wozz_oafc

So after this long thread, have we decided?

Is Failsworth in Oldham or MAnchester.

 

Coat already on...

FRAG are campaigning for it to become its own sovereign state!

I admire what has been done in the preservation of heritage and the redevelopment of Manchester, Salford and Trafford, but I must remind you that not only the Trafford Centre but also one of the world-class football clubs and Salford Quays are not in Manchester. Salford City Council is justifiably proud of its redevelopment of the Quays.

http://www.salford.gov.uk/quays-regen.htm

 

As mentioned in the earlier link, Salford was an important township when Manchester was little more than a hamlet on Salford's outskirts. Salfordians grow visibly annoyed at being called Mancunians.

The problem is though while everyone who comes from the area knows all of the little intricacies about what belongs to where, which boundary goes where etc, people from further afield will always include Salford, Oldham, Bury, Sale, Stockport etc. as Manchester.

I come from a small town near Runcorn, before leaving home I would never dream about referring to myself as from Runcorn. However no one has heard of it when I say where I am from, so sometimes I use Runcorn as a marker, some people haven't even heard of Runcorn so I have to say I am from near Chester/Liverpool/Manchester.

You have just convinced me thanks.

Is there no end to this man's knowledge? I wish i hadn't studied local, American, German, Russian, Sub-Continental Asian and British History for nigh on 5 years then perhaps I'd be allowed an opinion of whether Manchester had made progress in establishing a new identity in the last 20 years or so.

 

But we're all fookin' doomed anyway aren't we Corp?

 

Life's :censored:, then you die, lighten the fook up!

Mass suicide at BP on Exeter anyone?

Despite the evidence to the cintrary people still believed the Earth was flat. Doesn't make it true.

haha but when you travel around the world you get back to the same point you started in.

When I travel from Chorlton to Boundary Park unless my eyes deceive me I seem to stay in the same city travelling from the south of it to the north of it.

People used to believe the Earth was flat, I think I could put forward a strong case that Oldham is Greater Manchester.

Times change.

Ive always thought Oldham was part of Greater Manchester and always will.

For what its worth I think if people really thought the club was getting shafted in any way over the move to Failsworth there would be a protest against it no matter how futile.

I understand why some may be disappointed in the scale of the new project, however, I would like to think everyone could come together and see this as a fresh start away from BP, however big or small, which I feel is holding the club back now.

This season is distorted though with the amount of big hitters. Recent history shows similar sides to Latics going up. So why not us?

Because many factors come into play during a season, including things such as luck.

Football is not a simple game. Just because we have a similar budget to other teams that have gone up has no bearing on what happens to us. I am sure when we hit the top division in the 90s there were many clubs with bigger budgets wondering how the hell we got there.

I personally think we may have gone up with Dowie, if Pogs hadnt got injured, Fitz hadnt been sent off vs Crewe at home and something else I cant remember. These are the fine lines between success and failure in football.

The question asked:

“I don't know if it's possible - is safe standing a possibility? I think this could encourage attendance.”

 

Alan Hardy “I would love to have standing. I have spoken to the Football League. Due to being designated as an all seater during the Premiership days we cannot go back.”

 

Simon Corney

“We would love standing and think it would have a massive impact and I don't know if we can challenge it, but if we can we will.”

 

The thing to note from the standing debate is that we don't want the old style unsafe terracing back. Instead a modern version that has been tested successfully in Germany which would be ideal for the English football fan who should have the right to stand at a football match. Times have changed at football, a different breed of fans now attend games, with cctv and better policing, standing up is now just a matter of changing the legislation rather than a safety issue.

 

I think the football league has given Hardy the easy answer and he’s taken it without arguing the positives that come with safe standing. Benefits would be achieved for the fans who like to sit down throughout a game as you wouldn’t clash with the supporter who likes to stand which blocks your view of the action. It would reduce aggression between stewards and fan’s, as the efforts of constantly trying to get a section sat down would be taken away. Atmosphere in the stadium would also be better.

 

It would increase attendance as it would add to a positive match day experience which Simon Corney is aiming for. It would give the club something unique and if we are the first club to have it we’d be in the record books forever. It would also benefit our disabled supporters as the fans who want to stand would be away from blocking their view – which has been complained about on here about the RRE. Surely if the Germans can allow 25,000 fans to stand then can have a 3000 standing area. As for challenging the legislation - Why couldn't you challenge it? You can challenge anything if you really want too.

