A soleless football club

[Andy b]

The connection fans feel for their team is no different to how one feels about their home, their favourite town or their local pub. It is the interesting quirks, the history, the atmosphere, the people and the memories which define the club and which create that sense of belonging. Without these attributes that sense of connection will soon erode.

 

Granted in the case of oafc some of these ingredients still exist. The memories will always be there which is why people cling on. But the club has been stripped of all its character over the last ten years. These are the things that define oafc and which make it distinct and which ultimately make people fall in love with the club. It is the equivalent of your local boozer with its interesting selection of ales and larger than life landlord known to the whole village being taken over by a large chain. It immediately loses its usp and unless it's in a town or city centre where there is a large customer base on tap, the pub will fail.

 

Everything which we hold dear about oafc and which gives it some charm has gone - mouldy old dough, fanfare for the common man, junior latics lounge, clayton arms. The 25th anivsary of the greatest moments in the clubs history passed with barely any recognition. That was the most devastating part of all this and really made me question what is left to love.

 

Top flight clubs can afford to be soleless businesses. Smaller clubs can only compete if they offer that sense of being independent and offering something different. The minute you strip a smaller club of everything that makes its different and which football fans with more discerning pallets appreciate you are destined to kill the club.

 

This is the path oafc has gone down. You can't turn back the clock but I am not proud of being an oafc fan any more.

[yarddog73]

Very true.

[DerbyshireLatic]

Don't agree! I don't get to the ground until 5 mins before kick off so don't hear the music thankfully but the faces I see in the pub before the game are the same ones I've seen for years.

The soul of our club is the fans, granted sometimes a home game can be a bit flat at times but an away day with Latics still has something special about it and it's all the things you allude to, the atmosphere, the people etc.

 

We have our ground still where we want it, not at some retail park on the outskirt of a town. These are the soulless clubs, the plastic dons etc. we couldn't be further from that!

 

I also think people at the club are working hard to keep it a family club, to give it a bit of character and always recognise past glories.

 

We're all pissed off that Shez left and yes Corney is a bit of a dick but...fingers crossed...we get the right man in charge in the next few days, get behind him and the players and make sure we keep that soul at the club. There's enough of us who care too much to just stare at the bottom of an empty glass and bemoan the state of the club, let's turn up in numbers at the first few games and at least give them a :censored:in' chance!

Edited June 2, 2016 by DerbyshireLatic

[nzlatic]

I agree with the 25 year anniversary point. I can't believe something wasn't done to recognise this. Disgraceful, really.

[Andy b]

Good points Derbyshire latics. I acknowledge some key attributes remain and in bp we have a place steeped in history. However insofar as the club is in control of these things I assure you it is stripping the charm out of oafc and the experience of visiting bp. Thankfully the club has no control over its history and the people which support oafc. These are the only things left which give the club its character.

 

It is telling that you point to away fixtures as being the enjoyable part - ie the experience which the club has no control over.

 

Oh yes and just because you don't get to bp to experience the ground pre-match it doesn't mean you can't accept my point.

[Hometownclub]

The connection fans feel for their team is no different to how one feels about their home, their favourite town or their local pub. It is the interesting quirks, the history, the atmosphere, the people and the memories which define the club and which create that sense of belonging. Without these attributes that sense of connection will soon erode.

 

Granted in the case of oafc some of these ingredients still exist. The memories will always be there which is why people cling on. But the club has been stripped of all its character over the last ten years. These are the things that define oafc and which make it distinct and which ultimately make people fall in love with the club. It is the equivalent of your local boozer with its interesting selection of ales and larger than life landlord known to the whole village being taken over by a large chain. It immediately loses its usp and unless it's in a town or city centre where there is a large customer base on tap, the pub will fail.

 

Everything which we hold dear about oafc and which gives it some charm has gone - mouldy old dough, fanfare for the common man, junior latics lounge, clayton arms. The 25th anivsary of the greatest moments in the clubs history passed with barely any recognition. That was the most devastating part of all this and really made me question what is left to love.

 

Top flight clubs can afford to be soleless businesses. Smaller clubs can only compete if they offer that sense of being independent and offering something different. The minute you strip a smaller club of everything that makes its different and which football fans with more discerning pallets appreciate you are destined to kill the club.

 

This is the path oafc has gone down. You can't turn back the clock but I am not proud of being an oafc fan any more.

I absolutely agree with you regarding Mouldy Old Dough, to me it was synonymous with Oldham Athletic and Boundary Park. It should be played before every home game, always.

 

Regarding the 25th anniversary, although I agree that something should have been done to celebrate it, TBH anything costs money and we are extremely skint as usual, so I suspect any expense was money that we just don't have.

[dannyboy55555]

*Soul

[Andy b]

Thanks for your contribution Danny

[GlossopLatic]

We are not a fishmongers

[Andy b]

it's too easy to say it costs money and to just shelve the idea. It wouldn't have cost money to get JR and a few ex players on the pitch before a game to acknowledge the occasion.

[ghostofcecere]

Thing is, with the current mood the club would probably have got critisied for living in the past if they'd celebrated the 25 year anniversary

[GlossopLatic]

Thing is, with the current mood the club would probably have got critisied for living in the past if they'd celebrated the 25 year anniversary

Its possible to acknowledge the past while looking forwards.

[opinions4u]

No players.

