perfectOzblue

Would be a great signing but no way we can afford him. I still think the Clarke deal will be resurrected. One or both parties playing a waiting game.....

As a way of passing time and sparing me looking at the Transfer Rumours site, would anyone like to share happy memories of Latics matches in recent years? I'm not just talking about the obvious ones like beating Arsenal, Villa, Liverpool and Man U - how about more 'low key' ones when you went home thinking, 'God, that's why I love football'. Two in recent (ish) times stick in my memory. One is beating QPR 2-1 at home in the 2003/04 season. A patched up team with the likes of Matt O'Halloran, basically being held together by old man Shez, Cooksey and a couple of others, struggling at the bottom, 1-down for ages against a team near the top...then we came back to win 2-1 with (I think) a late Cooksey/Eyre double. I remember Pogs racing from his goal to the other end of the pitch to celebrate after we got the winner. Absolutely magic. This one as well....when we thrashed Shuddersfield 4-0 at BP in 2002. Wijnhard scored a brilliant goal at the RRE after 25 seconds to shut their fans and their 'tasteful' "He's only got one arm" chants right up. At the end they were screaming for their manager (Mick Wadsworth, if I remember right) to be sacked. Lourenco scored a brilliant overhead kick, John Eyre was everywhere and Latics played brilliantly. Look at our team as well...jeez, we had some good players in that season....... http://news.bbc.co.u...v_2/2272694.stm Any others..?

Yeah, I remember watching that on Sky Sports News and going mental when it flashed up Hall had scored. Pretty sure it was the 89th minute. Felt sure we were going up, just like 30 seconds into the Wigan match away a few weeks later when Wayne Andrews scored in the first 30 seconds. Then they outplayed us (seem to remember Jimmy Bullard scoring a brilliant free-kick and generally running the show) and....things went downhill from there.

Latest posting on the Football Rumours site: 18 Jul 2012 18:15:22 Oldham will complete the season long loan signing of defender Reece Brown from Man United this week. Oldham also looking to revive their bid for Charlton striker Leon Clarke, Charlton rejected a bid from Oldham last week but the Latics are hopeful a 2nd bid will accepted this time round. Chris O'grady is also on the radar of Oldham Sounds plausible? Surely we couldn't afford Clarke AND O'Grady though?

The latest from the Football Rumours site: "Ross County striker Colin McMenamin linked with a move to English football with Carlisle, Preston and Oldham all rumoured to be interested in the experienced scot." Someone has also posted that David Ball is going to sign for us....for 250k!!

He is already being linked with Blackburn Rovers, apparently. Yes, I would agree that the A-League is roughly on a par with League One. He looked decent on occasions for Victory last season. I think it was tough for him; you could see he would create things sometimes but the other (less talented) players weren't on his wavelength. Big shame for Australian football that he's leaving.

22 Jun 2012 02:17:22 simpson, Millar and Diallo all to agree new deal while morais, kuqi and Mchangama to decline the chance to stay Tom Taiwo set to sign a 2 year deal with a club near to his home in leeds most likely doncaster. Lee croft deal is off due to the fee derby want for croft to take him on loan or even full. Also oldham set for Pre season game with Newcastle. Make your own minds up....

I got round to seeing this last night. Majorly disappointed. A fantastically well made film, poorly executed. Beautiful to look at with some staggering effects but just....dull. Huge holes in the plot and just a lack (one scene apart) of the stuff that made the heart race when watching the first two films in the Alien series. Maybe it will stand up better if/when they make a sequel. Maybe the editing stuffed it up a bit; the (seemingly) inevitable director's cut may answer some of the gaping holes in the story. In its own right, though, I found this pretty tedious. What a let down.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18137739 I knew Kirkholt was bad, but worse than some run down areas of England's cities? Really?

From the BBC website.... Alex Baptiste has criticised West Ham's style of football and referee Howard Webb after Blackpool's 2-1 play-off final loss at Wembley on Saturday. "We were the better side," the defender told BBC Radio Lancashire. "It was embarrassing at times. They just hoof it long and hope for the best. "It's a foul on me for the second goal, so the ref has done us no favours. "I suppose everyone got what they wanted. Everyone wanted West Ham to win because they're a team from London." Ricardo Vaz Te's goal three minutes from time sealed an instant return to the Premier League for the Hammers, in their first season under Sam Allardyce. Tom Ince had earlier equalised for Blackpool after Carlton Cole opened the scoring. Baptiste continued: "Congratulations to them, they won the game, but I know who I would rather play for. "I wouldn't survive in their team because I'm not tall enough. All of them are 8ft tall." While West Ham can expect a windfall of around £45m following their promotion to the Premier League, Ian Holloway's side are now facing the prospect of Championship football again next season. "If we keep the squad together, we'll go up next year," added Baptiste. "You've seen the football that we play. We've just got to believe in ourselves a little bit more. " We experienced winning it two years ago and it's a cruel game sometimes. "Maybe we didn't deserve it last time, but we sure as hell deserved it this time."

Agreed. He can play left wing, could be useful replacement if/when Taylor departs.

Mega under-rated player with Latics. Doesn't often get mentioned as one of the stars of the 'pinch me' era but he was a key part of it all. Always remember his cracking back flick goal against City in a great 3-3 draw at Maine Road.

