Chorlton_Latic

Never mind yer OWTBs and yer Twittererers. Who is here from the original pre Rivals JKLatics (maybe geocities or something like that?!) around late 90s? I was only around 14 and used to sneak on by convincing the old man I needed to use the PC for homework and be on it all night posting barely legible opinions on all things Latics. Those care free days when it took about 5 mins to dial up to an Internet message board that looked like fuzzy felt and any tom dick and Harry (mainly dicks) could rock on from other clubs message board without the need to register for some high quality debate. I remember one City fan around 1999 consistently trolling us before trolling was even a thing, and then we went and beat them. Lovely stuff!

For actual feck sake, is this going to be our regular January thing now?! Run the club like a conference side for 6 months, then bring Shez back after Xmas when we're in the :censored: again?! I'll be relieved more than anything if he comes back, but equally so, so, so frustrated that we've seemingly wasted half a season for reasons which will ostensibly never be fully disclosed to us proles, but right now, I just want to feel positive about our club again, and there's a far better chance of survival with him there. I do understand this would be a divisive appointment for some, but this could easily be quelled by some frank and honest truths about what happened - of which there's probably very little chance, but I live in extreme optimism/delusion. From his side, Shez would be an extremely lucky, lucky man to perform so poorly and then find himself back where some say he didn't want to be, and I hope he never forgets it, but I still fully maintain there was more to what happened than meets the eye. A Shezurrection part 2 would be no plain sailing - he had some good players at his disposal last year who simply needed some good management to thrive, but some of this lot look beyond atrocious, although I'd imagine we'd start seeing the best of someone like Flynn far more rapidly with some actual direction and license to play way further up the pitch, which could well be key. Whatever happens, if he does return, I hope both Shez & Corney, and anyone else involved in that absolute abomination of a summer, eat a concrete mixer of humble pie and we can move forward together. If we could entice Shirtliff back as well, I'd be absolutely buzzing, given their amazing partnership last time. Now over to our man live at Tesco Chaddy for updates...

We certainly did - Big Clyde Wijnhard in his pre 'nipping outside to answer a quick call and doing one' phase with 4 goals if I remember correctly. Wayne Andrews got his first Latics goal that day too.

Haha, I do apologise for the unnecessary F Bombs, Latics just seem to bring it out in me, even in written format Interesting, I don't actually remember that, but probably because I had my head in my hands at the time after the 'blessing' comment. I do find it odd that it's been widely accepted in some quarters that he supposedly left solely to unscrupulously feather his own nest, presumably riding off into the sunset with bags of money strapped to a Harley whilst sticking his fingers up in our general direction to go and kiss another club's badge, when all basic available info seems to point to an absolutely grim future at BP.

With football being emotive like it is, I suppose I 'get' why people would have a grievance with Shez for leaving, but for me, even with the depressing nature of his departure, he has more than enough credit in the bank. He played for us for free, and even risked his health by coming out of retirement whilst approaching 40 with dodgy knees out of necessity by playing for us in the aftermath of that awful summer of 2003 (and was still an absolute class act, may I add!) and - granted, circumstances were different, but it was still a massive gamble - the records say we sacked him whilst being 4th (if memory serves) in the league back in 2009. Is 'loyalty' just a one way street? For better or worse, it certainly seems so with football. All this grievance with badge kissing, chest thumping - I have no doubt whatsoever it reflects how he feels about us. You only have to look at his reaction after the Southend win that kept us up (seems so long ago now ) I refuse to believe that this was the act of someone who, at the time, thought he'd be managing a different club come August. To fans of a certain era who missed the glory years (I myself only caught the fag end of it), he's as close to a legend as we have had in recent times. Perhaps this is what makes it so galling to some. For someone who has given so much service & dedication to club as a player, youth coach, assistant & manager over 2 spells to want to walk away is a clear indication that something had gone drastically wrong between the time he was appointed & the time he left. I just can't accept the 'it was for more money' argument in isolation, and the mess that presided over the next 2 months with 4 (:censored:ing FOUR!!) contracted players etc just fuels the fire that something had gone massively south. Let's face it, as soon as that Season Ticket deal came out around Feb, alarm bells were ringing for a lot of people re our financial position. What gets me most, is that if it was purely down to Shez leaving for more money as is mooted, is just the way the club seemingly bent over and accepted it. Clearly I'm not privy to the details of his contract, but it was widely believed to be a 2 year one - if Corney was that aggrieved, surely he could've played hardball, put him on gardening leave & hung him out to dry? Looked like he was pretty happy for him to move on without semblance of a fight, save for a contract offer we suddenly heard about at the 12th hour. I've never shuddered so much as when I read 'John goes with our blessing' - to a club in a lower division that was in a :censored:ing transfer embargo. What ambition we have. Personally, would I have him back? In an absolute heartbeat, but unfortunately, with football being like it is, he's essentially now cut all ties with the club & I think he fully knew this when he signed for County. What a :censored:ing mess.

