mikeroyboy

Dickov’s said it and now Corney’s said it, “the squads not finished yet” followed by - any more players would probably be on loan, and – “before the end of August”. With the increased quality of players signed, it would be likely that any incoming loanee’s would be a notch up in quality from recent seasons. I agree that the squad would still not be adequate in numbers for unforeseen injuries and suspensions but if we were sniffing around the top 6 and entertaining, come Christmas I feel sure Corney would attempt to firm the squad up with quality in January. I am quite upbeat at the moment about the players signed and the lack of any negative publicity towards the plans for the new Broadway development. It would not surprise me if Corney is beginning to press the throttle to push forward with a concerted effort to turn the mediocrity of the last few years into positivity. It is in his own interest, as well as ours, to have a competitive and entertaining team coinciding with any new development. The fans want a winning team and Corney wants to attract investment.

Oh, I don’t know! There was quite a healthy percentage of the gate accepting getting wet in the recently deceased Broadway side. Where incidentally, Foster Grants were just as essential as rainwear. Great days indeed! We have always had a fancy font at our church, is that a bad thing?

would that be between the stand and the pitch?

Every ground has a west facing stand, except for us that is. And every ground has a problem. I was 10 rows back at Anfield and was getting wet first half. Perhaps in the 21st century we could expect the architects to put a roof big enough to keep normal rain off us. I am not quite clear what your point is. How do you stop driving rain coming through the big gap between the roof and the seats? And what has the capacity got to do with it? No matter what the capacity is, the first few rows are going to be in for a dowsing during windy wet weather, especially when facing west or south. The only real protection would be the in the latest mega million domes with the only gap being directly over the pitch and quite high because of the enormity of the terracing.

A 3,000 seater seems a reasonable start to what is, in effect, the 1st phase of a ground development. I would expect the 3 storey view from Broadway will be quite impressive. Anything is better than what we have now. It would increase the capacity towards 14,000 with a further 1,000+ added by a new and redesigned Main Stand going the full length of the pitch. It would take a dramatic and unlikely upturn in our fortunes to exceed those numbers of fans. If that event did occur filling in the corners would add around 3,000 or even a second tier to the Rochdale Road End. To ever need this sort of capacity at Oldham is of course daydreaming to an Olympic Gold Medal standard. I am not however suggesting anyone stops dreaming, but while in a trance spend 5 minutes on fund raising. Let’s just fill that bloody hole in while someone is offering!

Overall, this is very positive support from the fans. It would be great if the club could somehow take the plunge with a few supporter pleasing signings and/or, news on a new stand. One or both would inevitably give a boost to the full price ST’s. I have no doubt that the overall increase in adult tickets after another poor season will be due to some adults being attached to the kids on the £10 deal. Also, I am not sure that those doing the maths on the total take are taking account of those adults on half price concessionary ST’s, which will be quite a few. Either way I am feeling better already and feel sure that the £10 ticket is going to be a great success. Let’s hope the club can come up with something to keep it going.

While it is perfectly clear what owners and management do, it is not so clear knowing what they think and the difficulty they face in signing and keeping good players. I think the players themselves should shoulder their fair share of the blame (if that’s what we are looking for) or responsibility if not. There is little loyalty anymore, compounded by the influx of overseas players and the commission driven culture of players agents. Most, if not all, of us wouldn’t know the average turnover of players for other clubs, but I would guess, the lower down the food chain you are the shorter the contract offered and the more dependant you become on loanee’s. As long as there are well supported big fish dropping into our pool through their own incompetence and with the luxury of a clean financial slate I don’t see it improving anytime soon. Unless that is, we are LUCKY with an investor, manager, and a group of journeymen players, or a combination thereof.

Totally underwhelmed! The place needs brightening up, not a head to toe none-colour. I hope names and numbers help

I am not sure who would be attracted to the extension of the deadline except the disillusioned waiting to see ‘what’s occurring’. There is already an interest free option to those without spare funds. If positive news on a new stand was imminent, surely they would be moving heaven and earth to get the news out before the 11th. A Alternatively and cynically would delaying any particularly good news till post 11th be to the clubs financial benefit with higher priced ST’s and a reward for the faithful who poppied up early.

He couldn’t deliver my morning paper, never mind a telling pass. By the time he had zigzagged through my neighbour’s shrubs my rag would be in shreds. We have too many quick feet unable to pass the ball, as well as too many feet unable to pass the ball.

They are probably fully paid up members of the PC brigade. Well done to Corney for attempting to create a bit of atmosphere for the few of us that are left.

I was acctually quite content with Diamond not being fit. Getting the chance of full games is a very important stage in Tarkowski's development. A chance he has taken superbly.

The ref and Liverpool players calmly waiting in the middle while the players celebrated our goal after running the length of the pitch to the fans. None of the usual stopping them celebrating nonsense.

And then there is the extended family of Mole’s that live there. Facilities will need to be provided for their warrens, or whatever you call mole houses? With the pitch being the conservationist favoured Mole friendly spot. The Nimby's will helpfully point out that the Mole's will only be a problem on night matches. I won’t believe anything until I see the team walking out somewhere for the first home game. Probabably led by manager Chris Taylor and his just retired assistant Matty D Carr.

I remember Bertrand showing loads of attacking potential. He was constantly charging into open space down the left, only to be totally ignored by Taylor, who insisted on maintaining his ‘cutting inside’ routine.

If Dickov is due back off his jollies any time soon, they could simply be waiting for a photo opportunity. They may already have his signature. If not a box of Wet Ones could be useful for the egg on their faces, or for the apprentice Colombo’s on here, who have, by and large, done a decent job. Colombo always nailed his man, didn’t he???

Its not your word I am doubting, its his dads. And you have just explained why it sounds strange. If he is a known rascal, could he be taking the mick?

Would Taylor’s dad really be chucking his sons personal financial business around on a charabanc? Would Corney have let him play yesterday if Scunthorpe were even close to what he wanted for him? On both counts I think its unlikely, but we will soon find out!

I couldn't hold it any longer!

While negotiating more diversions than Oldham’s roads an informed and generally positive view has been arrived at. Should we now worry that was the easy part and getting planning permission could be an even bigger minefield, via opposition?

PD and JT are on a one year rolling contract. The definition of a ‘rolling contract’ is; ‘a contract that continues automatically until someone decides to end it’. In our case we should hope that the financial package for PD and JT is an attractive one, for rookies, with improvements to it as it rolls. These improvements may not always be publicised. They have certainly delivered up to now. Like any contract it will be a mine field. Too much should not be read into it in any case. More often than not these days, the law of the jungle applies.