Lets sort out to moaners and groaners

[opinions4u]

Beautifully written Harry.

 

Knighthood for that man!

 

Still slighlty gobsmacked that after 1 league defeat people have called for a NEW manager's head !!

[Blue_tak]

You youngsters need to get a grip! Your just impatient whiper snappers

 

I didn't go last night as I missed my first home game in about 4 years due to work commitments (I was actually at the cricket at OT - I know I know, there wasn't any but at least I got a buffet and a few drinks around town.)

 

You think this is bad? You really have got to be joking. It is nothing like the worst we have faced in my time watching Latics.

 

If I'm perfectly honest that probably came in the later years of the Jimmy Friz reign and the ealry years under big Joe. Things under Frizz got progressively worse as crowds dropped and funds became, to say the least, stretched. Players were sold to keep us afloat (for more recent examples see the Chris Moore fire sale, except this happened every year) Eventually Frizz was sacked in 1982 because, as then chairman Harry Wilde stated, we couldn't afford to pay the manager £20K a year - yes that is a year.

 

Big Joe came in, and against the odds, had a relatively successful first season (see also Shez season 1 for a comparison), then had all his best players sold off in a 6 month fire sale (John Ryan to Newcastle, Paul Atkinson to Watford, Roger Wylde to Porto or was it Sporting in Portugal and then 6 months later, just was we were getting our act together, Paul Futcher to Derby. Sales that brought in about £600K which is probably around £2.5 million today. Players like Derick Parker, Joe McBride etc were brought in. Honest but inferior players. Performances went through the floor, we struggled against relegation, crowds dropped, again (If you believe the corp that is only a recent thing)

 

BUT BUT BUT BUT the board stood firm, stuck with a "cheap" manager, backed him where possible and slowly but surley JR started to put togther a team that would ultimately be the most successful in the clubs history. It didn't happen straight away and there were highs and lows along the way. The low that sticks out is a 5-0 drubbing at Portsmouth. Now that is a bloody long journey for a good thrashing and a performance that was far worse than any I have seen at BP in the last 5 years. Co-incidentally one of the incredible highs was a 4-3 vicrtory at Pompey where we were 4-0 up at half time.

 

This board have already said that sacking Rugby Ron was a mistake, whilst that is debateable, the thing that comes out of that statement is that they should have shown more patience and that is what this thread is all about. Patience

 

DP has a track record comparable with any manager since Colin (god I hate saying that - what I mean is JR & JF) he needs time to mould his team and style of play whilst working round a constrained budget and the problems of transfer windows. The early signs, despite some of the threads on here, are actually encouraging.

 

BB80 has stated in other threads already that he would be happy with a top 10 finish this season (I'm sure he has said that previously for other managers 1st seasons) and that is fair. Anything else would be a bonus. But don't rule out a bonus. There are some "big" teams in league 1 and they are all under pressure and I can guarantee that 1 or more will implode under that pressure and teams like us and Swindon could well capitalise. If it does then great. If not, then we continue to build for next year keeping stability at the forefront.

 

As for the critisisms, get real, you don't know you were born.

 

Wishing for 2002/03 and saying we shouldn't be losing at home to the likes of Accrington Stanley are nothing new, just the yooth of today repeating things like we shouldn't be losing at home to Scarborough (1973) and I wish it could be 69/70 (Fryatt & Shaw) again after a few years of no success.

 

Roll on Friday.

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Harry

 

Fantastic reply, Harry and it should be pinned up there, with a 'moan filter' that re-directs them to your post.

Mid-table will be acceptable, as it is much more preferable to fighting relegation. Albeit without the 'excitement'.

 

It is absolutely ludicrous for anybody to be looking for the manager's head to roll.

We haven't even started to gel yet, which is proving elusive because of the inconsistency in players' availability.

 

We need patience and more patience to achieve stability in playing staff and management and that needs to come from fans and directors alike.

