Why Joe Royle has Demi-God status to many of us..

[edhunteruk]

I know many of you on here are too young to remember Royle's first tenure so as a fan of 23 years I'll try to explain why so many of us are delighted with this appointment. For many of us Joe Royle is Oldham Athletic, my first game was in November 1986, Joe had been manager for four and a bit seasons and to be honest for most of that tenure we had struggled in a dilapidated stadium with a team of kids and has beens. Yet in the summer of 1986 we laid the artificial surface and immediately took to it. By the time I attended my first game on 22nd November 1986 we had added Tommy Wright and Denis Irwin to a team that included Andy Goram, Andy Barlow, Andy Linighan, Roger Palmer, Ron Futcher, Tony Henry and Gary Williams. The team that year exceeded all expectations and narrowly lost in the play offs to Leeds.

 

During the summer of 1987, we lost Gary Hoolickin to injury in the IOM tournament and he never played again, but Joe managed to sign a striker called Andrew Timothy Ritchie, typically Latics bartered and the tribunal set a fee at a laughable £55k, we also signed Glenn Keeley (the less said the better), in the early Autumn we sold our talented young keeper Goram to Hibs for £325k, we had started the season poorly and suffered from a horrendous injury list. around Christmas time Royle realised he needed a foil for Stitch and initially tried to sign former Watford veteran George Reilly from WBA, the deal fell through at the eleventh hour and instead Joe turned his attention to Frank Bunn of Hull City, Frank made his debut at Hull City joining other recent recruits Earl Barrett and John Kelly in the team - to help balance the books Tony Henry was sold to Stoke the following week, the day after scoring an equaliser against his new team in a 2-2 draw at the Victoria Ground. Suddenly the team that had struggled to score goals all season were bagging for fun. The team that looked certs to be fighting relegation all season recovered to finish in 10th place, one place below Manchester City.

 

The spring of 1988 saw Andy Linighan go to Norwich in another £300k + deal, but saw the impressive youngster Mike Flynn increasingly involved and goalkeeper Andy Rhodes arrived to replace the wayward Andy Gorton and everton centre-half Ian Marshall arrived too. By the summer of 1988 Joe had moved to strengthen his attacking options further by signing Tony Philliskirk from Sheffield United. To be honest the 1988-89 season was a letdown, the highlights being an amazing 4-1 win at Maine Road, a great draw to earn a replay versus Everton at Goodison in the Littlewoods Cup, but a finish of 16th was a disappointment, the main culprit being too many draws. Still injuries had been a real problem again, the football at Boundary Park was still free-flowing but the defending had left a lot to be desired - 5-0 up vs. Portsmouth in March had seen us conceded three in the last 5 minutes to win 5-3! Joe again showed his ability in the transfer market by signing Neil Adams on Loan from Everton, Andy Holden from Wigan and Jon Hallworth from Ipswich, initially on loan. Only two wins away from home all season had not been good enough.

 

Pre-season 1989 was dominated by the will he won't he saga of Tommy Wright signing a new contract, he eventually signed for Leicester gain in a £300k + deal, the money was reinvested wisely. Joe returned to Everton to re-sign Neil Adams - this time permanently for £100k and the day before we went to Blackburn for the season's opener we signed Rick Holden for £165k from Watford. a low-key start to the season saw us lose 1-0 at Blackburn. We registered our first win in September vs. Plymouth and there was no stopping us, progress was made in the Littlewoods Cup and the goals were free-flowing at home in particular. By now Roger Palmer was playing a bit-part but by the end of the season still had scored 20 goals, bettered only by Stitch's 28 in all comps. What can I say about the 89/90 season that hasn't been said? Well it was like living in a dream, much of the away form was still pretty poor - in fact Joe Royle himself was quoted as saying that "we have a few paper tigers away from home" but you always knew that a Joe Royle team was never beaten until the ref blew his whistle. Only those that were there will realise the pride of watching your team walk out in an FA Cup Semi-Final only those that were there will know the sight of seeing grown men cry at seeing their 'boys' led out at Wembley, I was 13 at the time and they are amazing memories and ones that I am so privileged to have. Ultimately we failed at the death, but the whole nation had seen that little Oldham could live with the best and if I’m being bitter the fact we were playing three games a week for the last 6 weeks of the season undid is thanks to the Football League and a bent referee in Joe Worrall cost us an FA Cup Final place. Still it was in no small part down to our wonderful manager to get us through 65 League and Cup Games.

