Midsblue

Taylor and Eardley sold so that owners can recoup their outlay prior to selling the club.

Main asset is then the land, which is now a slow burner to develop in the current economic climate.

Once Taylor and Eardley sold, the asking price for club can be dropped to entice a buyer who is either (A) intersted in well being of the club or ( can afford to hold fire until land prices increase or economic climate allows development of the surrounding land.

Regardless of what's been said in local press and on the official site, the owners are keen to sell the club.

Any Championship club would only take Hughsey on a pay as you play contract, taking his age and his groin troubles into account

Totally agree.

Similar to Fowler who decided to plump for a last crack in the Prem with Blackburn rather than a weeklt wage with Cardiff. Fowler does have the luxury of millions in the bank plus a very, very healthy income he gets renting out all his houses. He probably earns more from the houses than he does through football now.

Lee on the other hand will welcome security of a weekly wage rather than PAYP deal the next step up. With his record when fit some teams struggling could well gamble with a full contract but failing that I can't see him going elsewhere in our League unless it's one of the bigger boys who can afford to pay him more each week than us.

Would love him to get one or two more seasons at Championshop level and in our colours though.

Absolute tosh - I can confirm 100% that he is not talking to Wolves. I don't know the player but I know Wolves and have contacts there. Spoke at board level and they laughed at me when I dropped it into conversation. They are after a striker but aiming higher that League One.

I'm bemused with this latest statement because the next home game is after the closure of the transfer window.

Therefore if Corney sells a player before the next home game then obviously attendances are irrelevant and it's just an excuse to sell a player and balance the books.

Put a gun to the head of the fans and all he's going to do is alienate the diehard fans or those considering a return through the turnstiles.

Three games, three wins and a sense of optimism finally within the stands of Boundary Park......Corney goes and fecks this all up by flogging one of the crown jewels - a catalyst to the winning - and not only does this feck off the fans but Sheridan, the rest of the team etc etc.

The only way we're going to increase the crowd is to win promotion and host clubs with a larger fanbase because we're not going to add 2-3000 to the home sections until we're up and successful back amongst the bigger boys. Wake up and smell the coffee Corney as this is the only answer to your latest threat.

Before anyone suggest that I'm ungrateful - I like the other 4,500 regulars have spent our own hard-earned money in the hope of success. That's my "investment" when you scale it down and we're speculating to accumulate, which appears to be paying off so far this season!

He made reference in a recent interview of probably playing at a lower level just so he can continue playing football, which he loves................

.................however, he didn't state that Oldham was that club so there is a lot of assumption that he's coming to us

My feeling is that he may go to the likes of Sunderland if they get relegated because of Keane

.................however, you should never say never

Has anyone else got THAT feeling? You know the one I mean.

There's been times over the last few seasons when I thought that we could get promotion. Obviously under Dowie this was more likely but starting the first Play-Off game against Blackpool, I thought we could but I wasn't 100% convinced for some reason despite it only being three games away.

However, with the strength and depth in the squad this season I have the feeling that this season will be the one. Keeping fit and injury-free, especially with Hughes, Gregan, Taylor and Liddell, is crucial but I think we have the depth to accommodate any unforeseen circumstance. If we're in with a shout come January then I believe the owners will give Shez that extra boost too.

Taylor is probably worth a cool £1 million in todays market.

He's worth more than £1 million and probably our most saleable asset ahead of Eardley and Davies. Unsure if many caught the comments in the media following today's match reports but even Adrian Durham was crowing about Taylor on Talksport saying that he's in demand and his abilities are in high regard with some of the Prem teams.

If he continues to score goals - goals like the freekick and today's second goal - then we'll struggle to keep hold of him. He has some raw talent that if nurtured by some of the leading coaches then he can make it at the highest level in my opinion.

How long is his existing contract because we need to sign him up for longer so that we can cash in if the offers are too good to turn down. I wouldn't sell for less than £2 million in the current climate as this lad will get better. Hopefully his passion as an Oldham fan will convince him that his time will come and he can help "his" team to get promotion, show his ability at the next level and then see what happens in 2009/10 season.

Lazy journalism me thinks. Pick those relegated from Championship or from season before, then a big name i.e. Leeds, then Taggart's son because we can fill a few extra lines making reference to Taggart and assumed nepotism if strengthening need. Then they're struggling as journos very rarely discuss life below the Championship with exception of Kamara. Whoops, need another team to fill the spot but struggling......ermmmmm.......another team who were higher a few seasons ago, nice stadium, recognised manager in charge......mmmm......Huddersfield, yeah Huddersfield. Well, I spend a lot of time up there and they fans aren't that optimistic and they watch them week in and week out.

I'm happy to be placed as an underdog by most as it'll hopefully act as motivation for our team to do better i.e. pin these up on the wall in changing room and say that the press have written off without a ball kicked in anger.