Why anybody would shell out to go to a match then sit there and moan all game...well, do it once, maybe...but why keep on doing it?

Edited September 3, 2009 by Blue_tak

[Diego_Sideburns]

You Harry-come-latelies, who only go back to the Jimmy Friz days, don't know you're born! You should have been around in George Hardwick's days. When you can remember seeking re-election to the Football League, today is luxury, with hopes of a mid-table first year reign of our latest manager. We can't even moan that we're in football's lowest tier.

 

What we didn't have in the old days was instant communication where fans and owners alike can read kneejerk reactions in print. People thrive on moaning, most choose the weather, others the Government, many their local team. What is worrying is that too many vote with their feet and stay away from BP. I keep being told that only a winning team will change that.

 

Meanwhile let's hope TTA are still here to realise their dream eventually.

 

[Stalik]

People who pay their hard earned cash for a season ticket/admission to cup games/away trips etc have the right to moan and groan at some of the displays been shown. Last night was nothing short of a disgrace. We shouldn't be losing at home to Accrington Stanley (no disrespect to them) with our strongest availavble side out. I, myself, am one of the biggest moaners on a match day and on here, does that make me less of a fan than you or anybody else?

 

yes

[BP1960]

Many posters are well meaning and have the club at heart, why should they keep quiet over embarrassing defeats and watching underperfoming players ?

It's not moaning to express opinions on team shortcomings when they are so obvious and have not been addressed.

 

[singe]

Ill back the team during the game but if they dont give us what we want people have a right to moan it cant be stopped. It like anything in life that goes wrong people will be negative, with latics it is sometimes hard to be positive.

 

I was at work today looking back at the fixture list for 02/03 wishing i could go back in time for the days where fans were always happy and our team was invinsible. Great days, being unbeaten away until march, massive away support, great atmostpheres, players who cared.

 

You look at this season and cant help but think its going to be dull, with more downs than ups. Who actually is looking forward to Hartlepool at home on friday night- id say about 3500 will be there, with 50% of that crowd feeling like we will fu** up in the 86th minute like usual. Id like to hope that it will come good but i dont buy this "i will be happy with mid table", as what is the point we may aswell finish 17th.

 

Anyway we will see what happens but i wish it was inspiring as the 02/03 season

I am afraid you memory is playing tricks on you. People still moaned about the team then.

No team is invincible. Even United or City.

Others could say hey still want the PRemieship Days back, but what woudl that make them?

Stick with it, it makes the highs all the more sweet.

But if you just want the glory, the door is that way -> Glory Hunters paradise

 

[LT_SMASH]

The problem is that the internet has sporned a new type of fan. In the past you'd watch a match, if the result went against you, you'd walk home vent some anger and get on with it and wait for the next match. Nowadays I bet after a bad result within 2 hours (if it's a home match) the vast majority of OWTB members (me included) will come on the forum and read the negative writing of another fan then add our own piece. This isn't limited to Oldham, I have friends of other clubs doing the same thing each week. Consequently it seems negativity follows football round like a bad smell.

[Corporal_Jones]

I'm not supporting the moaners and i'm certainly not one of them but i think the numerous false dawns over the last few years have taken their toll,hence the lack of patience with the team and also the dwindling attendances.

I'm with you though lets get behind them and see where that takes us.

 

 

 

Exactly-it has to get very bad indeed before I ever barrack the team, and I have never, ever singled out individual players for vocal criticism in over three decades of watching Latics. However, we have been told to be patient many, many times before, in the idea that 'It's a new manager, with a new squad, the team needs time to gel, etc etc.' The result is always but always the same. It will be no different this time. Simply, for many, the patience has clearly run out. The club has reached an impasse, and the future is, to say the least, unclear.

 

Furthermore, BP is far from unique. It's exactly the same at most clubs, including some of the best supported clubs in the country. Has anybody, for instance, ever been to a City game? Or ManUre during the mid-1980s? Either experience would put the idea that we are a uniquely negative set of fans to bed once and for all.

