oafcprozac

I find it hard to believe Id follow latics with such passion if I hadnt grown up through the glory years. I can at least stand proud when Im talking to other football fans and say we've at least been there and done it.

I got lucky, started attending in Play Off season of 86-87 and although it ended in heartbreak I was hooked. First half of 87-88 was pretty poor, then it was a goalfeat after we signed Frankie Bunn. 88/89 we were riddled with injuries but clicked again from February onwards scored loads concede loads. As for 89/90 it was a poor start but boy did it all fall into place, probably with the Plymouth defender's mistake when he passed straight to Ritchie to put us 3-1 up in a game we eventually won 3-2, we were on the up from then on and then from Scarborough we were unstoppable! Then of course was the Championship season when often we were workmanlike especially away from BP, then 3 great years playing the elite. So at least we can say we've seen the thick as well as a lot of thin. In fact at times over the last 13 years it has been goddam anorexic! So thin in fact I've seen Lenny Henry and Bob Geldof hosting appeals! Feel sorry for the younger generation that have only ever known mediocrity but our time will come again, sonner rather than later imo!

I was in the exec box for that one. Won a competition in the paper the club used to do. Met Gunnar, Stitch and the rest after

So many great memories over the years Whilst I have my own personal favourite games. All time favourite memory has to be the Littlewoods Cup Final, I was only 13 but loved eevry minute of it. 'Ickle Oldham getting to Wembley and destroying the cream of English football week after week, it wasn't only the final it was the whole season from the Scarborough game onwards and although Forest beat us and I was gutted then even mor devastated when Wolves grabbed a late leveller to end our Play Off dreams I was convinced we would win promotion the year after, and how!

Whilst Ritchie is one of my alltime favourites, he could have been the greatest if he hadn't always been crocked with muscle strains during his first 7 years here. (Which normally accounted for him missing at least 10 matches a season(Along with broken wrists, back operations etc) But some of his goals and link up play was superb and how he never even got a 'B' Cap is beyond me as in 1990 Lineker and Beardsley aside he was the best striker in the country.

 

But I have to go for the Dodger, particularly for his Hat-Trick at Shrewsbury, after us being 2 down at HT his brace v Swindon when we were 2 down, his fantastic equaliser against Everton when we had been 2 down (again), erm pattern developing, his late, late goal v WBA in the Championship Season and of course him ghosting in at the far post at Maine Road to level the Semi-Final in 1990.

Not to mention Sir Roger Day - 27th August 1988! OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH Roger Palmer! The owd fella used to call him Mr. Reliable, how right he was.

 

Speaking of the owd fella, he still raves about Fryatt and Shaw, particularly David Shaw. He also comments on the class of Simon Stainrod and the skill of Alan Groves. My own personal favourite was Tommy Wright, skilful, quick and scored two headers at Maine Road! But the greatest has to be Sir Roger of Palmer.

Best Goalkeeper - Andy Goram (First spell obviously)

Most consistent Jon Hallworth 90/91 he was fantastic that year but never really repeated his performances after that and was pretty much Number 2 to Gerrard after his injury at Old Trafford (supposedly did it out boozing), which kept him out for the best part of a year.

ooooooooooo roger palmer!!!!

Whilst Ritchie is one of my alltime favourites, he could have been the greatest if he hadn't always been crocked with muscle strains during his first 7 years here. (Which normally accounted for him missing at least 10 matches a season(Along with broken wrists, back operations etc) But some of his goals and link up play was superb and how he never even got a 'B' Cap is beyond me as in 1990 Lineker and Beardsley aside he was the best striker in the country.

But I have to go for the Dodger, particularly for his Hat-Trick at Shrewsbury, after us being 2 down at HT his brace v Swindon when we were 2 down, his fantastic equaliser against Everton when we had been 2 down (again), erm pattern developing, his late, late goal v WBA in the Championship Season and of course him ghosting in at the far post at Maine Road to level the Semi-Final in 1990.

Not to mention Sir Roger Day - 27th August 1988! OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH Roger Palmer! The owd fella used to call him Mr. Reliable, how right he was.

Speaking of the owd fella, he still raves about Fryatt and Shaw, particularly David Shaw. He also comments on the class of Simon Stainrod and the skill of Alan Groves. My own personal favourite was Tommy Wright, skilful, quick and scored two headers at Maine Road! But the greatest has to be Sir Roger of Palmer.

