Chorlton_Latic

You could well be right, but depends on roles he's been asked to fulfil in the past. Different managers see different qualities in players. I'd say from the snippets of what Johnson has said, he seems to see him as more of an attacking player. Time will tell of course.

Can't remember seeing him play before, but in a recent interview, I remember Johnson referring to him as being similar in style to Harkins and Baxter. Not sure if he's trying to convince himself/us with that comment, but worth a gamble to prove fitness if so, seeing as we're not exactly abundant in flair.

I'm shuddering at just the mere thought of how this would play with the 2 fully fledged members of the 'Gerrit Forward!!!' brigade who sit behind me.

Thanks muchly, will head over and get one of those badboys ordered. Wearing a shirt from the season I was born - such a bloody hipster! Duly noted ;-)

Did you get that recently Stevie? Where did you get it from - collecter, or one of the retro shirt shops online? Ive seen a few fans with that shirt at away trips, and I'd love to get hold of one. I half remember you mentioning you were after one in a recent thread, so apologies if youve posted this info already.

I regularly get 182 from Lever Street, as I will tomorrow eve, and jump off at Grey Mare for a pre match pint, but the 181 goes closer to the ground. For evening games, after 6 the traffic up Oldham Road is usually clear, journey takes about 45 mins, gets to Oldham quite rapidly but then it winds through the estates in Chaddy. The tram is on my direct line from where I live in Chorlton, but ive not tried it as it does look like a bit of a mission, especially coming back from a night match and also taking into account Metrolinks general :censored:tiness.

I like the idea of Harkins in the middle for creativity, but we'd definitely have to keep using the 4-5-1 route with Smith plus A.N other sweeping up, as we would be horrifically overrun in the middle of the park with him in a pairing. If LJ didn't fancy Baxter in there with his work rate (or lack of), I can't see him wanting to risk Harkins there. He's definitely intelligent enough to play right the way accross the attacking positions as long as we have a system to allow it, so depends how rigid/flexible we'll be tactically next year and if he's deemed consistent enough to build a team round. Should he sign, of course. Would love it if we could sign him - if only to guess the number of games before someone on here accuses him of being awful since he signed his permenant deal, a la every loan signing in the last decade.

I'll forgive him for all the wayward infield passes amassed over 2 years just for his snazzy throughball for JCH's 2nd at Bradford - mega woof!

Only game I've seen where Worrall really impressed me was Bradford away, but worth a punt if he's released I guess. Can't recall him at Bury but heard good things

Really looking forward to knocking that ground off the list. League has some cracking away days next year. Shame the Lashers didn't fall through the trap door too, but at least PNE stayed down, and personally, I'm firmly in the 'Orient is a feckin amazing day out' camp too, so chuffed with play off results.

Excellent, just hope it's on a weekend and not a dark Winter night.

I had a look at that earlier with them coming up in mind, and you could well be right. I think it's possible to get a tram from North Pier in Blackpool to Fleetwood, and one of the stops listed on Blackpool Transport website (think it was Stanley Road) is only a short walk from the ground according to Google Maps. However, on the current timetable listed on the same site for the Fleetwood line, it doesn't mention stopping at Stanley Road, although it goes to Fleetwood Ferry, which is apparently about 20 odd mins walk. Also, it doesn't mention this route on the usually bang on Football Ground Guide, but it does mention a few buses that go from Blackpool. I'm sure Diego will have is right by the time the fixture rolls around!

Maine Road is genuinely the only time I've ever been truly :censored: scared coming away from a game. My old man took me there with a couple of mates in tow as a 14 year old in 1999, and when we got to the ground, it was only just starting to fill up. As the old man disappeared into the stand to get a beer, me and my mates, collectively about 12 stone piss wet through, just stood in awe of the gargantuan size of the Kippax. As I stared over, I clocked an old lady sat in there who must have easily been 65-70. She caught my eye and sort of raised her head to clock on - then casually flipped me the bird. A bit like this After match was like a war zone, if memory serves correct, they kept us in the ground for about 15 minutes, and we came out to be met by some very angry drongo Citeh fans. We just covered up our shirts, and legged it back to the car via flying fists, and the unpleasant image of seeing a man's teeth being knocked out right in front of me. Needles to say, we had the last laugh, as a team actually containing Paul Rickers guided to us to one of my favourite ever wins. Lovely stuff

Always remember Monotone's very own Alan Gowling pronouncing Ali Bernabia as 'Ali Banana-bee' On GMR years ago. Always used to make me chuckle. That, and Paul Merson with anyone.