 

[Corporal_Jones]

You are 100% right my friend but it wont change until we no longer have a club (which is inevitable in my eyes). People keep moaning at TTA and whoever they appoint. If I was investing in a football club like they have I wouldnt tolerate the :censored: that is spouted on this sight, in the Chron and now to their faces at the games. They keep shelling money on the team week in week out only to be slated. Only a matter of time before they do what Chris Moore did and who could blame them.

 

 

 

What nonsense. If you buy a football club, you can expect criticism, especially if the declared plans come to nothing. What would you do in your lack of tolerance of criticism? Ban the critics and deprive the club of even more cash?

 

The sycophancy from some Latics fans is sickening.

[Corporal_Jones]

You youngsters need to get a grip! Your just impatient whiper snappers

 

I didn't go last night as I missed my first home game in about 4 years due to work commitments (I was actually at the cricket at OT - I know I know, there wasn't any but at least I got a buffet and a few drinks around town.)

 

You think this is bad? You really have got to be joking. It is nothing like the worst we have faced in my time watching Latics.

 

If I'm perfectly honest that probably came in the later years of the Jimmy Friz reign and the ealry years under big Joe. Things under Frizz got progressively worse as crowds dropped and funds became, to say the least, stretched. Players were sold to keep us afloat (for more recent examples see the Chris Moore fire sale, except this happened every year) Eventually Frizz was sacked in 1982 because, as then chairman Harry Wilde stated, we couldn't afford to pay the manager £20K a year - yes that is a year.

 

Big Joe came in, and against the odds, had a relatively successful first season (see also Shez season 1 for a comparison), then had all his best players sold off in a 6 month fire sale (John Ryan to Newcastle, Paul Atkinson to Watford, Roger Wylde to Porto or was it Sporting in Portugal and then 6 months later, just was we were getting our act together, Paul Futcher to Derby. Sales that brought in about £600K which is probably around £2.5 million today. Players like Derick Parker, Joe McBride etc were brought in. Honest but inferior players. Performances went through the floor, we struggled against relegation, crowds dropped, again (If you believe the corp that is only a recent thing)

 

BUT BUT BUT BUT the board stood firm, stuck with a "cheap" manager, backed him where possible and slowly but surley JR started to put togther a team that would ultimately be the most successful in the clubs history. It didn't happen straight away and there were highs and lows along the way. The low that sticks out is a 5-0 drubbing at Portsmouth. Now that is a bloody long journey for a good thrashing and a performance that was far worse than any I have seen at BP in the last 5 years. Co-incidentally one of the incredible highs was a 4-3 vicrtory at Pompey where we were 4-0 up at half time.

 

This board have already said that sacking Rugby Ron was a mistake, whilst that is debateable, the thing that comes out of that statement is that they should have shown more patience and that is what this thread is all about. Patience

 

DP has a track record comparable with any manager since Colin (god I hate saying that - what I mean is JR & JF) he needs time to mould his team and style of play whilst working round a constrained budget and the problems of transfer windows. The early signs, despite some of the threads on here, are actually encouraging.

 

BB80 has stated in other threads already that he would be happy with a top 10 finish this season (I'm sure he has said that previously for other managers 1st seasons) and that is fair. Anything else would be a bonus. But don't rule out a bonus. There are some "big" teams in league 1 and they are all under pressure and I can guarantee that 1 or more will implode under that pressure and teams like us and Swindon could well capitalise. If it does then great. If not, then we continue to build for next year keeping stability at the forefront.

 

As for the critisisms, get real, you don't know you were born.

 

Wishing for 2002/03 and saying we shouldn't be losing at home to the likes of Accrington Stanley are nothing new, just the yooth of today repeating things like we shouldn't be losing at home to Scarborough (1973) and I wish it could be 69/70 (Fryatt & Shaw) again after a few years of no success.