Been sent home from Uni as some tit demolishing Oxford Tower has cut through a large power cable. Anyhow received a letter from Jim Bennett re: the amended application (had a series of lettrs from this guy, must be because I signed a petition or summat), so

Block A reduced to 3 storey, 4 Storey Central Section to Block A

Block B Northern Section reduced to 6 storey, southern section now 8 storey

Block C 7 storey section increased to 8 storey

Amended drawings now on the council's website.

Now this may be all well and good but what have we done to convince the Planning Clowns (sorry committee) that their Traffic fears will be alleviated?

I would guess 'will he buggery'!

 

Not right, though!

Not sure if Hughesy's into 'buggery' but 'Screws of the World' have stuck him in its Team of the Week. Wonder if the League's 'illustrious' sponsors and the prats at Lytham St. Anne's will see fit to do the same. But I guess we already know the answer to that one.......

I was more than a little disappointed with the tone of ITV's reporter this morning. "Lee Hughes scores his first goal for Oldham..................................then blah, blah, blah about causing death by dangerous driving", not the fact it was goal of the day by a guy who in the eyes of the law has repaid his debt to society. Really got my goat that did, flamin' gutter journalism. Even the wife who has absolutely no interest in football (apart from the Jekyll and Hyde effect it has on her husband!) remarked what a crappy throw away comment it was.

name is now there

Done

Seen Arber bugger up in the FA cup

 

Hes at a lower league club

 

haha

That was quality! "I'M HERE TO PROGRESS UP THE LEAGUES" (Mark Arber 2004)

2007 making a great tit of himself in the FA Cup 1st Round for the mighty Stevenage Borough battered by the 'enormous' Exeter City, doesn't get any better than that does it Mark? Now that my friends, is career progression!

God help us. Thompson at right back.

 

I would rather someone off here play.

Or Lomax if he wasnt out on loan.

 

But im not going back into that arguement again.

Ahem................Thommo is still crocked for at least a month. Woohoo! Macca it is then.

Could look something like this

Gk - Bring yer boots, they're all in nappies or on crutches or just plainly owd and knackered!

RB - Macca

CB -Trotters

CB - Stam

LB - Bertrand

RW - Deano

CM - Allott

CM - Kalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala or will Shez gamble and give Chalmers a go????

LW - Ginger Ninja

CF - Davies

CF - Hughes

no brainer really, unless Lidds is fit then Smalley will be on the bench. No other options really

at least we have found out now if the next boo-boy is to replace ricketts - DISAGREE 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000% in saying crossley cost us - we were aboslute brilliant for an hour - and as soon as they scored we panicked this was nothing to do with crossley - we for some reason stopped playing we have to question why, one of the reasons is because we are simply not fit enough - and i dont know where you were sat but for me but crossley had his vision blocked by a host of players in the box.

Crossley has cost us goals all season. (Didn't move v Swansea, at least 2 at Hartlepool, 1st at Accrington, near post AGAIN v Southend, pisspoor 1st vs Crewe - Need I go on?) The guy has been finished for years, Only playing 60 odd games in 12 seasons says it all. Watch the goals on BBCi press the red button available all day. Even the commentator says how poor it was!

dont know weather you would agree and dont know if it has been mentioned today but does anyone think we would have won today with a haf decent (fit) keeper today,

 

Mark Crossley had 4 things to do today the cross in the first half and 3 shots in the 2nd.

 

the cross hit the post and the 3 shots hit the net ( 1 offside)

 

i know beresford was injures but todat in my opinion (not seen replays) but he should have done better with everything, and if he was injured ( his back) like it looked after the cross he should have been taken off.

 

proud of the boys today, good football, deserved the win,

 

we cant wait for pog at the moment as it seems marlon is donr. new keeper is needed now as crossley is a liability,

 

excuse spelling,

 

opinions please.

Agree totally. The most experienced player let us down. Smacks of "I've not been playing, so why should I get myself match-fit and put in the effort to sharpen up in training?" Oh, B******s Marlon's injured I'll have to play, never mind I'll blag it!"