Also, being dark horses presents better odds when you take a punt.

Lazy journalism me thinks. Pick those relegated from Championship or from season before, then a big name i.e. Leeds, then Taggart's son because we can fill a few extra lines making reference to Taggart and assumed nepotism if strengthening need. Then they're struggling as journos very rarely discuss life below the Championship with exception of Kamara. Whoops, need another team to fill the spot but struggling......ermmmmm.......another team who were higher a few seasons ago, nice stadium, recognised manager in charge......mmmm......Huddersfield, yeah Huddersfield. Well, I spend a lot of time up there and they fans aren't that optimistic and they watch them week in and week out.

I'm happy to be placed as an underdog by most as it'll hopefully act as motivation for our team to do better i.e. pin these up on the wall in changing room and say that the press have written off without a ball kicked in anger.

Also, being dark horses presents better odds when you take a punt.

Lazy journalism me thinks. Pick those relegated from Championship or from season before, then a big name i.e. Leeds, then Taggart's son because we can fill a few extra lines making reference to Taggart and assumed nepotism if strengthening need. Then they're struggling as journos very rarely discuss life below the Championship with exception of Kamara. Whoops, need another team to fill the spot but struggling......ermmmmm.......another team who were higher a few seasons ago, nice stadium, recognised manager in charge......mmmm......Huddersfield, yeah Huddersfield. Well, I spend a lot of time up there and they fans aren't that optimistic and they watch them week in and week out.

I'm happy to be placed as an underdog by most as it'll hopefully act as motivation for our team to do better i.e. pin these up on the wall in changing room and say that the press have written off without a ball kicked in anger.

Also, being dark horses presents better odds when you take a punt.

From memory, I attended Cardiff at Home (2002), Brighton at Home (2003), Luton Away (2004) then decided not to attend the Yeovil game at home (2005).

I then returned back in 2006 when I travelled to Tranmere but last season, I decided not to attend the home game against Swansea.

Can you see the trend? This is 100% true so I'm afraid I won't be attending against Milwall this Saturday despite wanting to!

My most favourite one has to be against Liverpool at Anfield. Couldn't get a ticket so stood in the Kop and I'm afraid I couldn't help myself from going off on one when The Pearl scored to put us 1-0 up. Despite the circumstances, the Liverpool fans were great and were quick to return the compliment when we end 2-1 down at the end.

Can't believe it's only 4 days until season starts again. This may have been posted elsewhere so apologies for Titanic moment but who would be in your starting eleven plus subs? A packet of spangles for the nearest to the pin answer come 3pm.........................

GK - Crossley

LB - Lomax

CB - Hazell

CB - Gregan

RB - Eardley

LW - Phillips

CM - Whittaker

CM - Maher

RW - Taylor

ST - Davies

ST - O'Grady

Subs - Fleming, Stam, Allott, Smalley, Alessandra

Who's your choice?

Tonight's rarely wrong Chron says it's the Club's biggest ever sponsorship deal.

That's great news.

One question though - they also say a slight change to the design of the home shirt.

Does this simply mean Carbrini replaces Hillstone cross the front or it's essentially a new home shirt i.e. Carbrini replacing Hillstone and Carlotti plus a new shirt design? Surely as Carlotti and Carbrini are owned by same company then the same shirt design can be used?!

If it's a change then those who own or recently bought the Carlotti shirt deserve a discount on the new home shirt, would they not? Some are less fortunate than others with kids who won't want the "old" shirt. Appreciate the circumstances but the club have been paid up by Hillstone.

£3 million for Eardley??!! Football has gone mad but if Ince is willing to pay then I have a meeting up there later this week and can pick up Neal on the way and even pay for the coffee during the contract discussions.

Can't see it myself and I reckon we'd rip their hand off for 66% less than that!

That'll keep the wolves from the door for the rest of this season, pay for Phillips, a new RB, a new LB and Scholes on loan for the last month of season when we go up!

This must have been in pipeline for ages after the rumblings of Hillstone and the pinch in the construction industry. How long has the new batch of away kit and merchandise been "on order" at the club shop?

The delay was to allow Hillstone to be replaced by Cabrini but what about Carbrini replacing Carlotti? Both brands are owned by JD Sports so perhaps Carlotti will remain for the home and third kits but Cabrini on the Away. Carbrini could then replace Carlotti for the new home and away kits in Season 2009/10.

It'll be unfair if the home kit is totally rebranded with manufacturer and sponsor because kids will want the new one and being a parent, I've already forked out for kits for my little one so that she's a beacon shining out from the likes of Villa, Blues, Wolves, Coventry, Derby....and on...and on......

Hopefully a further announcement from Alan will dispel any concerns?!