 

Roll on Friday.

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Harry

 

 

 

 

All of this would only be relevant if a situation never changed and history simply repeated itself over and over. It doesn't, as we are seeing.

 

Particularly irrelevant is the comparison with the early Joe Royle years: a different era when everything was far less about how much money club owners were able to spend, with the club playing at a higher level with, in the main, far better players than we can hope to bring to BP nowadays.

 

History does not repeat itself.

[Corporal_Jones]

What's also changed since the Royle years is that we've experienced the 'glory days' to which they eventually led. A lot of fans, rightly or wrongly, seem to see these as a wasted, once-in-a-lifetime chance to take the club forward, and see that what happened instead was that the club was allowed to very rapidly slip back to a low level not seen for a generation. In contrast, the early Royle years, despite all the difficulties Harry describes, saw the club at its highest point-holding its own in football's second tier-for many decades, and this in a game where the gulf between those clubs with serious backing and those without (even in the same division) was nowhere near as wide. Is it any wonder that people might have had more patience when you contrast the two eras?

 

Ten or more years ago, people were saying that if we 'Keep the Faith,' have patience etc etc, things will come good in the end. Nothing much has changed-we are no nearer to getting out of this division, no safer from relegation, the club's finances remain in a precarious state, and, season after season, we're not even watching football of any better a quality than under Ritchie or even Warnock. Meanwhile other clubs, no bigger in essence than Latics, have passed us on the way up, and we see even clubs historically much smaller than Latics having their time in the sun, even if only temporarily. It could even be said that our chances of promotion were, in the medium term, greater ten years ago than at present, not least because back then there was always a sense (or illuson?) that somebody would eventually recall the good days of the recent past and rescue the club with the necessary funds to restore some lost ground. The false starts in that respect have seen the club fall further and further behind developments in the game and lose status within it by the season. The club has basically been turned into one of the game's minnows and the fact that such a small stadium is being proposed indicates that the club has not only perceived this but embraced it.

 

[ghostofcecere]

You Harry-come-latelies, who only go back to the Jimmy Friz days, don't know you're born! You should have been around in George Hardwick's days. When you can remember seeking re-election to the Football League, today is luxury, with hopes of a mid-table first year reign of our latest manager. We can't even moan that we're in football's lowest tier.

 

What we didn't have in the old days was instant communication where fans and owners alike can read kneejerk reactions in print. People thrive on moaning, most choose the weather, others the Government, many their local team. What is worrying is that too many vote with their feet and stay away from BP. I keep being told that only a winning team will change that.

Meanwhile let's hope TTA are still here to realise their dream eventually.

 

I think there is more to it than that D_S, I've posted on this before (and I know it's a subject close to your heart) but it's the whole matchday experience at BP that's keeping people away IMO. There is just no fun in going to the games anymore, I class my real start following Latics (basically when I was allowed not to sit/stand with my Dad! ) in the mid-eighties, when win lose or draw it was a cracking day out i.e. there was a bloody good atmosphere and a bit of excitement. I have only seen this type of day in patches in the last 15 years or so, it's no wonder people stay away, it's just so bloody boring watching Latics most of the time!!! Hand on heart I think it was the buzz of matchday at BP that got me hooked on Latics rather than anything the team did, and that's what we also need to aim for now (You can also add poor catering etc etc to the list of why matchdays are poor too!)

 

This may also explain why the 'stayaways' appear for the big cup games much to the annoyance (and argueably rightly so) of many on here. (Admittidly, you've even less chance of getting a pie on these occasions though )

 

I've no real solutions to this I'm afraid, and please god lets not open the Chaddy v RRE debate AGAIN..... but I'm sure this plays a part in why people stay away, you expect a good day out and a bit of entertainment for your admission fee and that just doesn't happen anymore at BP. Of course a winning team would get people back, but to keep them through the tough times we need more than this.

