Jump to content

The Oldham Insider

OWTB Member
  • Posts

    11
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Profile Fields

  • Supported Team
    Oldham Athletic

Recent Profile Visitors

159 profile views

The Oldham Insider's Achievements

Brian "Killer" Kilcline

Brian "Killer" Kilcline (1/15)

1

Reputation

  1. Yet again Latics Chairman, Simon Corney, after coming under pressure from fans, puts out a passive aggressive interview, where he points the finger of blame onto a whole list of others for the clubs sorry predicament a predicament that he plays down at the same time. Seemingly, its no biggie to Simon that the club, festering in the relegation zone of League One, are under a transfer embargo, in the same way it was all cool when the club were frequently paying wages late in the recent past. Everyone does it; its the way football works. Hes just sorry everyone found out. Hes got a HMRC bill to think about but itll be fine because, well, it always is. Of course, Rochdale taking action was steeped in malice and probably related to Calvin Andrews suspension for his assault and battery of Peter Clarke. It couldnt possibly be that they just want paying what theyre entitled to. He also made accusatory noises about the local media, who, as far as I can see, have been kinder to him that they might have been. Im struggling to see that anything has been printed which doesnt appear to have sound basis. Worst of all, he listed usernames of his critics on OWTB and called them out in a come and say it to my face style, all dressed up as a demonstration that he has nothing to hide. But thats not true. Is it, Simon? If those people were to accept your invitation, would you answer every question fully and honestly? What if they were to ask you to talk about the specific mistakes youve made as the clubs Chairman? How about if they asked how many other clubs Latics owe for ticket sales, like they do Rochdale? And how about unpaid fees relating to current loan players? What made Joy look for employment elsewhere and Anna Kocerhan depart very shortly after? Was it in any way related to the manner in which you have been running the club? Would you say a disproportionate number of players at Latics are represented by certain agents? How would you describe your relationship with those particular agents? How are your personal finances? Sorry, none of my business. Unless, that is, theyve become entwined in the clubs business. Have you ever taken out personal borrowings against the club? Ever paid personal debts with club money? Its been a busy few months, with the season ticket offer, Sheridan leaving for a League Two club, a winding up order, the whole squad being replaced, an entire new backroom room staff recruited and a new season having got underway. Presumably the Board of Directors have held frequent meetings to preside over these things? When was the last meeting of the Board of Directors? Why have the great Barry Owen and the Estate Agent been absent from the Directors Box at recent fixtures? Hows your relationship with Simon Blitz these days? Does he still want you at the club? After all, its still his, isnt it? If youre going to put out another interview to turn peoples attention elsewhere, try to look a bit more convincing. ~ I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don't trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance any day in the week, if there is anything to be got by it. ~
  2. Penney a goal: Pawel is the key to success 2009/10. Already, a season Oldham Athletic fans will be glad to see the back of. Even aside from much off-the-field disgruntlement, this has been a depressing campaign. Many a question has been raised over the current owners’ intentions and their position; the role of the Trust and the status of its Chairman and club board member, Barry Owen; and, most of all, the planned move to a new stadium in Failsworth. And, on the pitch, Dave Penney’s men have done little to lift the mood. There has been one shining light, however, providing hope that Athletic can avoid the drop and that next season may well be better. The Athletic manager will have breathed a huge sigh of relief after the weekend’s win at Prenton Park, over relegation rivals Tranmere Rovers. The win came courtesy of the club’s top goalscorer, Pawel Abbott. The Polish striker, who followed Penney from cash-strapped Darlington in the summer, is one of the few redeeming features of a most forgettable campaign. Since none of his teammates has managed more than two league goals, without Abbott you have think that Athletic would be certainties for relegation. It is unfortunate, therefore, that he has spent a considerable spell on the sidelines after a hernia operation. No thanks to that, Athletic are by no means out of the woods yet, in terms of relegation. Saturday’s ‘six-pointer’ saw them climb out of the bottom four, but only on goal difference and a very difficult and, thanks to postponements, congested run-in beckons. Abbott’s fitness could well be the deciding factor in Athletic’s bid to retain their League One status. Without him, Athletic simply cannot find goals. In twenty-six games they have managed a paltry 21 goals and 8 of those have been scored by Abbott. On twelve occasions so far this season Athletic have drawn a blank in front of goal. It is a most basic fact of football that if you cannot score, you cannot win. Certainly, the Athletic defense would feel aggrieved to take too much of the blame for the club’s lowly league position. They boast nine clean sheets this campaign and have conceded just thirty goals in total; a very respectable figure, especially after Dean Brill’s difficult start to life at Boundary Park. A series of errors from the goalkeeper saw Athletic concede some calamitous goals. To his credit, Brill has bounced back and is currently back in starting line-up and on good form, after being dropped mid-season. Given the numbers, it is difficult to criticise the defensive aspects of Athletic’s game but there is a debate as to whether Penney’s tactics are excessively cautious, at the expense of goals and, in turn, points. It would be over-simplifying, however, to suggest that this is the sole reason for Athletic’s lack of goals is their defensive outlook. One of team’s main attacking threats, Chris Taylor, has been plagued by niggling injuries and, even when he has played, he has seldom appeared to be at full fitness. When his and Abbott’s absences coincided, it presented a stark reality that, those two aside, the club simply do not have the necessary quality of offensive player. Keigan Parker has proven to be a poor signing, as has Joe Colbeck; Chris O’Grady found form on loan at Rochdale but was then sold to the League Two leaders; and Deane Smalley and Lewis Alessandra have both failed to live up to expectations. Penney will hope to have gone some way to addressing this issue with the loan signing of Jason Price. Athletic fans are frustrated at knowing what Taylor is capable of, based on previous campaigns, and at having a forward player in Abbott, whose height, strength, hold-up play and intelligence is often wasted on lesser teammates. The key to improvement, and perhaps also to Penney remaining in a job, is to build a forward line around Pawel Abbott. Any out-and-out goalscorer would relish having the big Pole as a strike-partner. If Penney can find one of those, as well as the right attack-minded midfielders, given the mean defense he has managed to construct, it could well bring about a complete transformation in Athletic’s fortunes. Abbott’s shoulders are broad enough to take the weight of Athletic’s survival hopes. If he can carry those home, Dave Penney’s success depends upon building a team around him.