 

The summer of 1990 was a strange time to be a Latics fan. Yes we followed the familiar pattern of selling off our best players in Irwin and Milligan for around £1.8M but it did not mean the end. The club invested in new talent and spent a fortune on Keeley, Currie, (Moulden and Redfearn had signed towards the end of 89/90) and early in the season Jobbo. As Latics fans we no longer yearned for success we bloody well expected it! And boy did we get our wish, we weren't always as fluent as we had been in previous seasons but we had developed a steely resolve - especially away from home and we won promotion with three games to spare. I wasn't lucky enough to be at Portman Road or the Sheffield Wednesday game but from finishing 16th two years before, Royle had overseen us win the league in a division that included Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United and Watford. All former Division 1 big boys.

 

I think Royle knew we'd have to add height and strength to his team so he went out and signed Graeme Sharp and Brian Kilcline, typically Royle pulled off a coup by re-signing Mike Milligan from Everton, unfortunately this saw the demise of Neil Redfearn - probably Joe's biggest mistake as Latics manager. That was the real bugbear with Royle, if people stood up to him or questioned him he was out. It was very much his way or the highway. Typically the goals continued to flow and to be honest we comfortably survived but the summer of 1992 was possibly were BFJ began to get it wrong...

 

In an attempt to shore up a defence that had lost Earl Barrett in February, he signed Steve Redmond and Neil Pointon - the former going on to give us five years sterling service, the latter was a big Dissa in my opinion. But in exchange for these two defensive lynchpin was our expert crosser Rick Holden. To begin with the goals flowed as usual but we were still shipping them at an alarming rate. The entertainment value could not be matched anywhere but we weren't really winning games. The onus was on Neil Adams to supply record signing Ian Olney and Graeme Sharp. By November Latics position in the table was beginning to falter and after a first-half hammering at Old Trafford - regular custodian Jon Hallworth was ruled out for the season. John Keeley was finally going to get his chance after two years at the club - Joe quickly realised that the performances at BP for Brighton had been his only good games ever and he was in fact :censored:e. Royle ever the supporter of good young players gave rookie Paul Gerrard his chance. Two defeats in London - one a tonking at Wimbledon were followed by a dramatic late win vs. Spurs. The Christmas programme was destroyed by a big freeze and although we won at Ipswich in early January with one of the goals scored by Mark Brennan (The left sider finally brought in to compensate for Ricky's sale) the freefall was beginning. We didn't score again that month and Royle had lost his nerve with his young keeper, moving to bring Andy Dibble in on loan before the Chelsea game. Typically Tony Coton got injured in training and Dibble was recalled 24 hours later! So young Gerrard was reinstated. He performed superbly and assisted by Roger Milford’s arse we despatched Chelsea 3-1 at a foggy BP. Over the last two years, Royle had seen the appearances of Andy Ritchie become increasing infrequent, even more anonymous had been Paul Moulden, well uncle Joe gave him a reprieve in January-March 1993 before finally deciding he actually was :censored:e after-all. The fantastically named Orpheo Keizersweerd made a brief cameo in a 1-0 defeat at Anfield, but by then the tide had turned. The never say spirit had waned a little during those dark winter months but a miraculous comeback at Everton, were we had been quite frankly rubbish for 87 minutes saw the team regain its fighting instinct. Champions elect Manchester United were despatched 10 days later at Boundary Park on a night I will never forget and by the last week of the season, despite our upturn in form I knew we needed a miracle to stay up. We had 3 games left and were 8 points from safety, I thought we were doomed. Still I travelled to Villa Park and stood in the home end. Nick Henry nicked an early goal and despite being battered for 70 minutes we held on by defending resolutely - not least through the efforts of the recently recalled Steve Redmond. Ruthlessly Royle had dropped our main catalyst in our survival push (Neil Adams) in favour of another defender. A nervy night at BP the following Wednesday saw us edge a five goal thriller vs. Liverpool, but Palace's draw at Maine road had virtually sealed our fate. So onto Southampton, we were cruising at 4-1, do we shut up shop? Do we hell as like Royle's boys want 5 almost finishing their manager off in the process we hang on to win 4-3, safety is assured. amazing scenes at Boundary Park that again add to my memories of the great man in charge.

