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A lot of Royle's signings in the late 80's were due to a club director Norman Holden funding the deals. Transfers such as Tommy Wright £85k, Kevin Moore £150K, Rick Holden £165K, Neil Adams £100k and others all supposedly paid for by Holden on the premise that any sell on profit would be split 50/50 between him (Norman Holden) and the club. That's from the horse's mouth in Royle's autobiography. We even had a deal to sign David Batty in place in November 1988, but Howard Wilkinson who had just taken over the managerial hot-seat at Elland Road blocked the deal.

Gary was having problems with him arm after his masters appearance in the summer. He was found to have cancer within the limb and most of it was amputated. Unfortunately that was not the end of it and he faces further surgery and a fight for survical, terrible news.

I was told about Gary's illness last week and it has been confirmed in the programme. So sad, I think the win today should be dedicated to him and his family, i'm sure all our thoughts and prayers are with them at what must be a horrendously difficult time for Gary and his family. Get well soon mate, I hope we see you back at BP very soon.

A few crossed wires here re: Warnock's era He let Andy Hughes go out on loan to Notts County, then Allardyce made the deal permanent for about £100k in Early 1998. Craig Dudley was signed whilst injured on deadline day '99 by Andy Ritchie Stuart Barlow left for peanuts in March 1998 because he was out of contract that summer and the club could not afford/had no bloody intention of renewing a fairly lucrative deal. Barlow was replaced by Adrain Littlejohn after we swapped him for Phil Starbuck!!!! Matthew Rush was signed in March 1997 from Norwich for £165,000 and played 18 games the crock that he was. David Beresford was sold to Huddersfield in a player plus Cash deal that saw us get Paul Reid and us pay £100,000 to the Terriers. Lee Duxbury arrived in March 1997 too for £350,000 from Bradford Nick Henry went to Sheffield United in March 1997 we got £500,000 and the useless donkey that was Doug Hodgson He also signed a grossly overweight Ronnie Jepson, Lee Sinnott, the legend that was Ironside. He signed Mike Pollitt and Danny Boxall on loan as well as Neil Thompson. Oh and Mark Foran! In my opinion the straw that broke the club's back in 96/97 was selling Gunnar Halle to Leeds. We had endured an horrendous start but picked up in early October with a run of only 3 defeats in 15 League games and although the decent form continued for a month or so after Gunnar's departure the writing may have been on the wall for Graeme Sharp. Warnock's biggest mistake was his failure despite splashing a fair bit of cash to bring in another striker Super Sean had been in and out all season, Banger was crap and Ormondroyd had done ok but lets face it he was crap too! So the goalscoring burden was left to Stuart Barlow and he just didn't get the service or score enough goals. (Did when he went to Wigan!) Warnock panicked, ripped the heart out of the team before deadline day and we were left with a team of strangers! Sound familiar? The season after, we were business like at home but embarassing away, as Warnock's tactic seemed to be "lets play for a 0-0", once the injuries bit and the home form stuttered not to mention Barlow being sold, the wheels well and truly fell off. We were 3rd at the beginning of February and in the end struggled to fifnish in lower mid-table.