[Stalik]

You youngsters need to get a grip! Your just impatient whiper snappers

 

I didn't go last night as I missed my first home game in about 4 years due to work commitments (I was actually at the cricket at OT - I know I know, there wasn't any but at least I got a buffet and a few drinks around town.)

 

You think this is bad? You really have got to be joking. It is nothing like the worst we have faced in my time watching Latics.

 

If I'm perfectly honest that probably came in the later years of the Jimmy Friz reign and the ealry years under big Joe. Things under Frizz got progressively worse as crowds dropped and funds became, to say the least, stretched. Players were sold to keep us afloat (for more recent examples see the Chris Moore fire sale, except this happened every year) Eventually Frizz was sacked in 1982 because, as then chairman Harry Wilde stated, we couldn't afford to pay the manager £20K a year - yes that is a year.

 

Big Joe came in, and against the odds, had a relatively successful first season (see also Shez season 1 for a comparison), then had all his best players sold off in a 6 month fire sale (John Ryan to Newcastle, Paul Atkinson to Watford, Roger Wylde to Porto or was it Sporting in Portugal and then 6 months later, just was we were getting our act together, Paul Futcher to Derby. Sales that brought in about £600K which is probably around £2.5 million today. Players like Derick Parker, Joe McBride etc were brought in. Honest but inferior players. Performances went through the floor, we struggled against relegation, crowds dropped, again (If you believe the corp that is only a recent thing)

 

BUT BUT BUT BUT the board stood firm, stuck with a "cheap" manager, backed him where possible and slowly but surley JR started to put togther a team that would ultimately be the most successful in the clubs history. It didn't happen straight away and there were highs and lows along the way. The low that sticks out is a 5-0 drubbing at Portsmouth. Now that is a bloody long journey for a good thrashing and a performance that was far worse than any I have seen at BP in the last 5 years. Co-incidentally one of the incredible highs was a 4-3 vicrtory at Pompey where we were 4-0 up at half time.

 

This board have already said that sacking Rugby Ron was a mistake, whilst that is debateable, the thing that comes out of that statement is that they should have shown more patience and that is what this thread is all about. Patience

 

DP has a track record comparable with any manager since Colin (god I hate saying that - what I mean is JR & JF) he needs time to mould his team and style of play whilst working round a constrained budget and the problems of transfer windows. The early signs, despite some of the threads on here, are actually encouraging.

 

BB80 has stated in other threads already that he would be happy with a top 10 finish this season (I'm sure he has said that previously for other managers 1st seasons) and that is fair. Anything else would be a bonus. But don't rule out a bonus. There are some "big" teams in league 1 and they are all under pressure and I can guarantee that 1 or more will implode under that pressure and teams like us and Swindon could well capitalise. If it does then great. If not, then we continue to build for next year keeping stability at the forefront.

 

As for the critisisms, get real, you don't know you were born.

 

Wishing for 2002/03 and saying we shouldn't be losing at home to the likes of Accrington Stanley are nothing new, just the yooth of today repeating things like we shouldn't be losing at home to Scarborough (1973) and I wish it could be 69/70 (Fryatt & Shaw) again after a few years of no success.

 

Roll on Friday.

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Harry

 

 

Harry this has to be the best post ever to appear on this site. Well done mate.

Like others it would appear I avoid certain posters on this site (ie: corporal jones) if the name appears in the thread I skip over it as I know what they are going to say before they have said it. I don't come on this site to read stuff like that so I don't. What a way to live your life, full of desperate negativity and about somethng like football???. Anyway I don't let that canker spread to me thanks very much.

It would be an honour to meet you Harry and Enjoy Friday. Just wish I could be there myself.

[Corporal_Jones]

Harry this has to be the best post ever to appear on this site. Well done mate.

