oafcprozac Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 (edited) I first began watching football in 1986, the year of the Challenger disaster, Andy and Fergie's wedding and the year we went down under to win the Ashes. It was also the year I watched my first full game, Liverpool v Everton - The FA Cup Final, later that year I marvelled at Maradona's skills (and fist) single handedly (touche) winning the Argies the world cup in Mexico. Gary Lineker was my new hero, along with Neville Southall and Peter Shilton (with me being a goalie). In November of that year after a great deal of whigeing and mithering I convinced my owd fella to take me to my first live game, Latics v Palace, we won 1-0 and from then on I was hooked. Over the years I have seen pretty much everything, Promotion, Relegation (twice), A cup final, Semi-Finals, Giant Killings (for and against), managers come and go, in short the sublime, the good, the bad, the ridiculous and downright crap! In 1992 Sky's revolution dawned and for me it is clear to see that this bloodless coup has seen the slow death of the game I love. On the plus side we have shiny new grounds and some of the best foreign players in the world gracing our shores. The football League is more competitive than ever, yet many of the players have forgotten just what a great and noble game football is. Nowadays the players want everything at once and are only in the game for fame and money. Very few, play for the grassroots love of the game. This psyche is even dripfeeding its way down into kids football. Everything the so called 'superstars' do is copied by youngsters including abusing referees, questioning every decison and a lack of respect for their opponents. More worryingly is the big time attitude of if i'm not good enough for United, Chelsea etc.. i'm quitting and believe me this happens on a massive scale. Park football is dying a slow lingering death in our town and all over the country as SKY deliberately schedules lunchtime games to coincide with traditional kick off times. In fact our national team just couldn't be arsed in putting in the necessary effort to qualify from a very average group. Money is king in football and sooner or later the whole damn house of cards will come crashing down. What i'm getting at is the fact even third rate players have the attitude that they are too good to actually go and play for teams lower down the leagues. they are content to earn their money for very little application. If we cannot improve the product on the pitch for the real fans lower down the leagues, then why the hell do we bother? We all need something to aspire to, a right to cling on to dreams of promotion or one day it will all fall into place. At the moment despite the possible realisation of shiny new grounds if players don't want to be part of that what hope do we or other small clubs have? I'm feeling very disillusioned tonight, perhaps even weary of having my hopes dashed time and time again. Every time you think this club is going places circumstances transpire to make it take three steps back. I bleed blue and will cheer myself hoarse tomorrow as I do every week but the club I identify myself with is slowly losing its attraction, a team of new players EVERY season is not what I want to see. I want progress to be built on. Sadly making do, is not enough for me anymore. In 2003 my club nearly died, in 2008 on the field in terms of League position we are no better off. In fact if you go back to January 1998 we are no better. As usual many will reply with go and support United etc... well I'd rather stop watching football altogether. Its not just Latics and our continued footballing stagnation that grates its the state of the game in general that feeds my disillusionment. Over the last couple of years I have further established my love of cricket and Rugby League, two sports where the players give their all for the LOVE of the game, not so they can drive flash cars, or hang out with young girls who put out at the first sign of a £50 note. Football for me is in a coma and this summer i'm going to have a lot of thinking to do as to whether I pull the plug completely, as someone who lives for the game i'm gutted to say that......... Edited January 25, 2008 by oafcprozac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouldy_old_maki Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 (edited) Where did that come from? Edited January 25, 2008 by Mouldy_old_maki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marhar Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.O.A.M Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Where did that come from? Dunno where it came from the sad fact is it is true. Remember though you bleed blue & therefore always will even if that means taking over 10 years of nothing in this awful division with players shunning us left right & centre. it, we are all Oldham at the end of the day & if it means another Tuesday night in Gillingham or nigh on 1000 miles of travel in 4 days for zero goals then so be it. Don't let SKY ruin your dreams of Latics, they won't beat me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parigby Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 The problem is, reality does cast a very long shadow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I understand where are coming from Mate , believe you me i have also felt like your post , many , many times also. Watching the Latics is like a roller coaster ride , one minute your up and the next you’re down. This season has been another one of those roller coaster seasons , to date with some pretty dire performances and yet when i am feeling that enough is enough we pull it out all the stops again and put in some fine performances. In my opinion we let players leave the club that at the time I knew we would struggle to replace , the pre season search for new blood lingered on and on and eventually it seemed all a little last minute. I have already written this season off , and remain hopeful that next season Shez will have learnt some valuable lessons and take the club onwards and upwards. Keep yer chin's up Prozac the likes of you and me dont need a Citeh or Manure that's why we chose the Latics ! ...........and before anyone gets on my case , 34 years i have followed the Latics , most of them years travelling up and down the Country ......through thin and thinner ......... so dont anyone dare tell me that i dont bleed blue. Now where is that BOVIS Shirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgard Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 will someone please remove his shoe laces and belt, on a serious note prozac,keep the bloody faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laticsmad Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I first began watching football in 1986, the year of the Challenger disaster, Andy and Fergie's wedding and the year we went down under to win the Ashes. It was also the year I watched my first full game, Liverpool v Everton - The FA Cup Final, later that year I marvelled at Maradona's skills (and fist) single handedly (touche) winning the Argies the world cup in Mexico. Gary Lineker was my new hero, along with Neville Southall and Peter Shilton (with me being a goalie). In November of that year after a great deal of whigeing and mithering I convinced my owd fella to take me to my first live game, Latics v Palace, we won 1-0 and from then on I was hooked. Over the years I have seen pretty much everything, Promotion, Relegation (twice), A cup final, Semi-Finals, Giant Killings (for and against), managers come and go, in short the sublime, the good, the bad, the ridiculous and downright crap! In 1992 Sky's revolution dawned and for me it is clear to see that this bloodless coup has seen the slow death of the game I love. On the plus side we have shiny new grounds and some of the best foreign players in the world gracing our shores. The football League is more competitive than ever, yet many of the players have forgotten just what a great and noble game football is. Nowadays the players want everything at once and are only in the game for fame and money. Very few, play for the grassroots love of the game. This psyche is even dripfeeding its way down into kids football. Everything the so called 'superstars' do is copied by youngsters including abusing referees, questioning every decison and a lack of respect for their opponents. More worryingly is the big time attitude of if i'm not good enough for United, Chelsea etc.. i'm quitting and believe me this happens on a massive scale. Park football is dying a slow lingering death in our town and all over the country as SKY deliberately schedules lunchtime games to coincide with traditional kick off times. In fact our national team just couldn't be arsed in putting in the necessary effort to qualify from a very average group. Money is king in football and sooner or later the whole damn house of cards will come crashing down. What i'm getting at is the fact even third rate players have the attitude that they are too good to actually go and play for teams lower down the leagues. they are content to earn their money for very little application. If we cannot improve the product on the pitch for the real fans lower down the leagues, then why the hell do we bother? We all need something to aspire to, a right to cling on to dreams of promotion or one day it will all fall into place. At the moment despite the possible realisation of shiny new grounds if players don't want to be part of that what hope do we or other small clubs have? I'm feeling very disillusioned tonight, perhaps even weary of having my hopes dashed time and time again. Every time you think this club is going places circumstances transpire to make it take three steps back. I bleed blue and will cheer myself hoarse tomorrow as I do every week but the club I identify myself with is slowly losing its attraction, a team of new players EVERY season is not what I want to see. I want progress to be built on. Sadly making do, is not enough for me anymore. In 2003 my club nearly died, in 2008 on the field in terms of League position we are no better off. In fact if you go back to January 1998 we are no better. As usual many will reply with go and support United etc... well I'd rather stop watching football altogether. Its not just Latics and our continued footballing stagnation that grates its the state of the game in general that feeds my disillusionment. Over the last couple of years I have further established my love of cricket and Rugby League, two sports where the players give their all for the LOVE of the game, not so they can drive flash cars, or hang out with young girls who put out at the first sign of a £50 note. Football for me is in a coma and this summer i'm going to have a lot of thinking to do as to whether I pull the plug completely, as someone who lives for the game i'm gutted to say that......... Agree 100% I