boundaryblue80

Failing to invest and showing complete disregard for our future are two different things IMO. David Brierley and co couldn't invest much into us once they took over, but they had hoped to keep us going without ever asking for a penny back and that they would end up passing the club onto to someone (M****) who would lay out a successful plan for our future. JWLees never had a plan....they just got lucky, it really is as simple as that, that Royle (for want of a phrase) turned water into wine. Royle had very little investment from JWL and when he went cap in hand for it, to keep us up (whether it would've worked or not) he was told no. Complete negligence. And as mentioned, yes, we doing operate under the poverty line in football terms, hence my points about concentrating on other revenue streams, ground improvements etc. TTA have seen this is the only way forward and Brierley wanted this through Sports Park 2000 etc. But JWLees....nah....they never had a plan, as they were never interested in our future. Just to milk it where they could, when there was actually money in us from parachute payments and sold players etc. Instead...off with the bags of money they went.

Well, two things to say to the above..... 1) Good on you....sounds like you made the most of it and 2) Lucky b******! When your first game at BP was in the 1994/95 season (saw a handful of games in years before them, but not at BP) and you've been a home and awayer since 1997....you look back at what you've missed with a tinge of sadness and feel you were born just a little too late in life. Also, you look at why our once-great club has got to where it has and feel a lot of anger towards the culprits who IMO have been extremely negligent in our slide. Which is why for me, TTA are so important and could be the owners to return us to something near them days. One hopes....they've got all the hope and ambition for it....just wish the pieces would fall into place for them and us! One day maybe!

Lol, nah, not Wigan...club with no history and built on dodgy foundations by a man who claims to always have loved Wigan but went to buy the Red Scummers first, but failed. Suppose you could say that about TTA and them trying to buy Hull but at least they've never claimed to always have loved Oldham...just that they do now...thank god! As for Fulham as a comparison, they're in the shadows or Chelski and many other north London clubs. I'd suggest there's a lot of similarities in the number of supporters Fulham could attract, to us. I'd imagine for every 1 Cottager (ooooerrr!) there's 10 Chelski there! Regarding JWL's and "any evidence that JWL took the profits?" I'd say 2 relegations in a handful of years is. But fans with older memories than mine will tell of key players being sold from the club. And Sharp literally was given peanuts. Infact, I'm sure it was written in his book what Stott was dictating to him, what JWLees had laid down. There was a piece in the Chron recently about Sharps book documenting this. Also, I know that STR had what little financial info there was out there to be got. At that time, it was very grim....being 17yrs old at the time, I came along at the back end of what STR were doing. So didn't see such info, just got the gist of the picture but it's pretty well known they were on the take. As I say, the evidence speaks for itself by where we are now. And Royle often talks about how he went cap in hand in the final months of our top flight stay, but got refused the money that could've changed our whole future. There's a long list of negligence I'm afraid.

I get what you're saying on some of that. As I say, rather than blaming Stott, he was simply a jellyfish yes-man. One of a string of them, nodding and agreeing with anything JWLees wanted to do. Agree about the apathetic support from the town. However, TTA have pretty much resigned themselves to that now and so the plan they came with originally is our only chance of survival. If we don't get the new stadium, we'll be a goner! And thus, this plan TTA have, JWLees could've implemented if they were serious and cared about the clubs future and wanted this club to continue being a success (and at the same time, lining their pockets.) They run a brewery, they're expanding it all the time. Why not the club? Coz when we got to the top they didn't want to put any money in, to make more money. Just take, take, take. There's no reason to think why our small club couldn't be a Fulham or a W***y Wanderers. They've only ever had small support, ok, it's grown now they're in the Premiership but they've both built up their grounds and Bolton especially, have done it through the extra revenue streams they've gained rather than splashing millions. Had we planned for this when the Premiership came about, who knows where we'd be now....but JWLees never intended that. They're the main reason.....back in the 70's there were letters about apathetic Oldhamers not following their club. It wasn't new news to JWL. Oh well.

Stott didn't own the club though...JWLees did! Stott was the puppet on a string who was managing his own escape through getting himself on the FA board.