Marlon or Pogs would have stopped at least one of them for me, the first one was a good finish but saveable, the second one was on a par with Chris Day vs Huddesfield, in the fact all he had to do was react. For an hour we were superb. Then the moment they score we go into our shell. KK was running the show until then, but predictably he went missing once Donny got back into it and Wellens who had not passed the halfway line all game took over and was superb and never wasted a pass, Up until then Allott had done a great job on him and Taylor was superb in his more defensive role. But as I say, biggest let down for me was our so called most experienced player, I hope Marlon stays but think he'll be sent back now and if we have to rely on lardarse no matter how hard we work in the final third he will continually let us down. Special mention to Trotters, MAGNIFICENT and that turn of pace he showed in beating Guy to the ball was immense. Lower League Micah Richards, Stam was good for an hour then his head went and made silly mistakes. Eardley needs to learn that when the winger (Guy) is continually getting in behind you, drop a little deeeper and don't give him the space. Not disheartened best home performance of the season but annoyed that Crossley cost us the morale boosting win!

Our history at PP means nothing.

 

I think we'll draw, but expecting a loss just because we have lost there a dozen times before is silly. Thos matches hold no relevance to this match tonight.

Vale Park anyone? Dean Court perhaps? Bloomfield Road for instance........................................................................

..............................Bogey Grounds exist and Prenton Park is probably only second to the graveyard that is Vale Park!

At the end of the day whether it's Shez or tha TTA this is obvisouly something deeper in the club than just a few bad signings. It doesn't matter who is to blame to but if you look at how inexperienced our whole senior management team is then there are gunna be stupid decisions like the porter saga, singing allot for a fee when we let him go for free, giving ricketts a 3 year contract etc....

 

It seems to me like the club are in a situation now which they haven't been in whilst the current management team has been in charge. We have spent money this summer and it's kicked us in the teeth as crowds are low due to our dreadful start to the season. Even the most optimistic latics fans must admit the most we could hope for this season is top half finish barring a monumental change in fortunes. This could be the reason why Ricketts has gone out on loan, to ease some of the financial burdens that signing a player like him brings. If we had the money then we would surely be signing a loan player to replace him right? I'm not sure whether he is the top earner at the club or not but rest assured the TTA will be far from happy having a player who is too good for this league as one of the top earners and having a total of 2 goals in return.

 

This whole situation stinks and i belive it's down to inexperience on both the TTA and Shez to sign Ricketts on a 3 year contract when the obvious associated risks are so high, he had barley kicked a ball in anger for 4 years, was sacked from Southend, releaseed from Preston and Leeds. I would go as far as saying that signing ricketts on a 3 year deal was an even bigger risk than signing Hughes. It's completely backfired.

 

The answer?? I have no idea but i think Shez and the TTA need some help. I'm not saying we should bring someone in to replace Shez but maybe a director who has been working in lower league football for a number of years. Crewe have Dario Gradi to help out chris holland and Dennis Wise had Ray Wilkins when he was at Millwall, that sort of old head.

 

When you go through all of Oldhams senior directors, management there is no real experience at this level. Shez is still learning, the TTA haven't been in football for long, tommy wright and dux are new to the senior set up.

 

The only signings I think i have been happy with that i think has improved our team since last season is Hazell and Davies because both have done alright for the team so far. The rest like Allot, Kalala, Thommo, KK, Ricketts, Crossley have failed to impress for me.

 

Just a thought anyway.

Couldn't have put it better myself and what I have been nibbling away at for the last couple of weeks. Bravo that man!

Seeing as Sheri has next to nothing to show for a fairly substantial budget spent, I don't blame TTA at all for saying enough's enough.

 

E4e

ZZZZZ

See that Tony 'Doom and Gloom,Mr. Charisma himself' Bugby wrote the story. If true (and no direct quote from TTA) is Shez on borrowed time? I got the impression from Corney's comments pre-Walsall he was. Would be daft to throw money at it as Shez has pretty much dropped major goolies with his dealings (if they are HIS dealings), if Shez does get the bullett the new guy will need to wheel and deal in January. One thing that is getting my goat is the clubs refusal to comment on binning a guy, 3 months after giving him a 3 year deal. I think the fans are owed some sort of explanation, especially the poor sods who put his name and number on their shirts, after 2 more kit changes.