am the same age as you and have witnessed all you said above. The sad truth is is my passion for football is dieing a slow death too. Each season I find it increasingly more difficult to summon the enthusiasm for football, and unfortunatly to support oldham. Like you said there was always the hope that alittle club like oldham come some day make it big again. In this day and age,however, I don't think there is even the slightest chance of us being great again. Don't get me wrong part of the appeal of supporting the latics is the excitment of being the underdog. However, when you see the hope of creating something truly spectacular again become all but an impossibility, I do despair. Another bone of contention is the roundabout of players coming and going. I bet even with the best will in the world: we will see half a dozen debutants starting the first game of next season. Consequently, the team will take another half a season (or longer) to gel. And then to make matters worse because we can't afford to buy outright all of our players, some greedy so and sos will use us a shop window to leave for more money (don't entirely blame the players on this point). The season after next will be the same and so the roundabout begins again. Can't wait for tomorrow though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAV Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I think Prozac needs some Prozac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Another excuse to show this again. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7vzqGB4WLkY Nostalgia ain't what it used to be, but that victory at Goodison is the latest chapter in the nostalgia about Latics. It would be a shame to give up now and miss the future chapters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laticsmad Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 (edited) Another excuse to show this again. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7vzqGB4WLkY Nostalgia ain't what it used to be, but that victory at Goodison is the latest chapter in the nostalgia about Latics. It would be a shame to give up now and miss the future chapters. Here is some nostalgia for you diego. When I was a kid me and a few friends use to spend the whole of the 6 weeks holidays collecting wood for a huge bonfire we organised with our parents every year. Every year we would ask at latics if they had any spare wood they wanted to get rid of. Most years the answer would be yes and usually me and 2 other mates would spend the best part of a week shifting these huges crates (well they were huge to us as 9 years olds) from latics to the valley adjacent to the car park were we had the bomfire. As a favour for helping them get rid of all this stuff Harry (the old groundsmen when the pitch was plastic) let us on the pitch for a game of football. And me being a goalie have made plenty a save at the chaddie end goals, just without the crowd, lol. Best memory ever!!! Edited January 25, 2008 by laticsmad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAV Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Harry was a top bloke.We had a school presentation evening for the football teams in the Clayton(a few years back),and after the event everybody was at a loose end. The master craftsman we had picked the lock on the gates to the chaddy(lookers side),and in no time 70 kids were running all over the plastic with teachers scratching their heads. Then a booming voice came from out of nowhere"what the f$$k is going on............You can't play on this pitch.......without footballs" and he threw 4 balls onto the pitch sat in the dug out and said"20 minutes lads and i'm locking up AGAIN"...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Thats a great link diego and it does ring true and does pick you up when sometimes you feel like why do I bother in reality about 80% of my happiness from watching Latics comes from about 20% of my time watching us. A lot of what we see season in season out is forgetable some games just fade in to the past but their are those few stand out moments each season that do make it all worthwhile. One thing football has at football league level that you don't get in the premiership is alot more unpredictability. We can all and could all guess who would be the top 4 in the premiership this season and we would be atleast 75% right if we tried to guess the top 4 for the next premiership season. But you couldn't do that with league 1 right now for this season. Not many of us thought we would get to the play offs last season, Not many thought we would do leeds and everton on the road this year. You look at 2007 plenty of ups and downs as long as their are those ups and downs and those moments of unpredictability which keep us coming back . I can understand where you are coming from Prozac regarding football being a seemingly a win at all costs culture it has drifted a long way from being a sport now. I can sympathise with referees sometimes its a thankless task I do wonder sometimes if the next time a big game is being played and the 100k a week players are screeming in the refs faces what they would do if the ref and the linesmen just collectively walked off and left the players to sort it out themselves. I do think fifa should allow referees and linesmen this alternative if players and managers are not going to conduct themselves appropriately to just abandon the game and dock the team responsible 3 points. Then again thinking about it if