Hometownclub

Excellent post, Well said.

It did crash once on me a couple of days ago but fortunately I wasn't doing particularly well anyway otherwise there would have been a coming on.

I remember Tommy Black well he was a very good player at the time but that was a few years ago, I wouldn't know if he was still any good (haven't seen anything of him for a good while). The only thing I would say is that not many teams release good players as even if they are out of favour they would still want a fee if they thought they could get one.

I've just posted my first 200+ score I think I'm finally getting the hang of playing these spinners (about time too).

I'm doing a bit better now although reading through the comments I think me Rummy and Rocky are all in the same boat and are all getting about the same final 10 over score. We all seem able to smash Lillee and Hadlee all over the park but then struggle with both run scoring and wicket loss against Warney and Embers. I know its just timing but the slower bowlers seem to vary their pace regardless of spin and that throws me. I shall keep trying but about 180 runs regardless of wickets seems to be my limit at the moment.

Good call on Wayne Andrews, I would much prefer him to Glombard or JJ, especially as you say if Porter stays. He would give us some very much needed pace up front and I guess could well be available with Bristol City going up.

People are saying Shez wants to buy Glombard (I hope not) and I dont know why as he hasn't been starting if both Warne and Porter are fit. He certainly isn't good enough for the Chanpionship and I doubt if he is good enough for us in League 1. He certainly hasn't convinced me from what I've seen of him and I think there must be much better options than him available this summer as alot of players contracts run out at various clubs.

One player I really do like the look of is Chris Shuker at Tranmere, I dont know about his current contract arrangements though.

I think alot of the who stays and who goes may to a certain extent be out of our hands as quite a few of the regular first team players are out of contract this summer. This includes Wellens and Porter who I feel if we dont go up will maybe looking for offers from Championship clubs so we may have a difficult job to keep them in League 1 anyway. I still feel Warney should/will get another 12 month deal even if he was only a squad player next season, I think he would be a very useful player to have on the bench.

I don't know where this story is coming from, but if Warney isn't offered another 12 month contract for next season my flabber will be absolutely gasted. Nobody can tell me if they have watched him on a regular basis this season that he does not deserve another 12 month contract at least.

I'm exactly the same, I can handle the fast/medium pace bowlers and like you I get to between 80 and 110 for 1 or 2 wickets off 4/5 overs then it all goes pear shaped when Warne and Emburey come on. Not only does the run scoring grind to a halt but the wickets start tumbling as well. Still I shall keep practising, I'm sure its just a question of timing your stroke right to the slower bowlers.

Signed up this morning, excellent game except for when that Shane Warne's bowling (I just can't pick that Wrong un of his), good fun though.

I remember Jon Hallworth mainly as a very good shot stopper but a bit suspect on crosses, he certainly was a very unsung hero during the late eigthies and early nineties. He was a very decent keeper but never seemed to get many plaudits. Away from the game he had a real reputation as a ladies man and he was often seen in pubs in and around Oldham 'on the pull' as it were, he was very successful too by all accounts.

Damien I hope the OMENS are good for Sunday Welcome.

A bit of a double edged sword for the club this one. I think they would be glad to give the smaller portion of the RRE to away fans if they were confident that the apathetic Oldham public would turn out and support the club, given that they could not be confident of this when we couldn't fill the ground charging £2 for entry. I would have to say they have done the right thing by the club to maximise the income from the play-off game. It is ridiculous that the ground will be full of 'Latics' fans who probably will be attending their first game of the season, and some regular fans may not get tickets. If I hadn't got a ticket I would be very annoyed. (although as you can probably tell I'm annoyed anyway by the apathetic Oldham public)

I have never met him or anything like that, my memories of him are purely as a Latics player. He had a decent goal scoring record for us in about 3 years he played for us in the late 70's I think. Big bustling striker who was a real handful for defenders and a good header of a ball, not exectly a speed merchant either but did get in good positions in the box and knew how to finish. We were in the old Div 2 during Vic's time with us. I'm sure he will always be best remember by Latics fans of that era for the song 'Vic Halom king of all geordies' that used to come from the terraces. Great memories.

Initial thoughts are that I quite like it and a big improvement on the old site, may take a little while to get used to the new layout etc, and navgation through the site to find what your looking for, but generally very good.