So that explains what Baraclough has been writing on his much maligned notepad recently!

But he was so good in that one game about 18 months ago!! What a waste.

However 'clumsy' it appears his words are, he's clearly only referring to the short term deals like Woodland, Klok, Dunne, Martin... none of whom are exactly tearing it up. Not like he's going to rip up the entire squad. Nothing to see here.

I would genuinely love it if we got this on a massive banner, if only because it would confuse the :censored: out of passers by, or any crafty scouts coming to spy on our out of possession greatness.

I agree, I'm just very surprised he's currently 9th in the list.

And Paul Rickers 9th on our all time appearances?!

'You'd take promotion, but it's not sustainable'

'Be the best team out of possession'

From official website Here are a selection of images from last night’s 2-0 victory over Graham Alexander. A win is a win, but I don't think we should really be getting carried away by beating 1 45 year old person 2-0. No wonder Ripley had sod all to do!

I recall in the dreaded Penney season we took around 700-800 on a Tuesday night & I remember thinking that was an awful turnout by our standards. I know it's probably just a flippant comment on his part, but it's more the cringeworthy way the Beeb lap up all the 'Class of 92' rhetoric that sticks in the craw for those of us who can't abide anything of a Red persuasion. Anyway, I used to absolutely love Stockport away, packing out 2 sides of Edgeley Park on a few occasions. The scenes after that winner from Eyresy. We should find a vid of that and mercilessly retweet it to the BBC

At the moment, I'm 5. I don't think the squad is shaping up that badly considering the absolute cluster:censored: it was looking like even a short few weeks back, we've seemingly added some nice signings, and I expect more to follow as the squad takes shape, whether on loan or permanent, we have some exciting youngsters in Edmundson & Mantack who could easily develop with the right management, and it looks like we're putting together an interesting set up with O'Driscoll, Turnbull etc, which shows a surprisingly refreshing element of forward thinking from Corney et al. I think what concerns me most is the lack of depth at present, and also the lack of quality permanent players - what appears to be our 2 first choice strikers are both on loan, and it looks like we'll be relying a lot on those 2 to get goals, with only Osei, who I can imagine playing a lot more than was initially intended, & Cassidy as back up at present. Unsure if Magennis would be the answer, or if we can even get him, but Robinson obviously rates him. Hopefully we'll add some pace & someone who can give us that spark of creativity, as if pre season is anything to go by, it's clearly something we're missing. Also, and clearly I hope I'm proved wrong on this, although Robinson impresses me with his personality and desire, I just get that sinking feeling of yet again having to chance it on a manager in his first role in charge of a team and having to go through the process of learning from the inevitable mistakes he will make all over again. Hopefully those years as an assistant & coach will hold him good stead as opposed to other recent appointments straight out of the game, but I'm seriously fearing another man at the helm who just defaults to what they learned on their license course, playing that same low risk, lifeless, defensive football with no Plan B like we've seen for pretty much 6 of the last 7 seasons. I wish him the very best of luck, but I can't help being weary.

'Our club policy is not to release transfer figures,' Well I never!

**Awaits 'unlucky Latics lose to stunning free kick' headline**

Can't believe anyone seriously thought he'd sign for us. Was always a naan starter.

Noticed number 18 is free - otherwise known to the more eagle eyed/borderline autistic of us as the preferred squad number of a certain Aaron Hughes. Just maybe this deal is not as dead in the water as we're lead to believe?

Me likey

Chron seems to mention we are also in talks with Lafferty, whilst acknowledging in the same article that we'd already agreed a deal for a left back... 'Veteran Northern Ireland defender Aaron Hughes (36), who played under Robinson at Euro 16, is also thought to have been in talks with Athletic over a move, as has his international team-mate Daniel Lafferty, who enjoyed a successful loan last term from Burnley. Lafferty still has a year left on his contract at Turf Moor and a loan deal is possible.' "Connor is a Premier League goalkeeper in the making, Josh has a lot of games under his belt in the SPL and I have agreed a deal with another left-back. Shoddy journalism, or are left backs this years right backs? If so, we need about 4 more.

Oldham Athletic AFCVerified account‏@OfficialOAFC We'll have a new signing with you very soon . #RobbosBAWA #oafc F5 time people!!

Alessandro Typo?

Paul Reid was pretty good at them too if memory serves, don't remember him missing one.