Andy b Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Evening all, I am a new member who has been observing this forum for many years. Our current situation has compelled me to post I would like to hear views as to why, aside from the obvious short term pain of seeing our team be relegated, just why would starting next season in league 2 be such a disaster? What would we lose exactly? Gate receipts? Away followings to BP would be down (no sheffield Utd and the like) but I assure you home crowds will not. If you ain't abandoned the club after the last twenty years then you are here for the long haul and seeing League 2 football is not going to turn you off Commercial income? Can't see it reducing. We have had the match day hospitality of a non-league team for a while which has generated very little income. As above, any business that has wanted associate itself with OAFC over the last 20 years will not be deterred by a relegation to League 2 Profile? The media do not distinguish between league 1 and 2. Anything below the championship is 'lower league' yes some teams free fall but our ability to sustain ourselves in league 1 for twenty years in the context of every decreasing budgets suggests to me that we won't. Stockport and tranmere are very much exceptions to the norm. league 2 means more winning (in theory) and an ability to compete in a league which fits our income (that is the reality), more winning means happier fans = I enjoy watching my team again. Surely that is the only outcome we desire. I care not what league we are in and have no desire to remain in a league in which we cannot compete at the moment. Going down to league 2 has given many clubs in our league the feeling of actually winning in the recent past - something we are so desperately starved of. Swindon, dale, Bradford, Chesterfield, gillingham, Southend, port vale, Scunthorpe, Crewe, Shrewsbury. I would swap the last twenty years of supporting any of these clubs with ours. Relegation could galvanise OAFC. My bigger concern is the managements disengagement with the fans. The fans have no say or influence, no sense of ownership, no sense that this is 'our club'. We can survive multiple relegations but the current disconnect between fans and owners is what will ultimately kill us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kusunga_Is_God Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Evening all, I am a new member who has been observing this forum for many years. Our current situation has compelled me to post I would like to hear views as to why, aside from the obvious short term pain of seeing our team be relegated, just why would starting next season in league 2 be such a disaster? What would we lose exactly? Gate receipts? Away followings to BP would be down (no sheffield Utd and the like) but I assure you home crowds will not. If you ain't abandoned the club after the last twenty years then you are here for the long haul and seeing League 2 football is not going to turn you off Commercial income? Can't see it reducing. We have had the match day hospitality of a non-league team for a while which has generated very little income. As above, any business that has wanted associate itself with OAFC over the last 20 years will not be deterred by a relegation to League 2 Profile? The media do not distinguish between league 1 and 2. Anything below the championship is 'lower league' yes some teams free fall but our ability to sustain ourselves in league 1 for twenty years in the context of every decreasing budgets suggests to me that we won't. Stockport and tranmere are very much exceptions to the norm. league 2 means more winning (in theory) and an ability to compete in a league which fits our income (that is the reality), more winning means happier fans = I enjoy watching my team again. Surely that is the only outcome we desire. I care not what league we are in and have no desire to remain in a league in which we cannot compete at the moment. Going down to league 2 has given many clubs in our league the feeling of actually winning in the recent past - something we are so desperately starved of. Swindon, dale, Bradford, Chesterfield, gillingham, Southend, port vale, Scunthorpe, Crewe, Shrewsbury. I would swap the last twenty years of supporting any of these clubs with ours. Relegation could galvanise OAFC. My bigger concern is the managements disengagement with the fans. The fans have no say or influence, no sense of ownership, no sense that this is 'our club'. We can survive multiple relegations but the current disconnect between fans and owners is what will ultimately kill us. Very naive, relegation would be the end of this football club. No chance of getting back up with the budget we have just look at Tranmere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankly Mr Shankly Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 We'd attract a worse calibre of players in a division below. As bad as they are now, they'd be even worse in the division below and we'd be less likely to pick up good loan players. We'd suffer the embarrassment of having to loan Bury or Rochdale players. Imagine that. My interest has waned so low that the thought of relegation intrigues me. It would mount pressure on the board. It may even force the likes of Barry and Ian Hill (Just what IS his purpose on there any more?) to resign. Or is that wishing for too much? Perhaps hoping for the club to implode is a step too far but if relegation