  3. Dave Penney: one week to save your job; your time starts… One look to the fixture list and then another to the league table suggest that, as of this Saturday afternoon, Dave Penney will have one week to save himself from being sacked as manager of Oldham Athletic. In the space of that week, Athletic have three games: first up is Brentford at home, that is followed by a rearranged fixture away at Stockport, who lie at the foot of the table, and then comes a trip to the Wirrall to face Tranmere. Those are three fixtures that any team would be looking to take points from, particularly a side needing to climb out of the relegation zone. Athletic have had a poor first half to this season and must improve quickly if they are to avoid being cast adrift in the bottom four. As the division’s lowest scorers – and having failed to score in ten of their last sixteen fixtures - with falling attendances, and one win in their last twelve outings, Athletic need a change in fortunes, and fast. If results in the forthcoming twelve fixtures are no better, then a serious relegation struggle beckons. Saturday’s opponents, Brentford, have managed a couple of decent results on the road recently, including a win over MK Dons with a late goal. However, a game against a solidly midtable side at home is one that any team desperately in need of points would be looking to win. It has not been in Athletic’s nature to attack their opposition this season, though. Under Dave Penney’s management, they have adopted a defensive outlook that has all too often failed to pay off. Aside from the poor results, the lack of entertainment value on offer has not helped draw fans to Boundary Park either. In the recent fixture at home to fellow strugglers, Tranmere, somewhat mystifyingly, neither team seemed intent on winning the game; both appeared to focus far more on not conceding a goal. In keeping with that the final score was 0-0. In the following game at home to Millwall, however, Athletic showed far more inclination to attack and put the Lions under some pressure. Unfortunately, they were unable to ever really trouble David Forde in the Millwall goal and lost 0-1, thanks to a penalty awarded for an off-the-ball incident involving captain, Sean Gregan. Athletic will certainly have to maintain that approach of venturing forward and looking for goals in the coming games, but finding them may well involve signing a goalscorer. Pawel Abbott is the only player in the squad to have scored more than two goals in the league this season and is only now regaining his fitness following a hernia operation. For that reason, bringing in a striker therefore looks like a crucial priority but, aside from some talk of Paul Heffernan returning to Athletic after a loan spell with the club, things have been awfully quiet on that front. Any permanent signings will have to made prior to Tuesday night’s game at Stockport, which takes place the evening that the current transfer window closes. Following a difficult period in administration, Athletic’s local neighbours ended a run of twelve league defeats with a 0-0 draw at Carlisle this weekend and followed that up with a midweek draw at home to Brighton. Penney must feel that three points are there for the taking. There is no guarantee of that, by any means, particularly when the team are struggling as much as they are to find the net. Tranmere’s form is much improved since the departure of John Barnes and Jason McAteer, and they have lost only twice in their last nine games. That run includes the recent 0-0 draw at Boundary Park, where Rovers appeared equally devoid of attacking ideas as their hosts. One suspects they will be more inclined to go at Athletic at home and, likewise, against fellow strugglers Athletic themselves will have to push for three points rather than just one. Midweek results have not gone in Athletic’s favour and, with their rivals finding some form, Penney’s men must do likewise and start scoring goals and getting points on the board. Penney is already under immense pressure, on the back of lacklustre performances and poor results, and many fans already feel the time has come for him to be discharged of his duties. He will now, almost certainly, have to emerge from the coming three games with an absolute minimum of four points under his belt. Perhaps even that will not be enough buy him a stay of execution. What follows on from that is a very challenging run of five games, which includes fixtures against four of the division’s top five teams. Should Oldham Athletic not come through the more immediate fixtures favourably, then one strongly suspects Dave Penney’s days as manager are numbered.
