TangerineDream

No black heritage needed to have an afro type perm in the 70's as I can confidently vouch from experience!

York City away 27th April 1974. Remember it like it was only yesterday due mainly for Maurice Whittle's 'typical' free kick equaliser. Was stood directly behind that goal with a fellow member of the Stretford OAFC 'unofficial' supporters club!

Close run thing for me as well between Jim Fryatt and David Shaw. What a class double act! As I've tried to explain in a later post I could never have switched from one Football League team to another but given my love for non-league football and the fact that in 2007 Salford were five promotions away from the Football league and never likely to attain Football League status until the arrival of Class of '92 some seven years later which completely changed the fortunes of the club. Believe you me I'm no lover of Manchester United but at least our owners have set out what they promised to do in some many aspects ie, four promotions in the last five seasons, professionalism, re-developed the ground, created a youth academy, a women's team, the '92 University, subsidised coach travel and the cheapest admission prices and season tickets in the Football League. What's to criticise? My only one gripe with them is having changed our colours from tangerine and black to red and white but I suppose one can't have everything! Getting back to Alan Groves he was instrumental in me getting an Afro hairstyle back in the day and I'll always remember somebody standing behind me in the Chaddy End and calling me a white negro - or something similar - as they couldn't see the game stood behind me!

Blimey you'd think I was the anti-christ or similar! I stopped watching football and Latics in the late 70's as I kind of fell out of love with the game for a variety of reasons and only got back into serious watching again when I moved down to East London to marry a local girl in the mid 1980's where I duly watched the local club Leyton-Wingate in preference to Leyton Orient or Walthamstow Avenue and absolutely loved my 2 years of following them home and away before eventually moving back to Stretford. There was never ever any question of me ever watching Leyton Orient as you can only ever support one league team - irrespective of whether you still watch them or not - whereas non-league is a totally different thing all together. I moved back to Manchester and watched a variety of non league teams as well as catching the second half of the 'great escape' season with that stupendous 4-3 win over Southampton being the icing on the cake. That season I took my my now departed dad and my son - who I had ensured would never ever wear a Man United shirt like his mates but the Latics blue shirt which he readily took to with suitable pride - together for the first time in the 6-2 win over Wimbledon which still brings a lump to my throat thinking about it. I became a season ticket holder with my son in the first season after relegation from the top flight but again stopped watching football in 1997 - primarily due to bad health - although we did catch the occasional game which invariably proved to be stinker and definitely not worth the inflated admission prices that it cost me with the exception of the win over Liverpool in the FA Cup which was the last game we attended. It was only in 2007 that my interest in football was rekindled when I went down to watch my local side Salford City - playing in tangerine shirts, five promotions from the Football League and more often than not getting gates of less than 100 -and became immediately hooked given the friendliness of the set up so much so that I've only missed 6 games all told (home and away) since then. My saying that you can only have allegiance to one Football League club has obviously gone up in flames but whereas Latics will forever remain my first love Salford are the team I now passionately support having done so for the last 12 years! Good luck for the coming season.

I loved Alan Groves - figuratively speaking off course! Everytime he got in the area we screamed "dive,dive" from the Chaddy End! My all time favourite Latics player along with the King ... Jim Fryatt. I'm a lapsed Latics fan from Stretford - although now living in Salford for many years - who followed the team from the mid 60's up to the late 70's and then occasionally afterwards with my last game at Boundary Park being the 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup some years ago. I've been watching non-league football since the mid 80's and have followed Salford City home and away since 2007 so it's going to be very strange turning up at BP as an away fan. I cherish many wonderful memories of following the Latics particularly as all my schoolmates took the piss out of me but I had the last laugh when WE beat United 1-0 at home in the old 2nd Division and narrowly lost 2-3 at Old Trafford that same season. Our club secretary is a massive Latics fan who followed them home and away for many years and cannot find it in himself not to support you when Salford make the short trip to BP on December 29th! OAFC will always be my first love - and I still have my old scarf and pin badges as well as collecting handbooks/year books - but Salford City will be the team I'll be rooting for when we meet. In an ideal world we'll both be promoted come the end of next season! Incidentally, If you have an away fan feature in your matchday programme I would be more than happy to contribute.