Like others it would appear I avoid certain posters on this site (ie: corporal jones) if the name appears in the thread I skip over it as I know what they are going to say before they have said it. I don't come on this site to read stuff like that so I don't. What a way to live your life, full of desperate negativity and about somethng like football???. Anyway I don't let that canker spread to me thanks very much.

It would be an honour to meet you Harry and Enjoy Friday. Just wish I could be there myself.

 

 

 

And I'm inclined to skip over what the likes of yourself post because I know in advance that it will be wishful thinking, happy clapper nonsense.

 

You'd do well not to skip my posts, however, because I've called it right so far (so, too, have certain others who seem to pass pretty much unnoticed), and it looks like I'm going to be proved right in the end. As you will see...

 

If you hadn't noticed- it's a football board, set up to discuss...football. What the rest of somebody's life is like has no bearing whatsoever on what they write on here.

[LaticsPete]

You'd do well not to skip my posts, however, because I've called it right so far (so, too, have certain others who seem to pass pretty much unnoticed), and it looks like I'm going to be proved right in the end. As you will see...

 

For you sir...

[Corporal_Jones]

For you sir...

 

 

 

I'm only arrogant when appropriate.

 

There are plenty of happy clappers with an unwarranted arrogance; unwarranted because they turn out to be as wrong as it gets at every turn.

 

 

[eddyblue]

The worst times in my Latics supporting career were the late 1960's between Bates/McIlroy to Frizz, which saw us relegated to Div 4 with an appalling team. Frizz took Latics from utterly dire to the second division, and kept us there. Despite that, towards the end of his time in the job there was a bloke in the now demolished Ford stand who spent all match shouting "Frizzell out". There will always be moaners.

I believe it all boils down to the manager.Trouble is appointing the right manager is easier said than done.I thought at first that Shez would bring back the good times but look how disappointingly that finished.

I think DP is a good appointment but we can only wait and see. If he is, then promotion should within a season or two, be a realistic possibility.

Latics, whatever anyone says, have never been that well supported but in recent history (1970 - 1995 ish) have punched above their weight and been, in my opinion anyway, a level above the likes of Stockport, Rochdale Crewe etc - no disrespect to them. There has also been a feeling of ambition, which seems to have gone now.

The worry for me is the possibility that, as CJ argues, the club have indeed settled for bottom two division existence in which case I regretto say the dream would be well & truly over for me and the reason supporting them would have gone.

[dfOAFC]

There has also been a feeling of ambition, which seems to have gone now.

 

i think there is a feeling of ambition and that's part of the problem - expectations are too high and certain fans demand instant success.

 

pre 89/90 there wasn't a level of expectation like there has been since.

 

constantly flirting with the top of the table and the playoffs has only fueled the moaning in a perverse way, anything less is percieved as failure.

 

the older members of this board have seen two successful periods. i've seen one.

 

the younger members will see success eventually but to expect this more than once every generation will only lead to disappointment. it's never happened more often than that in the past so why would/should it now?

Edited September 3, 2009 by dfOAFC

[Corporal_Jones]

i think there is a feeling of ambition and that's part of the problem - expectations are too high and certain fans demand instant success.

 

pre 89/90 there wasn't a level of expectation like there has been since.

 

constantly flirting with the top of the table and the playoffs has only fueled the moaning in a perverse way, anything less is percieved as failure.

 

the older members of this board have seen two successful periods. i've seen one.

 

the younger members will see success eventually but to expect this more than once every generation will only lead to disappointment. it's never happened more often than that in the past so why would/should it now?

 

 

 

 

Perhaps this is true. But, as I said, what's galling for some fans is that the last period of success came on the eve of the formation of the Premier League, giving the club a golden chance to be in on the kind of wealth that transformed clubs like Bolton, who were just as ramshackle an outfit as Latics until a decade or so ago.

 

Furthermore, the next few decades will not simply be a re-run of the last few, and for a whole host of reasons, lower division football is looking fragile. The club has, in failing to arrest the slide since 1994, unfortunately landed itself in the position whereby it looks set to be one of those clubs that either goes part-time or goes under. No amount of plunging your head in the sand can alter this fact.

