lookers87

Yep. He also used to help out on matchdays as a youngster, think he even had a stint working the scoreboard. He's v good mates with Broady - hence the revolution progs. He goes whenever he can, last bumped into him at the Everton game - good lad. Incidentally his brother fronts the band The Whip who have some v decent tunes, he used to come to latics when we were around 16-18 but reverted to his dad's team (wolves) not long after. Met up with them all at the Wolves (a) game last year. And of course there is 'our Gracie'...allegedly!!!come on oldham

Without doubt - I remember him being described as Superman that day. He was simply brilliant that day. There are so many other performances, saves and moments (Eyresy testimonal game when he turned on the style in attack, his length of the field run to celebrate in the corner v QPR home in 04/05). I heard the same interview pre-match on Saturday about his regular trips back to Oz because of the health of his parents, and thought then that reading between the lines he was heading back there as soon as possible. I think the fact that the site has said that he is discussing his options with his wife rather than making the usual 'specialists'-type of comments would suggest we could've seen the last of Pogs in a latics shirt. An excellent player and one of lifes gents! I wish him all the best whatever happens next...

Looking at this from a different perspective I do believe that whether Taylor plays on the right or left doesn't matter, and in many ways the longer he plays on the left - the better, two-footed player we could end up with. The real key to getting the best from him is by creating another real attacking threat from the right-side of the team. For as decent a player Macca is, he isn't a right-sided midfielder...his style is much more suited to a central-mids, ala lampard. Tayls at the moment suffers because as a team we present a clear (sometimes one-dimensional) threat which many teams coming to boudary park now know...and immediately drop 2 men onto him. However the team is organised, Shez knows best - he works with these guys everyday. Perhaps we just don't have the real option at the moment with lidds out. Stick with Talyor and create a different focal point for attacks in the team and we could start to see a bit less pressure on him and appreciate the qualities he has.

It's also fair to say that our defensive record this season has been very good. That's not just down to the centre backs etc, it's also down to Crossley and the way he marshalls, cajoles and talks to the back four. Good, solid (??!) goalkeeper with plenty of experience and brings the best out in our defenders.

He has many times. This is meant as a bit of a reminder to Craig to keep working hard, listen to the coaching staff and he will become the player he (sometimes) thinks he is already. Give Shez a bit more credit than just blabbing to the press. He tends to pick certain players to either praise, or bring down a peg or two. This is basically an article/message from Shez to say - well played Craig, just don't think that you've cracked it just yet, you've still got a bit of a way to go but I know you can do it.

Probably right - but I'll keep the faith on the playoffs. I was looking last week and in the past 7-8 seasons no-one with 40 points after 30 games has ever gone down. And as you say there two teams down there with point deductions, so that's why I'm not worried about relegation.

We won't go down, too many points on the board already. We'll get the additional points we need. Even my optimism (of making the playoffs) is waning a little after tonight's result (but that's just with my 'we've lost head-on'). But until it's mathematical impossible I'll keep believing it's possible - still a long way to go and lots of other teams due their blips.

You're obviously wrong then I agree with your assessment of macca in general, there is a lot of 'unselfish' work he does, just think that today the game passed him by until late on (certainly nothing to do with not trying, not tackling or being lazy - just not his day). In general (esp at home) a mid of macca, allott, jarrett and taylor gives teams coming to defend a simple defensive plan -ie 2 men on taylor and let us have the ball deep. It is crying out for two wide-players and for all his other qualities macca just isn't a right winger. Still winning when you don't play well is good sign. We played better in some home games we lost this season. I'll take another 10/11 of them this season.

v v harsh blaming crossley

Not sure they're way off form - they've won 3 of the last 5 (plus 2 draws) in league before today's defeat at Donny. I still think we can get a decent result down there though

Thought Macca looked anything but good. Very much anonymous until the last 10mins. Thought we were (in fact both teams) were largely awful for 40-odd mins in the 1st half and only really came alive after Davies scored. The difference after that was obvious still without being at our best. A definate sign of a young team - confidence plays such a big part. Davies pretty much sums this up...1st half short of confidence, 2nd half took his goal well and grew from there. It was also obvious today that he was making less wide runs and staying more central. I still think we are crying out for two-wide players to compliment Jarrett and Allott in centre mids. ps. well done to leezyverpunk today - stood up supporting tayls after one of his errors, only a couple of mins before tayls scored. Think you can claim an assist for that one mate

Don't forget to add to that current figure of £11m (already invested) that it will take another x million to build the stadium. So although the housing project/stadium is worth £80m, it doesn't mean that 80-11 = 69m profit. A very large chunk of this will go on building and all the associated costs including roadworks, extending primary schools etc etc. Hence the reason for the 'small profit if any' statements from the club. Personally if we get a spanking new stadium, long-term revenue, the club able to stand on its own, and a team in the division above this one then they can take as much profit from the development as they want.

