JoeP Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 The majority of my beef at the moment is towards the team and management, not the politics side of things which I'll leave to other people. I just can't associate with the team any more, I have no clue what the manager sounds like, and most importantly it's absolute dross to watch. Granted that all stems from the top and the politics. I'm actually a fan of TTA and (perhaps I'm being naive here...) I do believe they've got the best interests of the club at heart. But I'm afraid the buck stops at them with the current woefully inept performances dished up week in week out in a 3 sided absolute s**thole. Add all that to the politics and behind the scenes stuff and no wonder there's so much apathy amongst the fans. I've certainly got better things to do with my time thesedays. I've no affinity to Oldham the town and am actually up for a move to Failsworth but I can't help feeling that's further proof of how much I'm bothered with OAFC and BP at the moment. If I was as passionate as I was a few years back perhaps I'd be chaining myself to the floodlights? E4e ASSOA Yep, agree with most of that. I still wouldn’t see our current on-pitch (or off-pitch, for that matter) situation as a reason to give up though. For every squad built by Warnock, Talbot or Penny, there’s one built by Royle, Dowie or Sheridan (to some extent). Can't find it now, but there was an excellent post that was originally on the oafc.co.uk messageboard about giving the club back to the fans, which hit the nail on the head. I don’t agree that the blame for the product on the pitch lies with TTA, though. They made a solid appointment with Penny, but unfortunately he seems to have managed to destroy the soul of the club with his tactics and signings. I genuinely think the only way forward to keep a lot of the old-school fans interested is to get rid of Penny and appoint a Ritchie or an Eyres, if only to put some passion and identity back into the club. Lets face it - the football can't get any worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edhunteruk Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Yep, agree with most of that. I still wouldn’t see our current on-pitch (or off-pitch, for that matter) situation as a reason to give up though. For every squad built by Warnock, Talbot or Penny, there’s one built by Royle, Dowie or Sheridan (to some extent). Can't find it now, but there was an excellent post that was originally on the oafc.co.uk messageboard about giving the club back to the fans, which hit the nail on the head. I don’t agree that the blame for the product on the pitch lies with TTA, though. They made a solid appointment with Penny, but unfortunately he seems to have managed to destroy the soul of the club with his tactics and signings. I genuinely think the only way forward to keep a lot of the old-school fans interested is to get rid of Penny and appoint a Ritchie or an Eyres, if only to put some passion and identity back into the club. Lets face it - the football can't get any worse! but didnt we do that when we appointed sheridan??? and then to get people back on board and a feel good factor bring big joe back,which for various reasons didnt work either. they say in football never go back,so i know a lot of people think ritchie should come back,but im not so sure,only one i would like to see back is dowie,if for no other reason to give these players a big kick up the arse and train them properly to play football for the full 90 odd mins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 but didnt we do that when we appointed sheridan??? and then to get people back on board and a feel good factor bring big joe back,which for various reasons didnt work either. they say in football never go back,so i know a lot of people think ritchie should come back,but im not so sure,only one i would like to see back is dowie,if for no other reason to give these players a big kick up the arse and train them properly to play football for the full 90 odd mins. Sheridan was a good appointment - should never have been sacked. Royle was bought it to steady the ship, but decided he didn't want it permanently. You reckon those who feel they have lost affinity with the team would be using it as a reason not to come anymore if he'd stayed on?? I don't. Then imagine what the interest would be like if got the team playing well, with a bit of pride and passion. They might say never go back in football - but there's no law to say it won't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edhunteruk Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Sheridan was a good appointment - should never have been sacked. Royle was bought it to steady the ship, but decided he didn't want it permanently. You reckon those who feel they have lost affinity with the team would be using it as a reason not to come anymore if he'd stayed on?? I don't. Then imagine what the interest would be like if got the team playing well, with a bit of pride and passion. They might say never go back in football - but there's no law to say it won't work. your quite right there isnt a law that staes dont. royle didnt want it permanantly because wardle wasnt on board,try as he might to make it happen,plus he also was ready to go look at being a manager at other clubs,i think someone posted at the time that he wanted to manage fulltime again. sheridan was sacked for a whole host of things,the timing was wrong but it wasnt wrong to sack him,he had best part of 3 years and we didnt progress as a team under him,he was bewildered at the end when it all went wrong,and the team was on a bad losing streak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Sheridan was a good appointment - should never have been sacked. Royle was bought it to steady the ship, but decided he didn't want it permanently. You reckon those who feel they have lost affinity with the team would be using it as a reason not to come anymore if he'd stayed on?? I don't. Then imagine what the interest would be like if got the team playing well, with a bit of pride and passion. They might say never go back in football - but there's no law to say it won't work. That's one thing that messed us up. Royle started breaking the squad up when he wasn't here for the long haul. Then it got worse when Penney replaced the outgoing players with utter :censored:e. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Dowds Green Shirt Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I genuinely think the only way forward to keep a lot of the old-school fans interested is to get rid of Penny and appoint a Ritchie or an Eyres, if only to put some passion and identity back into the club. Lets face it - the football can't get any worse! The last time crowds were at this level, Ritchie was manager. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I agree we started to sink at exactly the wrong time. The post was intended to try to work out why even the hardcore fans are losing interest in the football side of things. We haven't really ever had funds before, and it never put the true faithful off. It's been discussed many times. In short, we have a generation of fans who grew up used to second-tier football and experienced the PL and Wembley. The failure by successive boards to arrest the slide that began fifteen years ago seems to have pushed many of them to the end of their tethers, especially as we now appear to be back to square one. Football has changed drastically over these years and lack of funds hampers a club much more that it used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 (edited) The last time crowds were at this level, Ritchie was manager. Without asking for a stat-attack, I don't remember crowds ever consistantly being this low, but I'll take your word for it. I do, however, remember that the encouragement and the passion shown for the team by the fans was fantastic, despite the team's limitations. The game at Maine Road under Ritchie was played in one of the most electric atmosphere's I can remember at a Latics match. Edited January 5, 2010 by JoeP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 That's a more optimistic outlook than your normal one. Good to see variation on a theme. Oh yes-I'm absolutely creaming myself at the prospect of the club being bigger than Burton Albion but smaller than Walsall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 The last time crowds were at this level, Ritchie was manager. Come a long way in the past ten years, haven't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Come a long way in the past ten years, haven't we? Full circle. Except players back then spent more than 2 seasons at 1 club! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 (edited) Full circle. Except players back then spent more than 2 seasons at 1 club! Exactly. Despite some notable highlights, every season in between Ritchie and the present has, in the end, proved a total waste of time. If we want to know why attendances are so low, we only have to look to the effect of the false dawns. The problem is that many of those who've departed will be able to see clearly that all we have to look forward to is another one. It's absolutely nailed on. Edited January 5, 2010 by Corporal_Jones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorrro Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I do, however, remember that the encouragement and the passion shown for the team by the fans was fantastic, despite the team's limitations. Chiefly because it hadn't been that long since our most recent halcyon days. It was easy back then to think, "Oh, we'll be okay; we'll be back up there in a year or two." The fact of the matter is that we've been in the doldrums (barring a couple of exciting seasons that ultimately went tits up) for over a decade now. Time is breeding apathy. Memories become more and more distant, yet perversely serve to whet our appetite every season. That quickly dissipates, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Chiefly because it hadn't been that long since our most recent halcyon days. It was easy back then to think, "Oh, we'll be okay; we'll be back up there in a year or two." The fact of the matter is that we've been in the doldrums (barring a couple of exciting seasons that ultimately went tits up) for over a decade now. Time is breeding apathy. Memories become more and more distant, yet perversely serve to whet our appetite every season. That quickly dissipates, however. I don't think we can underestimate the damaging effect of the post-February part of 2006-7. One final push was all that was needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Dowds Green Shirt Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Without asking for a stat-attack, I don't remember crowds ever consistantly being this low, but I'll take your word for it. I do, however, remember that the encouragement and the passion shown for the team by the fans was fantastic, despite the team's limitations. The game at Maine Road under Ritchie was played in one of the most electric atmosphere's I can remember at a Latics match. Average crowd that season was 4,972 with a high of 9,359 IIRC against Stoke. The lows were attendances of 3,000ish against Cambridge. M**re took over the following summer. 