  4. TTA – Time To Abdicate? It’s coming up to five years since Danny Gazal, Simon Blitz and Simon Corney – known affectionately to Oldham Athletic fans as The Three Amigos, or TTA, – rode into town to rescue the club from looming liquidation. There is little question that supporters will be eternally grateful to them for that but to what extent have the five years that they have controlled the club been a success, and is it now time they actively sought to hand over the reins to somebody else? On arrival, TTA sold a 3% stake in the club to the Supporter’s Trust in exchange for the £200,000 that fans had raised in an effort to save their club; a price that The Independent newspaper described as ‘startlingly high’. Whilst on the one hand it is commendable that TTA offered a position on the Board to Trust Chairman, Barry Owen, on the other, one might argue that it was nothing more than a token effort to win over the club’s supporters, whilst also bringing in a handsome sum of money. In those early stages, there was much talk of transparency, in terms of fans having a view into the workings of the club – something very much lacking during Chris Moore’s reign - but, even with the Trust’s Boardroom seat, this does not seem to have been forthcoming. What did TTA set out to achieve at Latics when they arrived on Sheepfoot Lane, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? Well, they wooed fans with talk of a five-year plan to become an established Championship side in a redeveloped Boundary Park. Five years on, and exactly halfway into the 2009/10 season, Athletic lie 19th in League One, a single point outside the relegation zone, playing in a part-demolished home ground, having been knocked out off three cup competitions in the opening round. After an uninspiring time under Brian Talbot, he was sacked to be replaced by Ronnie Moore. Both were unpopular choices with the fans and Moore was also sacked after season ticket sales began to fall. Former Republic of Ireland star, and fans’ favourite, John Sheridan, then took charge after finishing his playing days with Athletic and an impressive start to his managerial career saw the club into the promotion playoffs. This was to be the sole occasion during TTA’s five years, however, that Athletic mounted a genuine promotion challenge, only to be outclassed by Blackpool over a two-legged tie. New manager, Dave Penney, took over after Joe Royle’s bizarre cameo at the end of last season, which followed TTA’s third managerial sacking of Sheridan. On current form, Penney looks unlikely to enhance TTA’s reputation for candidate selection. Royle’s return, after his heroic’s as manager in the early nineties, was disastrous. The club was in something of a downward spiral after the events that led up to Sheridan’s dismissal, something Royle was helpless to arrest, and which the club arguably remains in the grip of, with attendances continuing to fall. Perhaps the club’s consistent failure under manager after manager is indicative that its problems lie far deeper that the coaching staff. With respect to stadium plans, the crash in the property market was a cruel blow for TTA and, one might suggest, constituted something of a final straw and now has them looking for an emergency exit. After presiding over several plans to rehouse the club, good progress was made with a proposal to demolish Boundary Park, stand-by-stand, for a self-financing replacement with a hotel, conferencing suites, etc, to be part-funded by residential property also built on the development. TTA spoke of the importance of the club becoming self-sufficient through such added revenue. This plan was, however, underpinned by the sale of the residential properties and, when this part of the equation fell away, thanks to the current recession, the whole thing came crashing to a halt. Not before the Broadway Stand, and the ‘Royle Bar’ it housed, were demolished, however! With the Failsworth proposal, TTA’s commitment to make the club self-sufficient, with day-to-day income from stadium facilities, appears to have now gone by the wayside. Indeed, one might speculate that their focus has shifted away from the club’s finances and towards their personal coffers and an escape from Oldham (and that does not refer to the Is Failsworth in Oldham? debate!) It has been widely recognised for some time that the value in Oldham Athletic lies in the Boundary Park land. This was bought by TTA, from the council, but not in Athletic’s name, and they were candid enough in the early days that Blitz stated, “The first day we went to Oldham, we were shown the land and we decided right then we would do the deal." The potential value of that land appears now to represent an opportunity for TTA to recoup losses of the past five years and, given the scaled-down and unpopular Failsworth proposal they are determined to push on with today, it would seem that this has become their primary objective. There has been a definite element of lip-service about their consultation with fans and it is clear that, regardless of opinion, TTA will do everything they can to make this new plan a reality. One might ask what role the Trust should play in representing those fans who have grave misgivings about the move. A more significant one, no doubt. However, the Boardroom position that the Trust has, through Chairman, Barry Owen, seems to have had the very opposite effect to that originally desired. Rather than offering fans a greater interaction with the club, it has arguably limited the fans’ voice. Owen appears to have become steeped in the club’s own ethos and tends to take a very ‘official’ line, backing up TTA, when many fans are feeling frustrated. Perhaps this is outcome is inevitable but, if the fans are to genuinely have an opportunity to raise their concerns through the Trust, then this needs to be addressed. The current situation has the potential to give a false impression of wholehearted backing for the TTA’s plans by supporters. If the plan to relocate Athletic to Failsworth is completed, and TTA then walk off into the sunset, which they have as good as said will indeed happen, then where does that leave the club? Where is the value to draw in the next benefactor? What it boils down to is a question of whether it is better for the club’s long term future to move. If the club were to find itself in a position of not being able to attract ongoing investment, the answer to that has to be no. The enthusiasm that TTA arrived with has evidently dissipated over the past five years. Where once they were full of vigour, all too often now the only noises from them consist of tiresome repetition of how much money they are losing on account of the club. To a certain extent, it feels wrong to criticise a group of people who came along, when Athletic were a whisker away from going out of business, and ensured its survival. However, the fact that they did so cannot buy everlasting immunity and it would be irresponsible to blindly follow, without ever questioning their actions. Yes, they saved the club when Chris Moore left it in tatters, but what are the successes of the five years that have followed? And do they remain motivated for the good of the club? Five years: five managers; no promotions; no relegations; no new stadium.