Blimey. I didn't realise that my original posting would provoke such discussion but I would like to add two or three comments. 1 - Latics will always be my 'League' team. As I said previously, you can only ever support one League team as the ties that you established in your formulative years following the league club of your choice are for life and unconditional. Living in Stretford I used to have the p**s taken out of me for following the Latics but I did so with great pride. The 82 bus up to Hollinwood from Chorlton, followed by the 2X up to Boundary Park only ever increased my anticipation of match days and nights. 2 - When my son was in school he begged to have a Manchester United shirt like all his mates but I flatly refused , told him he was special, deserved better and then bought him a Latics shirt. After witnessing his first ever game at BP - the 6-2 win over Wimbledon in the Premier League - together with myself and his Grandad, which incidentally brought a tear to my eye at the time. he became a Latics fan as well. We used to have a season ticket for a few seasons but then just drifted away from the game for family reasons. He continues to go now and then and it will be good for both of us go together again. When he lived in Oldham, prior to moving to Manchester, my dad used to go to BP regularly in the 40's and 50's right up to the very early 70's and was instrumental in me turning my back on City and United. 3 - I may only go to BP maybe once or twice a season, but believe me when I'm there some of the old passion and feeling doesn't take long to return and I'm just as involved as I used to be so many years ago. Having said that, I can't turn back time to re-ignite my enthusiasm on a permament basis and my involvement in non-league football since the mid 80's has changed my interest in the game forever. I have massive respect for the Latics fans who turn out week in and week out to support their team through thick and thin, but please don't berate me for not doing the same. I'll go occasionally when my finances and other football committments allow but Latics will always remain my 'first love'. Incidentally the secretary at Salford City is also a lapsed Latics fan who used to go home and away for years before he moved from Oldham to Salford and got involved with his local side.

Nelson Mota was loved by the Salford fans and we were absolutely gutted that he was allowed to leave to join FC United of all teams! He was regarded in certain quarters as something of a luxury but he's one of those players who you would actually pay more to see his silky skills. If he does go higher - like Jack Redshaw at Morecambe - let's not forget where he started his career!

Cost is a consideration but not the main reason. The main appeal is the closeness between the supporters, club officials and players and the fact that you are valued by the club you support and that your opinion matters. I like the intimacy of being close to the action on the field of play and that the referee and the opposition - as well of course your own players - can hear most comments yelled from the stands. Six years ago, after not having watched football for a good number of years, I decided to take in a match at Salford and was immediately hooked by the friendliness of the place, and the quality of football on offer. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise that the standard of football is not up to scratch at level 8 of the pyramid as I've witnessed some cracking games over the last few years. Admittedly I've seen some bad ones too, but that happens at every level of football. I like the way that you can enjoy a good craic with the opposing fans, that you can have a drink during the game - providing it's in a plastic glass - and stay late in the clubhouse to mull over the game with your own players right up to the Chairman and President. There's no airs and graces at all as everyone is there for the love of the game and to support their local side. Don't worry about having to buy tickets before a game - home or away - and parking is a doddle wherever we play. You'll get to see all sorts of grounds - ramshackle and otherwise - with most away games within easy travelling distance. This season we played Darlington who are hoping to clinch either a promotion or play-off place come April, while recent seasons saw us come up against Chester and Halifax Town. The variety of opposition is wide ranging and there's never any hint of aggro or bother when you travel away. The main difference is that you can only ever support one football league team but that's not necessarily the case with non-league football. When I lived in London E17 in the mid 80's I happened to take in a match at Leyton-Wingate, previously and subsequently known as Leyton FC, and literally round the corner from Leyton Orient. I was hooked the first time I saw them, began to go to every game and quickly developed a great circle of friends. The cameraderie was fantastic and I was fortunate enough to see them reach the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in 35 years during my stay in Walthamstow. Following 5 preliminary rounds and 7 games - including an away win at Crawley Town - we eventually lost 2-0 at Swansea City's Vetch Field ground. The memories of my time with them will always be treasured. The point is that if I moved away from Salford and went down to the nearest non-league team, I know that I would be welcomed with open arms, quickly get a whole load of new friends, and that I would begin to support whoever passionately. That to me is what non-league football is all about. It's not as tribalistic as league football but don't underestimate the passion of the supporters. I'm just as fanatical about Salford City as any Premier League super club follower. The difference is that I'm appreciated as a supporter and not treated as a customer. I'm not for one minute suggesting that's the case with Divisions 3 and 4 - can't stand this League 1 and 2 rubbish - but inevitably the higher you go up the league the more distant you become from what was once a working man sport. Anyway will be good to be back in fold on Saturday and let's beat the Gills!

Blur ? 'Mouldy Old Dough' was by Lieutenant Pigeon. I've got all their 3 LP's!

