Crusoe

Just now, HallamBlue said:

Unless the team is winning week in week out its very unlikely to draw back lapsed fans

This.

If the intention is that a former "legend" (and Bunn doesn't fit that billing for me either) will bring fans flocking... well, here's a thought, a decent manager who gets the team playing well and moving up the table will bring in far, far more fans.

If he is the new manager I genuinely wish him good luck, but I'm still underwhelmed.

Hope this appointment works out or there’ll be a brioche of the peace.

I'm a bit torn on this. I'm kind of thinking along Twisbrogan's lines - I'd like a team with more local players but I'm not sure whether the investment, in recent years at least, has actually made much of a difference either to the quality of our squad or our finances. Of course it also depends on whether the owner and manager want to take the time to develop those youngsters and give them a chance... but if they don't want to, does that just make going through the motions more of a waste of time?

But if someone pushed me to say whether I wanted the youth sides dropped, I'd really struggle to agree.

Am I wrong to be underwhelmed with Bunn? Or am I underestimating his abilities?

Oh man. Carlos Roca has retired and runs an academy now. I feel old.

Mind you, letting Carlos Roca go is going to come back and bite us one day.

I'd also argue that not all 24 are "successes". Belezika, Truelove, Tuohy, Mantack made 8 appearances between them.

Plus, you're stretching "10 years" a touch... no doubt that Chris Taylor and Mark Allott were successful players for us, but they left our youth system 13 and 22 years ago.

Like Singe I think the supply has dried up a bit.  Very few of the players offered pro deals now are still here a year later, and not because they've gone on to bigger and better.  Tarky is the exception that proves the rule (and maybe Coleman can be one day).

Good post.

 Although not sure that Osei, Turner, Stephens or Smith say anything about the youth team as they were all signed on professional deals.

Trying to track them down would take a while.  Most dropped to NPL or NWCL based on a quick glance.  Not sure if any recent departures have made it back to the National League, let alone League.  Luke Simpson played a few games but seems to be a free agent after leaving York City.

Just now, AlanGrovesFanClub said:

and Edmundson

Of course, I should've remembered him.

Had a quick skim. Out of the last seven intakes of scholars (about 60 players, although I couldn't find a list for 2012) we've sold just one - Renshaw to Everton.

In that time about a dozen or so earned permanent deals, but most were released the next summer.  The only stayers are Stott and Edmundson, although Hamer looks bright.

26 minutes ago, samgoafc said:

http://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/sport/16283576.club-must-back-next-manager-says-former-skipper/

Unimpressed with the Oldham Times' Latics coverage.  Three articles in the last four weeks.  Nothing on Baxter signing or Wellens leaving (other than several days later in the article linked above).  The Chron seems to have more coverage but tends to be rehashes of official site articles.  The MEN seems to have had more interesting stories on the whole.

Wow. I knew there were some fools in this place but the last couple of pages take the biscuit.

50 minutes ago, LaticsPete said:

Phil Brown would be a terrifying scream of despair.

Although, to be fair, that's pretty apt for a Latics fan.

Christ. So many people "know" so much when it's just opinions. I'm starting to miss the days when if it wasn't on Clubcall or in the Chron nobody knew anything.

Depends if he wants a decent manager or a manager who's biddable.

Wenger's free.

Reckon Stevie J & co are already weeping at the thought of next month's bill for this place...

Just now, Macca said:

Would be nice to know the reasons why a month after we have been relegated. After the article in the Daily Mail last week, this doesn't really help with thinking the club is getting back on it's feet.

The club was just waiting for Shez to take another job so we'd be spared endless speculation about him coming back yet again. Phew.

I feel the steely gaze of the Merge-o-matic already.

On OS now.

"the contract of manager Richie Wellens has been terminated with immediate effect."

Wow. How long must your lunch breaks be?

Kind of depends who it is, no?

2 minutes ago, Kusunga_Is_God said:

Don’t get this superiority complex our fans have. Carlisle are blatantly bigger than us at the moment. They get double our crowds. 

But we were in the Premier League 25 years ago! That makes us, er, clearly superior.

43 minutes ago, losesome said:

Maybe they haven't paid the ones they want rid of !!!!!

This thought had occurred.