Erm...no, fans get the board sacked...just if Warnock was truly wanting to stay with us and sort it out, he would've been alongside us and telling us how a) he wanted a new contract, b.) the board either had to go or support him as he's going nowhere unless shoved.... By the time the supposed "shoving" happened, it was too late....he was gone and nothing could be changed. It might not have done much, but he had a chance to try. Simply put, he didn't want to....he was a spineless coward that looked at the STR protest and turned his back on it. He never intended staying!

Can I point a few things out here.... First of all, JWLees didn't sell the club to Chris M****....they sold it to David Brierley and friends for (I think) either a penny or a pound. Second of all, from the mouths of workers at JWLees, the only care they took at times was asking the workers on a Monday morning how we'd done at the weekend. Finally, as said, all the money from top flight status, cup runs, parachute payments etc. all pocketed by JWLees, nothing fed back into the club. How people are so blind to defend them, is beyond me....IN MY OPINION, they've raped and pillaged our football club and left it for dead. They're no different to Chris M**** in any way at all....everyone knows Royle did what he did on absolutely nothing....no thanks to JWLees at all so let's not be blinded with your list of what we acheived....it certainly wasn't thanks to JWL!!!

Even you call him Colin...as in...Colin W***er....why? Of course he was a yes man...he had ample opportunity to join Stop The Rot or even from his position, to turn fans heavily against the board. No fans, no club.....it would've forced the club into either keeping him and backing him, or selling the club and leaving. To be honest, we've only got his word that he wanted a contract and thought he was going to get one. I never once believe he wanted to stay. As for comparing Moore and Warnock, I'd love to see Warnock try and do for a club what Moore did at Rotherham with the resources he had there. Makes me laugh when people claim Moore played so much "boring" football....blinded by bu****** that it was all long ball and when it was, players last season even admitted it wasn't under Moore's instructions, it was coz we had players "not good enough" (that's a quote from Wellens) clearly indicating Branston and his hoofs coz he was dire....could name numerous games where we destroyed teams and not a hoof in sight...Bradford away for one.... Plenty of false memories engrained forever in the haters! Oh and if winning is boring, then something is wrong with you!

I was saying that to a Red Scummer last night as I was winding him up about Coventry beating them (cue "we don't care about that cup"....funny, they did the other year when Chelski won everything bar that, which they won!). Was saying how I'd love to play them again at Old Stretford.....coz we'd accept it'd highly likely we'd lose, so just be nice to take a few thousand and totally outsing them. Silly armchair idiots couldn't get their heads around it!

No offence, but there were too many silent people who thought that about Ronnie!!! Which allowed the witchhunt to take place. Only a handful of those who thought what you do there, took on the "mob"...and despite what they thought, it wasn't fun! Apart from the Chris M**** ending, that as a Latics fan was probably one of my lowest times supporting this club.....when you say that and it isn't because you want a manager sacked, a Chairman lynched or a board sent packing, it really makes you feel very very frustrated. Ronnie wasn't the best, wasn't the worst. A bit like many managers.....maybe Shez included, however where Ronnie has history of success, Shez has time and youth as a fledgling manager. Regarding Warnock, the real annoyance in "Colin" was his apathy towards the movements being made by the Stop the Rot campaign. I'll never forget the Red Card protest in the Chaddy End, where at 5.20pm he came down the steps from the tunnel, looked over at us and walked off. No recognition for a cause being fought which he fully agreed with from his comments at the time. This was April time, where he probably suspected all wasn't right in the club. He could've gone down fighting with the rest of us against the board who were strangling the club. I agree that he can't be blamed for taking us down. But for me, arguably Sharp can't be either....JWLees singlehandedly have put us where we are. Warnock became a spineless yes-man in my opinion and that's why I think he's a prat. Plus, his contradictory nonsense he spouts week in, week out....like last season, regarding weak teams being played. He blasted the Middlesborough vs Man S.h.i.t.ty game as it apparently hindered their chance of staying up, yet he played a weak team at the Red Scum's because of a vital 6-pointer the following Saturday.....so he didn't give a toss about Chelski's title chances. Far many more reasons to dislike him, than like him unfortunately.

Here, here! I bet he'll be very proud (and thankful) when he's older to boast that his first game was a 2-1 win against scummy Leeds!!!

Very strange that you moved....yes, what you mentioned regarding the complaints did happen but last season as it went on, the moaners got ignored/drowned out in the end, the stewards relaxed and didn't challenge people to sit down and the atmosphere was great for a large part of the season. Some games, I hardly sat on my seat once for standing and singing....so why you've moved this season, I can't understand. I know a few have TBH and can't quite understand it when we had the nosiest Chaddy End since the Dowie days. Oh well....

