Midsblue

August 27th 1988 v Barnsley. Drew 1-1. Didn’t attend but that’s officially my first game ‘supporting’ Oldham. A number of us had to choose a team who would finish the highest in League 2 that season - I lost - but it led me to follow the games that season. I loosely followed Derby County before that but I was hooked on Oldham Athletic after that 1988 season. 30 years on and a lad with no affiliation with Oldham has spent tens of thousands following us home and away plus added 3 to our fan base through my wife and daughters. Today I’ll shortly be driving the 260 round journey up to BP. It’s my daughter’s fifth season supporting us and she’s as exciting as I am.

All these predictions about us suffering double relegation needs playing to the players. Siege mentality from the off; We’re League 1 standard let alone League 2, we went down on the final game last season and we have players who should be playing at a much higher level. Get Byrne’s head in the game and he’ll be in the team of the year come next May. FB will no doubt be turning this into a massive incentive to prove everyone wrong.

Too many in the queue now to sign Doyle so no chance he’ll come back here. Lots happened since before Christmas so would he want to come back? I doubt it.

I think it’ll be - Iverson Taylor Clarke Edmondson Hunt Nepomuceno Missilou Gardner Coke Branger Benteke 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 but then again I reckon FB might favour 2 up top so 4-4-2 as per - Iverson Taylor Clarke Edmondson Hunt Nepomuceno Missilou Gardner Branger Benteke Miller / new striker

Oh, what would I do to have a midfield of Holden, Milligan, Henry and Adams now.... Stitch and Bunn or Palmer up front goes without saying. Those three seasons between 1989 to 1993 rewarding us with the likes of Redfearn, Marshall, Bernard, Palmer, Jobson, Halle to name just a few! In fact, sod it, I love listing the following eleven .... Rhodes, Barlow, Warhurst, Barrett, Irwin, Adams, Henry, Milligan, Holden, Stitch & Bunn. April 29th 1990 - No wonder Bunn and Rhodes have an affinity with this club. Hopefully they can sell it to AL to bring the good times back... AL needs to watch a video of May 11th 1991& Sheffield Wednesday plus August 17th 1991. Still remember that trip up to Anfield; two trains, one bus and a walk across Stanley Park. Still have the programme with Mark Walters and Souness on the front. Games you’ll never forget but unfortunately not witnessed by many generations since and by the majority who post on here. We were the lucky ones and hopefully, one day, others can witness similar too.

I agree. As said not defending him as I wouldn’t be as vocal publicly but would have discussed internally. That said, we really don’t know what’s gone on behind closed doors.

Plonk AL in front of a video of our promotion winning season under Joe. Show him the passion and potential of delivering a product on the pitch. It is nostalgia granted but it’s not impossible to repeat it. Peterborough have achieved it, others too i.e. scouting, securing and reselling talent enabling further investment. If he’s got the funds and not having to concentrate on funding the upkeep of BP then it could be achieved. Even being bolshy back to Blitz if we fill the ground through success on the pitch.

Dont we all if we have families, commitments etc? I'm not defending his conduct but just keeping an open mind. If he’s gone and we’ve not had to settle his wages then I’m not really fussed. Byrne on the other hand is someone we need to keep

Alan Nixon (The Sun). Aberdeen wanted Doyle but he’s due to become a dad again so doesn’t want to move to Scotland. Nixon said Bradford are now in driving seat to sign him.

Is Gerrard genuinely a bad influence in the changing room? He’s been vocal on social media but that’s a result of what’s gone on within the club - late and unpaid wages, players being criticised in front of fellow players, special treatment for other players. As I said in another post, some people are silent protestors but others aren’t. You can’t stop them I’m afraid as it’s their character and their faults. Gerrard is only saying what a lot of fans have previously said in past seasons. It shows he cares. Its fair to say he played through injury last season. He tried to lead when others disappeared on the pitch. He’s never been blessed with pace and he’s not getting younger but has he been that much of a liability? If he can still do a job, which FB alluded to yesterday that he could, then he needs to be managed effectively. In a work environment some react bad to change plus uncertainty and rely on communication and involvement. Gerrard is one of those. You need to use his character of being vocal and opinionated correctly and positively. If if he can’t do a job then he’ll fester. Best for both parties to move on.

Have to admit, this is the most pessimistic I’ve felt going into a new season despite it being the league below. Granted you need to get rid of the bad apples in Gerrard and Byrne. However if there’s no takers for either, can we afford to have then sitting in the youths? Byrne will rip up this league so it’s time for him, FB and AL to clear their differences for the sake of this club. Gerrard cared and played through injury last season. He’s emotive, opinionated and vocal but if most of what happened last season is true then you can’t blame him for taking a stand. Some our silent protesters, others aren’t. It’s how you manage people and it works both ways - employees and hierarchy. Going onto the rest of the team - we’ve had to trim the wage bill but offloading most in summer then Holloway and Davies, surely we now have funds to strengthen? If not then serious questions need asking about AL’s worth and where thus substantial investment has disappeared to. You don’t get rid of Holloway and Davies without replacing with a similar or better calibre, which is what has happened to us now.. scrabbling around to find a striker let alone one or two extra. Under SC we were always operating under an uncompetitive playing budget. When AL arrived he doubled this to a more competitive budget but this season surely we must be back down or lower than we were before he arrived. I thought this bloke was taking us forward? Ok he’s admitted he’s not a billionaire but what is he? Was this £3m the full extent of his wealth? A gamble made that has backfired and relegation wasn’t expected. He’s balancing the books due to unaccounted debts, which I still question the thoroughness of his due dilligence. Well Doyle is off the Bradford it seems so hopefully Big Joe being there yesterday and soon to take DoF at Wigan enables us to secure a loan or two from Wigan. I’m hoping too the FB can magic a loan striker or two from his connections or AL from his extensive scouting and agency work. Missilou and Branger-Egon appear to be very promising finds - we need AL to repeat this up front now. Going to be a big week this coming week and then up to the close of the window. The media have us down as relegation fodder, our odds have dropped from 22/1 to 11/1 (or even 8/1) for relegation too. Hopefully AL makes a statement of intent ahead of Saturday via further signings and then an actual statement reiterating his ambitions. I think we need it after the soap opera played out over this summer.