Ok Part Two, sorry if i'm boring anyone but I love reminiscing! oops missed a cracker! 27/2/1993 Everton 2 Latics 2 Two nil down with less than 3 minutes to play. We gain an iffy penalty Adams buries it, muted celebrations. 30 seconds later Marshall's mullett heads on for Adams to drive home an unlikely equaliser. Cue mental scenes in that ancient stand and stunned Scouse silence! Even my 'owd fells left his seat in celebration! 5/9/2000 Huddersfield 0 Latics 2 Played the Terriers from a higher divison of the park. Two belters fom the under rated Rickers and a great atmosphere from the travelling fans. "We want Brucey out!" and "He's on the dole, he's on the dole, Brucey's on the dole..................great night! 12/9/2000 Reading 5 Latics 0 Despite the scoreline I personally have seen us play a lot worse and despite us being 2-0 down after about 3 minutes we had our chances. Higlight of the evening was the "What a waste petrol chat from the home fans!" Really one of those occasions when you can say "I was there!". 5/3/2002 Bury 1 Oldham 1 Poor performance against the doomed Shakers with comedy duo Smart and Reeves upfront. In the 21st minute of injury-time Argentinian Trialist Christian Colusso volleyed through Glynn Garner's legs and was promptly never seen again! Can't whack a last-minute goal away from home! 6/11/2002 West Ham 0 Latics 1 JOe Cole, Steve Lomas, Nigel Winterburn, Jermain Defoe, David James and all. Great performances hroughout the team and a wonder-show from Pogs. 1/1/2003 Tranmere 1 Latics 2 Only time I've seen us win at Prenton Park. Eyresy put us one up from the spot Howarth levelled. then Pogs saved a pen before Baudet nicked a late winner against the run of play! 15/2/2003 Stockport 1 Latics 2 Second best all game, but Eyresy's last minut free-kick will live wth me forever as will the rapturous scenes of three sides of the ground going mental! 21/4/2003 Platics 3 Latics 1 , 4,000+Latics fans going mental when Wayno scored after a nano-second, and for that split nano-second it took Wigan to go 2-1 up automatic promotion was still on! 9/8/2003 Latics 1 Brighton 3 We had made it to the start of the season, never celebrated a meaningless consolation so wildly as I did Muzza's that day! 16/8/2003 Sheff Wed 2 Latics 2 Great performance from a team of kids, trialists, rejects crock and petty criminals! Curier's equaliser = bedlam! 30/8/2003 Latics 3 Rushden 2 Not only had we survived, but we were winning games. O'Halloran will always be a club legend after his injury time winner! 8/2/2004 Latics 6 Grimsby 0 The day when it all came good and on my 27th birthday too! 24/4/2004 Swindon 1 Latics 2 No secret that this is probbaly my favourite ever game in 22 seasons of watcing the club. I shed more than a tear when the whistle went. Against all the odds we had survived! 8/1/2005 Latics 1 City 0 'nuff said! 24/11/2006 Huddersfield 0 Latics 3 Payback with a vengeance! 1/1/2007 Latics 5 Forest 0 Complete perfomance! 13/1/2007 Scunny 1 Latics 1, thought the goal would never arrive. More mental scenes when Gary Mac blated home! 3/2/2007 Latics 1 Tranmere 0 Spent the aternoon in the sponsors suite. Well-oiled by the time Porter bagged in injury time, and I bet those boxes have never seen such wild scenes as that day!!!! 10/2/2007 Swansea 0 Latics 1 Brilliant day all round, gruelling journey but when yer bladdered and top of phe league who cares! I'm sure there are many more to come.......................last season's great run started in the midlands, lets hope the Saturday's geographica location is an omen!

Latics 0 Everton 2 29/11/88 LC4R Played them off the park, we just couldn't score at a time when Everton were the cream of English football and had British record signing in their ranks - one Tony Cottee. We held them for 80 odd minutes, then Rhodesy could only parry and Cottee snaffled up the rebound at the Chaddy. He then missed a pen - maybe it was Sheedy actually after 'The Pearl' was harshly judged to have handled at point blank range, then TC proceeded to score a beauty. Gutted but was so proud of a team that was struggling in the League. My first ever night match and the atmosphere was something special. I got absolutely drenched clinging to the Chaddy Fence, but I was secretly praying for Extra Time! Latics 4 Wolves 1 15/12/90 Superb game this on a freezing day. We conceded a sloppy opener and scraped an equaliser on half-time from 'The Pearl'. Then second half we came out and destroyed them. Stitch scored my personal favourite from all the goals he scored for us - a real rocket from the edge of the box that only ever went about 6mm above the deck before arrowing under Mike Stowell! (I was right behind it in the Rocky Road End at Pitch Level!)Then Stowell, who had been posing all game by pushing several shots two-handed over the bar when it semmed easier to catch 'em - was tried it one time too many and the dodger's header was promptlly helped into the net! He added another too! Latics 3 Chelsea 0 21/8/1991 Our first home game as a top-flight team for 68 years and the first time I had ever seen us play on grass at home. I must admit I was worried, after-all the Plastic had been a useful psychological barrier. I needn't have worried we battered 'em! Easy, Easy, Easy and Can we play yer every week? came to mind! City 1 Latics 2 28/9/1991 My first and only away game that season. First half we were average and City looked very good. Then we proceeded to nobble a couple of Citeh defenders. Think Rick Holden came on as sub (as Fleming played at 11 that day) and Ricky and Stitch (also playing wide) ripped City apart. People slag Sharp off but he scored 3 at Maine Road vs City and 3 goals vs United and is still the best out and out target man I've ever seen at the club. Latics 1 United 0 9/3/93 - Obviously! Villa 0 Latics 1 2/5/93 This really was squeaky bum time, a win or we were relegated. It would have been hard enough to watch anyway but standing in the Holte End increased my anxiety by about 1000%!!!! Bolton 0 Latics 1 12/3/94 Bolton had conquered all in the cup before we went there in the last 8. I thought we'd be comprehensively beaten. In the first twenty minutes we were battered but somehow we held on, with a combination of good goalkeeping and the woodwork coming to our rescue. Slowly but surely we battled our way into the game and a stalemate ensued, until a woeful backpassfrom Patterson fed the bear and sent about 4,000 Latics fans into raptures! 8/4/1996 Port Vale 1 Latics 3 (I kid yer not) Our annual relegation scrap was given a much needed shot in the arm. Stu Barlow scored early doors. The bear scored a rare goal and Rico finished matters with a pen before Lee Mills bagged his customary goal against us. 1/3/1997 QPR 0 Latics 1 Due to work commitments I only saw a handful of games this season. This was my highlight, yes we were crap, yes we were going down, yes QPR battered us, we but bagged our only chance through Nicky Banger and held out for a superb win! 13/3/1999 City 1 Latics 2Probably the worst Latics team I have ever seen during the crappest season I can ever remember ad we still gained our usual triple point-haul from Maine Road. City had just won 6-0 at Burnley and very over confident. We hadn't won for five weeks since our post-Chelsea mini-revival was ended at the Moss Rose by Efe Sodge, yet we battled scrapped and out-thought and out-fought City helped by a wonder-show from Gary Kelly and a Captain's shift from Dux. 7/1/2000 Plastic Latics 0 Real Latics 1 Again a poor Latics side suddenly decided to step up to the plate. Fom Allott's cruncher straight from kick-off I knew we'd win the game. Wigan were unbeaten and Kelly worked overtime but we nicked it when Dux flicked a header home from Neil Adams' free-kick. Part Two to follow! edited due to my crap spelling down to the batteries going in my wireless keyboard!