The key reason for our failure last season was injuries and a smaller squad. We've now addressed this by growing the squad with experience as well as ability so arguably this is a huge positive going into the new season. Add to this our new physio who appears to have identified the root problems to our injuries then that's an added bonus.

Shez have confirmed that we have two people for every position (with exception of LB and LW I would suggest) who are more than capable to perform at our level so surely there must be a degree of confidence going into the new season?!

The catalyst to how we perform is motivating the team and delivering consistency - this can only come from the Manager and Coaches. So may times last season we struggled but didn't have the squad to replace key people for the next game so had to persevere hoping that they come good. This should change next season so we can react quickly rather than rely on underperformers.

Still nothing is guaranteed but I'm far more optimistic this season than I have been for the last three or four. Granted that other teams have strengthened and paid hefty fees but paying a fee doesn't guarantee that the player will be brilliant. I still think we can more than compete against these teams and return from the likes of Walker Stadium, Elland Road etc with points in the bag.

That's how I view this next season - I don't mean the owners jumping ship but Sheridan at the helm.

Next season has got to be the first season since the QPR Play-Off defeat that we have the strongest chance to go up.

I personally think that we exploited the transfer market brilliantly by bringing in established quality or emerging quality without breaking the bank. From what I understand we haven't been held to ransom and have actually signed players on our terms as opposed to stretching ourselves to satsify the demands of players or their agents. Where we've paid a fee, you can safely see this as an investment - O'Grady this season, Davies last.

Our squad is the healthiest too in respect of versatility, experience, pace, flair and creativity.

This league will be wide open egarding promotion and Play-Off probabilities. Even the likes of Leicester and Leeds aren't guaranteed because they've shown weaknesses last season and I personally feel that the 22 players that form the nucleus of the playing squad are more than a match for the more favoured.

With all this in mind the pressure has been cranked up to maximum for Sheridan and rightfully so. I did question whether Sheridan was able to be a successful manager for us after last season but I've begun to changed my mind over him. The acquisitions he's made this summer have been promising and I can see us being creative in the midfield, pace on the flanks and strength and speed around the box. I'm seriously excited for this season and I'm confident that Sheridan can break the hoodoo of us remaining is this league for eternity.

So, my thoughts are Promotion as opposed to Bust. What do you guys and gals think?

With Maher signing, do you think he'll come straight into the starting eleven? I'm still deliberating on our strongest line-up ........

GK - Crossley

LB - New Signing (or Lomax if unsigned)

CB - Hazell

CB - Gregan

RB - Eardley

LW - Phillips

CM - Whittaker

CM - Maher

RW - Taylor

CF - Davies

CF - Hughes

However, Stam or Lee who could come in a LB (Stam pushing Hazell in central defence maybe?) and I'm unsure whether Allott or Stephens to come into the CM slot instead of Maher. There's also O'Grady pushing Davies or Hughes for starting slot up front and will be a great sub.

Just goes to show the strength and depth when two of the above and also Thompson, Alessandra, Black, Smalley or Kalala may not even make the bench.

What's your choice asn to who will start against Milwall? It's a great dilemma to have now, especially when we were struggling last season.

that's who i thought it looked like, where's he now? toronto?

Ever present for Toronto and they're storming up the league as well as beating Beckham's Galaxy recently. I seriously doubt he would come here unless his wage isn't the greatest over there. Plus he's more a central midfielder as opposed to wide player nowadays as Toronto have Laurent Robert and Rohan Ricketts on either flank. They have Daniel Dichio up front too.

My money is on Livermore joining us...unsure why it's taking so long but I reckon we'll sign him.

SORRY, JUST READ A SIMILAR POST BELOW

DUPLICATION...NOTHING TO SEE HERE.....MOVE ON........

my guess is no one - or some voices inside someones head. i heard off a friend of a friend etc he gets paid in gold too:)

Straight from the horse's mouth...to quote..."I couldn't turn it down because it's three times what I was offered at Oldham", which is three times £3k plus bonuses. Haven't spoke to him in weeks as I've been busy but all I can say that he he honestly loved the club, was definitely going to sign but the ££££s swayed his decision. Right or wrong decision, who knows but if I was presented with that in my career then I'd seriously consider it despite my loyalties.

All he has done is state the facts.

 

Are crowds down? - Yes!

Do we have a town full arm chair reds? - Yes!

Can any business keep being unsubstainable? - No!

 

Football is a money game now, and we need to face facts. It makes me laugh when people who probably live their lives week to week on minimum wage come out with statements like.

 

" You have to speculate to accumulate " - WTF!

 

I for one would like to thank TTA for everything, like for giving us a stable football club.

 

What do people want!!!!

Agree to a point Eddie. However, from little acorns...............

When we were in the Prem, it was just a rebranded Division One. We were relegated before the pots of cash arrived.