Random question time – have you ever run on the pitch to celebrate a Latics goal? Extra points if you did it and made a prat of yourself. Also, does anyone know the person Rick Holden smashes into and sends flying while celebrating Redders' penalty against the Wendies?

Can anyone think of any decent chants for this guy? Best I can come up with is "M'Changama, hey, M'Changama"to the tune of 'Doctorin' the Tardis' by The Timelords. One for fans of obscure late 80s songs, perhaps....

This is the longest of long shots, but I was wondering if any friendly Latics fans on here could help with something. As my user name implies, I am exiled Latics fan currently living in north-west New South Wales, Australia. I was wondering if there are any decent (non-league/semi-pro standard would be ideal) footballers who would be interested in coming to Oz for a few months and helping the football team I play for here. We really need one (or more) to help with twice-weekly training sessions, play our Saturday afternoon matches and just generally help raise standards. We could find them work here and lodgings. They could help with training and matches for six months and then head off to do their own thing after the season finishes. They would have to be aged between 18-30 (for visa purposes) and ready to commit to living in country New South Wales for a few months. If you have any ideas, please let me know. I can be contacted at stulatics@hotmail.com. Any help appreciated. Cheers, Stuart.

Wimbledon again in our first season in the Prem. Peter Withe had a disastrous spell in charge of them. I think (If I remember right) his only win was at horrible Selhurst Park against us. Also Penney last season for Brizzle Rovers - probably the most predictable of the lot.

Should be in the opposition goal for this Saturday's match. Will he be greeted with cheers, disgust or apathy?

Loathe to have a go at another Latics fan but I can't let that one go, mate. Yeah, he was useless with the ball but he was an effective 'stopper' and helped keep us up during Ritchie's era when we could afford jack sheet anyone else.

FIVE games?! Shurely shome mishtake - he must have played more than that?! I remember him having one really good game against Walsall at home - think we beat them 5-2? I was really pleased we'd signed him, but he was pretty rubbish. Didn't he and Jermaine Johnson disappear for half the season on 2006 World Cup qualifying duty, leaving us totally in the schtum?

The article says he scored five goals for the club. Weren't two of those against us? Typical if so.

Have we taken less for an away match in recent seasons?

Haven't we just had three months of inactivity to strengthen our squad?!

Off to see the Kaiser Chiefs at the Enmore tonight. Should get back at midnight to follow Latics on the live BBC text. Got me flask, beers and crisps handy. God, I've missed football! Wish I was at BP for the first game but still excited. Come on Latics!

Bournemouth – Lost most of their good players from last season. Can see them struggling. Brentford – My dark horses, Always awkward and made a couple of decent signings. Bury – Can’t see them repeating Rochdale’s successes last season. A lot depends on their start. I think they’ll struggle. Carlisle – Seem to be positive about their chances. Seem to be emulating us as perennial mid-table mediocre experts. Charlton – If they can get all their new players to gel, good chance for top two. Chesterfield – Can see them being like Notts County last season. If they are relying on Allott and Whittaker in midfield at this level, they’ve got problems. 18-20th. Colchester – Seem to be in a similar position to us. Some quality but cost-cutting measures have bitten. Could struggle. Exeter – Good manager and did pretty well last season. Could be knocking on the door of the play-offs. Hartlepool – Always think they’ll struggle, but they always seem to be fine. Can’t see them higher than 16th though. Hudds – Gotta be favourites. Orient – Great second half of last season but have lost a few players. As likely to be bottom four as top ten. MK Dons – Kept most of their decent players. Top six. Notts County – I expect them to be a lot better than last season. Have bought some good players. Martin Allen may be irritating but he gets results (sometimes) at this level. Possible play-offs. Preston – Not sold on them being challengers. Were pathetic last season. Top eight maybe. Rochdale – Cannot see them being as good as last season. Could be tough year for them. Scunthorpe – Always bounced back before but don’t think they have a Billy Sharp/Gary Hooper to fire them back up. Always good for plenty of goals but think they will be mid-table. Sheff U – Again, I’m not sold that they will challenge. Gradually lost most of their good players in recent seasons, seem to be relying on old warhorses and inexperienced kids. Don’t have the quality of a Leciester/Norwich. 8-10th. Sheff Wed – Gotta think they will go better than last season, but still don’t seem to have that great a squad. Gary Megson never inspires confidence either. Possible play-offs. Tranmere – Struggled last season, don’t seem to have radically improved their squad. Bottom four candidates. Walsall – Ditto. Wycombe – Don’t know much about them must confess, but don’t seem to have purchased any real quality. Bottom four possibles. Yeovil – Lost some of their quality players like Bowditch. Always seem to scrape by and upset some of the big teams, but got to think they will be down among the no-hopers this year. And…Latics Cannot say my hopes are that great. Better than 12 months ago at least. Could be long distance optimism, but I think we will be okay. Reuben Reid could – COULD – be useful, our defence looks good (if they stay fit) and we have two decent wingers. Would really love a crack at the play-offs, but I think mid-table (at best) is more realistic.

Taking into account reputation, as well as consistent sh*tness/attitude problems/level playing at/utter ineptitude/ability to irritate and enrage with total levels of non-skill/other reasons. Warren Feeney? Dean Windass? Steve Kabba? Dele Adebola? Brett Ormerod? The choice is yours....