 

If I’m honest, that's where the roller-coaster would have ended. I would have brought a new man in with fresh ideas; we had become increasingly direct since our promotion - probably due to the addition of out and out target men like Olney and Sharp. Stitch's influence had diminished through injury and so had the Dodger's through age. Probably Royle's second biggest mistake was selling Ian Marshall who had become increasingly frustrated at his lack of opportunities in attack. Joe forever wrestled with the idea of whether he was best in attack or defence. What we were missing was immediately rammed back down our throats when Marshall scored the opening goal in a 3-0 opening day defeat to his new club Ipswich. It quickly was apparent that the game was up, the team was seriously lacking in all areas - even though Rick Holden re-signed from City he was not the player he had been four years earlier, Sharp returned from injury but Olney's season (and career) was all but curtailed at West Ham in November, low point was a footballing lesson from newly promoted Newcastle in front of the Sky cameras at BP. Sean McCarthy was signed to try and replace the crocked Olney but was quickly injured himself and despite a wonder goal at Old Trafford on Easter Monday was way off the Premier League pace. Injuries bit hard but a lack of goals from midfield cost us all season, neither Milligan or Henry registered, only Paul Bernard chipped in. The hero of the previous season was sold to Norwich - Neil Adams and we became increasingly reliant on the goals of the injury prone Darren Beckford. Somehow we managed to reach the FA Cup semi-finals and the league form had picked up to the extent of survival somehow being a real possibility. Unfortunately our failure to clear a hopeful ball forward saw Mark Hughes score THAT goal and our dreams died that afternoon in North London. Would bringing Andy Ritchie on have made a difference in killing the game - we'll never know! So relegation it was, all fight disappeared from the team from that day and despite a spine tingling show of defiance at Norwich on the final day we were relegated. Our dream was over.

 

So we were back where we started, could we go straight back up? Well I for one thought yes, we had kept the squad together except for Mike Milligan who went to Norwich but we had replaced him with Billy Kenny and Lee Richardson. The opening day was played out in brilliant sunshine, the flowing football was back, the goals flowed but the defensive frailties had returned and we were somewhat flattered to beat Charlton 5-2. By the end of August, we were top 3 wins from 4. Then it all began to go wrong, the team and manager struggled to adjust to life in Division 1, the team was far too inconsistent and was clearly under-achieving. Highlight was the comeback at Bolton with Joe giving the Bolton main stand as good as they gave when Super Sean bagged a late equaliser. We drew Arsenal in the Coca-Cola Cup, it was ironic - the team who against it had all began back in 1989, I hoped a win would again be the catalyst for better days, but despite a decent performance our lack of cutting edge saw us draw 0-0. It was sad actually that four out of Big Joe's last six games ended up 0-0, his last game being a 2-0 defeat in the Highbury replay. So Joe left us where it had all began - mid-table in the old Second Division. What a ride and one that I am privileged to have witnessed the last eight years of.

 

Strap yourselves in folks, it'll be one hell of a ride until May. Welcome home Joe, give it your best that's all we ask and we know you will.

 

Our overpaid 'experienced' prima-donnas won't know what's hit them!

 

How ironic would it be if we gained revenge gainst Leeds in the Play Offs? Oh the irony!

 

so many memories...very good memories and a few sad ones mixed in....

 

i was 23 at wembly,and stood there and cried like a baby trying to sing the national anthem that day,proud wasnt the right word.