Our previous five seaons' record against the Cobblers was played 10 won 10, so a change was overdue, just as it is at PP.

Regards to the Cobblers it was P7 W7 going back to March '01

If they were offering a student a discount to the £19.50 i'd be considering going tomorrow night but there's no way I am justifying paying £19.50 along with petrol/train/coach, beer, programme etc to see another toothless performance. I know some on here have blind optimism and I applaud them for that. Personally I'm a realist and whilst Latics have occasionally surprised me with a 'rogue' result or two over the last 21 years (Forest last season, West Ham away in Dec '89, Villa '93 Wolves '95, QPR '97, Wigan '00 etc....) I really don't think tomorrow night will be one of those nights. Still I will be grateful for a goal to reward the hardy souls who go (about 600 imo) But nailed on 2-0 defeat is the only outcome I can see.

Of course I hope my words are shoved back down my throat as I'd like nothing better to stick two fingers up at the 'Dippers. I won't listen to it on LW as we always lose when I do that. I will stick by SMS alert whilst hoping for intervention by a higher body!

360 minutes and couting now, will we ever score again?

Actually Davies scored in the 27th Minute at Huddersfield so its 423 minutes or 7 hours and 3 minutes of "football" without a goal!

I'm gonna go for 2-1. From what I saw at Forest we have goals in us and we do look pretty good at the back now as well. We may not have been scoring recently but I think it only needs a player like Hughes for us to start notching. Just missing that predator in the box. Wolfy could perhaps take that role as well but at the moment perhaps he is still best used off the bench even though I think a Ricketts/Wolfy partnership would have worked really well. Guess that's down the pan now though!

Record at Prenton Park Over Recent Years P13 W2 D2 L9 F8 A25

FAC3R Jan '93 L0-3

LC4 Dec'93 L0-3

Div 1 Jan '95 L1-3

LC2 Sep '95 L0-1

Div 1 Dec '95 L0-2

LC2 Sep' 96 W1-0

Div 1 Nov '96 D1-1

Div 2 Sep '01 D2-2

Div 2 Jan '03 W2-1

Div 2 Oct '03 L1-2

Lge 1 Sep '04 L0-2

Lge 1 Aug '05 L0-4

Lge 1 Aug '06 L0-1

Sorry but can't see anything other than a 2-0 defeat. They've been pretty solid this season, not conceding many and by all accounts were the better side at Forest on Saturday. AND they've usually followed up a loss with a win this season. Add to the fact we are always at Prenton Park and its nailed on!

For a start - for me Davies would be out on his ear with his cronies Ricketts and Kalala - 1 down, 1 bout to go, and the third should be on his way too - he offers nothing for me on the pitch - Hughes and Smalley for me all the way.... and yes - i do think smalley is good enough - wolfy no, but smalley looked strong and direct yesterday (with flaws) but good enough for this level...

 

again... my point was this, its not that i wouldn't like another striker, its just we have bigger issues - another striker coming in now would just look so average - no matter who it is... we need to create clear cut chances before any striker can be effective.... with Lids struggling to get the game, and Taylor geting better but not quite there, these are the areas we need to look at....

 

Jevons would make a difference - I like him a lot as a player, and Jevo and hughesy would be exciting - however i'm sure the rest of the team could make them look poor and a spare part very quickly....

Our biggest mistake mate was blowing a massive part of the budget on Crossley, Ricketts and Kilkenny. We could have brought in for example; Leon Clarke, signed a young Premiership kid on loan to cover GK and maybe the lad from Wigan Cwyka and still had a large amount of the budget left. Signing has-beens has bitten us on the arse (As it did Tinnion and Bristol City in 05/06), their ability 'has-been' and gone (KK apart who just flatters to deceive) , but their egos are very much in their pomp!

AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

 

I'm sorry, but what is this... is Sheridan becoming Neil Warnock??? i.e - there is something not quite right at the club - I know! Lets add another striker! That will work!!!

AND... we have potentially the best striker in the division coming back to fitness - in 20 mins yesterday HUghes showed he was fit, hungry, and very, very dangerous.... lets not make him look ordinary, just like we did to Ricketts, by not giving him anything to feed off....

 

Oh well.... in Shez we tust! But with Davies, Hughes, Wolfy & Smalley - I fail to see the need for a 5th striker...

