LaticsPete Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Rain is hammering down outside , which got me thinking about muddy pitches , which got me on to other things I miss about watching Latics (and football in general in the main). Unashamed nostalgia and the views of a dinosaur maybe - but dinosaurs are ok. 1. Hot Vimto. There were basically three hot drinks available at BP refreshment bars in the 60s. Tea, Bovril, and hot Vimto. Not the gassy stuff but made from cordial. Health drink ... 2. Cushions. In the stand you could hire a cushion for 6d. The containers where they were kept are still there. Occasionally the dissatisfaction at either the team or the ref meant several of them were thrown on the pitch. 3. Paddock transfers. At BP and lots of other grounds you could transfer from either end to stand at the side for a small additional payment. 4. Wing Stands . Similarly the hierarchy of extra payments was extant in the stand too. The two end sections were Wing Stands - a little cheaper than the central section. 5. Dogs. How long is it since a dog got on the pitch and stopped play? Not a frequent occurrence but it happened sometimes. There's a picture of Latics' keeper David Best catching one in one game. 6. Rosettes. Big games and there were always rosette sellers. Blue and white satin, the word "Oldham" on a piece of card across the front, and very often a tinfoil replica of the FA Cup in the middle 7. Home Reserve Matches. Score from the first team playing away would be announced over the tannoy. 8. Muddy Pitches. Ah, the starting point. There are times when I don't recognise the surface that we play on now. What's the green colouring ? Come December at the latest and BP could be like a farmers field - and the games were still entertaining. Blood and thunder rather than tippy tappy. 9. Rattles. Obviously. A leftover from warnings of gas attacks in the trenches every self respecting young supporter had one. (So did some older ones). No way would they be allowed nowadays. 10. Plain Clothes Police. Well maybe not that much missed but amusing to remember them . "Trouble" in the Chaddy End became increasingly common in the 60s , pre-segregation, and it was announce that plain clothes bobbies would be in the crowd to apprehend the troublemakers. Never hard to spot their disguise was normally a jacket over the usual blue police shirt, black tie, and uniform trousers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigDog Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 (edited) Rain is hammering down outside , which got me thinking about muddy pitches , which got me on to other things I miss about watching Latics (and football in general in the main). Unashamed nostalgia and the views of a dinosaur maybe - but dinosaurs are ok. 7. Home Reserve Matches. Score from the first team playing away would be announced over the tannoy. This for me. I used to go quite often when I was in my early teens - one particular game springs to mind although the memory may not be exact: The first team was away at Bristol Rovers and losing 3-1 late into the second half. We then pulled one back and equalised with seconds to go. Cue delirium in the Chaddy End. And no, I cannot remember whom the reserves were playing... Thanks LaticsPete for this great memory. Edited October 28, 2015 by TheBigDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShireBlue Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Lieutenant Pigeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChaddySmoker Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Wingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcprozac Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 The smell of pies, tobacco and bovril in the old chaddy end Chucking of bog roll onto the pitch The team actually running out Proper Latics related songs Mitre Deltas The score board Klix chewing gum Pitch side tea trollies 7.30pm kick offs A settled team we can identify with Golden goal tickets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Re: 10, my grandad could get into Preston free because they had to have a certain number of cops in the ground whether on or off duty, maybe the same thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milnrow latics Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Changing ends at half time by walking behind old Broadway stand People selling Uncle Joe mint balls outside the ground Getting your mum to sew the names of players on your scarf (they played for us for years) Biggish crowds at reserve games 2000+ "Half time scores three thirty winners" shouts from the newspaper sellers Looking forward to buying Green Final Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookersstandandy Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Watching opposition players struggle to take corners or free kicks, because the wind ensured the ball wouldn't stay still on the plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wozzer Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 As a kid watching the game clinging on to the hoardings surrounding the pitch - there must have been hundreds of us. Oh, and Alan Groves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolatic Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 (edited) Being at BP with my Dad The half time scoreboard The Latics song: Can't remember what it's called, but I think it's a marching song that goes de da de da de da de da da. BP 1960 and LaticsPete will remember it, I'm sure, so please correct this if it's wrong. If I've remembered the words correctly, it's: We are supporters of the Latics, Jack Rowley is the King. Alan Williams in