  5. Oldham v Oldham Why is the town of Oldham so disinclined to back its football club? Oldham has a population of 103,544 (2001 Census) and a football club who have been around for over one hundred years. But the club resides in a dilapidated Boundary Park, and season-after-season draws poor attendances. During the 2008/09 term, Athletic’s average gate was 5,636, which was, somewhat surprisingly, an improvement on the previous campaign. One side of the ground – what was once the Broadway Stand – is gone; demolished, as the first step in the now-abandoned project to redevelop Athletic’s Boundary Park home. The onset of the current financial crisis, and the subsequent troubles of backer Hillstone Developments, put paid to aspirations of seeing the ground transformed. By comparison, just the other side of the Pennines reside Athletic’s rivals Huddersfield Town. Huddersfield has a population of 146,234 (2001 Census) yet in 2008/09, a season where Huddersfield finished in 9th position in the league and Oldham 10th, the club saw an average gate of 13,297. This equates to 9.1% of the town’s populace, dwarfing the 5.4% of Oldhamers who turned out to see their club. Huddersfield are a significant step ahead of Athletic in terms of their ground of course, having relocated from their Leeds Road home to what is now known as the Galpharm Stadium. One would hope that should Athletic’s dreams of a new stadium materialize, wherever that may be, that it would have a positive impact on attendances. Certainly, Boundary Park, with its three stands, pokey bars, broken seats and toilets that have no place in modern society. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the impressive season ticket sales figures that Huddersfield achieved were, at least in part, down to better pricing and marketing; an area in which Athletic have sadly lagged behind their peers. The small number that do make their way to Boundary Park on a Saturday afternoon, include a growing culture of folk who choose to berate the players they pay to see. Some, of course, will argue that those fans pay their money are entitled to express their dissatisfaction at the players. Whether you agree with that or not is really immaterial, in terms of the point in question; rather, the point is that this element appears to have swelled significantly, as a proportion of the attendees, in recent times. There have always been the moaners, almost fondly noted once upon time, but it seems that the players (some more than others) often suffer an onslaught of abuse, irrespective of their performance. Perhaps all of this has grown out of frustration at Athletic’s lack of success in recent years, having been in the same tier of the football league for twelve years, which of course closely followed a flit in the top flight. At least these people turn up, though, and Athletic’s owners must be far more concerned with those who do not. So, what can be done; what should be done; and what is being done, to address this? One area in which the club have failed to capitalise is in attracting Oldham's large ethnic population to Boundary Park. Far more should be done to promote the club to this section of the town and perhaps Athletic could look to Leicester City as an example of how to do so. If they could increase gates to the level of the town’s population that Huddersfield manage to attract, then Athletic's average per game would be 9,423. Financially - even if it were executed through a more forward-thinking pricing initiative - the benefits to the club of almost an extra 4,000 on the gate would be enormous, moaners or otherwise! But it is, of course, all about how that might be achieved. If Athletic stand any chance of doing so, they will need far more backing from the town at large. Unfortunately, though, one thing that has been ubiquitous, in relation to the club's attempts to make significant steps forward, and in particular with various stadium plans over the years, has been the immediate and vociferous objection, or at least lack of support, that such plans have faced. Athletic's first real stadium plan came in the shape of Sportspark 2000, which was set to involve a very short move to the neighbouring Clayton Playing Fields. This came at a point when Athletic no longer owned Boundary Park and were assetless, but it was not too long before it became abundantly clear that Athletic would never see Sportspark 2000. It was vehemently opposed by local residents, who branded themselves the Clayton Action Group. When successive local councils sided with the objectors, presumably seeing the move as a vote-winner, the project was effectively killed off. Over the few years that followed, Chris Moore came and went as owner of the club, throwing his money into signing players up on expensive contracts that would end up crippling the club financially when he up and left a couple of years on. Before doing so, leaving Athletic in administration, he sold off its only assets – the players. Fitz Hall, Chris Armstrong, Clint Hill, Josh Low and a whole host of other players from a squad that had gotten into the promotion playoffs, losing out to QPR, departed; many of them for vastly reduced fees. But this was one occasion in recent memory where there was spirited support for the club. Fans went to great ends to raise money to ensure Athletic’s survival. Their efforts saw Trust Oldham established and, a little while later, the arrival of three New York-based Englishmen, dubbed the Three Amigos (or TTA), meant that, after coming perilously close to an unthinkable extinction, Athletic would live on. Following such a terrible and uncertain summer, it was heartwarming to experience a season in which Athletic fans were brought to appreciate the simple existence of their club, in spite of the fact that anything other than relegation would have been classed as success. Looking back now though, you have to wonder whether this has too easily forgotten. Today, Trust Oldham is an under-marketed and underused entity; whatever your views of the Trust, its place on the board should be valued and properly utilised so as to maintain a beneficial line of communication between the club and its fans. It constitutes a precious route for the fans’ voice to be heard in the Athletic’s boardroom. There are a whole host of arguments as to whether the Trust is actually representative of Athletic's fanbase and of whether it operates in the best manner, but one would expect that the concept of the Trust would be valued by all Athletic fans. Appreciation for TTA has undoubtedly waned, in spite of the fact that they continue to act as Athletic’s financial crutch, by covering a reported £40k per month loss. Managers such as Brian Talbot, Ronnie Moore and then, Athletic’s very own, John Sheridan were all sacked after becoming unpopular with the club’s fanbase. An arguably cynical attitude has crept back into the terraces, questioning the club’s ambitions and the likelihood of progression in the future. All of this disquiet is borne out of frustration at Athletic’s having occupied the third division (in old money) of English football for such a long time. Of course, this drawn out stretch follows on from the honeymoon Athletic enjoyed under Joe Royle and so, for those that remember the top-flight football and massive cup ties, this just makes the current stagnation hurt all the more. Many of those fans who turned out to watch Oldham in the top flight or on their trips to Wembley in both the League Cup and FA Cup competitions are long gone. It was a romantic time, with Athletic enjoying such an unexpected level of success, which is why it is commonly referred to as the “pinch-me” era; this contrasts starkly with the Athletic of the past decade, where the highlights have been FA Cup wins over Manchester City and Everton and two league campaigns ending in unsuccessful playoff bids. Such occasions have drawn back the stay-away fans but maintaining their interest has proven to be another matter. After the slow recovery from the damage done by the manner of Chris Moore’s departure, years after the blueprints for Sportspark 2000 were consigned to the dustbin, the subject of stadium development was meaningfully broached again. However, the plan to purchase and relocate to land at Ferney Field was another that never really got off the ground. Again, Athletic suffered vehement opposition from local residents. Then, amidst rumours