 

i think the euphoria surrounding the appointment will get us through saturdays game,im hoping for a win,but dont expect to see too much of joes influence for this game,its gonna take him most of the week to get to know the lads and get back in the swing of things...i do know he will give them the self belief they have been lacking,and he isnt affraid to make changes if its not working,think after saturday we will start to see things change more.

 

as for beating leeds in the playoff final at wembley..that would be poetic justice indeed.

[ThaiLatic]

Great post!

 

I remember being absolutely gutted when Frizz was sacked and I hated Joe Royle when he first came to Oldham. However, he did one or two things that made me change my mind about him ;)

 

Welcome home, Joe

[singe]

I know many of you on here are too young to remember Royle's first tenure so as a fan of 23 years I'll try to explain why so many of us are delighted with this appointment. For many of us Joe Royle is Oldham Athletic, my first game was in November 1986, Joe had been manager for four and a bit seasons and to be honest for most of that tenure we had struggled in a dilapidated stadium with a team of kids and has beens. Yet in the summer of 1986 we laid the artificial surface and immediately took to it. By the time I attended my first game on 22nd November 1986 we had added Tommy Wright and Denis Irwin to a team that included Andy Goram, Andy Barlow, Andy Linighan, Roger Palmer, Ron Futcher, Tony Henry and Gary Williams. The team that year exceeded all expectations and narrowly lost in the play offs to Leeds.

 

During the summer of 1987, we lost Gary Hoolickin to injury in the IOM tournament and he never played again, but Joe managed to sign a striker called Andrew Timothy Ritchie, typically Latics bartered and the tribunal set a fee at a laughable £55k, we also signed Glenn Keeley (the less said the better), in the early Autumn we sold our talented young keeper Goram to Hibs for £325k, we had started the season poorly and suffered from a horrendous injury list. around Christmas time Royle realised he needed a foil for Stitch and initially tried to sign former Watford veteran George Reilly from WBA, the deal fell through at the eleventh hour and instead Joe turned his attention to Frank Bunn of Hull City, Frank made his debut at Hull City joining other recent recruits Earl Barrett and John Kelly in the team - to help balance the books Tony Henry was sold to Stoke the following week, the day after scoring an equaliser against his new team in a 2-2 draw at the Victoria Ground. Suddenly the team that had struggled to score goals all season were bagging for fun. The team that looked certs to be fighting relegation all season recovered to finish in 10th place, one place below Manchester City.

 

The spring of 1988 saw Andy Linighan go to Norwich in another £300k + deal, but saw the impressive youngster Mike Flynn increasingly involved and goalkeeper Andy Rhodes arrived to replace the wayward Andy Gorton and everton centre-half Ian Marshall arrived too. By the summer of 1988 Joe had moved to strengthen his attacking options further by signing Tony Philliskirk from Sheffield United. To be honest the 1988-89 season was a letdown, the highlights being an amazing 4-1 win at Maine Road, a great draw to earn a replay versus Everton at Goodison in the Littlewoods Cup, but a finish of 16th was a disappointment, the main culprit being too many draws. Still injuries had been a real problem again, the football at Boundary Park was still free-flowing but the defending had left a lot to be desired - 5-0 up vs. Portsmouth in March had seen us conceded three in the last 5 minutes to win 5-3! Joe again showed his ability in the transfer market by signing Neil Adams on Loan from Everton, Andy Holden from Wigan and Jon Hallworth from Ipswich, initially on loan. Only two wins away from home all season had not been good enough.

 