Lol >>>>sits back and waits for Diego to enter the debate<<<<

Ah, fair enough....not my thing Star Wars etc.

And the excuse before the drum was? As for someone with a microphone, if they can't tolerate a drum, who the F is going to tolerate someone shouting at them? Finally....what the heck is that meant to be on the Padock Army banner? Looks like someone just leaving an air-raid shelter back in 1943!

Way I look at it, the only way to pull in the drifters (no, not the group!) is to promote such games as the Leeds, the Forests and any other tie that might be remotely of interest. Ok, we know they won't turn up for the Gillingham, Southend or Brighton games etc....but any that might appeal should possibly be pushed. We have to sell the opposition unfortunately....that's all Wigan have done since they've been in the Prem....few go to see Wigan, ok, they give their "token, hangers-on" support when they're there, but only coz of who they're playing. Maybe that's what we need to try and tap into when we play the likes of Leeds etc.

Nah, to be fair, I think there may have been consideration taken to possible trouble...hence putting it on a Tuesday. Us and Uddersfield are the two local games (Doncaster maybe, but they've no history with Leeds really) where there's potential for trouble. Which interestingly, Soccerbase has the Udds v Leeds game down for a Monday night! http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=519962 As for Chelski playing us the other year, there hasn't been the rivarly like we've had in the past with Leeds. Different prospect IMO. And regarding the League Cup Diego, that was always going to be midweek....not really a choice of having it then, more dates set out for that cup. Personally, I don't see why the club don't push the game in other papers. Man S.h.i.t.t.y do it in the local rags in Oldham. We might have some whose team are away and they might just fancy seeing us take on Leeds. Worth a try for one game....see what it heralds. Accrington try to get other local sides to attend, when others are away. And we used to have followers who supported one team one week and us another. Worth a thought, I reckon.

I presume they'll be a heavy police prescence inside the ground. So they might have some balls to tell Leeds to behave....maybe not tho

Ah...yep...good point, think you're right now, reading it again....lol....I had all these scenes conjured in my mind when I read it at first!

Lol....you honestly want the small section of Latics fans queueing up behind the RRE to get in, with Leeds swarming all over the show there. Brave man!

I still maintain that not having a board up promoting the club costs us. So easy to stick one at the top of Sheepfoot Lane....possibly asking the owner of the newsagents if we can place something up on his wall facing the hospital. For a minimal fee of course. Stick it up promoting the next game and it'll get in the passer-by's mind. Oh well....easy thinking but little doing.

That will never happen!

Lol..it's a good piece of comedy writting, that interview is.... Branston: "I can pass the ball if time allows" Is that like the time it'll take until the sun blows itself out, Guy? I remember him saying in a programme (which the club were prats to allow to go out) that "I put my face in where it hurts, so Will can look good"......seems he's keeping up that line with "yeah, I do put my body in where it hurts and a lot of centre halves have gone away from that lately"....really Guy....do us a favour and make it a bus or something next Guy Branston....utter tool!

Not got time to reply in full as off out, but Dowie didn't want to be anywhere near SJ and was desperate to get out because of it. That and many other reasons. And the £1m owed was what was in his contract for getting us to the playoffs...the same one that TTA were to be honouring supposedly once they took over. They didn't. The rest is history. As you say, we've done this one to death privately. Just thought I'd put a bit of balance to it in publicly.

Why sell him to Southampton? Coz Hall flatly refused to go where the higher fee was, Cardiff. Also, nobody has mentioned the Season Ticket scam M**re ran....again, pocketing the money and leaving the club penniless over the summer as he cut off the bloodline. And incidentally, when Dowie accused Jarvis and Joy this was over the Chris Armstrong transfer (old discussion between you and I, IC but still...) which J & J orchestrated, while at the same time Jarvis was penning himself a 3-yr contract (when apparently no contracts were) being handed out. Armstrongs sale all happening while Dowie stood waiting for him on the training pitch, 5 days before Chris Hall's sale. I presume at that point, Dowie thought "f'em!" And I can't blame him for one second...esp if I thought the club was going bust owing me a million quid in bonuses.