huddersfield get a dodgy penalty in the last minute tomorrow I will be out of my seat screaming every obsenity at the referee and its that passion that keeps us going. Its even these discussions in the pub or on owtb that keep us going. We always seem to find a reason to come back for more in. 2002 after the ITV digital collapse people thought that alt least 30 fl clubs would go to the wall and guess what its 2008 and their are 92 proffesional league clubs and another string of full time clubs in the blue square premier. Despite the fact that for much of its 113 year history this club has been a loss making business its still here it has survived and the redevelopment of the stadium is likely to mean it survives for much longer yet. The history of OAFC has plenty more interesting chapters to be written yet good and bad we might see one tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfatjoe1 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Everone agrees, but we must add that in our case, we have ony a small number of supporters, especially given the size of the area. People of Oldham wo don't get the club are £$ithouses. et, we are in many respects a 'family'. Look at the depth of feeling when we nearly went under. Look at the way the family, supporters, players and staff, came together at Everton. When we pull together we are far, far superiorrrrrrr. And it's that feeling of belonging, shared adversity and just growing old together that makes supporting this club special. Other supporters from other clubs will say the same - and they'd be right. But this s OUR club and always will be. Remeber Joe Rolye - we don't have quantity but we do have quality. Look at Ritcjie this week - he can't hide his love for the club. Keep the faith but it rus deeper than winning or success. My goodness, this essay-message thing is catching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 As a favour for helping them get rid of all this stuff Harry (the old groundsmen when the pitch was plastic) let us on the pitch for a game of football. And me being a goalie have made plenty a save at the chaddie end goals, just without the crowd, lol. Best memory ever!!! I had a similar experience with my mates in the early 50s. We were always hanging round BP in the school holidays and we used to get asked to do bits of jobs, for which we were once allowed to take penalties on the pitch when it was still grass. I also had the honour of playing on the plastic pitch in a family game Dads v Lads. Great memories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma06 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I first began watching football in 1986, the year of the Challenger disaster, Andy and Fergie's wedding and the year we went down under to win the Ashes. It was also the year I watched my first full game, Liverpool v Everton - The FA Cup Final, later that year I marvelled at Maradona's skills (and fist) single handedly (touche) winning the Argies the world cup in Mexico. Gary Lineker was my new hero, along with Neville Southall and Peter Shilton (with me being a goalie). In November of that year after a great deal of whigeing and mithering I convinced my owd fella to take me to my first live game, Latics v Palace, we won 1-0 and from then on I was hooked. Over the years I have seen pretty much everything, Promotion, Relegation (twice), A cup final, Semi-Finals, Giant Killings (for and against), managers come and go, in short the sublime, the good, the bad, the ridiculous and downright crap! In 1992 Sky's revolution dawned and for me it is clear to see that this bloodless coup has seen the slow death of the game I love. On the plus side we have shiny new grounds and some of the best foreign players in the world gracing our shores. The football League is more competitive than ever, yet many of the players have forgotten just what a great and noble game football is. Nowadays the players want everything at once and are only in the game for fame and money. Very few, play for the grassroots love of the game. This psyche is even dripfeeding its way down into kids football. Everything the so called 'superstars' do is copied by youngsters including abusing referees, questioning every decison and a lack of respect for their opponents. More worryingly is the big time attitude of if i'm not good enough for United, Chelsea etc.. i'm quitting and believe me this happens on a massive scale. Park football is dying a slow lingering death in our town and all over the country as SKY deliberately schedules lunchtime games to coincide with traditional kick off times. In fact our national team just couldn't be arsed in putting in the necessary effort to qualify from a very average group. Money is king in football and sooner or later the whole damn house of cards will come crashing down. What i'm getting at is the fact even third rate players have the attitude that they are too good to actually go and play for teams lower down the leagues. they are content to earn their money for very little application. If we cannot improve the product on the pitch for the real fans lower down the leagues, then why the hell do we bother? We all need something to aspire to, a right to cling on to dreams of promotion or one day it will all fall into place. At the moment despite the possible realisation of shiny new grounds if players don't want to be part of that what hope do we or other small clubs have? I'm feeling very disillusioned tonight, perhaps even weary of having