Pre-season 1989 was dominated by the will he won't he saga of Tommy Wright signing a new contract, he eventually signed for Leicester gain in a £300k + deal, the money was reinvested wisely. Joe returned to Everton to re-sign Neil Adams - this time permanently for £100k and the day before we went to Blackburn for the season's opener we signed Rick Holden for £165k from Watford. a low-key start to the season saw us lose 1-0 at Blackburn. We registered our first win in September vs. Plymouth and there was no stopping us, progress was made in the Littlewoods Cup and the goals were free-flowing at home in particular. By now Roger Palmer was playing a bit-part but by the end of the season still had scored 20 goals, bettered only by Stitch's 28 in all comps. What can I say about the 89/90 season that hasn't been said? Well it was like living in a dream, much of the away form was still pretty poor - in fact Joe Royle himself was quoted as saying that "we have a few paper tigers away from home" but you always knew that a Joe Royle team was never beaten until the ref blew his whistle. Only those that were there will realise the pride of watching your team walk out in an FA Cup Semi-Final only those that were there will know the sight of seeing grown men cry at seeing their 'boys' led out at Wembley, I was 13 at the time and they are amazing memories and ones that I am so privileged to have. Ultimately we failed at the death, but the whole nation had seen that little Oldham could live with the best and if I’m being bitter the fact we were playing three games a week for the last 6 weeks of the season undid is thanks to the Football League and a bent referee in Joe Worrall cost us an FA Cup Final place. Still it was in no small part down to our wonderful manager to get us through 65 League and Cup Games.

 

The summer of 1990 was a strange time to be a Latics fan. Yes we followed the familiar pattern of selling off our best players in Irwin and Milligan for around £1.8M but it did not mean the end. The club invested in new talent and spent a fortune on Keeley, Currie, (Moulden and Redfearn had signed towards the end of 89/90) and early in the season Jobbo. As Latics fans we no longer yearned for success we bloody well expected it! And boy did we get our wish, we weren't always as fluent as we had been in previous seasons but we had developed a steely resolve - especially away from home and we won promotion with three games to spare. I wasn't lucky enough to be at Portman Road or the Sheffield Wednesday game but from finishing 16th two years before, Royle had overseen us win the league in a division that included Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United and Watford. All former Division 1 big boys.

 

I think Royle knew we'd have to add height and strength to his team so he went out and signed Graeme Sharp and Brian Kilcline, typically Royle pulled off a coup by re-signing Mike Milligan from Everton, unfortunately this saw the demise of Neil Redfearn - probably Joe's biggest mistake as Latics manager. That was the real bugbear with Royle, if people stood up to him or questioned him he was out. It was very much his way or the highway. Typically the goals continued to flow and to be honest we comfortably survived but the summer of 1992 was possibly were BFJ began to get it wrong...

 

In an attempt to shore up a defence that had lost Earl Barrett in February, he signed Steve Redmond and Neil Pointon - the former going on to give us five years sterling service, the latter was a big Dissa in my opinion. But in exchange for these two defensive lynchpin was our expert crosser Rick Holden. To begin with the goals flowed as usual but we were still shipping them at an alarming rate. The entertainment value could not be matched anywhere but we weren't really winning games. The onus was on Neil Adams to supply record signing Ian Olney and Graeme Sharp. By November Latics position in the table was beginning to falter and after a first-half hammering at Old Trafford - regular custodian Jon Hallworth was ruled out for the season. John Keeley was finally going to get his chance after two years at the club - Joe quickly realised that the performances at BP for Brighton had been his only good games ever and he was in fact :censored:e. Royle ever the supporter of good young players gave rookie Paul Gerrard his chance. Two defeats in London - one a tonking at Wimbledon were followed by a dramatic late win vs. Spurs. The Christmas programme was destroyed by a big freeze and although we won at Ipswich in early January with one of the goals scored by Mark Brennan (The left sider finally brought in to compensate for Ricky's sale) the freefall was beginning. We didn't score again that month and Royle had lost his nerve with his young keeper, moving to bring Andy Dibble in on loan before the Chelsea game. Typically Tony Coton got injured in training and Dibble was recalled 24 hours later! So young Gerrard was reinstated. He performed superbly and assisted by Roger Milford’s arse we despatched Chelsea 3-1 at a foggy BP. Over the last two years, Royle had seen the appearances of Andy Ritchie become increasing infrequent, even more anonymous had been Paul Moulden, well uncle Joe gave him a reprieve in January-March 1993 before finally deciding he actually was :censored:e after-all. The fantastically named Orpheo Keizersweerd made a brief cameo in a 1-0 defeat at Anfield, but by then the tide had turned. The never say spirit had waned a little during those dark winter months but a miraculous comeback at Everton, were we had been quite frankly rubbish for 87 minutes saw the team regain its fighting instinct. Champions elect Manchester United were despatched 10 days later at Boundary Park on a night I will never forget and by the last week of the season, despite our upturn in form I knew we needed a miracle to stay up. We had 3 games left and were 8 points from safety, I thought we were doomed. Still I travelled to Villa Park and stood in the home end. Nick Henry nicked an early goal and despite being battered for 70 minutes we held on by defending resolutely - not least through the efforts of the recently recalled Steve Redmond. Ruthlessly Royle had dropped our main catalyst in our survival push (Neil Adams) in favour of another defender. A nervy night at BP the following Wednesday saw us edge a five goal thriller vs. Liverpool, but Palace's draw at Maine road had virtually sealed our fate. So onto Southampton, we were cruising at 4-1, do we shut up shop? Do we hell as like Royle's boys want 5 almost finishing their manager off in the process we hang on to win 4-3, safety is assured. amazing scenes at Boundary Park that again add to my memories of the great man in charge.

