going to Boundary Park. A few of us used to get the 182 bus from Milnrow to the games and I can remember getting a bit of a slap from the Shaw lads a few times when all that trouble used to happen between Milnrow and Shaw in the mid-eighties. I don't know if you know Daz Needham but he was another who I started off at this time; he and Pixie though are the only long term devotees from that period.

Yeah I'm good ta Rick. I'm pretty sure this City fan was a mate of Derek's, anyway he was the one with the ball so we had to let him play even if he was the wrong shade of blue!

If anyone on this board should happen to find out where he lives (assuming it is locally) then I think it would be a good idea not to post it anywhere!

Yeah it's the other Rick, Derek (my cover is blown!). I lived on Croft Head (or Crofthead depending on which enterance you use!) and went to Crossgates School and then Roch Valley. That dog seemed about as big as me at the time. I remember thinking I was the only Oldham fan in the village for ages until the Rick W et al moved in, then I first met you and am sure we must have out numbered the reds and sky blues after that. Didn't you have a mate called Colin or something who lived near you who was a city fan that played on Yeomans too?

Why don't we all just boycott it, it will be a pretty toothless debate if nobody telephone's to defend the Hughes signing. They might just pull the plug on it if it's going nowhere.

The usual sensible well balanced post from Mr. Wilson. I think all of us struggle with this signing from a moral standpoint but as Derek says no individual is bigger than OAFC and we must stick behind the club especially if/when Hughes breaks into the 1st team as I'm sure things could get pretty hostile from other clubs fans. I will too cheer should he score, but something will always stick in my throat over this signing but the point is anyone pulling on the blue shirt should get our support. With Hughes it's not so much supporting the player, but more so the club. This season, with Hughes at the club, more than ever we need to keep the faith.

Probably the only time I've not been there for the final whistle too. I don't think I've ever come away from a game feeling as low as that, even after Mark Hughes's goal in the semi at Wembley.

Wasn't there a rumour he's going on a holiday with his family before he links up with us?

IMO the first half was dreadful and it was always going to be a pen or something to get a goal. But for me we played really well in the second half and there was only one team in it, we just lacked quality with the final ball. I do think however Eardley needs a break from the 1st team as he seems to have totally lost his confidence; we all thought left back was a problem area, but it looks like right back is too.

...................Which leads on to my favourite story. There was a patch of grass up a the top of Yeomans Close were we used to go for a kick around, Stan used to come out from his house from time to time and have a kick around with us. Top bloke.

My favourite song for the Burnley game will be the one Barsteward Rovers (and I think Blackpool sing to them) to the tune of The Adams Family: "Yer daddy is yer brother yer sister is yer mother you all look like each other the Burnley family dddd dddd dddd INBREDS!" Went with my Burnley fan mate to the last derby they had with Barstewards and they sung it to Burnley loads during the game. I couldn't stop laughing and the Burnley fans had no answer to it

City away would have been the best outcome with the seeding thingy they used which meant we were defo away. But I suppose Burnley away is not a bad game, at least its local.

Voted Davies for both as it's a long while since we had a player that's made such an imediate impact. Though I think Rat Boy, ahem Mark Allott has stuck two fingers up at his doubters with his early performances too.

Yeah there's such a choice but nobody seems to post on either of them anymore

I think one of the reports about the pre-season games said it was three points in the bag too

Nah lets go and fill Spotland for them. I can never get excited about lower or same league opposition at home in cup competitions.

Rochdale away, it's the local derby we've never had (at least not for about 30 years or something).

I think the trials in the RRE have largely failed because only a handfull have moved which has stopped any atmosphere in there being created. A true test might come if/when the Lookers is knocked down and that noisy lot (of which I am one) that sit up near the RRE move into there until the new stand is completed. It will we interesting to see then what type of noise 1000 - 1500 true fans (i.e. not ones on freebies like quid for a kid) can create.

You can get goals from all the divisions for free on Virgin Media every Monday. Virgin Media