smithybridgeblue

A nation of 330k people have qualified for Euros. From memory their group included Holland, C,zech Republic and Turkey. They are now competing with Ronaldo, Nani, Pepe etc in the finals. What they do have is identity, desire, shared goal, pride, ambition. 2-3 years ago they were very poor. In another two years they may be the same, but they are having fun now. Loans, squad turnover are no way forward for a lower league club. A special identity as the pinch me spell proves is

By this stage of the promotion season we had 9 different goalscorers. Top of the pile was Marsy with 6 (one more than Forte). We had 19 goals. Its about the attitude and set up on the team (topped off with ability). Men in the box and having a go means way more than meaningless possession.

We obviously don't have a 20 goal a season striker and with our budget are (Ebanks Blake aside) unlikely to get one. Even the great Joe Royle sides never really had one. The only way this team is going anywhere is if the midfield and defenders step up and all contribute a share. Todate Forte has 5 and the rest 4 between them. Get in the box and shoot..............

The club needs to take some responsibility for who it lets represent us. If we add a new player most weeks, we will inevitably get a proportion of idiots. A great team will always achieve more than a collection of talented individuals. Unfortunately after fifteen years of division 3, and almost 500 players, we are a absolutely no better than we were under Stitch and his home grown no hopers. If we build long term from a foundation of players who give a :censored:, we never give Montanos and Sodjes a chance to infect what we hold dear.

The dangers of things like this increase massively when you have the massive turnover of journeymen players passing through the club. It's a job to them and they have no loyalty or commitment to an institution that means so much to everybody who follows a club anywhere. Hopefully this situation will force clubs to take more care of who they let represent them. Our clubs name could be dragged through :censored: by somebody with no affiliation. If we have 40+ players a season, the chances of this increase out of control and so few of them are better than we already have

After the length of time on "The Board" that Barry has had, you cease to become The Voice of the fans and more a Spokesman to the Fans. Never been an Ultra myself, but was never quite comfortable that a retired Police Officer would be the best Fans' Representative. If the Trust Rep is to mean anything, they should change every couple of years. To be fair, I also think Corney communicates better with fans than Barry ever could.

I imagine that Croft has negotiated with Derby over the termination of his contract and only agreed on the basis he is fixed up elsewhere. Maybe the Liverpool game has prompted some interest or maybe we have been talking to them for a while over him coming permanently

With him managing it doesn't seem to make any difference. He could turn Messi into Carlo

Would happily swap him for Dickov- even if Feeney came the other way in return...

We have spent years looking for players to stand out. This week people have said Euan Holden being solid at left back isn't enough to get signed up. Meanwhile the solid Marc Tierney is in the Prem

Remember him getting more and more angry at being asked Wheres your handbag Julain!

Fortunately most scouts seem to leave around the 75th minute.

Going back a long way, I remember Alan Kinght having an unbelievable game against us when Portsmouth mugged us on year. More recently the Arsenal lad was stunning for Brentfors last year.

His own goal was the most embarassing passage of play I can remember in 30 years of going to the game. My firast thoughts were that the tits of Soccer AM would have a field day with it and make a laughing stock of us. Hope he finds some form and stays beside the seaside

Not sure how they deserved 2. I don't remember Brill making a save?

Today was a million miles better than we were against Notts County. We scored some decent goals but were no in the same League as how we played first half today. For a young inexperienced team we were outstanding.

The problems at the club relate to not getting enough paying customers through the door, rather than the amount that the loyal fan base contribute. There are only so many times that you can go to the well, particularly in the current economic climate. The sad reality is that the future of our club is (as it always has been) to recruit, develop and sell young talented players. With hindsight the non sales of Porter, Taylor and particularly Smalley,if it was true, are major dropped cods that have cost the club way more than Playershare could ever contribute. Lee and Furman, among others will move on and have good careers. Hopefully they will play their part in Oldham Athletic's continued survival. Promotion to the top division all those years ago, was immediately following the sales of Milligan and Irwin. I see no future in rattling buckets in front of fans to contribute to adding new players, that the club can't afford, to an already bloated squad.

Discounting his awesome loan spell, Beavers never played in his permanent spell Winston Dubose Levi Edwards Demar Phillips Heffernan first time Wijnhard second time Has Paul Scholes ever kicked a ball for us?

His first touch for the goal was excellent, as was Stevens' pass. Also liked his awareness to pick out McGrath on the edge of the box when he got to by line. Looked more of a goal threat than any of the young lads who played second half, and definitely worth another look. So far nobody has recognised him, but I assumed Peter Jones was a trialist name as he looked the part.

I am not that old, but saw both his career goals and most of his first team football. Don't believe everything older Latics fans tell you! Liverpool have probably had 20 heir apparents to Dalglish and a number of new Michale Owen's.

How bad was he? Made Parker look like Rooney.

A talented footballer who needs to toughen up to play in midfield, according to interview. Do full backs not need to be able to tackle? I hope we never play anybody in midfield who is an excellent passer and comfortable on the ball. Give me a half fit Jonny Worthington anyday.

Given the quality of DPs previous signings that guarantees us three points then!

Agree that it probably best to leave out Taylor, if you are already carrying players with injury records like Hill, Murray, Beckett, Pogs, Armstrong and Porter.