A view from afar...
I get to about one or two Latics matches a year, given I live on the other side of the world.
Christmas-time, I got to Yoevil at home, and as per usual, headed to my spiritual home, "Singer's corner".
When I were a lad Singer's corner was the top left of the Chaddy (as viewed from centre-circle).
Unfortunately, this time, the Singers corner was full, (mute, too, it has to be said) so I had to make my way to the drum locale.
Surrounding the drum were a mixture of oiks and passionate fans.
The oiks, for all their faults, are Latics fans. Mostly young, a bit silly, and full of themselves. But Latics supporters, nevertheless.
The passionate fans, I saw, were just after any excuse to get singing and encourging the team. It seems their view was that anything that gets the team going is worth joining in with.
I sat there, in the middle of it, and, being Oldham, sung my heart out for the lads.
The problem was, when the "Singer's corner" set off anything, it was soon adopted, overwhelmed and RUINED by the middle-tier drummer, wheras the drum latched on to anthing in his locale, which gave it "oomph", if not the correct beat.
The obvious answer is segregation.
Singer's corner needs to be took back - by the singers, not he whingers.
The drum, and his mates, need to be allocated space.
Singers corner to the left, drum to the middle, or elsewhere in the ground (as the right is generally old folk's safe haven).
The singer's corner died with the seats. An efort needs to be made - by the club - AND the fans - to take it back.
The drum has a place, but not there.
T