2000-01 attendances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 (edited) Chiefly because it hadn't been that long since our most recent halcyon days. It was easy back then to think, "Oh, we'll be okay; we'll be back up there in a year or two." The fact of the matter is that we've been in the doldrums (barring a couple of exciting seasons that ultimately went tits up) for over a decade now. Time is breeding apathy. Memories become more and more distant, yet perversely serve to whet our appetite every season. That quickly dissipates, however. So the passion and encouragement shown by the fans then was in no way connected to who was in charge and the effort the players put in for the shirt? Don't remember as much enthusiasm the seasons Sharp was in charge and that was even nearer to our halycon days. Edited January 5, 2010 by JoeP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueJazzer Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Chiefly because it hadn't been that long since our most recent halcyon days. It was easy back then to think, "Oh, we'll be okay; we'll be back up there in a year or two." The fact of the matter is that we've been in the doldrums (barring a couple of exciting seasons that ultimately went tits up) for over a decade now. Time is breeding apathy. Memories become more and more distant, yet perversely serve to whet our appetite every season. That quickly dissipates, however. Surely then half of the fans in the ground last year will have only experienced life in the third tier. So harking back to the PL years or wembley can't be the reason for their apathy? So does that mean the poor showing on the pitch is the only reason for the dwindling in their numbers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorrro Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Yeah, but Sharp was gash There probably was an element of what you've suggested. Absolutely. Sadly, I doubt it'll ever get back to that point. (The Ritchie era itself was pretty dark from a football point of view 'n' all...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Surely then half of the fans in the ground last year will have only experienced life in the third tier. So harking back to the PL years or wembley can't be the reason for their apathy? So does that mean the poor showing on the pitch is the only reason for the dwindling in their numbers? That may be the case, but I'd guess that most of those drifting away are those who recall the earlier period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorrro Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Surely then half of the fans in the ground last year will have only experienced life in the third tier. So harking back to the PL years or wembley can't be the reason for their apathy? So does that mean the poor showing on the pitch is the only reason for the dwindling in their numbers? This particular conversation is about the old-school fans, I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 So the passion and encouragement shown by the fans then was in no way connected to who was in charge and the effort the players put in for the shirt? Don't remember as much enthusiasm the seasons Sharp was in charge and that was even nearer to our halycon days. Fans were subdued during the Sharp period because it was becoming obvious by the week that we were doing the opposite to what everybody wanted and, perhaps somewhat unrealistically, expected, which was to quickly regain lost ground-or at least make the maximum effort to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Average crowd that season was 4,972 with a high of 9,359 IIRC against Stoke. The lows were attendances of 3,000ish against Cambridge. M**re took over the following summer. 2000-01 attendances Isn't that better than we're getting at the moment?? Anyway, I was trying to make the point that the hardcore fans are looking for some personnel within the club to identify with and I think Ritchie is a good example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorrro Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Anyway, I was trying to make the point that the hardcore fans are looking for some personnel within the club to identify with and I think Ritchie is a good example. You're right, I suspect. However... the football side of things needs to be spot on. The game itself rules all. If someone like Ritchie or Eyres came in and we still played poorly, people would quickly 'forget' about the affinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 (edited) Isn't that better than we're getting at the moment?? Anyway, I was trying to make the point that the hardcore fans are looking for some personnel within the club to identify with and I think Ritchie is a good example. Wasn't Joe Royle supposed to perform that role at the end of last season? Ritchie alone, trying to make do with the usual bunch of quickly-passing-through journeymen and loanees, is likely to have little more success than the present manager or previous ones. We need a stable core of capable players who will lead the push towards promotion, good enough to form the basis of the squad for several years. Unfortunately, the club seems unable or unwilling to fund that. Edited January 5, 2010 by Corporal_Jones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Yeah, but Sharp was gash There probably was an element of what you've suggested. Absolutely. Sadly, I doubt it'll ever get back to that point. (The Ritchie era itself was pretty dark from a football point of view 'n' all...) Agreed about Sharp....and he thought he could get the Everton job on the back of his performance as manager of Latics! Fans Liaison Officer is as good as it has got for him at Goodison! The Ritchie era was a country mile better than how things stand now - when he was sacked by Moore there was signs of that the club was on the way back up. Got to believe we can get back to that point - it's just about working out how to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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