lookersstandandy

Successful and Strikers? Wayne Andrews [Chesham to Latics] didn't really go on like the list above though did he? One good season with us, one with Colchester and after that not much else. Fitz Hall - Chesham to Latics - was a Centre Half. Ernie Cooksey - Crawley to Latics - was a midfielder. Mark Ward - Northwich Victoria to Latics - was a midfielder. One Size & Mark Ward went on to have decent careers, Ernie sadly had his peak with us.

Successful strikers plucked from non-league, it's got me thinking. I wish we'd take this sort of risk more often; Ian Wright - Dulwich Hamlet to Crystal Palace. Les Ferdinand - Hayes to QPR. Kerry Dixon - Dunstable to Reading. Craig MacKail Smith - Arlesey Town to Dagenham & Redbridge. Stan Collymore - Stafford Rangers to Crystal Palace. Kevin Phillips - Baldock Town to Watford. Jason Roberts - Hayes to Wolverhampton Wanderers. DJ Campbell - Hayes & Yeading to Brentford. Jermain Beckford - Wealdstone FC to Leeds United. Charlie Austin - Poole Town to Swindon Town. Jamie Vardy - Fleetwood Town to Leicester City Dwight Gayle - Stansted to Dagenham & Redbridge. Matt Smith - Solihull Moors to Latics, you have to give Dickov some credit for this....!

LOL. Very good Stevie.

An excellent and well balanced summary L&E. Of those who have gone up on modest budgets, the 3 that remain are also all struggling to survive.

....from..... Shut the club down, the end is nigh.... As we sell Tarkowski for less than the £1m he was worth..... To..... We don't need him, send him back. Ridiculous.

....not 'that' dream.... that would be highly unlikely..... but to say that LJ can't sell Baxter and Tarky in a season and bring some players in that end up - in 2/3 years time - being good enough to help us compete near the top of League 1.... I find unreasonable. The lad from Bristol City is only 24. The pup from Stockport is a pup. The scouser from Macc is what, 24/25? It's not all bad news. One or more of this lot could be diamonds. Have some patience.

...and? Show me the queue of 'fans' who were waiting to buy the club when Moore left us in the lurch. Its is silly statement. We wouldn't have a club but for Corney!

Andy Goram Andy Linighan Kevin Moore Tommy Wright Denis Irwin Micky Quinn All prove this argument wrong.....

Totally agree..... but people make mistakes. That doesn't pardon the 2,000 or so that left since Shez. Support your club!

We've sold Tarky, I'm sad about that..... I was just as sad when we sold Andy Linighan.... in the end it didn't matter. We've signed some pup from Stockport.... we signed some pup called Earl Barrett from Citeh.... in the end it didn't matter. We're in a precarious position in the League.... we were in a precarious position in the League in 1988/89.... in the end it didn't matter. I'm a Latics fan, come rain, sleet or sunshine. Get behind the team. KTF

.....I agree, so my point is, whilst recent times have been lean..... knocking the lookers stand down turned out to be a bad decision, that may well be a blessing in disguise in the future.... I'm not 'knocking down' anyone's door, merely questioning the commitment of those who have deserted us. Without good football to watch, fans stay away. If fans stay away, its harder to watch to good football. I've been at BP when nigh on 20,000 people have been packed in. 14,000 regularly in the Premier League. There are more fair weather fans than proper ones.

I'm still turning up though Lags, I assume you and Josh are too..... so why is it OK for the other 2,000 or so who've deserted us since Shez not to.....?

Less than 4,000 fans at every home gate = What do you expect? New stand to pay for = What do you expect? Financial Fair Play = What do you expect? I refer the honourable ladies & gentlemen to look at the 1980's for a reference. All our best players were sold then too for a profit, however in the long run [backing one manager consistently], we managed to build a team that could compete. Since Shez - who got us in the play offs lest we forget - we've had Penney of Dickov, both of who were shown the door..... let's back LJ to 2018 and see where it takes us. KTF

This! £150k was on a website called Get West London. I reckon Matt @ The Chron would know more......!

We signed Matt Smith from Solihull Moors...... look at him now.....!

Suggests Anton Rodgers can't be far off being shown the door.....?

Swindon, in two days time.....!!!!!

Excellent.... looks like we might be in for a windfall of some sort. As he's out of contract in the summer, I can't see him moving for the big sums we would've liked.... but any money coming in will be helpful....! http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/10974169.Transfer_window_watch__Stephens_fee_agreed__says_Charlton_boss/?ref=var_0

You're missing the all important word here though..... he wasn't a "rookie".... so, no!

Arguably yes, however once Corney had sacked his backroom team, his job was effectively untenable. I know a Donny fan, who tells me he's doing ok given the lack of investment in their team plus the injuries they've had. He could end up with a decent managerial career.

A. How do you know I'm not....? B. Grow up. Its simply a descriptive word created by the Yanks that has a very specific meaning, an equivalent - used by indigenous English folk - of which I am unaware.

Agreed.... which is why 4 seasons [1982 - 1986] is the standard from which I feel a rookie can only really be judged. A new manager will make a lot of mistakes before he begins to get it right.... and even then [the run referred to above in 88/89].... there may well be some lean periods because of injuries, luck, new players bedding in. This is LJ's first full season. It may well take him until 2018 before we start to see us challenge the top 6, assuming he regularly keeps us up in the meantime. I hope it's earlier, but if its not, recall the fable of Joe Royle.

Aye, and if you recall his performance early on, it wasn't all sunshine and roses. His first season 82/83 - with Frizzell's team - ended well in 7th, but his second 83/84 was dire. He nearly took us down. There was some furore about an approach he was applying in his early years called 'condensing the field', for which I read keeping it tight and boring. A far cry from his eventual expansive winger lead approach that often saw us with 3 at the back and 5 up top. His 4th season 85/86 saw us on run of 12 games without a win and 18th in the table. Similarly in 88/89 we went 15 games without a win and were 21st in the table. Losing streaks that today would have OWTB, twitter and the Chron's website lighting up with bile from some quarters calling for his head. How short sighted that would have been. However, in 86/87 we were robbed by the inaugural play offs and 89/90 and beyond needs no explanation. In summary, luck, injuries, Royle himself learning his trade as a rookie manager all required patience from fans for him to be able to succeed. He was also forced to sell many of our better players during his early years; Andy Goram; Darren McDonough; Andy Linighan; Kevin Moore; Micky Quinn; Tommy Wright, Mike Flynn to name but a few.... but he kept plucking lads, most of which will no need no introduction, from lower leagues and reserve teams for a pittance that were just as good / better. He also made some bad signings for time to time as well, I never liked Peter Skipper or Brian Kilcline for instance, but he got more right than wrong over time. The basic lesson in this little appraisal of the past, is that we all ought to be more patient and look to the long term and not just the here and now. Its a risk giving LJ a deal until 2018, but one that could be inspired. I hope Tarky doesn't leave for as little as £250k because I think he's worth more in the current market, however some of the players listed above left for less than I thought they should and it didn't matter in the long run. I love my football club and as a result, I will only support my chairman, manager and players and not get on their backs when its going against us. Come on Oldham. KTF.

LB Andy Barlow

It would be remarkable. Good luck to the lad.... I hope it comes off for him.... just not against us!