that the club’s owners were considering the option to redevelop Boundary Park – something Athletic argued at the time was no more than a back-up plan – the farmer who was in discussions to sell the 67-acre Ferney Field site to the club hastily withdrew from the deal, claiming that the club had failed to communicate with him properly. The residents who had objected to Athletic’s plan may well rue doing so, given more recent talk of a prison being built on the same site. Following the rumours that saw the owner of Ferney Field withdraw from talks , Athletic’s next plan, the ill-fated Oldham Arena, was indeed one that involved a full-scale redevelopment of Boundary Park at a cost of £80 million. Contrary to previous statements, the club’s owners now stated that this had always been their preferred option. The Arena would incorporate conferencing facilities, a hotel, residential flats, in an effort to progress the club to a state of financial self-sufficiency. The plan was to redevelop stand-by-stand with the Broadway Stand, which was set to become the new main stand, up first. The project progressed further than its predecessors: as far as demolishing this stand and the Clayton Green club that was attached to the ground. Then came the credit crunch and, with that, work on Oldham Arena ground to a halt. The timing of the collapse of the property market and the subsequent recession could not have come at a worse time for this project. Funding for Oldham Arena was to be generated from sales of residential dwellings built by Athletic’s shirt sponsor at the time, Hillstone Developments. Hillstone has since gone into administration and, with no other developer inclined to step-in in this financial climate, the Oldham Arena project was put on hold indefinitely. This came as a far greater blow than previous failings as the project was so forward thinking and would not have meant leaving the club's spiritual home. If we didn't have bad luck... The fallout was Athletic playing in front of the shamefully dated and rundown Chadderton Road and Main Stands, the respectable but uninspiring Rochdale Road End, and a demolition site for the foreseeable future. And this is how things stand today. However, a new plan was recently unveiled which should see Athletic relocate to a brand new 12,000-seater stadium in Failsworth. It would seem that the club’s owners are not content with idea of waiting around for the property market to find its feet again before resuming the Boundary Park project, as they look to move full steam ahead with the current venture. In fact the club have placed on record their hope that the move will be complete for the beginning of the 2011/12 campaign. In spite of having the backing of the local council this time around, this one was no different to previous plans in being subject to instantaneous negative response from various parts of the town. First of all, the Oldham Evening Chronicle printed a story regarding the plans, as well as one on the plight of amateur club, Failsworth Dynamos, who themselves had agreed a deal in principle for the land that Athletic are looking to move to, and felt aggrieved by the council’s intention to move forward with Athletic. There were some sensation quotes to the effect that Athetic’s plans would spell the end the Dynamos altogether; clearly this was somewhat impetuous and TTA have quickly indicated a willingness to embrace the Dynamos and accommodate their needs in Athletic’s new facilities. Publishing these articles, according to Athletic’s Chief Executive, Alan Hardy, constituted a breach of an agreement between the club, the council and the Chronicle (the club’s official media partner) for a coordinated release of the news by all parties. The club were further annoyed by more of what they saw as negative press in the Chronicle in the weeks that followed. Again, the project faces opposition from residents local to the site, as well as Failsworth Dynamos, who continue to voice concerns despite Athletic’s pledge to make a home for them at the new ground. What is more, many Athletic supporters are disgruntled at the plan to move to the outskirts of Oldham, with a Manchester postcode, and so close to Manchester City’s Eastlands home. There have also been mutterings as to whether a 12,000 capacity is sufficient. Whatever your opinion on those issues, as a Latics fan, it seems indisputable that a new ground is imperative to the club’s survival. The club simply cannot be allowed to wither away in their current aged abode. One worrying aspect of the current plan is the potential to alienate yet more Athletic fans, which, one need not to point out, the club can ill-afford. In amongst the statements relating to the current project, TTA have begun to talk about an exit strategy. But what would life in Failsworth, post-TTA, look like? It seems a little disconcerting that this project appears to be more geared towards that exit than the long-term future of the club. Whilst it is refreshing to have council backing for the current venture, sadly, it comes as little surprise by now to witness the lack of support from the town at large and its leading local newspaper. Having watched their club staring eyeball-to-eyeball with death a few years ago does not appear to have been a sufficient jolt to bring the town as a whole out in support of Athletic. Whilst one can appreciate that there are many who have little interest in football as a spectator sport, then there are a great many who once were regular attendees but are now elsewhere of a Saturday afternoon, but those people should see the value of the football club to its ailing town, before it is too late. When Athletic supporters marched through the town, in an effort to push the council to support the Oldham Arena project, one exiled fan, put it most succinctly, “When I tell people I’m from Oldham, they immediate mention one of two things – Oldham Athletic or the race riots – what do you want the town to be known for?” It is harsh to say but Oldham Athletic is one of the only positive features of the town in modern times and its people, football fans or not, will be far worse off should the club ever cease to exist. But without the two pulling together, is it any wonder that the town and the football club alike have stagnated over the past decade or more? Oldham 0-0 Oldham.
  6. A WORD WITH THE TRUST As we embark on a season that sees Athletic with a new manager, as well as a reduced playing budget and a plan to relocate the club to Failsworth, OWTB caught up with Trust Chairman and Club Director, Barry Owen, to get his view on all things, both on and off-the-field. Much has changed at the club over the five years that Owen has been in post, beginning during the days of uncertainty over Athletic’s existence, through to the current balancing act of cutting costs whilst trying to progress the club to a level of financial self-sufficiency. THE SEASON I begun by quizzing Owen over his thoughts on the new season – the new backroom team; a whole host of new players; and a reduced budget for bringing those players in. He was enthusiastic with regard to Dave Penney’s appointment as manager stating that, during the selection process, it very quickly became clear that Penney was the man for the job: “His work ethic is second to none and he comes with an excellent work record. He is respected throughout the game.” Owen is also impressed with the new gaffer as a strong disciplinarian, “His has such energy for work and he does not suffer fools gladly. He is a fans’ manager.” Discipline had been an area of concern to many following the departure from the hotseat of former Latics player, John Sheridan. Many would have been surprised then to see Sean Gregan back at the club, since he is widely believed to have been the player most heavily reprimanded over the Doggygate incident last