 

If I’m honest, that's where the roller-coaster would have ended. I would have brought a new man in with fresh ideas; we had become increasingly direct since our promotion - probably due to the addition of out and out target men like Olney and Sharp. Stitch's influence had diminished through injury and so had the Dodger's through age. Probably Royle's second biggest mistake was selling Ian Marshall who had become increasingly frustrated at his lack of opportunities in attack. Joe forever wrestled with the idea of whether he was best in attack or defence. What we were missing was immediately rammed back down our throats when Marshall scored the opening goal in a 3-0 opening day defeat to his new club Ipswich. It quickly was apparent that the game was up, the team was seriously lacking in all areas - even though Rick Holden re-signed from City he was not the player he had been four years earlier, Sharp returned from injury but Olney's season (and career) was all but curtailed at West Ham in November, low point was a footballing lesson from newly promoted Newcastle in front of the Sky cameras at BP. Sean McCarthy was signed to try and replace the crocked Olney but was quickly injured himself and despite a wonder goal at Old Trafford on Easter Monday was way off the Premier League pace. Injuries bit hard but a lack of goals from midfield cost us all season, neither Milligan or Henry registered, only Paul Bernard chipped in. The hero of the previous season was sold to Norwich - Neil Adams and we became increasingly reliant on the goals of the injury prone Darren Beckford. Somehow we managed to reach the FA Cup semi-finals and the league form had picked up to the extent of survival somehow being a real possibility. Unfortunately our failure to clear a hopeful ball forward saw Mark Hughes score THAT goal and our dreams died that afternoon in North London. Would bringing Andy Ritchie on have made a difference in killing the game - we'll never know! So relegation it was, all fight disappeared from the team from that day and despite a spine tingling show of defiance at Norwich on the final day we were relegated. Our dream was over.

 

So we were back where we started, could we go straight back up? Well I for one thought yes, we had kept the squad together except for Mike Milligan who went to Norwich but we had replaced him with Billy Kenny and Lee Richardson. The opening day was played out in brilliant sunshine, the flowing football was back, the goals flowed but the defensive frailties had returned and we were somewhat flattered to beat Charlton 5-2. By the end of August, we were top 3 wins from 4. Then it all began to go wrong, the team and manager struggled to adjust to life in Division 1, the team was far too inconsistent and was clearly under-achieving. Highlight was the comeback at Bolton with Joe giving the Bolton main stand as good as they gave when Super Sean bagged a late equaliser. We drew Arsenal in the Coca-Cola Cup, it was ironic - the team who against it had all began back in 1989, I hoped a win would again be the catalyst for better days, but despite a decent performance our lack of cutting edge saw us draw 0-0. It was sad actually that four out of Big Joe's last six games ended up 0-0, his last game being a 2-0 defeat in the Highbury replay. So Joe left us where it had all began - mid-table in the old Second Division. What a ride and one that I am privileged to have witnessed the last eight years of.