[lancy lad]

What nonsense. If you buy a football club, you can expect criticism, especially if the declared plans come to nothing. What would you do in your lack of tolerance of criticism? Ban the critics and deprive the club of even more cash?

 

The sycophancy from some Latics fans is sickening.

Exactly one of the idiots most of us are talking about. You never have anything decent to say about the owners, the manager, the team or even any other fans veiw so why bother even claiming to be an Oldham fan. The moto Keep The Faith is lost on idiots like you!

[Stevie Whitehall]

yes

 

I trust I'll be seeing you at Bristol then on the 12th?

 

Too many false dawns in my life span. So I feel I have the right to be negative if I see fit.

[De_La_Vega]

Exactly one of the idiots most of us are talking about. You never have anything decent to say about the owners, the manager, the team or even any other fans veiw so why bother even claiming to be an Oldham fan. The moto Keep The Faith is lost on idiots like you!

What utter drivel mate - the Corp pays his money, and supports his team. What right have you got to question the depth of the guy's feeling for the club? Apart from the depressing nature of it, a lot of what he says is pretty spot on and worth thinking about.

 

I moan about Latics all the time, and this season I have lost a lot of the buzz about the game. But guess what? I was at Swindon, Brentford and I'm genuinely excited about Friday - a couple of beers on a Friday and a game is well worth getting up for even though I fully expect the game itself to be naff and the dirty Pool to slutch a 1-0 win like they always seem to at BP.

 

I don't like people getting on the players' backs, but isn't that the point of having a forum like this to complain away from the heat of the moment? Why have a go at guys who are venting on OWTB?

 

Fact is that this Latics team is underwhelming. The stadium is a worrying issue, especially the more I hear about the finances behind the owners' desire not to redevelop BP - maybe all conjecture but you can never be sure. We have lost some of our more talented players and in Hughes, Kilkenny and the mighty Wellens you could well argue that we have been spoilt in recent years - all the more reason for the current crop to be disappointing.

 

Throw in high ticket prices and a recession and why the hell shouldn't people moan? When we have looked good in the past we have had a real sense that the players were together and enjoyed playing for the team - the back end of last year broke that bond and subsequent player transfers have seen an entirely new team emerge that people will take time to warm to. We need Taylor back, and a few of the young lads to kick on - everyone loves a youngster doing well - plus we need a centre-back. Nobody can get excited about a team going nowhere, and with our defence at the minute that is exactly what we are doing.

[Corporal_Jones]

Exactly one of the idiots most of us are talking about. You never have anything decent to say about the owners, the manager, the team or even any other fans veiw so why bother even claiming to be an Oldham fan. The moto Keep The Faith is lost on idiots like you!

 

 

 

If I agree with another fan's view I say so, and do on many an occasion. If you learned how to think for yourself, I might do the same to you (you never know your luck.)

 

I have never said anything bad to say about the owners. On the contrary, I've praised them in the past and questioned their intentions in recent times, but I've never disparaged them. As for the manager and team-I said upon DP's appointment that he appears to know his stuff, and have acknowledged his good record as a manager; the team, meanwhile, is yet another bunch of strangers to me, about whom I have, as yet, no strong opinions.

 

My faith did undergo its demise a while ago, however. I tried to save it but, despite a struggle, it couldn't be revived. At the moment it remains in the mortuary, as its custodian hopes for the miracle of rebirth to be bestowed upon it.

Edited September 3, 2009 by Corporal_Jones

[lancy lad]

What utter drivel mate - the Corp pays his money, and supports his team. What right have you got to question the depth of the guy's feeling for the club? Apart from the depressing nature of it, a lot of what he says is pretty spot on and worth thinking about.