left back I think! SMS from Club. Signed for a month! Oi Wardle, beat me too it by a nanosecond! Anyhow you didn't provide a link! http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=15022

I suppose you mean the recently refurbished Alexandra Park, I haven't been for years. It became a no-go area in the late 80's and I haven't been since. The wife's been with the kids and was very complimentary about the park's face-lift. Werneth Park is a dump full of doggy do-do. Copsterhill Park has always been rough, ditto Stoneleigh. Chadderton Hall and Foxdenton are probably the two where you can feel you can let your kids play in peace. As Ed says in his post my comments are re: a town bereft of facilities was aimed at a council that has seen a number of swimming pools close, a once world-famous market die a slow painful death, numerous cinemas close over the last 25 years, no-bowling alley and a town-centre that is a chav, dunk infested hang-out for over-aged dregs waiting for their next incapacity chequeue. That's why I re-enrolled into full-time education (In 2004) when I was 27, this town is on its arse, I have some skills but felt if I was to get out of this town permanently I would have to retrain professionally, ( I'm glad I did as the company I worked for went bust 6 months after I left)rather than get stuck in the service industry. I'm now in the last year of my degree and I am planning to take my PGCE next year and I'm not bothered where I move to to take up a teaching post - at home or furher along abroad. I just want to leave this cesspool of a town! My wife agrees, she's a nurse and we've already looked at emigrating, although that may be some way off, in two or three years the only thing that will bring me to Oldham will be to see our families and make the pilgrimage to BP!

I'm doing my dissertation on the rise, golden age and ultimate decline of Tommyfield. My main argument in conclusion is going to be that Tommyfield's decay is a physical testimony to the death of a town that was once an industrial giant. But the town has always lacked facilities; here's a great quotation I unearthed from the Manchester Examiner and Times from 1852, just before Oldham's first (actually it was the 2nd but I won't get into that!) market hall was built and the open market moved to Tommyfield. "Had the town of Oldham been placed under different circumstances or placed elsewhere or placed elsewhere, it would boast of park, promenades, the promotion of public health, of market, cafe, sand and reading rooms. But as Oldham is in the county of Lancaster it possesses neither baths, park, aquaduct, school or market deserving of the name; but instead it as innumerable taverns where people drown their senses in the fatal cup of circe. It has holes and its corners each containing its little knot of peddling politicians who agree in nothing but in the cordial hate they bear each other, it has its orators who detain instead of reform, who bluster patriotically and button their waistcoats pockets prudently , and who change their cash for scrip, for the laudable purpose of benefitting not themselves, the unwashed "Rougheads". I was stunned when I came across this in the local studies archive. A lot has happened in the last 155 years yet the town has come full circle and again is bereft of any facilities. I just thought it was somewhat appropriate as we wait for the decision!

It was me that came up with that comment re: Crossley's appearances. I actually said the last time he made more than 30 appearances in a season was in 1996/97. Since then in the following 10 seasons he's only made 120 league appearances (averaging 12 games a season) - since he was 28! That to me says the guy is not good enough. Swansea he didn't move for Scotland's goal, when a sharper keeper on his toes may have got down to it. The first goal at Burnley was a comedy of errors too, with him caught in no-man's land with his lard arse twin Sean of Greganshire (but still one of my favourite player's when he turns up!) The first two at Victoria Park were his fault too, the first one instead of smothering the ball at Moore's feet he dives sideways - out of the way of the ball! Second goal he hesitated and ball was past him before he reacted and I blame him for the first goal last night, watch it........the guy doesn't even jump he just falls backwards. Pogs is not the complete answer but he is a far better keeper than Crossley. I wasn't comfortable the day we signed him and I would have rather took a chance on another Chris Howarth, Ross Turnbull type keeper , up and coming, not one that has been falling steadily for over a decade. Crossley's career http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=1790 I've nothing against the guy, and he has made one or two decent saves so far but he just doesn't fill me with confidence (neither does Pogs, but the big Aussie is probably the lesser of two evils!)