Not quite in the same league. I do know from Quinns advisers at the time that the decision was all his - in fact he didn't speak to any of his advisers at the time, just made the announcement. To which they were tearing their hair out - not because of the decision which they fully respected - but that if he had spoken to them before he made the announcement they would've pointed out that he could ensure the government/taxman got hardly any of it through some accountancy route, rather than the huge chunk they took as it was a straight donation. (something like that anyway). Just goes to show how much the decision came from Niall's good heart rather than any kind of calculated PR stunt that has happened with many since. The magnificence of Gregg and the humility he shows puts all that in the shade though. Noone knows how they would react in the same circumstances of a crash, but everyone could learn something from the humility he shows having been a proper hero.

I could be wrong but I thought he just got 2, Beardsley who absolutely ran the game that night (as mentioned on a previous thread) got the other. I remember fleming had a really good game restricting cole to about 2 touches...unfortunately they both ended up in the back of our net! Worse feeling at a game was the sinking feeling as Cardiff got another set piece in the first 30 mins of the game and you just knew they were going to score...again! I still stayed to final whistle though. Quite a few others mind, the Stoke FA cup game 93/94 was (danny dyer mode) well naughty (dyer mode off). Esp when, nieve as we were at the time, we stood at the back of the terrace literally within a foot of the stoke fans above us. My first real experience of that kind of thing. I learn't a whole new vocabularly that night.

I've never once suggested they are linked. I have (if you look) outlined that the sensible approach is to try to attain promotion within the current budget (which the club feel is 15k losses - fair enough that is their choice) whilst doing the more important thing which is developing the stadium. That and only that will ensure we can generate a sustainable income in the future rather than boom and bust cycles, and hopefully will attract more people who enjoy the better facilities - increasing the playing budget, bringing better players in and hopefully more supporters. Simple really, but I'd rather go about things the way the TTA at the moment than taking too much of a chance on those unstable assets - players. Esp when we are in a world dominated by agents. The links were merely to back up the 50k figures. This really is getting too tiresome.

The only position that can really be coached by a specialist is Goalkeeper, who are often best coached by ex-goalkeepers. Just because TP was a striker doesn't necessarily mean that his coaching 'specialism' is striker coach. It could be that he's more interested in say defensive coaching or just youth development (as seems to be the case). With the coaching badges they have to be competent in all areas. It goes back to the old adage that sometimes an ex-defender knows more about attacking coaching because they know what defenders don't like to happen in game situations. Mind you, as I said earlier I don't think our problems are down/will be solved by a specialist attacking coach. It's down to service and keeping the football.

Which would make a very small dent in the £50k per month that we were losing back in 2002-03 rather than the £15k deficit that is happening now...I'd rather take the new stadium option/improved income into the club. Mind you I never was a massive gambler, build strong foundations and they will come. ps. that is with ambitions of trying to get out of this league * Edit - Apologies I did actually mean £50k per week which was not least in part to building the team required to bring the highest average crowd levels in the last decade (I_C's list). Reminder of the losses

Ritchie didn't always get things right when it came to signings!!! I too was frustrated by the January dealings, but unfortunately I don't think you can put all the blame / suggest there is no plan B. After all we were only 2 agents away from having 2 strikers signed up...don't forget the role agents play in what is goldrush season for them (Jan). This is the same management/owners who had the foresight to get Hughes signed up before anyone had a sniff. I do think that this Jan the requirements were more obvious than last years window which was less clear due to injuries and form at the time. Shez knew he had to get a striker, left-sided mid/def and another creative midfielder. I think the frustration (certainly mine) was added to by the suspension of Hughes / Davies at the time. We've managed to sort two of the requirements, we are really just missing a decent big striker (not all that common these days). I'm confident someone else (possibly 2) might be in within the next week, though unfortunately not before Saturday. Incidentally I'd earmarked Hoskins as potentially one, but he looks likely to be going to Forest.

'Also, before you try making out that my post says we forgo promotion over building off-field activities - it doesn't! Businessmen like TTA don't take on challenges to be mediocre and stay in the same division. The plans for the stadium should be enough (as something that is in the public arena) to confirm this. A stadium like that isn't being built for 3rd division football' I'm pretty sure most of the points I've seen by a vast majority on here aren't that fans are settling for this league, I actually take those points to be a view that it shouldn't be promotion at all costs (not that that is your argument either I believe), but more an acceptance that if it doesn't happen this season it won't be too far away. I'd be far happier being mid-table in the championship than div 3, but would that be enough for the public of oldham...who knows? I do remember that in our final premiership season the attendances dropped on the previous season as a number got 'bored' with the fact that we weren't on double cup runs every year. But by having a ground/facilities that pay the bills it becomes easier to speculate. Believe me - how easier is it to place bets of £1000 pound when you know you can lose it without it effecting your day-to-day income?

I think if you read it properly corporal I have said that the TTA are looking at other routes to get the income to break-even rather than putting all the eggs in one basket and 'rely' on the oldham public responding in vast numbers. Yes the crowds will rise, but that follows from taking option 1 rather than pursuing the better business option of 80/20 option 2 over option 1. Also, before you try making out that my post says we forgo promotion over building off-field activities - it doesn't! Businessmen like TTA don't take on challenges to be mediocre and stay in the same division. The plans for the stadium should be enough (as something that is in the public arena) to confirm this. A stadium like that isn't being built for 3rd division football. I just hope you have not so entrenched yourself in your argument that you don't/can't see other view points? After all this board is for debate rather than picking points out of context.

