Stevie_J Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 When we tried to sign him we were guaranteed a storm of negative PR. We were more or less guaranteed the loss of sponsors (which happened) and we were more or less guaranteed to pee off a reasonable number of fans who might have considered it the final straw for their support (which probably happened although I can't prove it). Anyone who can't see those wider issues and therefore conclude that the club made an almighty mistake really shouldn't be let out on their own. The current situation is of no relevance whatsoever to those issues. And that was before even factoring Barry "ashamed to be British" Owen into the equation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deyres42 Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 But he was a free man who had served the time allocated for his alleged crime. We should have signed him and as much as some on here hate to admit it, we could really :censored:ing do with him right about now. Decent six months with us and he'd have been sold anyway. The right decision was made as much as some on here hate to admit it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 But he was a free man who had served the time allocated for his alleged crime. We should have signed him and as much as some on here hate to admit it, we could really :censored:ing do with him right about now. A free man who was out on license and who was on the sex offenders' register for life and may have had in addition to that certain bail conditions that meant he would have been unable to play night games etc. Being on the sex offenders register may well have barred him from a lot, if not all, the good local charity and community work the club does. 4 goals in 3 games doesn't make him a goal machine, either, I'm fairly certain we've had some right donkeys do that at this level, or even higher, down the years. I would have my doubts that we didn't attempt to sign him after his conviction was "quashed", but Chesterfield offered him more money, or he didn't fancy coming to a club with no manager. All this without factoring in the other circumstances that we had and no other club did- Lee Hughes and Montano for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie_J Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 It's obviously been done to death but what it all boils down to is that Oldham were the only club who actively wanted to sign a convicted rapist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc_lover Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 A free man who was out on license and who was on the sex offenders' register for life and may have had in addition to that certain bail conditions that meant he would have been unable to play night games etc. Being on the sex offenders register may well have barred him from a lot, if not all, the good local charity and community work the club does. 4 goals in 3 games doesn't make him a goal machine, either, I'm fairly certain we've had some right donkeys do that at this level, or even higher, down the years. I would have my doubts that we didn't attempt to sign him after his conviction was "quashed", but Chesterfield offered him more money, or he didn't fancy coming to a club with no manager. All this without factoring in the other circumstances that we had and no other club did- Lee Hughes and Montano for example. who cares if he can or cannot do the charity work? I care about us scoring goals and winning games. I'd have 11 Hitlers in the side if it meant I could see some bloody success for the first time in 20 odd years. We bottled it when we should have gone for it and caved to the pressure of thousands of feminists and do gooders who do not even follow football! We'll see who finishes top scorer this season. I would put decent money on it being him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewBlue Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 who cares if he can or cannot do the charity work? I care about us scoring goals and winning games. I'd have 11 Hitlers in the side if it meant I could see some bloody success for the first time in 20 odd years. I know what you said is an hyperbole, but do you really see your club as reducible to a name and a collection of results? I'd ask this of any fan of any club who didn't see anything beyond success. No matter how deprived of entertainment Latics have been, there are more important things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flemboy Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 I feel he will be cleared but in typical Latics style they stepped in too quick and copped for all the hassle for nowt.Canny Chesterfield have now got their man and hardly any flack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 I know what you said is an hyperbole, but do you really see your club as reducible to a name and a collection of results? I'd ask this of any fan of any club who didn't see anything beyond success. No matter how deprived of entertainment Latics have been, there are more important things... Absolutely and those of us who can see the bigger picture here understand this. Evans can go and score 40 goals this season and Chesterfield can win promotion but it still doesn't change the fact that the attempt to sign him in January 2015 was one of the most brain dead decisions the club has ever made in 121 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted August 19, 2016 Author Share Posted August 19, 2016 He was 33/1 to be top scorer, not sure what he is now though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsPete Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 It's obviously been done to death but what it all boils down to is that Oldham were the only club who actively wanted to sign a convicted rapist. The only club who said they wanted to.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lags Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Absolutely and those of us who can see the bigger picture here understand this. Evans can go and score 40 goals this season and Chesterfield can win promotion but it still doesn't change the fact that the attempt to sign him in January 2015 was one of the most brain dead decisions the club has ever made in 121 years. Whether I agree with you or not, this is the kind of post that gets right on my tits. 