Agree, why give him more money? He made a John Halls of the budget in the summer. He needs to knuckle down and sort out why we are so toothless not throw money at it, we've got the players to score goals. Time to earn your money John..............

League Record 2007

P34 W10 D9 L15 F41 A39 Pts 39 Clean Sheets 8 Failed to Score 10

That is worse than relegation form AND with two different squads. Another striker will make no difference until we learn to keep clean sheets, teams only need to have one chance against us to bag. The defence is decent but defending starts from the front and the midfield need to shoulder the burden too. Especially Kilkenny, Taylor and Liddell who let us down week after week in their own half. Davies needs to get involved in is own half occasionally too. The players need to start playing as a team. We're in a scrap and Kilkenny is a luxury who will not raise his game enough to get us out of the position we are in, I am convinced of it. Whilst Allott and Kalala aren't technically as good they do battle and scrap and endeavour to play the right ball rather than believing they can win a game on their own AND they played all pre-season before the squad was disrupted by signing a player who was touted as the messiah despite him going missing week after week the last time he was here and despite his set-pieces continuing to hit the first man week after week. Rather than shipping out Allott and Kalala i'd thank KK for his efforts and send him back to Brum. Now is not the time for prima donnas.

My Team for Tranmere:

Beresford

Bertrand Stam Trotman Eardley

Kalala

Macdonald Allott

Liddell

Hughes Davies

Kalala to cover the back four, Macca to make runs as and when Allott to take care of the ball as he did so well in Pre-Season and the early part of the season. Liddell in the last chance saloon in the hole to close the gap between midfield and attack. This team for me is a tighter unit and the midfield is interchangeable. It will make us harder to break down and providing the movement is there create chances for Liddell and Hughes. As no doubt Craig 'Blind-Alley' Davies will still do his own thing anyway!

Not going well is it! Ironically top half of table goals conceeded. But stating the obvious any team that ain't scoring an average of 1 per games in trouble. Don't look like scoring do we? No cutting edge from midfield either. Could be in BIG trouble or shoot up the poor division with a few goals but where are they coming from?

 

Ironic Leon Clarke has been scoring freely for Southend tends to suggest we are failing with the build up. Don't appear to have ANY two midfielders who are playing well together, or am I wrong.

 

Sorry to see Shez and co under pressure but Senior players are not doing the business in a very similar way as when Stitch was manager. Discuss.

Spot on with the ritchie comment. Oldham nil!

If Rico had lamped Taylor I'd expect he'd have been thrown out of the club. He certainly wouldn't have started on Saturday.

 

There's no way he would leave nine days after the offence.

Nah, that sort of thing happens up and down the country on a daily bass at all levels of the game. If you have played the game at any level surely you will have seen that sort of thing. Normally it is dealt with in house and players kiss and make up. Just the high profile occurences of Dyer and Bowyer & Hartson and Berkovic bring it into the public eye. I think Shez has realised Ricketts is not the man he thought he was signing, instead we got a lazy half-arsed has been who had neat touches but brought little if anything to the team. The results speak for themselves.

Do you think Ricketts asked for the ball to be hoofed to him? Whatever has happened, it's hardly right to blame him for the fact we've had no midfield this season.

Ricketts didn't play the other night and from the highlights we were playing it to the wings and getting balls in, imo regardless if Ricketts was playing he hasn't the desire to get on the end of things so the players run out of ideas and just lump it up to him. How many times has he got on the end of things this season? How many saves has he made the keeper make. The guy is ineffective and doesn't have the desire. I'm positive he won't score more than 4 or 5 goals for Walsall. If he does i'll be amazed. Hopefully Hughes will now come good and his past off-field antics aside, he's looked incredilby hungry and chases everything. Whilst I still would've liked to have seen Hughes and Ricketts with Davies pushed wide, it seems that some of our original fears were confirmed and that Ricketts just isn't right for our club.

Guess I wasn't the only one who didn't rate the 'former England International'.

Said on the day we signed him I was underwhelmed

FTAO Wardle

From the highlights I've seen mate, I think Hughes was the man we needed a fit Hughes would scored at least two the other night with the quality of football and balls into the box. At least there shouldn't be anymore HOOF now!