 

No boots.

 

No soles.

[deyres42]

The kits were something of a nod towards that time.

[Magic Mikey]

We are not a fishmongers

fishmongers' (or drop the article)

Glass houses and that

Edited June 2, 2016 by Magic Mikey

[DerbyshireLatic]

Take your point about Mouldy Old Dough,I remember the Rockford Files theme as well many years ago, maybe suggest it to the club.

Edited June 2, 2016 by DerbyshireLatic

[NewBlue]

You don't bun off traditions like Mouldy Old Dough. Imagine if Everton got rid of Z Cars.

 

You could probably get it back easily enough but it's obviously deeper than that. Think it's verging on impossible to truly get behind some of the teams of the past few seasons. The constant carousel and the standard erodes your will. The Shez side at the back end of last season felt genuine though, which is why the club has lost more than just a good manager.

 

The general point is at the heart of the protests. It's not the finance, it's the feeling of detachment this regime is creating. It's not right and hasn't been for a few years. That's what's draining the club as much as the lack of investment.

[the_mighty_bosh]

You don't bun off traditions like Mouldy Old Dough. Imagine if Everton got rid of Z Cars.

You could probably get it back easily enough but it's obviously deeper than that. Think it's verging on impossible to truly get behind some of the teams of the past few seasons. The constant carousel and the standard erodes your will. The Shez side at the back end of last season felt genuine though, which is why the club has lost more than just a good manager.

The general point is at the heart of the protests. It's not the finance, it's the feeling of detachment this regime is creating. It's not right and hasn't been for a few years. That's what's draining the club as much as the lack of investment.

 

Probably the best argument in favour of the protests I've seen so far.

[Andy b]

Hear hear new blue. Agree with every word of that

[oafc21]

You don't bun off traditions like Mouldy Old Dough. Imagine if Everton got rid of Z Cars.

 

You could probably get it back easily enough but it's obviously deeper than that. Think it's verging on impossible to truly get behind some of the teams of the past few seasons. The constant carousel and the standard erodes your will. The Shez side at the back end of last season felt genuine though, which is why the club has lost more than just a good manager.

 

The general point is at the heart of the protests. It's not the finance, it's the feeling of detachment this regime is creating. It's not right and hasn't been for a few years. That's what's draining the club as much as the lack of investment.

Nailed it..

[doctor evil]

You don't bun off traditions like Mouldy Old Dough. Imagine if Everton got rid of Z Cars.

 

You could probably get it back easily enough but it's obviously deeper than that. Think it's verging on impossible to truly get behind some of the teams of the past few seasons. The constant carousel and the standard erodes your will. The Shez side at the back end of last season felt genuine though, which is why the club has lost more than just a good manager.

 

The general point is at the heart of the protests. It's not the finance, it's the feeling of detachment this regime is creating. It's not right and hasn't been for a few years. That's what's draining the club as much as the lack of investment.

 

I agree about the revolving door point but its so hard to keep most of a team together these days. The best plays will be poached by bigger clubs (financially and in stature) who we simply can't compete with. Also getting players to sign long contracts is harder than you'd think. I imagine the fact we've had 50 managers in the last few years hasn't helped but it will be mostly the same across this division (and probably league 2).

[sleeuwenhoek]

Can't afford Mouldy Old Dough. Performing Rights Society put the bill for playing it up to £3900 from £700 in 2009.

[Hometownclub]

Can't afford Mouldy Old Dough. Performing Rights Society put the bill for playing it up to £3900 from £700 in 2009.

I didn't realise that.

 

RIP Mouldy Old Dough you will never be heard again at BP.

[DerbyshireLatic]

I don't disagree with that either, I think we're mixing up different points here. The club itself continues to be a family club, they couldn't have done more for my lad over the years, he's been a mascot, met the players etc. there are people at the club still working to keep the tradition of the club as a family club...community club accessible to all.

The fact that we have had so many players recently is down to modern football I'm afraid, Sky and Bosman are at fault there not really Oldham Athletic. The fact so many of them are :censored:e is down to the managers and budget provided by the club I guess.

I don't feel an attachment to the Directors of the club, I never have done though! I didn't particularly like Moore or Stott and I don't like Corney. Barry is an arse (sue me fatboy!) and I thought Alan Hardy was a PR disaster too but I know both work hard for the club and are/were far more accessible than the majority of football club directors.

If Shez had stayed would we still be a soulless club? I get we're all pissed off about him leaving but the club is so much more than just one person and if he wanted to leave then :censored: him.

[NewBlue]

 

I agree about the revolving door point but its so hard to keep most of a team together these days. The best plays will be poached by bigger clubs (financially and in stature) who we simply can't compete with. Also getting players to sign long contracts is harder than you'd think. I imagine the fact we've had 50 managers in the last few years hasn't helped but it will be mostly the same across this division (and probably league 2).

It's a bad trend, but Shez's side was composed of loads of loanees and there was something about it which was relatable. Arguably the players who've had the biggest cult followings in the past years have been short-term: Harkins, Baxter, Main.

 

Everyone would like to have players who dedicate themselves to the club but I suppose it's clearly beyond just the length of contract - it's more about the actual collective. Given they change year on year, once you get a reasonable attachment you've got a new manager with new ideas and new faces. With a few exceptions it's often the manager who is the identity of a side.