the centre and Peter Phoenix is the wizard of the wing. Branagan and McCue at full back, and Bobby Johnstone inside right. Bert Lister is the crasher for the boys in blue and white. The wind and rain so bad, that the band at half time had to play up in the main stand A flimsy programme that could only be read if the wind wasn't blowing, which meant leaving it until you got home Billy Spurdle Ted "Knocker" West, a right footed left back. And a bloody good one, too Playing on a foot of snow. Remember Boxing Day, 1962? Latics 11-0 Southport Being in the middle of a crowd of Scousers when we played Liverpool in the Cup (1962?). Over 42,000 there that day Christ, I feel old. Edited October 28, 2015 by Bristolatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglinbland Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 A line of SELNEC buses on Sheepfoot Lane and the drivers and conducters watching the last few minutes of the game from the back of the Main Stand paddock, Chaddy end side. Didn't they have brown uniforms? Also remember the blue plastic invalid cars by the side of the pitch and the hordes of lads in the Chaddy with scarves wrapped round their wrists. If you could get up town quick enough(people leaning out of doorways asking who won), there would be a gaggle of fans in front of the T.V. shops getting confirmation of other results, or perhaps the full classified at 5 o'clock. Then, from about half five you could get the gloriously rushed Pink Final. All topped off with a chip butty from the Golden Oven! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsChris Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 9. Rattles. Obviously. A leftover from warnings of gas attacks in the trenches every self respecting young supporter had one. (So did some older ones). No way would they be allowed nowadays. My old next door neighbour gave me his old Latics rattle when I was a kid. It's lovely. Home painted blue frame and tangerine flappy bits, with skew-whiff gold lettering spelling out "LATICS" on the blue. It makes a hell of a noise. I've never actually tried taking it to a Latics game but it went down a storm in lieu of a cowbell when the Tour de France came through Yorkshire last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcprozac Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Always remember a fella sat next to me and my dad at Wembley in 1990 with a rattle with 'Frizzell's Aces' painted on it wearing a 'play up latics' rosette. He pointed to Frank Bunn, and asked 'is that Roger Palmer?' Dad wasn't impressed.... True story... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardOafc Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Think it was a game against Charlton I think? Remember Paul Walsh playing, and them playing in our away kit. Would that ever happen now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglinbland Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Another thing - big matches and when when queuing at the turnstiles I remember the mounted police and how they would get their bloody great horses to pirouette and nudge the rowdy fans into line with their arses. And when it was raining they wore huge waterproof capes (the police, not the horses, though the capes were so big, they covered both). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magister Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Goal Average instead of Goal difference......when only those with O level maths could determine league positions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wogghead1 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Hanging on the railings at the front of the chaddy. Inflatable yard dogs Going for a pie and bovril and missing a goal. (Always seemed to happen) Selling my season ticket reserve team vouchers to man city fans pretending they would get them in to the ground. (5-2 defeat) mugs!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAV Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Another thing - big matches and when when queuing at the turnstiles I remember the mounted police and how they would get their bloody great horses to pirouette and nudge the rowdy fans into line with their arses. And when it was raining they wore huge waterproof capes (the police, not the horses, though the capes were so big, they covered both). Nasty :censored:ers them horses. .Trained to headbutt. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losesome Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Players with numbers 1 -11. Knew the team Friday night. Same strip each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Winning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palmer1 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Players that didn't constantly try to win free kicks Players that didn't try to get other players booked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddock Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Heavily cello taped yard dogs Beyond the boundary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beag_teeets Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Nostalgia, it ain't what it used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stainrod Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Black boots Mullets Walking down sheep foot lane to see Jim Frizzell's aces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magister Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Nostalgia, it ain't what it used to be. Yes It's like apathy but who cares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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