I'm looking forward to going to this weekend's game against Gillingham with my son, which will be my first game since the Liverpool home FA Cup victory last season, and I'll be hoping for an equally entertaining game with the Latics coming out on top. Living in Salford I follow my local side Salford City in the Northern Premier League - four promotions outside the football league - but still relish the odd visit to Boundary Park when Salford haven't got a game. Not having missed a home or away game for over 5 years I tend to use any Saturday's off to get a welcome weekend to myself. However this weekend I really fancy re-visiting my old 'home' of many years ago and wallow in the nostalgia of years gone by. My favourite years were the 'tangerine' ones of the mid 60's and the subsequent ones which saw us go from Division Four to Division Two, culminating in the 1-0 win over Manchester United at BP. Happy memories also of 'winning' the Ford Stand when 4 and 5 goal victories were the norm! I couldn't understand, and was really sad when the stand was pulled down. Couldn't it have been modernised or was done to accomodate the great plans that never materialised? Either way I'm really interested in what the new stand is going to look like. I'm sure it will be massively different to the old wooden plank floored one that used to be there before the Ford Stand went up! Still a Latics fan at heart I have to say that I enjoy non-league football far more these days for a great number of reasons although the years i went to BP regularly will forever be some of the best times of my life. However, this Saturday I'll enjoy listening to 'Mouldy Old Dough' again - just as i did the first time back in the early 70's, and remember with affection the likes of Jim Fryatt, David Shaw, Alan Groves, Jim Bowie, Keith Bebbington and countless other heroes in my estimation. I'm getting that misty eyed that i might even be back for the MK Dons game! Interestingly enough Salford have just taken on 17 year old Latics youth striker Haydn Foulds who has just joined us on a works experience basis and who is expected to start in our next home against Curzon Ashton a week on Saturday. See you Saturday! Zigger Zagger Zigger Zagger, Athletic!

I'm hoping that goalkeeper Josh Ollerenshaw will be making an appearance this coming Wednesday night. He played three games for us on loan at Salford City when our regular keeper was suspended and made a favourable impression with all our supporters during his short stay with us. Proved to be an excellent keeper and even came down later in the season to meet up with ex team mates and to see our home game against Mossley for whom he had also turned out for earlier in the same season. " JIM FRYATT - FOREVER THE KING OF BOUNDARY PARK"

Unless you are a die hard Man U fan and want to sing anti Liverpool and Manchester City songs throughout every game what do they actually have that would entice any neutral football fans, never mind Latics fans to go and watch them. Irrespective of all their claims they are in effect the poor man's Man United part 2. End of.

Admission prices for the Salford City v Latics XI pre-seaon friendly have been confirmed as 5.00 for Adults and 2.00 for all concessions. Hope to see a few Oldhamers in attendance on the night. You're all very welcome. Latics fans might be interested to know that former BP central defender Mike Flynn who became Assistant Manager at Salford at the start of this season is set to play. Despite being 40 years old Flynny has made a major impact since his arrival last January and even scored this weekend with a bullet header in the 3-1 home win against Stockport reserves. We're all hoping that 20 year old Lathan Forrester who has been at Salford for the last three years and is currently on trial with Oldham gets to have a run out for the Latics against us! Forrester is a very tricky winger who can turn defenders inside out and has scored some spectacular goals for us. On the downside he does however have a frustrating habit of going back and trying to beat the same defender after having just gone past him! Cheers ...............................................

Once a Latics fan always a Latics fan! Started going during the mid 60's with my father during the Ken Bates era and then with a couple of school mates from 1970 to about 1977/78 when we used to catch the 82 bus from Chorlton and then change for the 2X at Hollinwood. Sort of lost interest in football until I moved down to London where I got back into it by watching my local non-league side. On my return to Manchester I took up non-league football but did start to go Latics now and again and particularly enjoyed the back end of the 'great escape' season with the 1-0 home win over Man U and the 3-2 and 1-0 away wins at Middlesbrough and Aston Villa respectively. It was that season that my young son started to take an interest in football and after flatly refusing to buy him a Man U shirt I bought him a Latics shirt and took him and my father to the 6-2 home win over Wimbledon. My lad was converted immediately and saved from becoming a red sheep. We continued to go on and off but the pull of non-league was too great and that's where I've been now for many years. Didn't see any Latics games last season but saw 4 homes games the previous season. We may have been plain unlucky but they were all bloody awful, we didn't win once and the ball seemed to spend more time in the air than on the ground. I don't know if it's me or not but I don't think that League football has the characters and personalities that there used to be years ago. I'm happy to look back at my time at Boundary Park and remember some of the good .... and not so good times and of course the Chaddy roar! 1-2-3-4 ........................................................

As a Salford City supporter and ex Chaddy ender I'm looking forward to our pre-season friendly against yourselves at our Moor Lane ground in Salford on Tuesday 4th August - kick off 7:30pm. We play in the Unibond North Division One - that's four leagues below League 2 and I'm hoping that you'll bring a smattering of first team players as well as a few fans to swell our coffers! My best memories of following the Latics was beating Man U at home 1-0 following their relegation from the 1st Division and our promotions from the 4th and 3rd Divisions in the early 70's. I still think of Jim Fryatt as the King, remember the brilliance and clowning of Alan Groves and have fond memories of players such as David Shaw, Maureeeeeece Whittle, Jim Bowie, Ian Robins, Harry Dowd and so many others. Happy days indeed! Na Na Nana Hey Hey Jim Fryatt ................. Good luck for the coming season. ps - We play in tangerine so hence the 'TangerineDream'