seasidelatic

Didn't he only get 'binned' by Burnley and Preston because he had injuries?

He was too good for this division, and the players playing with him in this team, a second too quick for them. If you couldn't see the deft touches he made and his movement off the ball then I can't explain to you how good a player he is.

Though I guess if you don't chase loose balls like a headless chicken for 90 minutes you won't make it as this level, eh?

He'll do well at Southampton, if he stays fit. Best of luck to him, I say.

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The 'non-evil' Mark Hughes was also at the Everton game, with a pretty blonde on his arm. He didn't see much of the game!

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Heart says top 6 - just.

Head says somewhere between 7th and 11th.

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Bloody inspirational in the middle today - further cementing his place (as if there was any doubt) as performer of the season.

Superb work Ratboy - again

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Who's that Daddy's boy?

Bloody regret it now! I'd say more misguided, than a fool.

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My family is split down the middle - Dad's side from Oldham and Mum's from Salford - and as I'm in Salford for Uni, I think it would have to be United. (Much to the dismay of a few on here, I'm sure )

Only really got into the Latics when I was about 10 - still have my Cantona shirt somewhere...

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He's had this in the bag for months, sewn up well and truly.

And deservedly so! He's been nothing short of quality in the middle, been brought here to do a job, done it superbly.

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I don't really think that we could justify giving him anything more than a year's deal - on a reduced wage too.

While he has shown glimpses of what he's been capable of (and been famed for) during his time here, it's never really been for a decent run over a whole season.

He's had bad luck with injuries, sure, but I don't really see his injuries clearing up, he's no spring chicken now is he.

I think it may be that now is the time to say goodbye to Liddell; Smalley and Taylor look like they have the makings of two very good wingers.

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I live about a mile and a half from Deepdale, so if Preston come down it would be a nice away-day

As much as I'd LOVE Blackpool to come down, it's not going to happen now, unfortunately. (There's still no timescale on their 3rd or 4th stands )

It would be a shame to see Preston come down though, they've looked like pushing for the Premiership recently.

Deepdale's quite nice these days, at least.

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I can't really see how upsetting the side at this stage of the season by getting rid of Sheridan would make any sense, at all.

As long as it is still mathematically possible, we can make the hallowed top six and to break up the squad by removing the manager would kill off our chances, in the short term.

In the long term, we'd be back to the beginning with a new manager who would want to put his own stamp on the squad, getting rid of players and bringing in his own when currently we have the makings of a very accomplished side.

No manager wants to use another's squad, as we've seen each time the manager come in and spent the first 12 months chopping and changing the playing staff.

This is only the first proper season that Sheridan has had with his own choice of players, some have worked (Davies, Allott, Hazell), and some haven't (Ricketts).

We all expected (rightfully so!) that we would be challenging for the play-offs this season, and at times we've threatened to become a frightfully good side, some of the stuff we've played has been simply brilliant, while at other times it's just been rubbish.

Consistency, as always, is the key. If we'd had the core 14-15 outfield players fit all season, we could easily be up there with Doncaster and Swansea, the talent is in this squad.

Next season (provided we don't end up in the Championship ) I want us to pick up 4 or 5 good signings to fill in the gaps in the squad and progress, challenging the top 3 or 4 sides and sitting at the top for most of the season.

IF, and that's a big if, we haven't made any serious progression by this time next season then maybe we could look at moving towards a replacement for Shez. I'm fully confident, however, that if we don't go up this season then next season will be our last in League One.

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I really like how Crossley marshalls the back four - and his distribution and vision to make a quick throw or a kick to a winger is the part of his game I enjoy most - turns defence into attack so quickly

Something I've always wanted to see a Latics 'keeper do is make quick throws to the full back/winger rather than hopeful punts to the strikers, and now we have that! Joy of joys

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That Gregan chap is the best player in League One!.... (On FIFA 08)

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Don't really get the opportunity to get to many away games, being a poor student and all, but the highest was probably Trannies away, first match of last season, or one of the many times I've seen us play away at Bloomfield Hole.

The lowest is definately when we were at Clyde, pre-season. 60-80 of us there, tops! Didn't think there would be so many, looking back.

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Mark Crossley 7 - Pretty solid really.

Neal Eardley 7 - Got better as the game went on, tried to mix it up well I thought.

Neal Trotman 9 - Man of the Match, didn't put a foot wrong at all.