season, and especially after Penney had initially released the club captain. Owen tells me that he believes the playing squad is for the new season is complete, with the exception of further defensive cover. He is keen to point out that the budget is strict, however, and that the club has no intention of overstretching on this front. He can’t help but go on to stress that, without the current owners, the budget would be very much reduced, which one would assume is quite an understatement given the very significant losses they soaked up during their tenure, “Thanks to them, our budget is far better than a lot of other clubs at this level and they are committed to success.” It is always difficult to predict anything pre-season, especially when it comes to Athletic, but I posed the difficult question nevertheless. I was a little surprised that Owen did not employ an answer about consolidation rather than promotion, “I really am hopeful that when the side settles we are good enough for a top six place. It certainly will not be through a lack of trying.” You can sense that Owen is quietly excited by what Dave Penney’s Athletic might achieve, in spite of relatively low expectations from other quarters. THE STADIUM We discussed Athletic’s intention to move to the periphery of Oldham to a £20 million stadium in Failsworth. Owen was adamant that these plans are crucial to Athletic in terms of progress of the club for both its immediate and long-term future. He concedes that the location is not ideal and that he has mixed feelings about leaving Boundary Park, “it [the planned location] leads to many meaningful questions from fans but, overall, the pluses more than outweigh the minuses. I, like many others, don’t want to leave Boundary Park because I have enjoyed my football there for over forty years. But we have to move.” He cites that the new Metrolink will help in terms of accessibility to the ground for fans and he believes that the development will create more scope for investment and move Athletic closer to that all-important state of self-sufficient finances, “Football clubs need to have daily income streams. I do believe that Boundary Park is limited in that respect and that reality has to hit home for us all.” Some fans claim that the planned capacity of 12,000 demonstrates a lack of ambition, or even a backwards step since pre-demolition of the Broadway Stand, Boundary Park could house 1,500 more than that. Owen retorts, “12,000 is sufficient and, I believe, is important in terms of obtaining planning consent. It will serve our current needs and will be large enough to cater for events such as concerts.” He accepts the importance of the new stadium being built with scope to extend in the future, should the club’s progress warrant that. For now though, “The size of the stadium has got to fit into a budget plan for the development.” It is very early days for this venture and, perhaps not surprisingly, Owen, who has been candid in his answers up to this point, will not be drawn as to whether there is any aspect of the plan he would change, “I haven’t seen detailed plans yet, so I can’t comment, but I do know what is proposed and I am happy. I think it will be an excellent venue for our supporters and their families.” I get the distinct impression that Owen’s refusal to say anything negative is symptomatic of a staunch belief that the new stadium is critical to Athletic’s long-term future. THE TRUST Owen has now been Trust Chairman for five years and, during that time, has taken a certain about of criticism, some arguably constructive but much of it undoubtedly unfair. It is surprising, therefore, that this period has not blighted his passion for the club. Sure, I expected the ‘No, not at all’ response when I asked if that was the case, but the answer I got was more difficult to disbelieve. “My passion as a Latics supporter will never be dented. On the other hand, there are times when the sparkle is not quite the same, as I tend to worry about club matters.” This reinforces my impression of Owen as something of a worrier, striving to further the club. Clearly, a part of him, though, craves to be back out on the terraces, rather than agonising over boardroom matters, “I’m sure my wife is glad she does not have to put up with my constant shouting at matches nowadays! But I do enjoy away games because, above all else, I like the crowd atmosphere with the fans. That is what I miss most about being a regular supporter.” Much has changed for Athletic since the Trust’s inception during the dark days of seeking to keep the club alive, post-Chris Moore, and, likewise, the aims and objectives of the Trust have had to evolve. “The difficult position for any Trust is its status in a club that is in private ownership” says Owen, hinting that he is torn between appreciation and pride for the Trust’s position at the club, all the while pining for the Trust to have a more prominent standing. As for what he believes the goals of the Trust should be: “The Trust aim should always be to support the club in any and every way possible. I have heard it said that the money raised should not be given to the club and should be saved for that ‘rainy day’ that might come.” Whilst having a propensity to worry, Owen is not so risk averse to believe that the Trust’s primary concern in the current climate should be the ‘what if…?’ “That’s totally negative and we should be assisting Oldham Athletic Football Club in any way we can now.” It is difficult not to agree with him, since a Trust that chose not to support the owners plans, and arguably showing a distinct lack of faith, would not be afforded the endorsement the Trust currently enjoys from the club’s owners and, in turn, the supporters. Owen makes no apologies for how the Trust chooses to utilize its funds and is full of pride for the financial assistance the Trust has offered the club during the time he has been in office. “Some might believe that we have not done enough but, aside from the £200,000 that was originally donated, a further £56,000 has been handed over to the club, at an average of nearly £1,000 per month.” Without me having to push him as to whether the Trust should do more to market itself and increase membership he concedes, “We are criticised for not doing enough by some supporters and perhaps there are some valid arguments. However, Trust Directors are volunteers and do their best. I do believe however that the Trust could be better marketed and that, apart from event fundraising, we should be a more solvent as a business with constant revenue streams coming in. Some of the new directors we have recruited recently will look to help to drive this initiative forward.” Until the club reaches the stage of being self-sufficient, if indeed it ever can, there will no doubt remain, in the back of every Athletic supporter’s mind, that question of what if the owners desert in the fashion Chris Moore did a few years ago. I put this to Owen: “If the owners were to leave, and I have no reason to believe they would ‘jump ship’ as you put it, the Trust would do its best to ensure Oldham Athletic would continue.” He goes on to speak of his envy of the firm backing that Trust organisations at some other clubs enjoy, compared to Trust Oldham. I had not realised that the PlayerShare initiative that the Trust started up a couple of years ago was still going but Owen informs me that he is still flogging what may well be a dead horse, “Times are hard and nobody seems to participate in anything to do with fundraising. The PlayerShare scheme got little support and, although it is still running, it needs far more members if it is to help the club.” So what does Barry Owen have to offer as Trust Chairman and Director at the club? “That’s a difficult one. I want to be modest in every sense because first and foremost I care deeply