I still think Ricketts is being played in the wrong way, the guy is simply not a target man! Having him playing with his back to goal is a waste imo. Play balls into his feet and let him run at the opposition, thats how he did his damage at Bolton, Walsall and 'Boro. Aimless longballs, of which we've played more than our fair share render Ricketts completely ineffective. Unfortunately for me we haven't a real target man this season, so lets get it on the deck and get crosses into the box. When Hughes is fit play Craig Davies wide (as he spends most of the game wide anyway) and get Hughes and Ricketts in the middle, the goals will come - but not by playing long balls.

Doh! Meant the White Hart!

There's been so many! Agree with the Littlewoods Cup Final, no matter what the result, Laticsfans after so many poor years were just pleased to actually enjoy the success of the 'pinch me season'. My own personal favourite, was the opening Day vs Brighton in 2003, ok we lost 3-1 and only managed a lat consolation, but after the hell of that summer I celebrated Muzza's late goal like a World Cup final winner! As far as I was concerned we were down but not out and alive and kicking!

Sorted mate, we'll jump on at The Old Grey Mare, do we pay you on the bus? £15 dabs each 'aint it?

What time are we leaving? And where from? as me and ScouseLatic are Beardybus novices!

Simod Cup Tie at BP in November 1987, we lost 3-0 - Big Ron was the WBA manager and I think the crowd was something like 1,800! We were in the middle of a run that went as follows:- Birmingham L1-2 (H) Blackburn L0-1 (A) WBA (SC) L0-3 Villa (H) L0-1 Ipswich (A) L0-2 Plymouth (H) L0-1 The goalless League run came to an end at Bournemouth on the 7th December, when a certain Frank Bunn made his debut in a 2-2 draw. We also had had three other cup games in the middle of the run, anyone give me the scores????

Stick me down for 2 seats please mate. Myself and ScouseLatic

Didn't have the pleasure that day, I had just begun my access course so was probbaly working on an assignment. Actually been to Brentford three times and not seen us lose yet, not seen us win either!

Agree, bad was the two winless runs under Talbot, 9 games without a win September 11 2004 - October 30th 2004 or losing 8 out of 9 January 15th 2005 - March 5th 2005, that was bad, or the awful run under Royle during 85-86. Shows how far expectations have come. We've played two games, won one, lost one and we're still 3 points better off than this time last season.

The 1-1 Draw, Scott Vernon's diving header??? Gave up my Season Ticket that day and actually paid to go in the Chaddy as I was feeling pretty crappy after getting soaked durig the Hartlepool debacle. Felt ten times worse after the tripe we served up that day and spent the best part of a week in bed with the 'flu! Just realised you mean the non-event at Griffin Park under Talbot dontcha!?

Boshell had his best spell in a Latics shirt during Sheridan's temporary stewardship. He was superb in the 6-0 v Grimsby too, and played very well when we beat Wednesday. As a ball player himself Shez got the best out of him. Ironic he's now at Grimsby. Pogs cost us in the 3-3 draw away at Grimsby too, the first one floated ove his head and the other two were very poor positioning. Two keepers had a mare that day! Truely the beginning of Pogs fragile confidence being obliterated, never the same after Dowie left.

Yep, Hartlepool 28th December 2003, the performance that day was a real shock after our barn-storming win vs QPR and the total football we saw at Grimsby in a 3-3 draw just two days earlier.

Worst performance? :sign0094: How about Rotherham away in 2000 L0-3, Bournemouth away 2000 L0-3, Wigan Away 1998 L0-1, Wycombe Away L0-3 1999, Chesterfield Away 2005 L0-1, Brentford Away L0-2 2004, Torquay Away 2004 L0-2, Spurs Away 1993 L0-5, Any game at Notts County 1990-1991 L0-1,0-2,0-2,0-2 and many many more............................To call that the worst performance ever on Saturday is laughable and shows how we've been spoilt a little since Shez took over!

Going back to their pen Lags, did you see the challenge by he City centre-half on Tevez yesterday? Same challenge as Thompson straight-over the top as the attacker failed to jump, Clattenberg didn't even award a free-kick. The lack of consistency is infuriating. By the way have you ever seen a striker on his backside or rolling about as much as Graham? What a tart!

Eards plays well when the lad in front of him plays well. If Liddell or AN Other in front does not offer himself to take the pass thn more often than not at this level its hoof time. He needs support from the so called experienced members of the squad, but I do think he needs to pull his finger out over his positional play. Once young Kelvin is fit, I can see Eardley taking a sabbatical.