 

I moan about Latics all the time, and this season I have lost a lot of the buzz about the game. But guess what? I was at Swindon, Brentford and I'm genuinely excited about Friday - a couple of beers on a Friday and a game is well worth getting up for even though I fully expect the game itself to be naff and the dirty Pool to slutch a 1-0 win like they always seem to at BP.

 

I don't like people getting on the players' backs, but isn't that the point of having a forum like this to complain away from the heat of the moment? Why have a go at guys who are venting on OWTB?

 

Fact is that this Latics team is underwhelming. The stadium is a worrying issue, especially the more I hear about the finances behind the owners' desire not to redevelop BP - maybe all conjecture but you can never be sure. We have lost some of our more talented players and in Hughes, Kilkenny and the mighty Wellens you could well argue that we have been spoilt in recent years - all the more reason for the current crop to be disappointing.

 

Throw in high ticket prices and a recession and why the hell shouldn't people moan? When we have looked good in the past we have had a real sense that the players were together and enjoyed playing for the team - the back end of last year broke that bond and subsequent player transfers have seen an entirely new team emerge that people will take time to warm to. We need Taylor back, and a few of the young lads to kick on - everyone loves a youngster doing well - plus we need a centre-back. Nobody can get excited about a team going nowhere, and with our defence at the minute that is exactly what we are doing.

Do you blame TTA for not wanting to throw any more of their hard earned money at BP and players like Hughes, Kilkenny and Wellens? Because I dont.

 

Whatever your feeling they are not Latics fans and do it because they want to be involved in football so if you had bothered to read my original threads which Corporal Suicidal was knocking, you would realise that my fear is that these people (like Chris Moore) have probably had enough of paying their good money for people to complain about them all the time and be criticised whilst spending their own money to keep our club going.

 

Let me put it another way, if you had a thoroughly ugly wife who was lazy and refused to work WHILST CRITICISING YOU ALL THE TIME........... would you continue to bring home your hard earned cash for her to buy more chocolate and fags or would you get rid? I know what I would do.

[futchers briefs]

Perhaps this is true. But, as I said, what's galling for some fans is that the last period of success came on the eve of the formation of the Premier League, giving the club a golden chance to be in on the kind of wealth that transformed clubs like Bolton, who were just as ramshackle an outfit as Latics until a decade or so ago.

 

Furthermore, the next few decades will not simply be a re-run of the last few, and for a whole host of reasons, lower division football is looking fragile. The club has, in failing to arrest the slide since 1994, unfortunately landed itself in the position whereby it looks set to be one of those clubs that either goes part-time or goes under. No amount of plunging your head in the sand can alter this fact.

Despite having the odd typing 'tussle' with you, albeit minor, over some of the clubs failings in your eyes CJ, this for me does hit the nail on the head.

 

We did buy a 'golden ticket' at an almost perfect time when winning the 'old' second division', though unfortunately due to many factors, not just a failure of significant investment from owners - potential or current - at the time, we were unable to capitalise upon that great opportunity and 'move forward' to keep pace with clubs such as Bolton, Wigan, Burnley. That is not to say that we are/are not similar in size, potential crowds etc, as that little debate contiues to go on.

You make a good point in that lower division football does indeed look very fragile, always on the cards since the premiergreed was formed. The lack of finances, that many of the older generation predicted would happen to smaller, unfashionable clubs, is in fact now bearing it's not so sweet fruit.

Pre mid 80s/premiergreed - Possibly 60-70 clubs were very similar it seems, financially, with few clubs being able to afford decent wages/transfer fees for a player, yet not in to much debt and therefore comfortably able to survive year on year.

this is becoming increasingly more difficult, evident by the number of teams who have faced and will face the administrators in the next few years.

An opportunity was missed and since then, the gulf is wider and we may be going further away?

Yet as Harry, Diego and others have said, despite all of this, all of this has been seen before, has been supported through it, worse crowds, players and managers have been through the BP door many times before and the end of the world then wasn't nigh!!

It isn't now either!!