GFBunn

Nice OP. I think the highlights of the Oxford game in 85 were on tv - was it John Aldridge that did the damage? Big Joe's condensing the field was a euphemism for a hit and miss offside trap Joe was definitely a genius who found a way to work the system and we're all hoping LJ can do the same. But he'll find it way harder than Joe did I think. Being in the 3rd rather than the 2nd tier is the main disadvantage - that's 23 more teams with bigger budgets trying to poach our players (and manager). Plus a super-wealthy top division watching our youth teams and reserves who think nothing of taking a 6 figure punt on players who haven't even reached our first team. Keeping consistent performers at the club for longer than a season is virtually impossible - a Denis Irwin in our side would be gone after 25 games not 4 seasons. The 2nd thing Joe had in his favour was the plastic pitch. I'm not saying it was the factor that got us promoted but it was an angle Joe worked brilliantly. I also think it helped to keep players at the club as Division One sides viewed our pitch with suspicion and could never really be sure how good our players were - half our games were played on plastic after all. It's disappointing for us fans to be using words like 'heart' and 'desire' and as the OP said even Joe looked for players with something to prove. I guess it's just a fact that not all footballers are self motivated. When I look at the people around me at work it's about half and half - some want to go places, others couldn't give a toss Fwiw I do think this squad were behind the manager and LJ is smart enough to win them round. Maybe LJ and SC were a bit too public in their view that the squad needed strengthening, maybe it's something else that's upset the apple cart. If we give Lee the time to figure out the sensitive souls we have in the side I'm sure he'll be a success.

So were West Ham!

Good spot I've took them in a double.

Just saw this - yes we laughed heartily but that comment was made tongue in cheek. None of us thought he was the worst player on the pitch, just that he was far from the best. We thought he looked like he was playing out of position and struggled early on with the pace of the game. On the other hand that was totally to be expected and he was more assured in the 2nd half, good coming forward and can cross. He looks as though he enjoys defending and tackling - just what we need. If he were to get a run at right back though I'd be concerned about the better sides having wingers that could target him.

I notice lots of praise on here for Chambers making a stand but he's fairly wide of the mark. 'The current squad isn’t strong enough, mentally or physically, to get out of this mess.' - think the consensus is that the squad is more than good enough to be mid table but have underperformed. It's the combination of squad and manager that isn't strong enough. 'back him with cash for better players' - better players might give the side a short-term boost but would soon be underperforming to the levels of the current squad due to the environment created by the manager. 'No captain, Dean Furman, due to his involvement at the African Cup of Nations. No vice-captain, James Wesolowski, due to his crazy dismissal at Scunthorpe and three-game ban. No Cristian Montano (injured), no Matt Derbyshire (back with Nottingham Forest)' - if you're going to have a rant along the lines of 'stop this rot' you have to stick to factors the club can control. Chambers has just stuck his team news paragraph up here and used it as ammunition. And I'm fairly sure the side had a captain and vice-captain for this game, just not the regular ones. I suppose we should be grateful that someone with a voice has lost patience, but there's nothing here about tactics, motivation, mental resolve - things long identified as being missing from the side.

Roger Palmer?

This is a truly stupendous bit of sensationalist reporting This is what Scholes said: "I don't feel I am making as much of a contribution as I'd like. I wouldn't say I am playing some of my best football. "I always preferred when I was playing regularly and scoring a lot more. Now, it's different. I play once every two or three weeks. I can only hope to do well when I get the chance. I don't have a choice. "You do think about the future. I am not too sure. I'll just carry on and we'll see what happens come the end of the season." Pretty bland, honest but obvious stuff. Somehow it's been esacalated in the first line of the article to: 'PAUL SCHOLES is ready to leave Manchester United next summer.' - not what he said. The headline screams: 'Scholes on way out of United' - he probably will be eventually, but that's not what he said, and underneath the photo we're now at Defcon 5: 'QUIT THREAT...Paul Scholes' I didn't see any threat, or anything about quitting. Why let the facts get in the way of a good story eh?

We got in the ground 2 minutes before kick off, one of the staff near the ticket office said there were 'about 530' away fans.

OldhamScotland seems to post immediately the online edition is updated, around lunchtime, and is first to grace each story with his moronic views. I suspect there's a lot of F5-ing going on before each bitter post is squeezed sourly from his twisted keyboard. Every time I want to share this with him but realise he's just an attention seeker and is way beyond reasonable argument. He's not exactly going to change his mind about anything so it'd be a waste of time. He's the worst example of what Joe alluded to regarding extra pressure with every online know-all having a theory about how to manage.

Yarwood has gone from formulaic to off the wall. This week it was 7 paragraphs before he got to the footy. Maybe he's having a mid-life crisis.

I miss all the chippy fare mentioned above, but most of all, black peas.

Posh Spice is a slapper And no she won't confess But when she's shagging Beckham She's thinking of Mike Cec

Delia Smith's a slapper Her muff is large and hairy And when she's getting rogered She sings like a canary

Delia Smith's a lovely milf I wish that I could pork her But all the time I know That she'd be thinking of Mike Walker

She likes a spicy curry And when she's shagging Beckham She thinks of Andy Murray

She snacks on wild granola And when she's shagging Beckham She thinks of Calvin Zola

She breaks wind much too freely And when she's shagging Beckham She's thinking of Glenn Keeley

Spainboy you started this thread with 'Well done lads you were the better team today and you fully deserved the 2-0 win', so to later claim you outplayed us on the back of (amongst other nonsense) being caught offside four less times makes you sound like a bit of a spanner. As does claiming a title race isn't a race. As does claiming Forest started badly last season by only drawing away to Swansea and losing 1 game out of 3. But the game they lost was to Leeds You sound like a right Mr Confused to me

A few months ago I thought the chances of seeing any of this money in the near future were slim as City had a good manager who would be adding quality to his squad. Under those circumstances they could've broken into the top 6 and Richards might've been happy to stay for 2 or 3 more seasons. The perfect scenario now would be for Chelsea and/or Arsenal to get involved as well as Utd but Chelsea bought Boswinga and Wenger seems happy with his thin squad and to go with his own youngsters. I don't think we should grumble about a fee of only £19m. As has been said his value will only decrease with age and anything could happen in the future such as injury. We need the money now to keep this squad together and add to it so I for one am following the city circus with a happy heart and a greedy eye

City were relying on other results that day which didn't occur, but the Lawman wasn't to know that at the time.

That table makes for interesting reading - only 1 team averaging 2 points per game and 1 team less than 1 point per game. In the current Premier League table 3 sides have over 2 points per game and 5 less than 1. Money has split the division into 3 mini-leagues.

Variation of one above Lee Hughes, wherever you may be They don't like you in Coventry You've done your time and you'll do me fine Cos you're OAFC's number 9

To the tune of Volare: Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh He's Oldham's Congolese He plays with expertise or variations Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh He comes from overseas He's Oldham's Congolese another Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh He's Oldham's Congolese He scores his goals with ease or Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh Ka-la-la, whoa-oh-oh-oh He's Oldham's Congolese He puts us all at ease Take your pick or ignore at your leisure

I hope this isn't true, it means I'd have to watch the 'kin thing

This is the place in Waterloo: http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/30/308/ The bloke on jkl said the game would be on, so I phoned and checked. I told the guy (landlord I presume) the game won't run past 2.30 and he said that would be fine, the only problem would be if anyone missed the start of the FA cup final (which is impossible). He said he's happy to turn over at the last minute to the 'big' game, so it looks like a safe bet. There'll be a few of us there anyway if anyone wants to join.