Stainrod

There seems to me to be far too many people (media and within the game) that want to make racism an issue. To my mind there is no finer example of blacks being accepted into a profession than football. With so much money involved all players have to prove themselves on merit. Any given Saturday in the Premiership can see up to 40 percent of first team players are black and are there because they are deemed to be the best for the job. On the basis that say only up to 10percent of the population is black then it could be argued that the sector is over represented. The Rooney law then seems to insinuate that circa 40 percent of coaches should be black/coloured which to me doesn't make sense as again coaches are and must be appointed purely on merit regardless of colour. I acknowledge that racist name calling has no place in the game but it is difficult to argue the much wider issue that the game has a culture of racism when so many black footballers have made a very positive impact on the game and reap considerable rewards for dong so, how can the game be racist?

Victoria ground / Britannia Stadium Burnden Park / Reebok Roker Park / Stadium of Light Baseball Ground / Pride Park etc.etc.etc. All these stadiums had their doubters, I'll bet very few fans would want to go back. Stadiums evolve and generate their own history, BP was new once! Time to move on, can't wait for the old main stand and the Chaddy to come down eventually (and I have stood and sat in the Chaddy for 30 odd years). It's progress.

So you wouldn't replace current BP with a stadium like that???

The only time I have been to the stadium we got thumped 6-2 BUT I thought the stadium was great even though its waiting for bigger things. Comfy seats with lots of leg room, much better watching experience than Boundary Park. Don't think too many would refuse that stadium where ours sits now! Might be in a minority here but I think fans criticise the stadium because of the way the club has evolved which is a bit misguided.

Andy Sweeney was on the fringes of the first team around 1973, a winger, could be him?

Thought he was very ordinary yesterday which was a surprise, need more from him over the next two games if he is to retain his reputation.

Just got 5, really surprised, thought I'd done well!

Oh, I meant to add that the partnerships between fullback and winger on both flanks are now working really well and make for some really entertaining and fluid football. Grounds is the best left back we have had for some time and Wabara is a class act. Croft and Montana are going deliver some great moments for us this season. Can't believe we are hanging around the bottom half of league one, why did it take so long to gell?

I was there too. Sat just behind Dcikov and co amongst the Kiddie fans ~ their overall feeling was that there was a significant gap in quality (as should be expected of course) and the pace of our team was admirable as was much of the precision of the football we (at times) played. This is a good latics side, as good a first 14 as I can rememeber for quite a while. Outstanding for me Croft, Baxter, Montano, only disappointment was Derbyshire today, full marks for effort as usual and held up the ball very well at times but by his high standards felt he didn't feature as much as I'd have liked. There centre back Gowling (Fellani hairstyle ) got their man of the match award which I think was fair as he played Derbyshire very well. Only other points to highlight 1) not convinced yet by Brown at full back 2) didn't see the point of bringing Montano off for Furman as this then invited Kidderminster on to us, they should have had a penalty and who knows what might have happened then. Overall a convincing victory and a good/enjoyable match. Kidderminster gave it a go and fans near me were suggesting that they had clealry raised their game today.

I played schoolboy football against Paul Hilton, he used to go to Grange School and I went to Bluecoat (class of '76). Didn't stand out then but some mature later I suppose so it was interesting to see him develop.

should be a keeper , looks like a 'number one all over' to me!

Give him a chance, he's 20!!! He would have had to be hell of a player to have got into a championship side in his late teens ~ don't fool yourself that the Sheff Utd squad can be compared to ours, they will be up next season. Could be useful, we just don't know yet. Also, you can pretty much guarantee that you will have to look up all our signings on Wikipedia. That's were we are just now, as are a lot of our competitiors however.

tangerine, brilliant. I started going to Latics in 1970 and never new it was a new kit at that time, thought we'd always been tangerine (I was only 10 at the time). Won the Ford sporting league (!) in it so a great strip kit for me

yep, good appointment, Harry would have been a bit like Keegan, very popular, good motivator but possibly not tactically strong enough. Don't think we can suggest that Hodgson lacks anything tactically, wins hands down at "show us your medals".