about our club and its supporters. I enjoy getting involved with supporters on a personal level and I always like to believe that I represent them all well in the boardroom.” Like him or loathe him, and whether you agree with his and the Trust’s views and actions, it would be altogether unfair to say that Owen does not have the Athletic’s best interests at heart. “In the past five years I have tried my best to become more aware of fans’ thoughts and feelings which vary so much.” His thoughts on how his successor will have to equipped tell you that he has often found it difficult to manage the expectations of his fellow directors and those of the fans, whilst doing what he believes to be best, “Whoever takes over from me in the future will have to be very thick-skinned. Along the way you are either upsetting your colleagues in the club or the fans are not happy with your actions. I carry out my duties with the primary intention that the Trust must survive whatever the circumstances.” I was interested to hear Owen’s thoughts on how the club’s owners have embraced both his position as fans’ representative on the board and the club’s fans at large. “As with anything there is always room for improvement but, generally, I think the club makes an effort to consider fans’ views and the owners have always been keen to encourage participation.” It is pleasantly surprising that he does not feel so indebted for his position to be unwilling to rock the boat by pointing out where he think improvements might be made. Overall, though, he commends the club’s interaction with its fans, “I know fans have been particularly vocal in their appreciation that they always get an answer to their queries. I do believe that if people have issues to raise they should do so, and as their representative they can always do that through me if they choose.” “As for my position on the board, the owners have been fantastic in their dealings with me. As time has gone on, I think they have gained a greater awareness of my intentions and I would hope I have earned their respect. We have a good board and individuals aren’t frightened to air different views.” Recently, some fans have suggested that Owen’s position should be an elected one: “I think fans that suggested that have poor memories. In those bleak early days, a Trust had to be formed and nominations were asked for. A public vote of all members was held and ten of us were elected and I eventually became Chairman. It was agreed by the Trust that the Chairman would be the representative on the club board after discussions with the club.” One might suggest that rather than a poor memory, those fans may in fact have a lack of knowledge of the Trust’s activity; something for which the under-marketed organization is arguably culpable. Certainly, it came as news to me when Owen told me, “There have been elections at the AGM and, at the most recent one, I was up for re-election and returned unanimously.” I went on to ask what his best and worst times as Trust Chairman have been: “This may cause some consternation amongst some of my colleagues but my best time as a director was when I spent over six months dealing with the Lee Hughes matter and eventually seeing him signed. I never believed in my wildest dreams we could get him, despite the baggage.” “The worst times followed that when he left us. I accept I am biased about Hughes but I believe his football skill will never be matched at our club for many years to come. I don’t believe we ever saw the best of him but you could be sure of one thing, he was the centre of conversation with rival managers and directors alike.” I am somewhat taken a back when Owen, a former police officer, claims that much of criticism of Hughes is unwarranted, but clearly the Trust man has formed something of a bond with the striker, “My feelings about signing him are well documented and, whilst I respect the opinion of those who disagree, I make no apology for my own. I wish Lee Hughes well and will continue to keep in touch with him.” As the role probably requires, Owen in unapologetic about his efforts as Trust Chairman and club director and, whatever your views on the Trusts effectiveness, it is hard not to believe that the club’s best interests are his main concern. Whilst the Trust struggles for backing amongst the Athletic fanbase, and often faces much criticism, Owen is determined in his efforts to maintain a fan’s voice in the club’s boardroom. And what about when his days on the board are done? Don’t expect him to desert Athletic – “I will always be there for anyone who wants me, even if that means I’m rattling a bucket outside the ground on matchday.” OWTB would like to extend its thanks to Barry Owen for taking the time to complete this interview.
  7. PLEASE JOE, DON’T GO! Why no other man can be in the running for the Latics job, should Royle want it Following the departure last week of Latics manager, John Sheridan, on the back of a poor run of form and the unsavoury tales of Doggygate, the club’s owners rolled back the years in appointing Joe Royle as the new manager. No one needs to be told what Royle did for Latics during his original stewardship of the club, which spanned twelve years. Many will feel that Sheridan was hard done by, in not having been given the chance to complete the season as Latics boss. But then, there are also a great many supporters who take the view that, under his management, the 2008/09 season was as good as over. Mathematically, of course, not so. In a last ditch attempt to rescue the season, however, the board moved to replace Sheridan with Big Joe. There can be no doubting Joe’s pedigree. He achieved great things with Latics in taking them to the top flight as Division 2 (as it was then) champions along with exciting cup runs, with an attacking style of play that left fans wanting more. Since leaving the club, he has gone on to become an FA Cup winning manager and also achieved consecutive promotions with Manchester City. It’s not usual for a manager with such things on his CV to return to this level of football. The big question, of course, is of whether Joe wants to stay on at Latics beyond the end of this campaign. Saturday’s result at home to a very decent looking Tranmere side sees the Blues six points adrift of the playoff places and so a great run is required in the season’s final eight games, from a side who have won only once in their previous eight outings, if Latics are to make up that gap. It seems likely, then, that sooner rather than later thoughts will turn to next season and who better to take the club into that than someone of Joe Royle’s calibre? There is talk of Stockport’s Jim Gannon or Keith Hill, who is doing a great job down the road at Rochdale. Neither of these men though would instil in the supporters the same level of confidence and excitement for a new campaign than arguably the club’s greatest ever manager. He is older now, wiser, with even more friends in football than before, and he could not look more at home in front of the cameras and microphones. He has a great eye for a player and set outs a style of football that paying customers want to see. What is more, he has a very special relationship with the club and its fans. So, if he’s willing to go home and tell the wife, yet again, that he’s not retiring just yet, who better to take Oldham Athletic on than Joe Royle? Please Joe, don’t go…
