Andy b

I really really encourage you to move away from the idea of this being a contingency fund. Where is the trust’s position on actively trying to secure fan ownership? With no clear plan and vision for how people’s hard earned money will be used to deliver the future for OAFC we all want, then we won’t raise much at all. I set out a lengthy plea for the trust to consider this via email about 3 months ago. Nil response.

You know my views on this as previously set out. Raising funds to secure a proper stake in our club should be the trust’s number one priority. It is a primary reason for being. That doesn’t come across in the trust’s communications. As an idea and objective it is lost amongst the crowd of other ideas and objectives. Less is more. I believe that until the trust clearly articulates this a priority and structures it’s activities and comms around this then it won’t get very far in raising funds. I am not about to put money into a ‘just in case’ fund- well not more than loose change. It doesn’t engage me, it doesn’t get me excited, it doesn’t incentivise me. I would put money into a proactive effort to secure a meaningful stake in the club which is tied to a clear vision for what we want the future club to look like. thanks

Not a big point but referring to PTB and the trust as ‘fans groups’ and not by name says it all. It conveys a sense of illegitimacy and alludes to these bodies being nothing more than a few moaning people. They can’t bring themselves to properly acknowledge these groups, their legitimacy and what they stand for. They are so much more than ‘fans groups.’ They are the essence and spirit of the football club. Shame on you OAFC Ltd 2004 or whatever your name is

This. total irrelevance and I wouldn’t spend another minute worrying about it.

But you have a vested interest in OAFC so if the experience was decent you would go. We are taking about pulling in casuals who have no connection to the club here. Not saying league 1 and 2 might be a pull for some such punters but many will look beyond that for their tonic. And I can see why.

Lots of reasons. The main one being that if you want a tonic to the premier league you don’t go to league 1 or 2 to get it. You go lower where there is a sense of community, where you pay a fiver to get in and where you can drink on the terraces. That is what I see happening. There is nothing which league 1 and 2 can offer which tiers 7 and below cannot for the fan frustrated with the prem. there is lots they can’t

Not sure that follows at all. You are suggesting off market sales attract a better price than open market sales. There is no basis to suggest that is the case.

Am fascinated to get Bowden’s perspective. He is a fan and has no need to be loyal to AL. They have no long term relationship (to my knowledge) and has no vested interest in AL keeping control of the club (I assume he isn’t paid but he may be) what does he see within the club? He may know it’s a shit show but perhaps feels that him being there keeps certain things ticking over and stops all our carnage (some how) and so is doing some good that we don’t see. Just a guess.

Not a cat in hells chance of a player with prospects leaving Chorley to come to Oldham. People need to realise where we presently sit in the food chain.

I don’t recognise the current incarnation of Oldham Athletic. The club is dormant and isnt currently participating in competitive football. It will be brought back to life at some point but what league it will start in when that happens we don’t know.

Someone has to be bottom of the league.

Apathy is the problem we have here

AL isn’t universally seen as a major problem. No fan in their right mind backs him but I don’t believe the level of animosity towards him is that the level needed. Yet.

I think you are right in one sense. But the wider point is that the former owners have been a significant player in our downfall and the one that is still involved needs to be held to account - he is still influential and his continued ownership of the ground is part of the horror story. This is preventing OAFC being run on a sustainable basis. granted he shouldn’t have to release his ownership for anything other than a fair price but it’s a key piece of jigsaw and some of the spotlight needs to be shon on him and his status in all this. OAFC does not have a future any better than our present until the stadium issue is resolved. That may not mean single ownership of both but, at worst, there needs to be an amicable business relationship between the club and brass bank where the former is able to make full and proper use of the latter’s asset for its own financial gain

It’s likely that the meetings have essentially been meaningless (bit like PTB’s meetings with Karl) with the right people not being present to make them of any use. Said meetings have most likely focused on peripheral issues which no one is really interested in. That’s the point.