Whether it's 4500, 5500 or 6500 isn't really the point. The real point being that in order for the club to break-even on a budget where (irrespective of where we are or how we are playing) the cost base rises each year. Therefore the club are (in my view) being very sensible by prioritising the need to find a way of meeting this breakeven point and making a profit year on year. For football clubs there are two main routes... 1. Spend on assembling the best team possible and speculate that this could get promotion or 2. Create other ways of using assets (ie stadium/land/brand) to ensure income is regular and can grow year on year. Obviously you would like a blend (which is what TTA have tried to do), but at a club the size of ours one will alway win out over the other due to the lack of finance available to do both fully together. The TTA have decided that the 2nd route is the priority for now, whilst trying to maximise the funds available on the playing budget. I can't really blame them as they have taken a realistic look at the situation and seen 1st hand over the past 3-4 years that however good or bad the product on the pitch, the Oldham public very rarely responds. Don't forget over the past few years of the TTA we have always been guaranteed signings such as Hughes, Ricketts, Wellens, Gregan, Liddell etc, who come with big reputations and equally large wage demands. I take your point Corporal, speculation on the team and producing a high quality product on the pitch is the only way to get crowds back through the turnstiles, and for those of us that go week in week out it is disappointing that we aren't challenging for honours (lord knows we've been waiting long enough!). So spending on the team would in theory get the crowds back. However, the resources dictate that (transfer fees aside - which are usually more of a loan arrangement/donation to the club) there is a budget, and indeed a wage structure that dictates what we can do (matched to break-even points). Until this budget can be increased we will always be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Mentioning teams like Colchester, Scunthorpe, Blackpool et al in a lot of ways illustrates this point further. It would be more salient to break them down into further groups. Colchester - worked to a small budget for many years, with a team of no real stars and a good manager (and the luck that happens sometimes - they were awful at our place/away that season) they got up. You could also put Southend in this category who benefitted from working to a small budget in the basement league, unearthed a gem in Eastwood, got a good young manager and again with a workman like team used their momentum from the previous promotion campaign to get up. Blackpool, Scunthorpe, Hull (and to some extent Swansea) have all benefitted from new stadiums to a greater or lesser extent. You may question Blackpool, but I spend a great deal of time, have a number of clients who work in offices at Bloomfield road. Indeed pretty much the whole PCT is based there, giving the club a large income from off-field activities. Same goes for Hull, having again worked very closely with the key people involved in bringing their stadium to fruition. The one point I will take issue with is the suggestion that there is no plan, or this plan is just some kind of pr tool peddled to gulible fans. The TTA are hardened businessmen who have made a fortune. As someone who owns their own businesses, let me assure you that there is absolutely no way that the TTA have not got a business plan to turn this club into a self-sufficient and successful entity. I don't need to see it to know the bones of what it will contain, and as a private limited company they have no obligation to share it (if they did I'm sure the podantic on here would pick the bones out of every sentence for double-meanings). I guess that requires some faith that the people running our club know what needs to be done to make our club great again. Having seen the TTA in action and their track record at building sustainable businesses, I have faith that it will work and they know better than me who as a fan just wants us to win promotion playing fantastic football and with the best players in the league.

Cross was sacked when the Moore era started to go wrong. Unfortunately Dowie was given instructions that one of Cross or Philiskirk had to go to cut costs and Cross sadly was the one that went.

To be fair there is nothing wrong with having greedy strikers. The problems come when they are being greedy in non-goalscoring positions ie out wide/or with 3,4,5 players to beat. Some of the greediest strikers, Shearer, Owen are also the best. The trick is that they are greedy when goalscoring opportunities come along. Lee Hughes does this, unfortunately Davies over the past few months hasn't as he is going looking for the ball. I think this is defo what Shez (and many fans on here) when he keeps encouraging Davies to stay central. All good goalscorers need that greedy streak, and we have two in Hughes and Davies who are - the key is getting the midfield balance right to ensure these guys can stay in goalscoring positions.

The swans fans certainly back up the fact that we played very well yesterday... Swans on Beeb Shame they have to keep mentioning the egg-chasers after that!

I think Shez is perfectly within his rights to make such comments. Don't forget he's spent years with some of these kids and more importantly he knows all there is to know about their traits and characteristics. It isn't out of order. Try this angle, Shez has said this behind close doors many times to Aless and Aless is that talented he could be big...but things come quite naturally and therefore he does slack off in training a bit. He also knows that Aless is the kind of character that will get fired up by placing such a comment in public so therefore 2 birds, one stone...and we end up with a talented young player with a point to prove. To me this is what Shez was looking to do, which is why he hasn't singled players out with such comments before...perhaps a Taylor, Smalley, Davies are the kind of characters that need an arm round, whereas Aless reacts well to this type of thing. On the subject of set pieces, anyone else get the feeling that Shez gets so frustrated (being the master at delivery) that he just ends up taking all the set pieces in training in order to ensure the balls in are delivered with quality. Come matchday noone else has had chance to practice...