  8. DIFFERENT CLASS, DISMISSED? Why the sun is setting on Sheridan’s Boundary Park reign The 2008/09 season has been an eventful one for Latics and the goings on of this campaign lead me to think that one thing is certain: that a new manager will be in the Boundary Park hotseat when the first ball is kicked in 2009/10. Whilst he has undoubtedly made mistakes, I have long felt that Sheridan has done a pretty admirable job as young manager, learning his trade. However, the cracks in Sheridan’s stewardship are becoming all too obvious and it seems his efforts over his three years at the helm will fall short of the mark. One of the most notable deficits has been Sheridan’s inability to put right Latics’ habit of losing to poorer sides – the sides they ‘should’ beat – and this has been a feature throughout his time as manager. It was proven again last weekend when, following a very respectable four points from the games against Millwall away and Leeds at home, Latics produced a dreadful performance in the subsequent home defeat to Colchester. Their tendency to not ‘turn up’ for the games against teams further down the league table has hampered Sheridan’s promotion hopes in each of the seasons he has been in charge. All too often, his team have put themselves in the frame only to then immediately capitulate. The failure to put this right means that we now look upon a third successive campaign in which Latics will fail to realise their potential. In spite of having shown they can beat any team at this level, with wins against many a top side, it would be surprising now to see Latics make the 2008/09 playoffs, never mind winning promotion through them. To reach the end of season playoffs in his first season was an impressive achievement for Sheridan but, once there, they were outclassed by the Blackpool side that went on to reach the Championship. In the two seasons that have followed, though, Latics have failed to step up another level and become out-and-out promotion contenders. It is not on-the-pitch events alone that bring me to the conclusion that Sheridan will be clearing his desk at the end of this season, but those all too public happenings away from the turf play a big part also. First of all, there were the events of last week at Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium, now dubbed “Doggygate”. These, of course, reached the national press; and, whilst it has to be said that much of what was reported of the evening was fairly dubious, it was most ill-timed and untoward for the club to be in such a position, nevertheless. Not all of the blame can be levelled at Sheridan, however; that must be shared with the person who believed the Dogs Night was a wise idea in the first place. On reading about the event on the club’s official website, my immediate thoughts were of what a potential disaster it was to have players, manager, fans and alcohol in a melting pot, particularly at a time when the same squad of players and their manager have been coming in for some criticism, and just as we head into the make-or-break stage of the season. And so it transpired. At the same time the fists were supposedly being thrown and other parts of anatomy apparently being shown, Dean Windass’ ITV blog was telling the world that, following his appearance as a late substitute in the televised Leeds game, he had left the club and that, against the conditions of his loan deal, he had no intention of returning. Not many supporters were mourning the loss, since the form of the overweight striker during his loan spell had been poor. His version of events was scathing, saying that he had been ‘let down’ (presumably by Sheridan) and more than implied that he believes himself to be too good for Latics and that he should starting every game for the club. It was, frankly, bizarre to then see him then pop up on Latics World to claim that the blog is ghost-written and deny that he had said any of the above. This smacks of him having submitted the blog in haste and later realising, perhaps on the advice of his parent club, that it was not going to be quite as simple as walking away. Most Latics fans were disappointed, to say the least, to see Windass then appear for half an hour as substitute in the Colchester defeat. Both of these unsavoury events have seriously undermined Sheridan’s position and their have been hints in the past that the Latics Board have raised questions over the squad’s discipline. It did not help his case that Sheridan was reported to have been so directly involved in the Doggygate affair. Again, doubts surfaced over his authority and the Board’s confidence in him, when he stated that he had dealt with matters, but the Board felt it necessary to carry out a full investigation and, leading on from that, take further action. A club statement told that one employee (rumoured to be club captain, Sean Gregan) had been fined a maximum two weeks’ wages, whilst two others (thought to be Lee Hughes and Sheridan) had been heavily censured. This is not the sort of environment in which you could rightly expect promotion and, to be honest, it was difficult to believe that it was on the cards anyway, given the club’s recent form. Latics go into a tough away game at MK Dons today having won just two games from the last nine, or five from eighteen if you look back further. With Latics already scrapping to stay in a top-six spot, with ten games left, it seems indefensible that off the pitch the club is publicly unravelling. Year-after-year we see one particular team that occupies a playoff/promotion place in the league table, only to drop out of the top six late on in the season. Currently, Latics could not look more like being that team for 2008/09. Many of the criticisms thrown in Sheridan’s direction have been harsh, however. For instance, no one had a problem with Sheridan going by the nickname “Shez” rather than “Gaffer” until they were turning against him for other reasons. Does it really make an iota of difference? Following Ronnie Moore’s departure, Sheridan was always going to be given at least three years as manager. With Latics looking reasonably likely to miss out on the playoffs, as well as serious questions marks over certain aspects of his management and his ability to instil discipline, Sheridan has not quite met the brief. Having assembled a very decent looking squad, there is a feeling that he just does not get quite enough out of them. And so time will inevitably be called on his reign at the end of the current campaign. Good effort, Shez. Best of luck, wherever you are headed next.
  9. For anyone travelling down to Griffin Park, for Latics' trip to face Brentford, The Oldham Insider made the journey down a day in advance, in order to bring you an exclusive guide to the four corner-of-the-ground pubs. You know what they say; it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it! First on the hitlist was the Princess Royal. Sorry to report that the first pint of the day was not the start we wanted. London Pride? You're having a laugh! So, it's not such a disappointment then that this is really a home only pub. Not the place to be at 3pm on a Saturday. Next up, The New Inn. A welcome improvement on the Princess. A fine pint of guiness and a nice Irish landlord to boot. Away fans are welcome here but it is a bit short on space. The Royal Oak was the next stop. The sign says 'Courage'; well, you'll need it to get through a pint of the bitter! Actually, the pint was great; good head and nice legs. Shame about the barmaid. We heard that this pub had been seen in BBC's hit series, Life On Mars but it doesn't look quite modern enough to have featured. It's okay for the away fans though. Finally, we stagger to The Griffin. Another pint of London Pride. Another pint of pish. There's not enough room in here to swing a tangerine scarf but it's a proper pub. And away fans are welcome. A pint of guiness in this place'll set you back £3.05. Conclusion The Princess Royal's not worth a visit, unless you feel a strong urge to stop off at all four corner pubs. It's definitely a home only zone. And come down in your flares, with a tank top over your Latics/OWTB Taylor shirt. It's retro chic in all of the pubs round these parts. Enjoy the game, and the pubs. The Oldham Insider
×
×
  • Create New...