Blackpool play off defeat in 2007. Was rendered even more painful watching a team that had blown away all and sundry up until New Year run so spectacularly out of gas. We limped into the play offs in no great shape and were just a spent force. Was so convinced it was our year after we ground out that home win over the Trannies, too. Also, it meant I had to go to Blackpool twice in one season, which really, really f**ked me off.

I dunno, the whole post was probably choc full of subconscious phallic references. I'm a right filthy bastard, me.

Oh yes - last minute in a crucial game for them. I think they had to win to have any chance of avoiding relegation. Stitch did his best to give them 3 points on a plate by playing Stuart Thom up front, and Tipton as a wing back (remember them?!). Can still see those lashers faces as their pitch invasion was spoiled by Sugden sticking out a leg to knock a scrappy goal home in injury time to equalise and relegate them. That's gotta hurt!!! They had a grudge against us for a good while after that, I remember, although they've more than had their share of revenge against us since then Similar scenario where we had feck all to play for and nearly relegated Burnley by coming back from 3-1 down at half time to draw 3-3 with 10 men in last home game of 97/98. Really wish we could've stuck the nail in to that particular coffin and sent them down, but just knowing they'd be :censored:ting themselves on the last day was funny enough at the time.

Most of them pretty obvious, but here's mine... 5. Leyton Orient A 1-1 2012/13 Not for the unremarkable game and result, but just for the sheer relief of safety and the absurdly brilliant atmosphere. Walsall away a week after the cup escapades is one of the very lowest ebbs I’ve had watching Latics. Watching a team devoid of life, fight and passion. I genuinely thought it was curtains for us. I thought about how I felt that day while we settled in to O’s luxury away end seats and couldn’t have been more happy to still be in this Division. Throw in Jose Baxters’ baby giving us on demand waves, tales of Cheryl Cole, watching Hulk Hogan queue for a half time pie, bantz with the balcony fans and being sat behind the cast of Father Ted - this day will live long in the memory!!! 4. Stockport A 2-1 2002/03 – Packed 2 sides of Edgeley on a day which included an unexpected but glorious appearance from The Boshmeister general, but to surmise briefly…. 93rd minute free kick…….EYYYYYYYYRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSYSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joint 3. Man City A 2-1 1998/99 Our masseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeef neighbours were on a 13 game unbeaten streak and fresh from twatting Burnley at Turd Moor 6-0 the previous Tuesday, we were on our arse without a win in 4 defeats and 1 draw in 5, a run which included an embarrassing defeat at Macclesfield. Queue a team that gave absolutely everything they had, and add one of the best individual performances I will ever see from a footballer (arise Sir Gary Kelly!! ) and you know what happened next. ‘I never felt more like singin’ the bluuuuuuues!!!’ Joint 3. Man City H 1-0 2004/05 With the summer of utter hell still on everyone’s minds and a very weak squad struggling at the bottom, this could’ve been a royal dicking, but I’d still have been proud of my boys. What proceeded next was just euphoric as we dominated the first, and proper backs to the wall stuff 2nd half, with Pogs in outstanding form. Watching a 40 year old Eyresy selling a dummy and skinning Danny Mills who promptly fell on his arse was also a highlight. All the talk from City fans I know in the build up were of bettering Tottenham’s 6-0 tonking earlier in the season. Oh my word did I give it large to those Citeh fans that week and bask in the glorious wine from their sour grapes!!!!!!! This is the moment I felt our club was well and truly alive and kicking again!!! 2. Leeds 3-1 & Everton 1-0 2007/08 – Leeds unbeaten at home, Everton’s last 2 defeats were to Utd & Arsenal. How the hell did we do that?!?! Ridiculous atmospheres, at Everton especially as the chip shop fire allowed us to get more tanked up and even more rowdy by the time kick off rolled around, and after Gaz Mac’s thriker dipped over Wessels on the stroke of half time, it was just pandemonium. I completely lost my voice for a good few days. What a feckin week that was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1. Liverpool H 2012/2013 – It has to top it for me. I’ve never felt such joy from a football game. The electric atmosphere of a packed Boundary Park, the early goal only served to send us even more wild. Every ball was fought for with passion seldom seen under Dickov. Even at the time, I didn’t think winning this match was actually a genuine possibility until we somehow extended the lead through Wabara’s ridiculous header. I had a mini breakdown when Gerrard hit the bar, but we held on. We did it and I ended up sounding like the girl from the Exorcist again due to the non-stop screaming!!! As I walked up the Chaddy steps afterwards after a good 20 mins celebrating, I looked back onto the joyful faces as ‘Boys in Blue’ blared through our rag tag sound system and thought back to all the times since 1992 I have made this pilgrimage in rain/hurricane/snow storm, how I’ve pretty much felt every emotion possible in those 300+ games I’ve attended. How I’d will the school week to end to be on the Chaddy End with my kind. Even little things like the hotter-than-the-sun hot chocolate me old Man used to buy me at half time as a nipper. I thought how close to near death this club came and how we came through. Most of all it brought home what a huge part of my life this club is to me, and I don’t know what I’d do without it. I was fighting to hold back the tears. These days are so few far and between, but I would not swap following Latics for anything in the world. Oldham Athletic, I :censored:ing love you!!