I dont remember him as a player (before my time) but he was manager when I first went to BP in 70/71. I was only a nipper back then, but by 73/74 I was a regular and remember us winning the old 3rd division, the great thing about it was Bristol Rovers were miles clear of us on points but we finished like a train to pip them at the post including winning at the old Eastville stadium 2-1, Ian Wood scored one of the goals from right back I seem to remember. Bristol Rovers as I said were clear of us on points and even had mechandise (t-shirts etc printed up with 3rd Division Champions on them and had to scrap the lot). In the first game I ever attended v Swansea the team sheet included Fryatt, Shaw, Cranston, Bowie, Bebbington, Dowd, Mcvitie, Wood, Whittle. I remember Maurice Whittle as a great penalty taker who never seemed to miss, great team and great memories for me. Frizzell also then consolidated us as a 2nd Division team (no mean feat as we hadn't been that high in status for many years). I remember him being sacked and being very shocked as we never sacked our managers in those days and he was such a long serving manager and great servant of the club as player and manager. As has already been said he laid the solid foundation on which much of Latcs and Royle's success was based. A TRUE Latics Legend.

I remember that when any woman walked across the front of the stand they would always be greeted with the chant "Get your t*ts out for the lads"

I'm a draughtsman (CAD man - Computer Aided Design) I work on Autocad and Microstation Software packages for a Technical and Engineering consultancy in Sale, South Manchester although I still live in Oldham.

Cheers Insipral, I just could see absolutely no value in the horse at such a short price with what for me was a massive question mark over wether he'd stay or not, which he clearly didn't (his breeding more than hinted that he wouldn't stay).

First of all Well Done everybody for yesterday, between us I think we did very well. Inspiral I concede to you the Black Jack Ketcham issue, he's a bridle horse. He was cantering all over Mighty Man yesterday but when McCoy pushed the button the response was poor, and given that, I dont now think he would have won at Cheltenham in the World hurdle (never mind we live and learn). More difficult today I think, my fancies for what they are worth are:- Aces Four not very original I'm afraid but ran a cracker at Cheltenham and a repeat of that effort will suffice here. Wichita Lineman again not very original but I've tried, and find him impossible to oppose, he's beaten most of these already over a variety of trips and ground, he usually hits a flat spot at some stage in a race but with the great McCoy up he usually gets the job done and I cannot oppose him for that reason. Taranis I'm going to take a chance against hotpot favourite Well Chief here as I'm not sure the 2.5 mile trip is ideally what he wants or needs, he has never won beyond 2 miles 1 furlong and is bred by Night Shift who was a miler on the flat so the extra distance may find him out. In Taranis I have selected what I think is the most likely alternative. I also think an interesting lay in the last would be Turbo Linn she carries a big penalty for a four year old. As undoubtedly talented as she is I will be surprised if there isn't something less exposed that can turn her over here at these weights. Happy punting

I agree Seasidelatic, If you look at the current Latics team I dont think anybody would be missed more or be harder to replace than Richie Wellens. I am a big fan of Warney and I think Porter has improved out of all recognition this season, Chris Taylor looks a great prospect for the future, but Wellens is the only player I could vote for as player of the season for his overall contribution in every match, he makes us tick and is at the centre of everything we do, there is nobody in the squad who could come close to replacing him if he is injured or suspended.

My thoughts for Day 1 of the Aintree Grand National meeting are:- I cant possibly dessert Black Jack Ketcham having backed him at Cheltenham, I'll be backing him here to recoup losses. The ground is perfect and I take him to win and in doing so proving how unlucky he was at Cheltenham. The betfair bowl looks tricky to me but I'll take a chance with State of Play who will love the ground and this flat track. I love to watch the races over the National fences, they are such a great spectacle and in the Foxhunters a confident vote goes to Scots Grey the old boy won well at Newbury last time and will be alright on the ground, he is also a sound jumper and has a very good / capable jockey in Mr Ross Burton (Horsemanship counts for a lot in these amateur riders races as you will see). Those are my fancies for Day 1, I shan't be playing in the handicaps today (filed under too difficult). Happy punting

Wellens - we would be knowhere near the play-offs without him. Easily the most creative player in the team, works hard and a real 100% performer. If he doesn't play we are always struggling, as was proved when he was suspended.