petelatics

Keigan Parker!!

Well we know that Mr Corney reads this so let's hope if he hasn't already ensured a suitable area for disabled supporters then this will motivate him to.

Without Corney we wouldn't have a club. With more supporters we could have a thriving club. Looking back over years when our team was performing better than recently, gates were still poor. I don't see our armchair fans changing their habit. Look at the level of support for our Rugby League team as well and compare this to other similar towns. Basically our people aren't bothered, unless it's a big cup game. I'm amazed anyone would want to pour money into a club like ours, so I'm glad when they do.

Well I started going to Boundary Park in 1958. Latics were sitting at the bottom of League Division Four applying for re-election. Teams weren't automatically relegated out of the Football League as they are now. They relied on their 'friends' - all the other teams - to vote for them to stay in the league. Regarding away supporters, I think they congregated in the Rochdale Road end, but there was no segregation. I know because me and my dad always watched from that end. When Latics played Liverpool in the FA Cup, the whole of the Rochdale Road end was given to their fans. These were the days when at half time the supporters changed ends to give their support to their team - how quaint it all seems now. Boundary Park ground was in a better state than the Broadway stand is now! But the main stand, top tier is much the same as it was - cramped wooden seats! Toilet facilities are still much the same as they were, although I don't remember soap and paper towels. The main difference is that everyone stood, with barriers positioned every few yards. In front of the main stand was standing (this is where I watched the Liverpool match) and in front of the broadway stand. The match against Liverpool was much anticipated by all Oldham fans. We had a really good team with players like Bobby Johnstone and Bert Lister in our forward line. We had beaten Chesterfield and Bristol Rovers, who were then two divisions above us in the League. The attendance was recorded at 42,000 but it is thought that many more managed to get in for nothing! We had been used to 14,000 gates, pretty good in the fourth division, but when I got to the ground and saw all these people it quite took my breath away. And once in the ground all the fans were tightly packed in. One of my friends was offered a decent amount to part with his ticket to a Liverpool fan but he didn't sell. There was great excitement at seeing Liverpool in the flesh, a team although at the top of the second division, filled with well known players. Ian St John, Roger Hunt - the basis of the team that not only won promotion that season but two years later won the League. Latics had a goal by Lister disallowed for offside - it was plainly onside - we could see because the action happened at the other end of the pitch!! Ian St John scored two goals for Liverpool and Colquhoun replied for Latics. One of St John's goals hit the underside of the crossbar bounced down and out but the ref said it had crossed the line. But Latics gave a really good account of themselves and we all went home saying we wuz robbed, like you do. Hope this is helpful. If I can give further help my email is petelatics@hotmail.com

Craig Davies. I was told by someone very high up in the club that he would never be allowed to return to Boundary Park under any circumstances!

Let's be honest, anyone, ANYONE who wants to buy Latics must be a bit mad. I mean, would any of you seriously put your hard earned money, millions of it into a small time football club, whose supporters look to see who's the featured match on Sky before deciding whether or not to show up!? If the club does well the manager gets the credit - if not then you get all the blame. In the meantime you have to watch your players decide if they fancy playing this week, and you know that you'll still have to pay them even if they play like planks. No thanks and anyone barmy enough to step in gets my vote - unless of course they have criminal intentions!

There will always be a risk with standing areas. The safety of seated areas is that there is a seat for each supporter. No matter what safeguards are put in place human error can always be relied upon to cock things up eg Hillsborough.

The first half reminded me of the Brentford game. We started brightly playing some good passing football, creating chances. Then, suddenly it's back to the long ball and Dickov doesn't intervene, doesn't tell them to keep playing football. The thing is, in that first half, Coventry were there for the taking; they looked completely lacking in confidence and were one of the worst teams I've seen at BP for quite a while. By the the time the final whistle went, our keeper had been called into action more often Coventry's. I believe we have players who are good enough to move us up the table but not with this manager.

Well, this is clearly Dickovs fault entirely and he should walk right now. It is. Two wins in eighteen games and not even the consolation of entertaining football is the reason that the fans are voting with their feet.

Dickov should go. Like most of you, I really wanted him to do well and in the first half of his first season the team looked good. Since then it's been dreadful. I travel up from Surrey to endure the the indescribable dross served up at home games and oh how I have resented the waste in time and money. The evidence for his defence used to be that he had poor players and no money, but Dickov now has a good squad but doesn't know how to use it. Against Brentford, Baxter played again midfield while the ball sailed over his head, being hoofed from back to front. But Dickov didn't have a problem with this - the only failing, he said, was lack of shots on goal. The only shining light was the second half against Notts County (who were down to ten men). I'm sure he's a nice guy, but 2 wins in 18 games tells its own story. I don't think he will be sacked yet, but if we get stuck in the bottom four at Christmas then SC may feel he has little choice. I have supported Latics for 54 years and rarely expected anything more than an afternoons entertainment - well it's a long time since that happened - watching Latics!!