My good friend who used to come to games with me in our school years misheard 'Neil Warnock's blue & white army' as the nonsensical, but pretty marvelous 'You know I one spline, Tony'. the best thing about it is he sung it at games without realising it was a barely cognitive mess or actually questioning who this Tony was, and why we needed to remind him at length that we 'one spline'

Can't say I'm confident, but am making a weekend of it down in Cardiff and Brizzle and bringing a couple of stragglers to pop their Latics cherry, so a result would just be a bonus!! I hope our modest following makes the usual away game racket. Last away game I went to was Rovrum, and that was feckin loud!

I remember that - right in that goofy kisser of his! Some damn fine pie throwing. Its a damning indictment of how :censored: we are at home when thats still one of my highlights of recent(ish) times.

Like many others, my most disliked player has to be Lee Hughes. Only time I ever sung his name was when I was drunk on delirium at Everton, and I immediately felt the need to shower thoroughly. Still recall the day he signed with massive unease. Penniless Dave is easily my most disliked manager. Seeing us trying to 'consolidate' a 1-0 defeat (and still failing!) in the name of damage limitation at home to Leeds on a dirty December night has to be one of my lowest points watching Latics. Honourable mentions also go to Keigan Parker, Littlejohn, Graeme Sharp and Windass. On a similar vein, although I don't dislike him, I remember being a bit miffed when Andy 'Hughesy' Hughes celebrated a Notts County goal in front of the Chaddy on opening day of 98/99 with needless gusto. Perhaps missed something, but never understood why he did that!

I was always under the impression that after his solitary appearance in the JPT/LDV/Who gives a :censored: cup, Talbot named him on the bench for the FA cup game with Orient at the weekend, to which he replied 'feck this, I aint sittin on no Division 2 bench' and drove away in his solid gold car laughing at us all. Or something like that.

Oooh, Evans v Main Stand - thats a close bout to call. Ding, Ding!!!

Agree it was soft as :censored:, but we were just playing into refs hands, & he couldn't wait to give it. Genuinely one of the worst refs I've ever seen. Abysmal. Need that experience in pressure situations to take the sting out of the game & try & be cute enough to draw a foul & in this vein, I'm surprised Charlie Mac didn't enter the fray. I can't grumble too much, as totally understand LJ's thinking behind the move, trying to win the game even in our precarious position is refreshing attitude, but also a gamble. Just feel he replaced the wrong player.