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.

Totally agree Littlewoods cup final!

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.

He's already made his views on this clear on his cack radio show but then uses a TV appearance to further push his case forward. Tool.

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.

Rick is right, I didn't have City fans as mates even as a kid.

 

You lived up the top end near John Summers didn't you - certainly on the bend up to the hill (my memory isn't what it once was)? I need to look at the street signs too, I have never noticed that despite living on the same street for all but 2 years of the last 34.

 

The were a few scummers knocking about though, the Drake brothers were City and Kel Maxwell went through school with me, there were lots of Liverpool and United fans at the time IIRC. Actually when I got a bit older I will count Loffy, the Garners and Dave T as mates, don't see much of them though now. Actually I only see Daz G on his way to the bookies once in a blue moon (excuse the pun).

 

There were only a few 'Tics about though until we started doing free tickets and good old Smoothy Boothy got hold of a shed load to give out at RV, then it went mad with Latics fans in the Village.

 

After leaving school I hadn't seen JB for ages then bumped into him in Malta. Small world. He was living in Germany and teaching English at the time - funny with him being a German teacher in England. Great bloke John, I bumped into him in our summer of discontent and he bought me beers as he had heard my name in despatches and remembered me fondly. He must have forgotten what a precocious little b'stard I was in his classes!

 

KtF,

 

Derek.

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.

Derek would never admit having a City fan as a friend - I am sure!!

 

How ya doing Rick?

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!

Mr Hughes and Family will become residents of the great borough of Rochdale or Oldham when he come up next week..

 

Club have helped Hughes wife look at houses

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!

I must know you.

 

Certainly me and Rick used to play footy all the time on that patch of grass up at the top of Yeomans. We played cricket on there a few times too, until Stan broke someones window. After that incident was when the council planted trees on the 'little field'. Can't remember if Rick was there or not that day, long time ago.

 

Do you remember that enormous Alsatian he used to have too? Asia I think she was called.

 

We weren't averse to knocking on his door a week after the season finished to find out when the new fixtures were out either. It has to be said, he had the patience of a saint.

 

I'm trying to think of all the kids around our way that supported Latics at the time. That will be me and our (now lapsed) kid, Rick and his two brothers (one of whom is also lapsed).

 

Got it! You are Rick too, but not Rick W. Can't remember if you lived on Croft Head or Weir Rd. though.

 

That was certainly it for quite a few years at Moorhouse and Roch Valley.

 

KtF,

 

Derek.

 

Edit: it only clicked when I saw where you are from because I saw you driving down Wildhouse Lane the other week. I was either going to or coming from the Gallows at the time. Then again I could be totally wrong.

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?

The radio debates so far have been fair and conducted sensibly.

 

However, at 10.00am Jon Gaunt, Coventry City fan, will display on TalkSport (1053/1089 MW) the audio version of the bad side of the English media. Stand by for fairness to go out of the window and for Hughes' supporters to be shouted down/cut off.

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.

Oh good, it is discuss Lee Hughes time again!

 

For what it is worth I am in agreement with those that disagree with his signing.

 

There is no other reason other than the fact that stupidly or not, unluckily or not, he got into a car whilst allegedly under the influence and caused the death of two people then ran off. The signing just doesn't sit easy with me.

 

I will admit that I had thoughts about not getting a season ticket this year on the back of him signing for us, but the club are bigger than the individual and we will all hopefully be here a long time after Lee Hughes is but an after thought in the annals of OAFC history.

 

I think it is pointless having a go at those that find that this particular signing leaves a bad taste in the mouth purely as it is each individuals choice to make of it what they will.

 

I will support OAFC whilst he is playing for us, should he score I will cheer the goals that he scores for our club, but as an individual I just can't bring myself to support him as a player.

 

Again, for what it is worth. I think there is a world of difference between the Hughes and Adams situation. They both stupidly got into cars, one whilst under the influence, the other whilst allegedly so. The results are worlds apart though. No matter how lucky or unlucky you deem either individual to be, the facts speak for themselves.

 

Adams left a pile of bricks scattered over a street. Hughes didn't.

 

KtF,

 

Derek.

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.

Remember the 1 - 7 home defeat by Cardiff a few years ago. Think it is the only game I have left with 20 minutes to go. Andy Goram played and looked like he'd just come out of the pub that day.

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.

I agree with all the previous comments. He was a quality player with style and panache. His debut goal away against Blackburn in front of the Latics fans (myself included) was one of the best goals I have seen.

 

I met Stan once - we were moving house from Firgrove (small village between Milnrow and Rochdale) and were looking at houses on the Silver Hill estate half way up Kiln Lane in Milnrow. Well imagine my surprise and delight when my Dad took us all to see a potential house on Yeomans Close only to have the door opened by Stan!!

 

He showed us round his house and was very accommodating to me, my Dad and brothers. We actually went on to buy a different house very close by, but actually being shown around your favorite player's house - by the man himself - was a great and unexpected experience.

...................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.

..well I'm torn between two JK's, so many choices of forums

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

Would like to have Rochdale at home!!!

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.

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