We need to restart by improving the product on the pitch irrespective of what budget we have. If we cut budget to sustain the future then so be it. The emphasis is on the manager to maximise the homegrown players and motivate the team and squad to deliver on the pitch regardless of how much we pay them. Scouting is key so that we unearth cheap quality, which enables us to retain an economical budget but succeed on the pitch.

Success on the pitch WILL attract new and old fans alike. The key though is promotion. Next level up and there is more awareness in the national press, on TV and in advertising. Awareness will breed interest and we'll attract new fans.

We don't have to throw money at the problem as this will increase our debts. Equally cutting attendance pricing will NOT increase attendances permanently but will increase our debts too. A sustainable playing budget, a strong and successful team ethic motivated by a successful manager and then a strategy to retain those who do return is key.

If you want bigger crowds the first port of call is the managers office, you have to get it right on the pitch to attract your neutrals and this is the only way your hardcore number of fans will increase in the future.

Agree 100%. To suggest that fans are making easy excuses and then staying away is simply alienating those who could be swayed in the future to return once the product on the pitch improves.

Whilst flogging their network or mobile phones, is their sales strategy also to suggest that people are making easy excuses not to buy? To win them over they have to sell a handset that has more flash features than the competition so that they are desperate to buy despite the price.

I still don't understand the argument that attendances are affected because we have the big boys on our doorstep. At our level, matchday tickets are £20+ less than the Prem and £10+ less than the Championship. You're already pricing yourself under that section of the market. Our competition are those other League One teams in the area, which charge the same ticket price. The only way to attract the fans is to differentiate yourself from the rest and that's to promote attractive, passing football that is equally successful by bagging goals. You'll entice fans back who used to come to the ground but you'll also win over new followers simply because the product is better BUT cheaper than those teams in the leagues above. IF our product is that good then those who cannot afford to take their kids to a Prem or Championship game will be influenced to take their kids to Oldham because they are entertained. Once in, the club should then aim to retain those kids as the next generation of fans - maintain the quality, subsidise merchandising i.e. football shirts so that kids opt to wear Oldham than your Man Utds, Man Citys or even Chelseas.

Cutting attendances prices simply devalues your product and has one result - you lose money! You may attract a few extra but they are driven by price. If you don't improve the product and have to increase prices to sustain income then you lose them again. It doesn't work in any business unless you can afford to cut admission prices permanently BUT maintain product quality.

The simple answer (as I said last night) is look at the manager not the fans Mr Corney. Motivate the players to succeed on the pitch and maximise the homegrown quality, which have lower overheads than expensive imports. If importing players in the only solution then the pressure is on the manager to guarantee results so that fans are attracted to reimburse that investment.

I'm echoing what a number on here have said, which kind of suggests that even the hardcore "I'll still buy my ST no matter what" fan realises what the answer to boosting attendances is............

IMPROVE THE PRODUCT ON THE PITCH! No gimmicks, no cut price deals but success breeds awareness breeds interest!

It's scarey that we've got the biggest budget compared to attendance and still underachieved on the pitch. OK, we had injuries but so did every other club in this league.

Sheridan shut up shop with six games to go. So whilst we could have reached the Play-Offs, he signalled his intent to write this season off and concentrate on next season. What impression does that give out to incentivise fans to buy STs? The fans last season voted with their feet because of the quality served up added to the inability of the manager to get consistency from a team that could and should have at least ended the season in the Play-Offs.

Sheridan has retained the majority of the squad and can still field a team for next season that should achieve promotion. Adding to this squad is a bonus so there is no excuses.

The owners needs to realise that a budget exceeding our income isn't the answer but we need to cut our cloth accordingly. It's the manager's job to mould what resources he has and succeed. I'm sure that Ritchie in the Lees era would have bitten off both arms to have the funds that Sheridan has used over the last two seasons!!!!!

Only when we get promotion and the profile of the club increases then attendances will increase. Not only with Oldham fans return but away attendances will increase too along with off-field sponsorship and merchandising revenue.

DON'T BLAME THE FANS BUT BLAME THE MANAGER AND PLAYERS MR CORNEY! They trusted the club over the last number of seasons but the club has failed to deliver. You can't expect people to shell out hard-earned money unless entertainment and success is large probability let alone guaranteed.

but two will have outstanding injuries and require 3 months out after pulling up in training the following morning.

Unfortunately of the three that we sign at 2359hrs on August 31st, it was announced less than 30 seconds later that contracts hadn't actually been signed. All three asked to pop to the loo before inking the document.

Hardy was left with his custard creams for a further 15 seconds before realising that the toilet was in the opposite direction to where the players had left.

A further five seconds later, two of these "signings" appeared on the Doncaster website and the third on the Tranmere site.