seasidelatic

Wellens inspired me a lot more than Carss ever did on the pitch, though personality wise it would go to Carss each and every time. But purely on a football basis - this belongs to Wellens. Some of the things he did (when they worked!) were magical, some of the best I've seen in my reasonably lengthy time as a ST holder at 'Tics. I'll miss his footballing skill and ability, but not how reliant we became upon him. Saying that, I can't really remember Carss as a player, what was it 5/6 years ago? Christ, I feel old at 18. Keep the Faith

I - along with many on here, so it would seem - am a teeny weeny (!) bit miffed with this whole Wellens to Doncaster saga. But whilst it may seem like we've lost our best player to a lesser club in the same division, purely through financial reasons, it's not all doom and gloom. When Wellens was at Blackpool, he was a mercurial, irreplacable midfield force, who carried the team through week upon week of League One football blah blah blah... You get the picture. He left, and the fans were angry because he'd made what many saw as a sideways step for a) money and also to get away from the Blackpool coaching staff and also the board. But then it dawned upon said fans that maybe having someone in their team who was such a central, pivotal figure wasn't such a good idea, as when he didn't play particuarly well, neither did Blackpool. Do we see a pattern emerging? So me, as an Oldham fan living a life of an exile in Blackpool, took plenty of stick for Wellens being the central figure in my team, the player who always got the ball, played 50-60 yard balls (successfully) twice or three times per game, never took a shot on goal and liked to play it sideways whenever possible. I was the biggest Wellens fan, he's on my Oldham shirt and was the player I'd cheer the loudest for when Franny read his name out pre-match. But after the proverbial dust has settled, I'd like to see two other players fighting for his place, who are maybe not as technically gifted, but would always give their all for the team and wouldn't let their heads drop when things didn't quite go their way. I think we'll miss him, but as Blackpool showed this season, it isn't the end of the world now he's gone. Maybe, just maybe, Allott will prove a lot of people wrong this season, and prove to be a revelation. I don't know what to expect from Kalala, but I've heard all the good things everyone else has also heard. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, we just have to; Keep the Faith

My mum's from Salford (along with the rest of her side of the family), so I'm drawn to Man Utd, while my Grandad (on t'other side of the family) is an Oldham boy, so that's where my Oldham love affair comes from. It's true to say that I was more of a Man Utd fan as a little lad - I was "too young" to go to see Oldham with my Grandad and hear all the rude words You foul mouthed lot. Didn't start reguarly attending Latics' matches until I was 11/12 years old, really got into it and I've been a season ticket holder ever since. Seven years ago now. Time flies when you're having fun, eh? Further afield it's Juventus in Italy (Del Piero was the BEST player on FIFA '97), Valencia in Spain (chose them on Championship Manager 2001) and RW Oberhausen in Germany (went on a German exchange trip with college there a year or two ago). It's a pain keeping up with all the jersey changes, especially as all 'my' teams were successful a few years ago. Keep the Faith

A blackpool fan (lasher scum ) has just tried to have this moral debate with me, but when I pointed to their rapist chairman, they had nothing more to offer on the subject. The simple fact of the matter is thus: Hughes has served his time, and in the eyes of the law that is due punishment. Now he is free to live his life as he chooses, and go back to a state of normality. If he were in any other profession, no-one would bat an eyelid, but as this is football and it's such a big part of the public's interest, there is a huge fuss kicked up. Any other club who'd had the nous to jump in and sign him would have been making a huge coup. I'm just glad we got in there first if I'm honest. At least I know now who to get on the back of my shirt. Keep the Faith

Warne in net? He'd make Poggers performance on Saturday look like Gordon Banks. Keep the Faith

You can indeed add whatever tickles your fancy. Email the fishal site? I was intruiged the other day. Forgot to check the programme. *checks* Not there! He's a spy. Keep the Faith

The goal he scored in that game is one I'll tell my grandkids about. From the Chaddy I was directly in line with it - flew in the top left-hand corner and the place (well, I did, not sure about anyone else ) went mental. Bloody legend. And how fitting that he scored in his last game. Does't he coach now? Get him back at the 'Latics. It's the least we could do. Other than naming a stand of the new ground after him. Keep the Faith

Perhaps a bit of a sweeping generalisation earlier on my part but I do feel that when Wellens is missing, we aren't anything like the same team. The players we have to create things in the absence of Wellens are just Rocastle and McDonald. Taking nothing away from them, but they just aren't the right type of players to fill the gap Wellens leaves in the team. Any team in the top six has a striker who could, with our team around him, have scored 20+ goals this season. Credit to Chris Porter for taking those chances, but scoring less than he should have done does not get him my vote. And the fact he won't consider a new contract. Doesn't show much loyalty to the club which took him from obscurity to a good chance of Championship football. Warne's work-rate is incredible, and never ending, but I just don't get as much pleasure from seeing him chase down a 'lost cause' as I do from seeing one of Richie's 60-yard cross field passes straight to a man's feet. And for that, he gets my vote. Keep the Faith

