Hemel latic

I can't see the link @BP1960, but I have come to realise my Dad was right more often than I gave him credit for as a know it all in my youth. But my overall point was that eras are generally different rather than better or worse.

I think we all tend to think things were better in the old days. For all us Oldham Athletic supporting old gits we have some consolation that is an incontrovertible truth, I refer you to the Joe Royle era. However I remember my Dad telling me in the 80s that the players of that era weren't fit to lace the boots of the players in his youth. He was in good company. Fred Trueman, Ray Illingworth, Geoff Boycott and others spent much of their broadcasting careers telling the nation that current cricketers weren't a patch on, well, themselves. They may have had a point given their illustrious careers. It was ever thus, it was always better in the old days and there were always bigger characters and better players in our salad days. Perhaps players these days are over coached but I'm increasingly content that we have characters, talkers and thinkers in our squad. In addition to the captain you can add the likes of Varney, Kitching and Fondop. Sheron looks outstanding in this respect to me, always encouraging his team mates. It's only a couple of months, only a couple of games but definite grounds for optimism.

Burgess and Gardner are on two year contracts so they'll be on the books next season unless they move on, or they're paid up. It was a Suzanne Geldard article, possibly an interview with Unsworth, that strongly suggested McGahey was under contract for 23/24. If that's the case with him might also be the case with Leutwiler and Jordan Clarke, although not necessarily.

Stobbs played in Unsworth's first three league games in charge, don't think he been seen since.

Was Danny Gardner injured?

Youngish, ambitious player in a position where we're light and with pace which we don't have much of in the first team. He'll be eager to impress and he's initially under contract until the end of the season. I don't see how we can lose tbh. If he grabs the chance we've found a player, while he's here he provides an additional option and if it doesn't work out he's only been on the books for 3/4 months and can be replaced close season.

Sounds like a wide player and we clearly lack options in those areas, he wants away from Telford (bottom of NLN): https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/football/afc-telford-united/2023/02/17/devarn-green-wants-to-depart-struggling-afc-telford-united/

Who's Fraser? Don't recognise that name.

Duncan Ferguson at FGR why wouldn't you send the lad to L1 rather than NL? Hard to see how that's a slight on Unsworth.

Alan Nixon reporting Barnsley in for Tom Hamer.

I'm not watching but imagine Shelton is playing RM.

Has anyone managed to get on the stream?

I can't log in to purchase, having second thoughts even if I can get on the site!

I've no idea what sort to expect this evening given the inconsistency of performances so far this season. This is a big game for Unsworth, we haven't lost two consecutive games at home so far this season so defeat tonight would increase pressure on the manager. If you look under the bonnet of our inconsistent displays there's a stark contrast between our performance against the top half and the bottom half of the division. In 12 games against the top teams we've only gathered 4 points out of a possible 36. Against the bottom half it's a far stronger 20/36, with 13 of those points coming at home. So some statistical reasons for optimism and also a strong indication that along with maintaining that record against the weaker teams in the division we also need to vastly improve against the top teams if we are to progress to mid-table comfort. Interested in the line up tonight. Sounds like Varney made a promising start so perhaps he'll stay at RB although Shelton provides an option there. But if Varney is retained at RB that will probably mean Sheron dropping back into defence and Shelton filling in there. All this assuming Clarke (J) is out of contention. Tricky decision. I hope Shelton has been signed to play RM, think that gives us greater options in midfield with the possibility of moving Peck back into CM and Chapman becoming an option at LM as an alternative to Bens Tollitt and Couto.

Charlie Cooper has signed an 18 month contract at Yeovil following his release by Oldham. His dad's manager there but tbf he has a proven track record in the NL. I thought there was a player in there while he was with us but he seemed to lose confidence over the months, perhaps unsurprising. What I would say is he never lacked for effort and he never hid on the pitch, even when things weren't going well for him or us.

It feels like there's a lack of transfer activity but that might be a result of being conditioned to lots of comings and goings in recent months. Having said that, and despite the perceived size of the squad we're pretty thin on the ground in defence and midfield. Given we're playing two games a week, weather permitting, for the majority of the next two months we're going to be tested by injuries, suspensions, fatigue and loss of form.

Joe Edwards has gone out on loan to Mossley, presume it's one of these youth loans where he trains with us, plays for them.

I'd agree with that. Tollitt would be the only other who'd come close and that would be mainly for a well taken goal.

I saw both the Maidstone and Boreham Wood games. Thought he played well in both games. He's heads up, his passes go where intended most often and he has positive intent. We improved significantly on Tuesday when he dropped back in place of Gardner and Rooney came on. Might expect that change to continue on Sunday, if it's on. For me he's a very good footballer given his age, would ve keen to keep him for the season.

I reckon he need to win two out of the next three, notwithstanding he's a Royle appointment and in many respects sacking him takes us back to square one. We have a run of four tricky fixtures after the next three so without a mini run to bolster him it could add up to a long, long dispiriting run of results. Can he really survive a defeat at home to Peterborough Sports?

I'm surprised Burgess and Angol aren't on that list, expected to see them both feature in the B team game. I suppose they might have been carrying knocks. Seems clear that Cooper and Stobbs have fallen out of favour. Stobbs has hardly featured under Unsworth and Cooper seems to have fallen out of favour. Also noticable that Luamba hasn't been on the bench in recent games despite a dearth of attacking options.

Yeah, Missilou. He was immense and was annoying the hell out of Fulham, covering every blade of grass. Special mention for Branger-Engone, good athlete, really stepped up to the challenge of playing at a higher level today.

Oh man, what a day out. The Oldham fans were amazing, the Putney End was absolutely rocking for the whole 90 minutes. My favourite bit was when we conceded, the crowd barely missed a beat before launching into, "We all play in blue and tangerine" as though the goal hadn't happened. Almost brought a tear to this exile's eye. And what a great team performance. Does Missilou play like that every week? How strong is Branger-Engone? A real Captain Fantastic performance from Peter Clarke. Great penalty save from Iverson. Amazing team spirit, Pete Wild has done something right and Frankie Bunn can't have been too wide of the mark for that team spirit to be there. So what a day. They're what it's all about aren't they? I'll take today to my grave. Brilliant performance by my home town team, cheered and sung on for 90 minutes by the amazing Oldham following. Unbelievable. COYB

After reading this and last night's result I feel a lot more optimistic. We might just have a rising star on our hands. I will be at the last game of the season. I was dreading it but am now more of a mind that it'll be a staying up party rather than a sack the board farrago. Well done to the twelve who went to the meeting, great reporting. And crdit to the club too for a PR coup.

A fair bit has been made of the dossier on the strengths and weaknesses of our current playing squad. It would be interesting if he ran you through the dossier and suggested how he intended to rectify the weaknesses.