my hopes dashed time and time again. Every time you think this club is going places circumstances transpire to make it take three steps back. I bleed blue and will cheer myself hoarse tomorrow as I do every week but the club I identify myself with is slowly losing its attraction, a team of new players EVERY season is not what I want to see. I want progress to be built on. Sadly making do, is not enough for me anymore. In 2003 my club nearly died, in 2008 on the field in terms of League position we are no better off. In fact if you go back to January 1998 we are no better. As usual many will reply with go and support United etc... well I'd rather stop watching football altogether. Its not just Latics and our continued footballing stagnation that grates its the state of the game in general that feeds my disillusionment. Over the last couple of years I have further established my love of cricket and Rugby League, two sports where the players give their all for the LOVE of the game, not so they can drive flash cars, or hang out with young girls who put out at the first sign of a £50 note. Football for me is in a coma and this summer i'm going to have a lot of thinking to do as to whether I pull the plug completely, as someone who lives for the game i'm gutted to say that......... I agree with a lot of what you have said, especially the bit about the kids. I go to watch my nephew, he's 7 years old and the way some of the coaches and parents behave makes me very sad, they are pushing the kids too hard, telling them to dive, telling them to push other players, screaming their heads off at them when they do something wrong and how rubbish they are if they loose. It doesn't paint a very nice picture for the future of football. I will always go and watch latics though, sometimes its out of habbit than anything else though, but then something always happens to re-ignite my enthusiasm like at Leeds a few weeks ago. The game is changing, not really for the better in my opinion but unnfortunately us the fans can't do anything about it. Its all money now and i wouldnt be surprised that within the next couple of years a league club will go out of business which will be the start of a very slippery slope which will see quite a few clubs follow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostofcecere Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I first began watching football in 1986, the year of the Challenger disaster, Andy and Fergie's wedding and the year we went down under to win the Ashes. It was also the year I watched my first full game, Liverpool v Everton - The FA Cup Final, later that year I marvelled at Maradona's skills (and fist) single handedly (touche) winning the Argies the world cup in Mexico. Gary Lineker was my new hero, along with Neville Southall and Peter Shilton (with me being a goalie). In November of that year after a great deal of whigeing and mithering I convinced my owd fella to take me to my first live game, Latics v Palace, we won 1-0 and from then on I was hooked. Over the years I have seen pretty much everything, Promotion, Relegation (twice), A cup final, Semi-Finals, Giant Killings (for and against), managers come and go, in short the sublime, the good, the bad, the ridiculous and downright crap! In 1992 Sky's revolution dawned and for me it is clear to see that this bloodless coup has seen the slow death of the game I love. On the plus side we have shiny new grounds and some of the best foreign players in the world gracing our shores. The football League is more competitive than ever, yet many of the players have forgotten just what a great and noble game football is. Nowadays the players want everything at once and are only in the game for fame and money. Very few, play for the grassroots love of the game. This psyche is even dripfeeding its way down into kids football. Everything the so called 'superstars' do is copied by youngsters including abusing referees, questioning every decison and a lack of respect for their opponents. More worryingly is the big time attitude of if i'm not good enough for United, Chelsea etc.. i'm quitting and believe me this happens on a massive scale. Park football is dying a slow lingering death in our town and all over the country as SKY deliberately schedules lunchtime games to coincide with traditional kick off times. In fact our national team just couldn't be arsed in putting in the necessary effort to qualify from a very average group. Money is king in football and sooner or later the whole damn house of cards will come crashing down. What i'm getting at is the fact even third rate players have the attitude that they are too good to actually go and play for teams lower down the leagues. they are content to earn their money for very little application. If we cannot improve the product on the pitch for the real fans lower down the leagues, then why the hell do we bother? We all need something to aspire to, a right to cling on to dreams of promotion or one day it will all fall into place. At the moment despite the possible realisation of shiny new grounds if players don't want to be part of that what hope do we or other small clubs have? I'm feeling very disillusioned tonight, perhaps even weary of having my hopes dashed time and time again. Every time you think this club is going places circumstances transpire to make it take three steps back. I bleed blue and will cheer myself hoarse tomorrow as I do every week but the club I identify myself with is slowly