Wellens. Wellens. Wellens. Wellens. A million times Wellens. Not one player that I've seen whilst watching Oldham is more influential than he is. When he gets the ball, 9 times out of 10 something will come of it. When he plays, and plays well, we win. When he doesn't play, we don't win. And for that reason, and that reason alone, he is my player of the season. (p.s. Would Billy Sharp have scored just 20 with the amount of chances Porter has had? Think about it.) Keep the Faith

A lot of Porter's goals are goals that any other striker, in his place, could and should have finished. The difference this season, to last season when he played a similar number of games, and any other season with any other striker is the number of chances put on a plate for him. Last season he had 35 appearances, and scored just 9 goals. The difference this year is the team around him. The 'Udders game showed where the main problem with the current team lies - the inablilty to be clinical in front of goal. If our strikers had finished say 25% more chances this season, we'd be pushing Scunthorpe all the way. I do slag off Porter - one thing in particular means that I'll never say, or sing out loud in public "there's only one Chris Porter" is his lack of effort. He might not be match fit - but he doesn't seem to be able to play through the pain barrier at all. Wellens has been carrying knocks since the first day of the season, same goes for Haining, but that isn't an excuse for them. Though he did seem to have learned how to hold up play since I last saw him. So credit where credit is due. Keep the Faith

I would also like to state, however contentious this may be, that I never rated Porter, and never will. Not enough effort and doesn't seem to understand the term offside. He scored, but I, along with half the Chaddy End could have scored his chance. Keep the Faith

Porter or no Porter, if he can't learn to stay 'onside' then he's not going to score. Fair enough Warne should have scored his one-on-one but when only Sir Paul of Warne and King Richie of Wellens have good games then it doesn't say much for the rest of the team. Yesterday's game was the first one I'd been to in about 3 or 4, due to work and college commitments and the way we gave away those two precious, precious points made me wish that I hadn't bothered going. I've now got that horrible feeling that we're going to blow it, behind the Lashers and out of the playoffs altogether. Which would be a double kick in the face. We need to be going into the playoffs on a high, not struggling to scrape into the top 6. Ranting. Damn. Keep the Faith

Yes! The Wellens bandwagon is in motion Keep the Faith

It was alright. But the Mole one was better, I feel. The Laticsmad one from last year was the best I think I've ever seen. "Scholes takes over as manager" I got so excited, told everyone in college, then realised what day it was and looked a proper wazzock. :( Keep the Faith

Don't get me wrong, I'm taking nothing away from Warne as a player, his effort and consistency are undoubtable. I just prefer to see those killer 60-yard balls and one touch passes from Wellens more than anything else I see at BP. Except from Eyresy's free kicks, but they're just a distant memory now *sniff* I've no doubt that Warne will win player of the season, and he'll deserve it, but I'll vote for Wellens. (Because I love the fact he left Blackpool to come to us, and I will be forever in his debt for letting me wear an Oldham shirt with "Wellens 7" on the back around the streets of Blackpool) :) And the fact that I love him...... Keep the Faith

YAY! Someone else who agrees with me on the Richie Wellens topic. I think of him as the best midfielder in this league, if not one of the best outside the Premiership, and one of the few players who could actually cut it when we go up. He, along with Sir Paul of Warne, tries his heart out. It is so clear when he isn't playing that something quite noticeable isn't present in the team, and without him we would not be anywhere near as high up the table as we have been this season. Agreeing with Hometownclub as far as praise for Gregan and Haining, who is captain as he has deserved for so long. Young player of the season is Taylor's, without question. Though Eardley isn't far behind. Keep the Faith

Cheers guys Yeah, call me anything apart from Seasider! Though I don't live in Cesspool anymore, thankfully. Can have my Oldham shirt in the car window without it being bricked now. Bonus! Keep the Faith

Name? Luke McMurdo Location? Was Blackpool, and still is for college/work, but live in Preston. How Long Supporting the Tics? Ever since I was about 7. So 11 years now. Best away match you've been to? Every time we play Blackpool (because I'm too poor to travel anywhere else!) All Time Greatest Player? David (Give the man an OBE) Eyres Biggest Rivals (in your eyes)? Cesspool FC. No question whatsoever. Keep the Faith

Just joined up from the footymad board - seemed a little dead over there these days! Not really able to fiddle with my profile in college - where I am the the moment - got some nice signature pictures for when I get home though. In summary, good be be here Keep the Faith