is the start of a Red Wedding at board level then it might be the best thing in the long run. Or, it would probably just mean we cut cloth to ridiculous levels. Spend two or three seasons doing what we're doing in a division lower before the inevitable non-league wilderness years and we end up like Grimsby Town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palmer1 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Very naive, relegation would be the end of this football club. No chance of getting back up with the budget we have just look at Tranmere. While I agree that relegation is not an option. It would not be the end of Oldham Athletic if it happened. A typical over the top response in the theme of the last few days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy b Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 What is the point of being in this league? I'd sooner see us in the conference with a fighting chance of winning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetramfixer Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 (edited) Personally I think we can't afford to drop in so many ways ... There isn't much difference between L1 & L2 in the way teams play, so it's far from certain that we'd come back up anytime soon. The 'gamble'is chancing our luck a league below where we think we may have an easier time, and yes if we did get a bit more of an atmosphere at BP and make it a fortress akin to the good ol days is way too much ... you only need look at the bindippers and stockport to see that! The 'sense of ownership' you mention is also a little 'cheeky' for want of a better word, we put very little money into the club in the whole so why should we have any belief we own it? The person who does/has put the money in will always make the decisions akin to the last 48hrs. In a nutshell, I don't care if you want to play for my team, this is all I'm prepared to pay and if you don't like it there's the door! That has become plainly clear from our owner. That said, yes i do long for a winning run .. another game like the come back against Peterborough, cup runs have kept us breathing the last few years but I'm sensing more and more that we the fans are slowly suffocating .. and once that happens there's little chance of coming back! We're all worried my friend, I'm dreading tomorrow .. I don't know whether to trust Dunn or feel sorry for him .. In some ways at the moment it's the latter if I'm honest! I'm on a 10 hour night shift tonight as I type this, I will go home in the morning and have a few hours sleep then go to BP and hope for that 3 points I do every time I go .. I'll then go straight back to work for a 12 hour night shift .. All I ask is that the players and staff put the same dedication and effort I'm prepared to do for them! In Latics we must trust! Edited January 8, 2016 by thetramdriver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I saw Latics in the old 4th division in the 1960s and some great games. I would still go if we went down, and there's always the hope of bouncing back of course as Bury and Rochdale have shown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy b Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Plenty get promoted from league 2 with budgets similar to what ours will be, even if reduced. Getting out of league 1 on our budget is virtually impossible. I am willing to take the chance in the interest of it giving the club a kick up the backside, as perverse as it sounds. Sometimes you have to hit the bottom before anyone takes notice and does something about it. Our problem is we have never hit the bottom (not in league standing anyway). Slow painful decline and disappearing without anyone even realising. Brighton, swansea, Doncaster, hull are cases in point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 What is the point of being in this league? I'd sooner see us in the conference with a fighting chance of winningBut then you get back into the football league and struggle. So it is like this division. Only worse. Only a Utd fan would think its only about the winning surely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy b Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Owning and sense of owning are very different things. I feel a sense of ownership of my local pub but have no legal ownership in it. That keeps me and others going there and creates a happy place that people cherish. I have no sense of ownership of OAFC. Without a sense of ownership people will not care for something or be loyal to it. They will ultimately go elsewhere when a better alternative comes along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy b Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 It's not only about winning but we need some winning (and a sense of hope) to keep us going. We are severely starved of both and will continue to be starved whilst we remain in league 1 unless new investment is found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Plenty get promoted from league 2 with budgets similar to what ours will be, even if reduced. Getting out of league 1 on our budget is virtually impossible. I am willing to take the chance in the interest of it giving the club a kick up the backside, as perverse as it sounds. Sometimes you have to hit the bottom before anyone takes notice and does something about it. Our problem is we have never hit the bottom (not in league standing anyway). Slow painful decline