losing its attraction, a team of new players EVERY season is not what I want to see. I want progress to be built on. Sadly making do, is not enough for me anymore. In 2003 my club nearly died, in 2008 on the field in terms of League position we are no better off. In fact if you go back to January 1998 we are no better. As usual many will reply with go and support United etc... well I'd rather stop watching football altogether. Its not just Latics and our continued footballing stagnation that grates its the state of the game in general that feeds my disillusionment. Over the last couple of years I have further established my love of cricket and Rugby League, two sports where the players give their all for the LOVE of the game, not so they can drive flash cars, or hang out with young girls who put out at the first sign of a £50 note. Football for me is in a coma and this summer i'm going to have a lot of thinking to do as to whether I pull the plug completely, as someone who lives for the game i'm gutted to say that......... It seems like we started to watch Latics seriously around the same time; I always got taken to BP by my Dad as a kid, but the 85/86 season was the one I started to see myself as a serious Latic Fanatic. I've been through all the ups and downs that you have and it has certainly been a rollercoaster. I felt exactly how you are now after the first Ronnie Moore full season. I just totally lost faith in Latics and football in general, even when Latics won it felt like a defeat, watching that (except Bradford away) . After a lot of soul searching over the summer and even with Rotten Ronnie departing I decided not to renew my season ticket, something that I never thought would happen. But the following season saw the Shez revolution and in the November, refreshed I ventured back to BP (glory hunter eh!) and I've never looked back again. I guess what it's all about it exactly what our club's unofficial motto says "Keep the Faith." There's no doubt that the Hollywood league is full of big time Charlie's but on the whole the people at all levels involved in Leagues 1 & 2 are not like this. It as close as you can get to how football was even in the top flight pre-Sky. Have a few beers tomorrow, get together with your mates, sing yourself hoarse for the boys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optional Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Paul put yourself in the shoes of a man u or arsenal fan,then you will realise how much you have been blessed!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I blame Jimmy Hill of course. Sadly football has been turned into a horrible sport. *cough* RL! *cough* However the thing about OAFC is that they always seem to come up trumps when you least expect it. Keep the Faith Prozac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) I'm feeling very disillusioned tonight, perhaps even weary of having my hopes dashed time and time again. Every time you think this club is going places circumstances transpire to make it take three steps back. I bleed blue and will cheer myself hoarse tomorrow as I do every week but the club I identify myself with is slowly losing its attraction, a team of new players EVERY season is not what I want to see. I want progress to be built on. Sadly making do, is not enough for me anymore. In 2003 my club nearly died, in 2008 on the field in terms of League position we are no better off. In fact if you go back to January 1998 we are no better. Good post Prozac....and where some say "where's this come from"....having personally seen most of your posts of late, I can understand your frustration. Everything that has inspired you to writing that post comes from the love you have for the club....you, like I, would rather see us promoted than win tomorrow and get some major tie in the next round. And that's where it comes from....on Sunday 21st October 2007, I stood in a bar in Oldham and said practically everything you have above (apart from the promotions and relegations bit, because I'm not old enough to have had those experiences!) While many were saying they felt Shez had hit his limit (we were struggling badly then) I'd always be sticking up for him. I always will until I feel he's hit his ceiling in taking us forward. But a little part of me was so annoyed at his decisions in the summer and it felt, even so early in the season, like I'd put £300+ into a season going nowhere. Again. Let's face it....we were right down in the mire at Octobers end. The trigger was having just seen us go to Uddersfield (ironically) and look very average against a god-awful side. It wasn't just that, it was the whole start to the season, players gone etc. Thankfully, I then went to Doncaster and saw us get battered in the JPT and you know what....it just made me feel better. Not the losing, but I don't know....I just enjoyed the 150-ish of us there, freezing our nads off, watching us do what we do. And then we lost 1-0 at home to Northampton shortly after....bizarrely, I felt worse leaving Udders than I did leaving BP that day....and over time I've realised why. I've accepted what this season is about....I've accepted what Shez is trying to do in that he isn't building for promotion this year but over 2yrs. Doing what he did in the summer was "steps back" and I do have questions over Shez's ability to take us up. However, my questions will only be answered in time. For me, they won't be answered this season, but regardless I'll be