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Latics, The Millionaires


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Okay, imagine this...

 

Latics either go up or stay down. Somewhere, far away, a businessman is in tears watching Johnson trying to sum up our last home loss in a positive light on LaticsPlayer. He glances at his Andy Ritchie poster and decides this is it: I'm buying Latics!

 

He buys us on the Sunday and Corney us on the kerb the following Monday morning. He makes City look like peasants with his bank balance and decides to invest loads into our club. New, big names arrive; the Chaddy End's roof is finally painted; our scoreboard works; and even a fourth stand is built!

 

Promotion, baby! Fans roll in from all across Greater Manchester, we go European and huge names like Andy Goram are playing for us.

 

So my question is this: would you still be the same Latics fan?

 

Obviously we'd still all be Latics fans, but would it still be the same for you? Would the sudden greatness not seem a little cheated? At the end of the day, football is about winning. But really like that? Or would you just not give a :censored: because we're doing well?

 

Just a thought.

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Interesting thought.

 

I don't think I'd quite feel the same connection with the club. One of the few attractions of supporting Latics is being able to relate to those working within the club, players coming through the youth team that used to nutmeg you at school, and seeing familiar faces hopelessly wearing the same colours as you all over the country. For example, presently it wouldn't be so difficult to pick up a phone and perhaps talk to Neil Joy, Broady etc. or even have a conversation with one of the clubs directors through an unofficial forum. Heck, I think if any of us really tried hard enough we could probably even speak to the manager or chairman directly. I don't think fans of 'big clubs' will ever experience that. I live in Edinburgh and can't make it to many Latics games, but even so Saturday 3-5pm and Tuesday 7:45-9:45pm is reserved for only one thing - and the result influences my mood for at least the next 24 hours as though I have attended the game. I don't think it would nearly as much if Oldham were just another team on MOTD that night.

 

The logic really doesn't add up, surely it is the dream of any lower league team supporter to see their team up there with the very best regardless of the path taken to get there? Yes. But it wouldn't be the same Oldham Athletic I have grown up to love if it happened that way.

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I'm really not fussed about getting to the Premiership or having any massive success. Games like Liverpool away last season where I was surrounded by day-trippers turn my stomach; imagine that times 20 if we ever got to the top flight. My ideal dream would be to get a relatively rich businessman in who provides us with a backbone, then the rest of the squad is made up of youth products playing exciting, attacking football and we become an established Championship club, maybe having the odd season in the top flight here and there. Unfortunately it seems the only way to attain any real success in modern football is if you're bankrolled by an oligarch or a sheikh; not for me thanks.

 

I don't support Latics in the hope of success. If I did I think I'd have gone insane by now.

Edited by JonesyOAFC
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Interesting. Why do you support them then?

My dad starting taking me to games when I was 5, and It became ingrained. The club still feels like a community, you bump into the same people home and away. And I love live football.

 

It'd be nice to see us have some success; but it's not the reason I support Latics. I can't understand why anyone would, especially my generation.

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How old are you out of interest? Not that it has any impact on your stance, I'm just curious.

22. Went to my first games the season we were relegated from Division 1, we've been in this league ever since. I'm probably a jinx, so apologies to all.

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I support them to have a good day out with my mates, enjoy the odd 'success' ala Dowies/Sheridan's play off season (The only two genuine seasons that i've supported Latics that i've been excited - talking League only) And the odd cup success - Everton/City/This season/Dowie West Ham and Derby.

 

Looking forward to League 2 next season, might even see a promotion/back to back relegations :-)

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The Chris Moore era gave us an example of what it was like for the club to 'have money'. It felt a bit strange for the club to buying new players at the rate we did and in some ways it didn't sit right. Then again it was great to be successful for a time. It's mad to think we had such a good squad and in the end we're knock out of the playoffs at the semis because of the quality of the division.

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Quite a few years ago the landy lady of the local pub who was a Man Utd fan, and they just had won the treble, said to me, as she was pouring me a pint, "I feel sorry for you being an Oldham fan when you look at all the success we have". I sat down and contemplated what she said and then it hit me, I feel sorry for her, she'll never understand what it's like to be a real footy fan.

 

Being a Latics fan is brilliant really, you don't expect anything, we rarely get anything and most of all you never know what you are going to get from Saturady to Saturday.

 

So I guess my answer would be that I would hate Latics being a successful Premier League side. A good Championship side would be good though. Is that a bad thing to say?

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It would still mean the same to me. I'm 24 so success has never really entered the equation supporting Latics. In fact I'm not even sure I'm spelling it right, but its still what you hope for, rather than your reason for going.

I'd agree with this actually. I suppose I do hope we achieve some success, but there's many other factors behind me being a Latics fan above that.

 

Also, supporting a club like Latics makes success all the sweeter. Beating Liverpool after all the :censored:e we've put up with for the past few seasons was an incredible feeling. I always think United fans celebrating winning yet another title in a season they've watched mostly in the pub/from their armchair must feel a bit empty. This latest title almost feels like they're celebrating it purely to wind Citeh fans up.It's two totally different experiences of support I suppose.

Edited by JonesyOAFC
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My dad starting taking me to games when I was 5, and It became ingrained. The club still feels like a community, you bump into the same people home and away. And I love live football.

 

It'd be nice to see us have some success; but it's not the reason I support Latics. I can't understand why anyone would, especially my generation.

 

The ground is still in a 1970's timewarp but I will always love B.P no matter what, My love affair with my home town team began around 1973 and have been lucky enough to have seen most of Latics true greats in my time.

Like everyone else I want only the very best for my club and hearing stories like yours fills me with pride, All dad's should be encouraging their kids to follow Our team like we did.

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It's what we do. What else would we do?

 

And Premier League? Been there, done that.

 

Yeah, League One or below is certainly de rigeur.

 

We should always strive to become the best team in the country. That's the very essence of professional football/sport. I'm stunned that there are people who are content with the club simply existing.

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