and disappearing without anyone even realising. Brighton, swansea, Doncaster, hull are cases in point. For each of those you mention there is a Tranmere, Stockport. Halifax, Wrexham, Southport, Chester, Aldershot, Torquay, Maidstone, Scarborough,York, Yeoil, Hartlepool, Luton, Nottts County, Newport County and Portsmouth to an extent. Ask around, any of Stockport and Trannmere fans would give their right arm to be in our situation. You make the huge mistake of assuming we be winning all the time, as if there is some guarantee. The examples you gave had investors who ploughed money in, we don't have any such person on the horizon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 For each of those you mention there is a Tranmere, Stockport. Halifax, Wrexham, Southport, Chester, Aldershot, Torquay, Maidstone, Scarborough,York, Yeoil, Hartlepool, Luton, Nottts County, Newport County and Portsmouth to an extent. Ask around, any of Stockport and Trannmere fans would give their right arm to be in our situation. You make the huge mistake of assuming we be winning all the time, as if there is some guarantee. The examples you gave had investors who ploughed money in, we don't have any such person on the horizon. How is it then Rochdale manage to bounce back, are they a wealthier club? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_mighty_bosh Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I think we have the budget and fanbase to stabilise ourselves in League 2, although we could be having this very same debate in 20 years time about going into the Conference. Sadly this season I don't think we'll have much of a choice in the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 How is it then Rochdale manage to bounce back, are they a wealthier club?Rochdale didn't plummet, just a dead cat bounce. An experienced manager is all that seperates them and us. They are only 13 points ahead and we on our worst season for approaching 50 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I remember a crowd of 17,000 for a Latics 4th tier game, this after one of the worst seasons ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlayItLivo Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 So people want to see us relegated to be able to watch us in hope of being promoted to the division we wanted to be relegated from? Strange logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 So people want to see us relegated to be able to watch us in hope of being promoted to the division we wanted to be relegated from? Strange logic. I think they mean they would hope to see a winning team playing exciting football rather than what's been on offer. The feel good factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Plenty get promoted from league 2 with budgets similar to what ours will be, even if reduced. Getting out of league 1 on our budget is virtually impossible. I am willing to take the chance in the interest of it giving the club a kick up the backside, as perverse as it sounds. Sometimes you have to hit the bottom before anyone takes notice and does something about it. Our problem is we have never hit the bottom (not in league standing anyway). Slow painful decline and disappearing without anyone even realising. Brighton, swansea, Doncaster, hull are cases in point. We thought we'd bounce back into the Premier League, and we certainly thought we could bounce back up to the Championship from this league. Surely History has taught you this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshawlatic Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I think they mean they would hope to see a winning team playing exciting football rather than what's been on offer. The feel good factor. Why would relegation equal exciting football? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Why would relegation equal exciting football? I did say hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookersstandandy Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 So people want to see us relegated to be able to watch us in hope of being promoted to the division we wanted to be relegated from? Strange logic. I enjoyed 1986/87 (inaugural div 2 play off season) more than I enjoyed seeing us relegated from the premier league in 1993/94. I enjoyed 2002/03 & 2006/07 (3rd tier play off seasons) more than I enjoyed seeing us get relegated from the 2nd tier in 1996/97. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookersstandandy Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 We thought we'd bounce back into the Premier League, and we certainly thought we could bounce back up to the Championship from this league.Surely History has taught you this! I never thought the former.... I hoped for the latter.... Chris Moore ruined that. I don't want to go down.... But if staying up means more of the same, how is it enjoyable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlayItLivo Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 We don't need to go down to become a good team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookersstandandy Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 We don't need to go down to become a good team. No, we need a combination of investment & the people of oldham to turn up to watch oldham athletic for that, the division we are in at that time is irrelevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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