 

Strap yourselves in folks, it'll be one hell of a ride until May. Welcome home Joe, give it your best that's all we ask and we know you will.

 

Our overpaid 'experienced' prima-donnas won't know what's hit them!

 

How ironic would it be if we gained revenge gainst Leeds in the Play Offs? Oh the irony!

 

Tell you what, a few of our players could do with reading that. Make 'em show what graft can achieve. Whereas most of them have achieved nothing. (The odd exception, obviosly). And most importantly, working for each other.

Most interesting change will be if Gregan is still captain after a few games, not that I don't think he os good enough, just his habit of blaming everyone else and lack of self control.

Don;t lose your head when allt hose around you are losing theirs.

 

 

[longtimeblue]

Went to my first game as a 3 year old when we beat Leeds around easter 4-1, Lucky as a kid cos my dad was always a big latics fan so i had a season ticket bought me between 89-94 and in all honesty if Royle hadn't been at the helm I dont know if the bug would've stayed - Unfortunately realised that watchin Latics wouldn't always be like that, but as a kid and getting to experience waht i did I will be eternally grateful to the bloke - 2 trips to wembley, Sheff wed at home, the southampton game - memories, top top memories

 

I remember when he left I was at school and mates who were placky reds couldn't wait to tell me he'd gone and i was devoed

 

Even when we beat City at Maine Road when Kelly saved the penalty I was a bit uncomfortable with the "Royle, Royle what's the score" - It was in good humour and i was convinced that he wouldn't be that arsed

 

LEGEND

[StipeTripe]

Great post Prozie, shall I fill in the 82-86 bit of Joes first stint, maybe not eh.

 

Oh go on then, 1985/86, 10 league and 1 cup game.

 

Royle out!!!!

 

 

Sat 02 Nov Barnsley A League L 0-1

Sat 09 Nov Sheffield United H League L 1-5

Sat 16 Nov Middlesbrough A League L 2-3

Sat 23 Nov Stoke City H League L 2-4

Sat 30 Nov Fulham A League D 2-2

Sat 07 Dec Shrewsbury Town A League L 0-2

Sat 14 Dec Norwich City H League L 1-3

Sat 21 Dec Huddersfield Town A League L 0-2

Thu 26 Dec Bradford City H League L 0-1

Wed 01 Jan Leeds United A League L 1-3

Mon 06 Jan Orient H F.A. Cup L 1-2

 

 

 

Better add a just in case like.

 

 

And also add that I haven't looked forward to a Latics game so much for a long long time.

 

Joe Royles blue & white army

[oafcprozac]

Great post Prozie, shall I fill in the 82-86 bit of Joes first stint, maybe not eh.

 

Oh go on then, 1985/86, 10 league and 1 cup game.

 

Royle out!!!!

 

 

Sat 02 Nov Barnsley A League L 0-1

Sat 09 Nov Sheffield United H League L 1-5

Sat 16 Nov Middlesbrough A League L 2-3

Sat 23 Nov Stoke City H League L 2-4

Sat 30 Nov Fulham A League D 2-2

Sat 07 Dec Shrewsbury Town A League L 0-2

Sat 14 Dec Norwich City H League L 1-3

Sat 21 Dec Huddersfield Town A League L 0-2

Thu 26 Dec Bradford City H League L 0-1

Wed 01 Jan Leeds United A League L 1-3

Mon 06 Jan Orient H F.A. Cup L 1-2

 

 

 

Better add a just in case like.

 

 

And also add that I haven't looked forward to a Latics game so much for a long long time.

 

Joe Royles blue & white army

 

Thought you would be along to bring balance to the equation Stipey, in fact I was gonna suggest it.

[oafcprozac]

Thought you would be along to bring balance to the equation Stipey, in fact I was gonna suggest it.

 

As i'm at a bit of a loose end at the moment and depending on how this season pans out i'm thinking of writing a book on the last 15 years or so - summat along the lines of from 'Royle to Royle - a journey through football's wilderness.' Now this is purely at the conceptual stage and does depend on what happens both on the field and off the field with Joe's contract, but something I've thought about over the last couple of years and i'm sure if we're sucessful this year Stewart Beckett will probably look at putting something together perhaps. Even if he does the difference will be any effort from me will be brutally honest and tell it like it has been over the last 15 years or so rather than purely just a narrative. I may even incorporate interviews of some of you lot!