Stefan Stam 7 - Does what is asked of him, think he might be due a rest though.

Reuben Hazell 4 - Out of position, completely.

Chris Taylor 6 - Is he fit yet? Given no space at all, difficult for him today.

JP Kalala 8 - Broke up everything, tireless. Missed when he went off.

Gary McDonald 6 - Does what he does well, isn't a battling midfielder though, he isn't in the team to break up play though.

Mark Allott 9 - Man of the Match with Trotters, didn't miss a pass and made some lovely stuff.

Craig Davies 6 - Lacking confidence, needs someone playing up front and him drifting around behind really.

Deane Smalley 7 - Won lots in the air, like at Everton, and improved out on the wing.

I don't think anyone really played badly today but our lack of proper strikers cost us dearly. We made chances just had no-one to take them. If only we had 2 Craig Davies'.

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Do we really have 'yobs' still? Bit of a terrible state if we still do really.

Though it was a highlight when some of them got on a train to Shaw by mistake

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They were all about 12

It did make me laugh, all walking along in their fake stone island coats having to ask "mr policeman sir" for directions

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Bus full of 'Udders fans got dropped off at Werneth station just before I got there, must have been 200/300 of them on the platform and somehow they all piled on a 2 carriage train!

Was about to walk down onto the platform and got dragged back by the Police, saying they couldn't do anything to protect me from them

Didn't realise Huddersfield fans were so bad really.

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Jeez! It is hate on Davies day today

I admit he didn't have a great game today(!), but I do think that there are a few reasons for this.

Confidence, mainly. He doesn't look like a player who is going out on the park believing in himself, like he was when he was netting on a regular basis.

He isn't an out-and-out striker, not in the slightest. People all around me today slating him for not being in the middle, "that's where you ****** need to be Davies...". Blahblah.

He isn't a leading-the-line player, not a target man and is often played balls for him to flick on. To whom? Himself? He had to in the last home game.

I don't think he deserves slating, he just needs a goal. He's desperate to get it and clearly is suffering for it.

But this is what happens with a small squad, having to play with people out-of-form, not fully fit (Taylor?), not at their peak.

If he'd scored today we'd all be singing his praises, no matter if he'd been greedy/lazy or whatever.

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Ugly? Looked good to me! All the lads who I sit with missed the second half kick-off as they walked past the Chaddy

They were, um, good dancers? (Wasn't watching them dance!)

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Not until it is mathematically possible that we cannot make it into that hallowed top six, I won't stop believing we'll get there.

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I actually never saw Clarke play for Latics as I managed to miss each one he played in last year due to work.. so I'm not really in the 'sign him up' camp or otherwise.

Though I do have to say if we sign Keigan Parker I'd be bloody annoyed; he is possibly the worst player I've ever heard about for turning up late for training, drink driving, turning up at 3am at 'massage parlours' to 'ring a taxi'.. etc. The list of misdemeanors during his time at the Lashers is as long as your arm, I got sick of reading about him in the awful Blackpool rag.

Jeeesus. Parker? I wouldn't have it. Possibly have a whip round for Gregan to snap the little git.

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Oi Oi Oi.

'Doing a Gregan' - to me - refers to him playing blindingly well (as we all know to be true) while here on loan, then only putting in really good performances once in a while after he signed permanently.

Yes yes he is one of our better players, but he's not always on top of his game. Would he walk back into the team right now, for instance?

I'd hardly say it's 'stupid' to critique a player when (in my opinion) his performance level dropped for a period of time.

This season the one time he's truly looked a class act was away at Burnley, that one stood out for me.

Anyway, back to KK, surely we could persuade him to stay? McLeish will probably want to build his own team at Birmingham, so I'm thinking our Neil will be looked upon as a fringe player?

Especially when Birmingham make statements to the press about becoming a top-six Premiership side *titter*

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I'm sure that Cykwa guy is on loan at another club, Northampton perhaps? I think Kilkenny might be tempted to stay here, what with his girlfriend being a local and all. The question is whether Birmingham will command a fee, hopefully not but I'm sure we couldn't afford much.

Would he be worth a fee? He might do 'a Gregan' and not play so well once he's given a long term deal.

Of course in an ideal world it would be lovely to keep him, but I think finances will dictate if he makes he stay, this time around, into a permanent one.

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