So, in the next six days what do you forecast? Miller & OGrady signing? Doyle signing? Completely different striker / strikers signing? The 5 players FB is looking for signing?

So, is Doyle returning on loan or permanently? Just asking for someone (the wife) With Benteke not taking #9 or #10 then hopefully this means two strikers coming in next week (or even ahead of PNE game). Uncertain who this Fulham loanee is because Elstone is a free agent. As we’ve signed Benteke then hopefully it means COG won’t be filling one of those slots.

Ta... Is is general sale attend in person or order over the phone?

What’s their capacity and average home attendance? 700 tickets is madness as I’m certain we’d sell in excess of 1000. I wanted 2 tickets but due to location and work commitments it’s not viable for me to buy STs. Hopefully we can secure more tickets or allow us to pay on the gate. Don’t fancy taking daughter into the home end.

This is where the Trust hopefully comes in and evidences whatever he states confirming that it’s genuine. Surely in the age of clarity for fans, the EFLs FFP should be visible for us to understand how he passed the test and on what measures i.e. sufficient funds to clear or manage debt but also demonstrate funds for running the club securely for X period (ideally beyond two seasons)

I think it’s time that AL made an announcement about the financial future of our club and his plans to clear the debts and fund the team. Not interested as to how wealthy he is but simply does he have the funds to clear existing debts plus fund us with a realistic yet competitive budget for the next two to three seasons. There was talk of substantial investment forthcoming so where is it? AL could be clearing as we speak and supporting FB with new signings but as were only hearing bad news at moment, it’s time to reassure the fan base. At least Corney came forward with an interview or two when the shit was hitting the fan.

I hope so and hopefully signed and sorted within next fortnight before I fly away. Hate to spoil my holidays permanently checking twitter and here for signings.

Frankie didn’t look too unhappy with his arm around him when the player was announced earlier today. Maybe AL is sourcing these players and allowing FB to have final say? Missilou had a promising game this week and probably did enough to get signed. We’d be fools if AL didn’t exploit the players market he’s most familiar with. I say it again - what does he achieve signing & fielding players that would weaken the team? See where in the league we are come Christmas and whether these two have played much and if so, how good or bad they’ve played. I’ve got a feeling that one or both might have a few fans admitting they’re wrong

I think Clarke will be more a Player/Coach next season to coach Edmundson, Hamer, Stott whilst shoring our defence throughout the season. He’s a leader no question and having him at the back in games, leading the kids and his heading from set pieces will be valuable. Is Gerrard leaving by the way?

No disrespect intended but both of those posts are the negative, close-minded views and opinions we need to park unless proven with irrefutable evidence. On the first post, are you an expert on the French lower leagues? Can you evidence it’s not intense? Players can adapt and if a player has quality then the club need to introduce him, mentor him etc to acclimatise On second post, I accept that first assumption is AL flooding our team with his ‘clients’ to sell them on. However if he was just the agent then I understand this but as owner his priority is the team to succeed. Why flood a team with inferior players, we struggle and he loses more than a few quid selling on a player. Perhaps, and go with me on this one, he thinks this player can add to our team, be a creative spark from midfield and create chances for our strikers?!

In my opinion AL has the best interests of our club and obviously wants us to succeed as owner. He’s retaining or involving Oldham ‘fans’ in the process; Trust, Brooke as CD, Owen in advisory position...even FB & AR as Manager & Assistant Manager. Might not all be his decisions but appears to have tapped into what this club means rather than trying to make it a money maker. With those fans in and around AL now, would they all remain quiet to retain their positions, salaries etc if AL was driving the club into the ground? I very much doubt it after the issues with Corney.... that’s what I mean. All irrelevant really as I think AL has his own wealth or networked investment from elsewhere to improve matters and AL wants us to succeed.

Perhaps sometimes a manager, no matter how experienced, trusts the judgement of his club’s owner who happened to be a successful agent spotting talent in the French/African market? Im also confident FB will be bringing in his own players. He doesn’t fetch me as the same Wellens who was cutting his teeth and took his first manager role via internal promotion. FB was out of work but would he blot his CV jumping straight into OAFC without getting assurances of signing his own players? Equally would Rhodes jump from a well-paid, secure job at SWFC without assurances of the club matching his ambitions and allowing to coach? Granted both love this club but I cannot believe either would risk it here on little money unless the owner demonstrated ambition. There’s too many Oldham fans around AL now who would remain quiet in return for a few quid. Perhaps the delays are genuine and linked to banking issues and legacy undisclosed debts?! Lets see the squad come August and our first game in L2

What level was Solihull Moor when we acquired Matt Smith? Chesham was a much lower standard when we spotted Fitz Hall. Same with Wayne Andrews. Cannot believe people are writing this lad without seeing him play and because we haven’t snatched him from PSG fringe squad.

Let’s see the lad play before writing him off, eh? Also let’s see who else we sign come August 4th, eh? just sayin’