 

Would there be any takers?

[Diego_Sideburns]

My Mum is nearly 99 and, for many years before the age of instant news via t'internet, she used to cut out of the rarely wrong Chron any bits of news about Latics and post them to me. When I told her who our new manager is, she punched the air and said "good old Joe!".

[Diego_Sideburns]

As i'm at a bit of a loose end at the moment and depending on how this season pans out i'm thinking of writing a book on the last 15 years or so - summat along the lines of from 'Royle to Royle - a journey through football's wilderness.' Now this is purely at the conceptual stage and does depend on what happens both on the field and off the field with Joe's contract, but something I've thought about over the last couple of years and i'm sure if we're sucessful this year Stewart Beckett will probably look at putting something together perhaps. Even if he does the difference will be any effort from me will be brutally honest and tell it like it has been over the last 15 years or so rather than purely just a narrative. I may even incorporate interviews of some of you lot!

 

Would there be any takers?

 

Count me in and you can stop me if you get bored.

[BJBlue]

That was a great (if abit long) post! That was the year i was born (89) and by that time my dad had left the latics to become a liverpool fan (don't ask why because i don't know) but i know he sometimes went back to BP games but my mum wouldn't let him take me. Luckily when i started supporting latics a few years back he got hold of a vhs tape of the 89-90 season for me.every match, every goal. It makes good viewing!

[RoytonBlueLad]

Would there be any takers?

 

Go for it

[Scapegoat]

Its interesting to see that run from 85/86 and no doubt some of the ones before that.

 

If the same situation ocurred now - its doubtful that he would have survived long enough to bring the success he did. Same could be said of Fergie and Old Trafford, and the seasons before the FA Cup win.

 

Yet despite this, and the accepted knowledge that managers need time - messageboards, phone-ins, papers and chairman all react too quickly for a change.

 

Compare Sheridans record over the 3 years to Joes early years? Shez's could have been better. The times we live in eh?

[Beardy]

Ipswich away in 91, was one game that even though i was there i cant remember a lot!

 

Well bar Gunnar smashing his head on the metal barrier in front of where we were sat in the paddock.

 

Just waiting for that final whistle was agony.

[Erratic_Latic]

Great post and lots of memories - particularly interesting to be reminded of the timings of the transfers of some of those great players. I recall the whole Chaddy End singing "You gotta sign Neil Adams" in unison for about 20 minutes in one game but I couldn't remember what season it was.

 

86/87 was also the first season I started supporting Latics, when I was 15. As a younger kid I had previously supported... er.... well let's just say one of the bigger clubs in our rough geographical area (ahem), but I remember reading in the Chron about Latics new plastic pitch and feeling a bit of a buzz and a vibe. I remember saying to my mum that summer "I think I'm going to start supporting Oldham" and the rest is history.

 

Yes I also remember the capitulation from 5-0 to 5-3 against Pompey and the whole crowd singing beautifully "what the f**k is going on"....

 

Two of the memories from the previous Royle era that still bring the biggest smile to my face are, firstly, standing in the away end at Goodison for a league cup game - Irwin's cracking free kick down the other end of the park - and a bunch of lads throwing a Mickey Mouse puppet up and down in the air..... eventually Mickey emerged from the crowd with no head, still being tossed around, and then somewhere else in the crowd Mickey's head started flying around, everyone singing "Mickey Mouse has got no head, doo-daa, doo-daa" - bloody hilarious if you were there. Secondly, the entire Chaddy End baiting Julian Dicks for an entire 90 minutes - singing "Where's Your Handbag Julian" whilst shouting "Hello sailor" and wolf-whistling and waving their hands around gaily in the air....

 

Happy Days, wonder if the Royle magic will come back to the stands as well as the pitch!

Edited March 19, 2009 by Erratic_Latic