I accept that Glossop but even my primarily defensive fullbacks will inevitably be drawn into attacking positions and I would expect them to be able to contribute. I suppose what I am saying is that I think we need players who are better defenders than they are going forward and not the other way round (Lee I think is just that and he does get found out being 'relatively' new to the defensive aspects of the position). At league 1 level I think it needs to be defensive ability first (solid, dependable, 'always been a fullback' types) and then coach the attacking aspects. I still see Lee as a calm, controlling midfielder potentially (Scholes/Sheridan), able to play the 'clever ball' that is missing at the moment ~ not a player who has been 'shoved' into the full back position in times of need and, as he's done a good job, is stuck with it.

Lets ditch the idea of inssiting we operate with attacking fullbacks, great for the premiership and europe but this is league 1. We have been poor at the back, let in numerous balls at the far post. Let's get two solid defensive fullbacks to shore up the back and ease Lee back into midfield with Furman Wes and ANO. Might not be that pretty (has it been this year?) but would give us a strong defensive base and an experienced midfield. Would also be easier to source such fullbacks than the elusive Ashley Cole type at left back. Bit old school I know but what do you think ~ do we really want one of our calmest players on the ball playing at full back?

What a load of tosh, Messi looking in Saddleworth ....... he's looking in Shaw.

Arent people saying we need experience? definitely worth a look at. Goals from midfield a possibility too! whatever next?

time to rest Kuqi? Tank and Simpson up front? Can't fault Shefki's attitude (hmm maybe) or effort but the fact is its just not happening for him/us and we need a shake up. Yes, he's scored a few this season but his purple patch seems a long time ago now and we just aren't scoring enough. Not sure Tank is the answer really as he was never prolific first time around but give him a go I say.

ludicrous thread, 50 points is usually enough, we need two more then with 7 games left incldung todays. Have we ever lost 8 games on the trot? Top ten not beyond us now our better players are back. likely finish 12th.

disagree re MK franchise. Best ground I have been too for a while. Comfortable, spacious, parking. Like any new stadium though it's not great when it's only 1/4 full. Stoke City used to have the same feel when empty but now boasts one of the noisiest stadiums/support. I'd take MK's satdium as our new design any time.

love that shout of 'bury it', more of that today please.

Mike Quinn, remember him knocking over Mike Doyle (City or maybe Stoke, don't remember) in a match at Boundary Park and lobbing over the keeper from anout 25 yards one. Magical.

Born 1960, when I was 8/9/10/11 it was the golden era of Best/Law/Charlton and Lee/Bell/Summerbee. My dad took me occasionally to watch both and I loved going, how couldn't you?. However; 1970 was the year we financed the old Ford Stand as we swept to the fourth division championship (league 2 for the youngsters). I was hooked and there's been no going back which is amazing given the football served up by the two manchester teams of that era, anybody my age who also chose Latics I salute you (still have a small soft spot for United though, sorry).

isn't it obvious to us all that Dickov is able to attract decent players to the club (how many has he got wrong? ~ compare to Penney), isn't it therefore obvious that with a bigger budget he would be capable of putting together a strong squad with cover in each position? Course he would, fact is he HASN'T got a decent budget, he has a patheric budget by any standards and so as soon as his first team becomes depleted we are in trouble. Not his fault, could anyone else do much better with the starting line up of youngsters, loanees new to the squad and 'out of form' senior players. If PD isn't the right man can we expect much more from someone else? No doubt we would expect more ........ but we'd have no right to! All this moaning about his post match interviews, yes they are a bit samey, wouldn't yours be if asked the same questions about the same type of game with the same group of players against similar teams???? I think he does well given the cards he's been dealt and don't want anyone else, let's see who he is able to keep and who he's able to attract in the summer.