'those of us of us who can see' suggesting you are far more clever due to having your point of view and therefore you have to be right . No it doesn't mean you're more clever or right, it means you hold that point of view only. Now I bet that got on your tits too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Whether I agree with you or not, this is the kind of post that gets right on my tits. 'those of us of us who can see' suggesting you are far more clever due to having your point of view and therefore you have to be right . No it doesn't mean you're more clever or right, it means you hold that point of view only. Now I bet that got on your tits too. There is a feeling, engendered by social media, that all opinions have equal validity. They don't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc_lover Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 There is a feeling, engendered by social media, that all opinions have equal validity. They don't Anyone is entitled to an opinion and therefore all are valid. Factual or not, which most aren't, an opinion is an opinion. People saying we shouldn't have signed him is an opinion. People saying we could have signed him is a fact. My opinion is that we could and should have signed him. My opinion is just as valid and has just as much ground to it as ever :censored:er else's. The whole debate brings out the best and worst in people and it has definitely tested many friendships and relationships and some fans would undoubtedly have boycotted games but if he was smashing them in for fun and firing us to promotion, that will have no doubt brought far, far more fans back. Works both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deyres42 Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Not getting it are you pal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_mighty_bosh Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 This thread and the Northampton one about who was worse out of Kelly and Dunn shows that, despite there being a few odd decisions by the club this year, 2016 has been so much better than 2015. As has been said, it really was our horrible anus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Whether I agree with you or not, this is the kind of post that gets right on my tits. 'those of us of us who can see' suggesting you are far more clever due to having your point of view and therefore you have to be right . No it doesn't mean you're more clever or right, it means you hold that point of view only. Now I bet that got on your tits too. No it doesn't get on my tits. All things considered it wasn't worth signing Ched Evans if we look at the bigger picture. And Oldham Athletic being successful on the pitch shouldn't be a case of win at all costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc_lover Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Not getting it are you pal... Fantastic contribution from a poster who's posts I generally just flick past as they are quite often a load of horse :censored:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latics and England Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 This thread is, in itself one of the key reasons that we shouldn't have tried to sign him at the time we did. It was a devisive thing to do and almost a year on it is still causing divisions amongst a fan base that isn't big enough to become divided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deyres42 Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Fantastic contribution from a poster who's posts I generally just flick past as they are quite often a load of horse :censored:. Everyone can have an opinion, just happens that yours is badly wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lags Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 There is a feeling, engendered by social media, that all opinions have equal validity. They don't With that opinion Dave you'd go down well in North Korea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Anyone is entitled to an opinion and therefore all are valid. Factual or not, which most aren't, an opinion is an opinion. People saying we shouldn't have signed him is an opinion. People saying we could have signed him is a fact. My opinion is that we could and should have signed him. My opinion is just as valid and has just as much ground to it as ever :censored:er else's. The whole debate brings out the best and worst in people and it has definitely tested many friendships and relationships and some fans would undoubtedly have boycotted games but if he was smashing them in for fun and firing us to promotion, that will have no doubt brought far, far more fans back. Works both ways. Hitler had an opinion..... Just saying.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie_J Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 With that opinion Dave you'd go down well in North Korea He's just saying that some people talk utter :censored:e. Which is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lags Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 He's just saying that some people talk utter :censored:e. Which is true. Then I guess the reply should have said that then, rather than the :censored:e about some opinions are more valid than others. Is that the kind of :censored:e you are referring to Stevie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owdumer Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Hitler had an opinion..... Just saying.... Invoking Hitler etc means you lose the argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukka Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 This thread is, in itself one of the key reasons that we shouldn't have tried to sign him at the time we did. It was a devisive thing to do and almost a year on it is still causing divisions amongst a fan base that isn't big enough to become divided. Well said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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