TafkaN

27 years on, the events at Hillsborough are still terrible to read about. After this week's verdict, there are still so many factors involved. Why was this venue chosen for the tie after previous incidents? Does that lay some blame on the FA?

I have a friend whose wife was a 19 year-old WPC on duty that day. She was in the Leppings lane terrace helping fans who had collapsed and been crushed. She also noticed a colleague had collapsed and went to assist, finding him face down with footprints on his back having been trampled. Whilst helping her colleague, she was punched, kicked, spat on and called a "murdering bastard" by some of the fans on that terrace. This is in her statement in the public domain.

I have no doubt the main issues caused on the day were down to crowd management, but this was a horrific event is never going to be a case of black and white - despite the failings of the match commanders, nobody can condone the behaviour of people kicking a 19 year-old WPC trying to assist people.

Bitter-sweet day in football history for me today - 24 years ago today I was so proud to watch Oldham Athletic win the "old" Second Division title with the last kick of the game at Boundary Park, crowning an already confirmed return to the top flight for the first time in 68 years.

However, today also marks the 30th anniversary of the dreadful Bradford City fire, which claimed the lives of 56 football fans who, like me, had turned up to watch their team celebrate a promotion as champions.

That puts our celebrations six years later into perspective.
Football isn't a matter of life and death, it's very insignificant on a day like today, especially for our "rivals" in Bradford.

Not generally one for hashtags, but ‪#‎rememberthe56‬ is a pertinent one.

Cheers for the replies.

Strange situation, I work in Oldham, yet there are 3 Barnsley fans in my office, yet only 2 Latics :-)

They're all good lads, realistic fans like most of us. Nice to chat to them rather than the armchair City and Utd fans, as we are at least on the same wavelength.

Meeting a couple of Barnsley fans from work pre-match tomorrow. Not been in the Old Grey Mare for a while, just wondering if it's away fan friendly?

First season in 10 years without a season ticket for me - I pick and choose my games, I went tonight as I am most likely working on Saturday. Great game, another solid performance.

I like what we are doing when we don't have the ball as much as what we are doing when we do. Pressing, chasing, positional. I think LJ has been trying to play this way since he came, and after a tough first full season, he's learned his lessons, and he's signed the players to fit in with his philosophy.

For the first time in a long while, I am excited, and hungry for the next game.

One thing has become evident to me this season, we are holding the ball for the most part. We have enjoyed a lot of posession - as much as 60% at times. The team is working hard when they don't have the ball to win it back. Some very good performances this past week, Tuesday and Saturday - Philliskirk, Jones, Dayton (Tuesday especially), The Wilsons (namesakes of mine, so I'm well chuffed).

Like how we are playing out from the back too - the keeper giving the ball to feet is refreshing.

Good to watch, and glad it's coming together. LJ has been trying to play football since his arrival, and we now seem to have a team that can. :-)

Scott Vernon

If Wayne Bridge had signed for us instead of Reading, and we re-signed a former favourite (!) defender, we could've had a lineup include Sidney Arber Bridge.

 

Or we could sign strikers Lloyd Opara (ex-Colchester) and Rob Hulse and play a front three of Sidney Opara Hulse.

I'd have like to have seen a lineup with Joe Royle's assistant playing alongside a former Liverpool player, we could have had a Donnachie Babb partnership...

Just to say credit where credit is due - went to renew mine and my son's tickets on Friday lunchtime - the young lady in the ticket office was brilliant - so helpful and very pleasant.

He got a good reception, and rightly so. He's our manager, and we should support him.

There were a couple of "Johnson give us a wave" chants from the RRE which he responded to.

Good performance from the team, plenty of movement, chances created, pressing from the front - it was a world apart from the dire showing on Saturday.

3 goals, a clean sheet, and 3 much-needed points. Couldn't ask for more!

Teams according to Everton Website:

Everton: Howard, Neville, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Osman, Gibson, Pienaar, Jelavic, Mirallas. Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Oviedo, Naismith, Hitzlsperger, Vellios, Duffy.

Oldham: Bouzanis, Brown, Grounds, Mvoto, Tarkowski, Croft, Furman, Iwelumo, Obita, Barnard, Baxter. Subs: Cisak, Wesolowski, Simpson, Smith, Millar, Winchester, Mellor.

Thought he played really well - held up the ball well, and Barnard was clever enough to play off him. He was very vocal, something we've been missing all season. Was in the right place for his goal. Well done done Chris, welcome to BP :-)

He was lucky to escape serious injury - I slipped on a wet path 8 weeks ago, and snapped Tib & Fib in my left leg. Might be walking again by summer....

Steward near me in 122 was a great bloke, joining in the banter, and telling my lad to stand on his seat so he could see when everyone else stood up. They have a thankless job really, but some (like this bloke) are just normal footy fans like us, and common sense from fans and stewards alike makes things easier.

We had some knobhead Oldham fans near us, obviously drunk, who spent the entire time staring at the away fans and gesturing. They wouldn't listen to the steward who politely told them to sit down and eventually they were ejected after becoming confrontational with the stewards and one of the coppers.

My Mrs went for ours first thing and was told 126 was sold out. We ended up with block 122...

Friday, Sunday, Tuesday? Who cares? We are playing Liverpool at Anfield for the first time since 93-94 season.

It's down to how much you want to go. I do, so I'll take Friday afternoon off work. If it was Sunday, there'd still be people moaning about it not being on Saturday at 3pm.

Pukka, I know you by sight in the main stand paddock. There's an old guy (65+) who sits behind me and this is all he ever says:

"get it forward"

"that's the game"

If they don't do that, then we must be rubbish...

He just moans. Even when we're playing well, keeping posession isn't good enough, we've got to "get it forward".

I like a defender who isn't scared to put it out of play if that's all all he can do, yet this chimp behind me expects us to pass our way out of every defensive situation.

Muppet.

We had three cracking chances in the first half, crosses from Parker and Lee. I thought we were unlucky to go at HT without being at least 1 up.

Scapuzzi should have headed his effort instead he blazed it over the bar.

Parker looked ok early doors, but drifted in and out (fitness will return).

M'voto looked shaky to me, he's the new Hazell.

Overall, best team won - some decent passing, and again some great balls from set plays by Simpson. Kuqi should have had at least 2 goals.

We did what we had to, onwards to Sheff Wed and Sarfend :-)

Mother-in-law lives in Royton. She asked if I had got home ok because there was police vans and loads of people between Ree Ming Chippy and the Grey Mare. My wife asked me when I got home if I'd seen owt, as the guy at Ree Ming had posted something on Facebook saying it was kicking off on Rochdale Road.

I have put a Richard Butcher training shirt from 2005/06 on eBay.

I will be donating all proceeds from this sale to the Richard Butcher memorial fund.

Starts at a fiver, free P&P

Richard Butcher shirt

Just put a wedge of my old shirts on ebay - please have a look:

Latics shirts on ebay

I have finally decided to have a clear-out of my collection of Latics shirts.

I need to make some space, and also want to raise a few bob.

Quite a few for sale from 1989 - 2006

Latics Shirts for Sale

I saw him in Tesco half an hour before kick off, using Craig Davies' clubcard.

Emailed the help@trustoldham address with my details, if you still need an extra hand (or pair of legs)