Ackey Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Earlier today I made this post: here It was my take on how big the world is and how insignificant a move of a few miles is. It's one I hope people will take time to consider when thinking about the future of Latics and the continued need to move away from BP. I also want to raise another point. For almost a decade I was a Manchester Storm Ice Hockey Club fan. The day that club 'died' was one of the worst of my life. I felt the pain of loss like losing a family member. I'd grown up with Storm. Of great memories watching them with my family and friends. Of my Dad taking me on a school night much the disdain of my Mum who'd have to drag me out of bed the following day. I could go on. I lost Storm. They folded due to financial difficulties and were reborn as Manchester Phoenix. I still feel an affinity to the club, however they play at a considerably lower level and due to changing from being a kid/student to an adult/full time worker I'm not really able to go anymore. I make it once or twice a year like I do to a Latics game. The club still means a lot to me though. They moved. They moved from Manchester to Altricham. That's 8 miles. It's from a Manchester postcode to a Warrington postcode. It's from BP to Ashton or BP to Failsworth and back again. I can assure you that those who felt the loss of losing Storm were not bothered one bit. To know the sport - thanks to efforts far beyond those of TTA - was to remain alive in the area was all that mattered. They're not direct comparisons. They're an example. Don't take for granted what you have and don't be blinded by a line on a map. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorrro Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Everyone feels differently. No point banging on about it anymore. It matters to some people; it matters not to others. No one is right or wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Indeed. I'm not trying to take from those people. I'm doing as I said in the purist post - I'm trying to show people context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcprozac Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Earlier today I made this post: here It was my take on how big the world is and how insignificant a move of a few miles is. It's one I hope people will take time to consider when thinking about the future of Latics and the continued need to move away from BP. I also want to raise another point. For almost a decade I was a Manchester Storm Ice Hockey Club fan. The day that club 'died' was one of the worst of my life. I felt the pain of loss like losing a family member. I'd grown up with Storm. Of great memories watching them with my family and friends. Of my Dad taking me on a school night much the disdain of my Mum who'd have to drag me out of bed the following day. I could go on. I lost Storm. They folded due to financial difficulties and were reborn as Manchester Phoenix. I still feel an affinity to the club, however they play at a considerably lower level and due to changing from being a kid/student to an adult/full time worker I'm not really able to go anymore. I make it once or twice a year like I do to a Latics game. The club still means a lot to me though. They moved. They moved from Manchester to Altricham. That's 8 miles. It's from a Manchester postcode to a Warrington postcode. It's from BP to Ashton or BP to Failsworth and back again. I can assure you that those who felt the loss of losing Storm were not bothered one bit. To know the sport - thanks to efforts far beyond those of TTA - was to remain alive in the area was all that mattered. They're not direct comparisons. They're an example. Don't take for granted what you have and don't be blinded by a line on a map. Very similar to my feelings for ORLFC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Very similar to my feelings for ORLFC... Can't bring myself to watch the new club... Its not the same club... Gutted me when the old club died... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takemeanywhere Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 People have a variety of different reasons for supporting the club and many of those reasons have come out, on this forum, in the last few days. For some of us, the reason for supporting the club is that it is the town's club. If the club leaves the town, our reason for supporting no longer exists. Please consider forgiving us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Very similar to my feelings for ORLFC... Whatever the truths of what has happened already and what could happen over the next weeks and months, there's a very real prospect that in five years time many people will look back and see Oldham Council actively involved in killing off TWO professional sports clubs in the borough. If I were a council executive I really wouldn't want that blood on my hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 TMA - as I say, this isn't personal between me and those who think like you do about the matter. My connection/affinity for the club has reached minimal amounts after the awfulness of last season and the way I was treated personally. My only reasons for following Latics now are friendships and misplaced loyalty. What I don't want to do is sit by and see what I consider to be narrow minded views over geography cause the club to fail and everyone suffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takemeanywhere Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 What I don't want to do is sit by and see what I consider to be narrow minded views over geography cause the club to fail and everyone suffer. If it leaves Oldham, it won't be 'the club'. It'll be 'a club' but can't be Oldham Athletic in another town. Even the Mongs had the decency to change the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 That's where you're wrong. The club will move. The people will move. The Team will move. That's the club. Not some arbitrary point on a map. The community makes the club. The atmosphere (no matter how :censored:) makes the club. We make the club. We're bigger and more important than a point on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takemeanywhere Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 That's where you're wrong. In your opinion. The club will move. The people will move. The Team will move. That's the club. Not some arbitrary point on a map. The community makes the club. The atmosphere (no matter how :censored:) makes the club. Some will, many won't. In my opinion. We make the club. We're bigger and more important than a point on the ground. That point on the ground is called Oldham. Hence the name of the club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Context: The earth is 5,502,532,127,000,000 square feet (approximation ignoring the fact it's not a perfect sphere) - which is read aloud as "Five quadrillion, five hundred two trillion, five hundred thirty-two billion, one hundred twenty-seven million square feet". BP's about 1,000,000 I'd guess? A rough number. So minuscule that I can't find a calculator which will work it out as a percentage! And by people above I meant staff, not fans - sorry. And indeed, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macca Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Context: The earth is 5,502,532,127,000,000 square feet (approximation ignoring the fact it's not a perfect sphere) - which is read aloud as "Five quadrillion, five hundred two trillion, five hundred thirty-two billion, one hundred twenty-seven million square feet". BP's about 1,000,000 I'd guess? A rough number. So minuscule that I can't find a calculator which will work it out as a percentage! And by people above I meant staff, not fans - sorry. And indeed, in my opinion. We'll have to agree to disagree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 We already have I'm still going to bang on about it though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takemeanywhere Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Context: The earth is 5,502,532,127,000,000 square feet (approximation ignoring the fact it's not a perfect sphere) - which is read aloud as "Five quadrillion, five hundred two trillion, five hundred thirty-two billion, one hundred twenty-seven million square feet". BP's about 1,000,000 I'd guess? A rough number. So minuscule that I can't find a calculator which will work it out as a percentage! And by people above I meant staff, not fans - sorry. And indeed, in my opinion. Smashing. Contextualise away. It won't alter my opinion that a club playing permanently outside Oldham cannot be Oldham Athletic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I live closer to Edgeley Park but there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE of me going to watch "Oldham" there. I must admit I'm struggling a bit with this issue. Having been born and raised in Oldham (ok, Failsworth and Royton, but I was born at Bourndary Park hospital) I guess I have some kind of attachment to the town, much as I hate it now. And with that comes a link between the town and the club. What I can't get my head round is what happens if that link is broken. Do I still identify with the club, grateful that the link to the town has gone? Or do I lose my connection with the club because the factor that brought us together is gone? Is it as simple as accepting a move out of Oldham as the only option for survival? I really think there would be a split in the fanbase - some following the club, some sticking with the town and transferring their support to Oldham Boro or creating a new club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Smashing. Contextualise away. It won't alter my opinion that a club playing permanently outside Oldham cannot be Oldham Athletic. I would imagine the name would change if it came to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I live closer to Edgeley Park but there is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE of me going to watch "Oldham" there. I must admit I'm struggling a bit with this issue. Having been born and raised in Oldham (ok, Failsworth and Royton, but I was born at Bourndary Park hospital) I guess I have some kind of attachment to the town, much as I hate it now. And with that comes a link between the town and the club. What I can't get my head round is what happens if that link is broken. Do I still identify with the club, grateful that the link to the town has gone? Or do I lose my connection with the club because the factor that brought us together is gone? Is it as simple as accepting a move out of Oldham as the only option for survival? I really think there would be a split in the fanbase - some following the club, some sticking with the town and transferring their support to Oldham Boro or creating a new club. Yup... Would cause a huge split... Which means for it to work you would have to pick up new supporters with the move... Just like MK did... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takemeanywhere Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I would imagine the name would change if it came to that. I should bloody well hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macca Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I would imagine the name would change if it came to that. It's fine. I'll support another team in Oldham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I should bloody well hope so. The idea of "Oldham" playing in a another town is a stupid one... For it to hold any weight you would have to change the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 You fall in love with your wife. Over the years she changes. Has a kid and gets fat. Gets thin again. Cuts her hair. Grows her hair. Having the kid makes her stressed. Seeing it do well makes her happy. Her dad dies. She never gets over it. You move house. You get a bigger house. You lose the house, get a smaller one. You fight sometimes. You have the best most passionate sex other times. She's still your wife. You still love her. She's changed. You've changed. Now, the obvious rebuttal will be that leaving the town is akin to cheating. I guess that's where we draw the line. I see it as change, others as cheating. Good fun this, interesting to look at both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takemeanywhere Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 The idea of "Oldham" playing in a another town is a stupid one... For it to hold any weight you would have to change the name. I agree. You couldn't leave a town, slagging it off as you go and then keep the name. So, new name, new club. All the best if it ever happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I agree. You couldn't leave a town, slagging it off as you go and then keep the name. So, new name, new club. All the best if it ever happens. Disagree on the "new" club part... The club is a business and it can move and retain its history whenever it wants. Remain the club the Pine Villa respects the history for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macca Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You are my Oldham. My only Oldham. You make me happy when skies are grey. You never know just how much I love you. So please don't take my Oldham away. A terrace chant that is now more relevant than it possibly ever has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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