 

Note to anybody reading this at the club – as it stands I’m not 100% about the move to Failsworth. If you get permission to test or erect a safe standing Stand then I will fully back the move away from Boundary Park.

My hat goes off to you for putting across the pro standing argument so clearly!

I think it would be good for clubs to challenge the legislation as I guess they would have more weight than individual fans. Its a shame that there isnt a lot of clubs all moving at one time who could challenge together.

Sorry for an edit there Wozz

No need to apologise. You put it much better than me!

I know amazing, Wellens most gifted player in this period.

Anyone who voted Whitaker should hang their heads in shame

Towns and cities get the football clubs they deserve unless they get serious financial backing.

Good on him, he seems to be surplus to requirements here. I could see him moving on permanently on a free. Good luck to him.

I cannot afford to get there tomorrow but would be greatful if someone could pose any of these questions!

I am for the move, Please expand on why the club cannot survive at BP for those who do not believe this is true.

When will we see the plans for the proposed Failsworth stadium?

Please can you expand on your future vision for the club? There must be one in place if you are undertaking such a big project. Where do you see the club in 5 or 10 years?

Do you think a new stadium and set up could attract new investment from new owners when you leave?

Having run the football club for a good number of years from your experience do you honestly believe that the town of Oldham can sustain a professional club for years to come with or without the move?

What amounts of revenue is needed from the new development to make the club sustainable? Realistically is it possible to generate this and where will it come from?

If the proposed move to Failsworth collapses what then? Please could you answer this honestly

Following on from this there is a lot of rumour and conspiracy about the state of the owners and the club at the moment would it be possible to put all this hearsay to rest by giving us a frank assessment of the position the club and you are in and how things will proceed in the future

He wasnt brilliant in his last season at all. The season before yes but not last season. Would have kept him as a squad player yes but would he have wanted that?

Yes really. He's the best centre forward I've seen in a Latics shirt since Graeme Sharp. His only problem was injuries, and I tend to assume hypothetical lists like this ignore injuries.

Chris Killen fit is a quality player hence why he is on Celtic's books.

The thing that makes these threads depressing is that they highlight how many good players we have had over the years at the club. If only we had the money to keep them altogether

Still playing mine would be

Gk Grant

LB Armstrong

CB Fitz Hall

CB Clint Hill

RB Eardley

LW Taylor

CM Wellens

CM Killkenny

RW Croft

ST Porter

ST Killen

S1 Rachubka

S2 Hudson

S3 J Johnson

S4 Abbott

S5 Gregan

I think Shez was Oldham athletic man of the decade, player and gave us some great games a manager - even if it ended sour.

This is definitely true!

Even though it did turn sour, it would be good to honour him somehow and show that there is no hard feelings.

Would not work for the simple fact the FA has that 3pm rule and i suppose each club will want to alternate kicks off to draw there own viewers.

True but it doesnt stop the Premiership teams and if it injected more cash into the lower leagues it may help clubs survive and prosper

If it was an away game, wouldn't the televised 'rights' be held by the other club?

Hmm interesting, unless all clubs showed away games as to minimize the effects on their home crowds.

I could see this getting very messy!

It's a bad idea. I don't usually let the rain or cold stop me attending, but if I had the option to watch it on TV rather than go out and get cold and wet, especially if we're on bad form; I don't think I'd have the discipline to not watch it on TV.

What if it just showed away matches?

David Eyres must certainly be in with a shout.

John Sheridan also for coming out of retirement.

Chris Taylor for coming through the ranks as a genuinely exciting home grown player to watch

Was chatting to my flatmate about this at the weekend. Would you subscribe to a Latics channel, which showed our first team/reserve and youth matches?

Would you still attend home matches if you could? I sometimes think this could be a good way for clubs like ours to increase their income rather than having to take a cut of the overall TV deal.

I think the argument against it is often that fans would no longer turn up to the games, I am sure there is some truth in this, however I personally would still much rather attend the matches in person. Maybe the channel could only show away games for the first team. Something I would certainly subscribe to as I cannot afford to go to them at the moment.

Good post.

The amount of over analysing of everything a player does is staggering these days and its not just at the top level. It can be seen on here after defeats throughout the season. Any mistake a player makes is picked up on and used against him with many never looking at the plus points. The Eardley debates from last season I think show this up best. Yes he could get beat by his winger from time to time and he didnt always use the ball wisely, but its blatantly obvious how much we miss his attacking threat down the right hand side this season.