singing, shouting and laughing my will through until May. Also, I think that one thing is for sure...."a team of new players EVERY season is not what I want to see"....I think that is a wish you will get next season. I think Shez has most parts to a side he wants which may come to fruition next season. With a small handful of additions in key areas. I do feel that after this cup run, the season might peter out. However, I said in July 07 and re-iterate it now that a top 10 place would be success. I'd like more, of course, but realistically, it's where we are. I do feel that we had a good run last season and Shez wants to take this journey to a new, higher lever and is as frustrated tonight as you are. The reason....you both care! And I know tomorrow morning.....you'll feel a flicker of hope again. ..if we lose it might be dashed, but if you feel we can't go anywhere this season, then personally, come to terms with it. Accept it's a rebuild and look forward to next season where we must seriously be going for it again. One final note....you mention 2003. Not many clubs survive that.....when they do, they inevitably only seem to go one way. Bradford, Leeds, York, Luton next? We've done well to stay at this level whilst decimating the financial losses at the same time and in such a short time frame. The next couple of years really could be a brand new era of hope followed by success. We've just got to stomach it out now, to see it happen then. Roll on tomorrow....I feel we're the underdog (strangely) and that's just where I'd rather us be! Edited January 26, 2008 by boundaryblue80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laticsmad Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I had a similar experience with my mates in the early 50s. We were always hanging round BP in the school holidays and we used to get asked to do bits of jobs, for which we were once allowed to take penalties on the pitch when it was still grass. I also had the honour of playing on the plastic pitch in a family game Dads v Lads. Great memories! Ok, but judging my your picture you look way to young to have been around in the 50's, or am I mising something!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) I find it hard sometimes..... I am about as far from a modern football as possible... I dont live in Oldham any more....but I am OLDHAM.... Not matter what happenes I will always be OLDHAM...and by being apart of oldham i am a LATIC!!! Forever..... Football has been ruined by money and idiots....but no matter what happen I will always be a latic.....I love Oldham and I love latic.....I have fallen out with both over the yars but when push comes to shove,.....I love my town and i love my club....no matterwhat outside elements do....cut me and i bleeed blue.... That dosent say I dont hate the way football has beeen ruined by greeed and the "modern fan"....scum...but my roots are oldham...and by that route my roots are latics.... Hate football...love oldham athletic....mad but understandable i feel.... Edited January 26, 2008 by oafc0000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Ok, but judging my your picture you look way to young to have been around in the 50's, or am I mising something!!! Just goes to show that it's staying away from Latics and worrying what's going on at the matches that ages you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Roll on tomorrow....I feel we're the underdog (strangely) and that's just where I'd rather us be! There are many thousands of fans who wish they had a game today - it's great to be among the Havants rather than the Have Nots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latics4Ever Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 There are many thousands of fans who wish they had a game today - it's great to be among the Havants rather than the Have Nots! Quality line that Diego! I can fully understand Prozac's sentiments and in many ways the majority of us will echo some if not all of his comments in our capacity as an Oldham fan first and a football fan second. Personally, I moved out of the Oldham area (Chadderton) over 12 years ago to Farnworth near Notlob. Since then I have continued to go to BP for virtually every home game, I have also done my fair stint of away trips. Sadly due to work and finances I have not been to anywhere near the number of Away games in the last few years as I would like to have gone to. However, this doesn't detract from the fact I bleed blue blood and anyone who knows me would testify to that fact. On top of this, I am married to a staunch Man Utd fan. My missus has been watching THEM since 1974 and she is a season ticket holder of many years standing. However, we argue like cat & dog when it comes to football and our respective teams. So much so that we were still rowing last night about the FA Cup Semi Final from 1994! After reading Prozacs comments I realised that while I also feel the same sometimes, especially the money side of the game, the fact I am still arguing about the '94 semi with my missus nearly 14 years later proves that I could never give my Latics up becuase it stirs up so much emotion inside of me that its an addicition I would never want to be without. Keep the Faith and together we will enjoy future victories that taste as sweet as those against the likes of Everton, Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and countless others we have all enjoyed over the years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.