Summerdeep Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 From about 1968-1971, a man called Paul Doherty used to write long, very interesting articles called 'The Boundary Bulletin' in the club's match programmes. These were easily the best thing about the publication, in my view, and showed a lot of in depth knowledge about the players and plenty of feeling for the team. I've often wondered about this guy - was he a dyed-in-the-wool Latics fan and an actual employee of the club, or maybe just a very talented journalist whose services were lent out to other clubs as well? I also used to wonder whether this was the same Paul Doherty who worked as an interviewer and then as a producer for Granada TV, and was involved in programmes like 'Kick Off' in the Gerald Sinstadt era. He later became the channel's Head of Sport. I think that at the very least it's quite likely it was the same person, but can anyone confirm it one way or the other? Here are a couple of links to articles about him, neither of which makes any reference to Oldham Athletic: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/granada-sport-paul-doherty-dies-10737243 https://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/sports-broadcasting/granada-tvs-sports-innovator-paul-doherty-has-died/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Down Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 39 minutes ago, Summerdeep said: From about 1968-1971, a man called Paul Doherty used to write long, very interesting articles called 'The Boundary Bulletin' in the club's match programmes. These were easily the best thing about the publication, in my view, and showed a lot of in depth knowledge about the players and plenty of feeling for the team. I've often wondered about this guy - was he a dyed-in-the-wool Latics fan and an actual employee of the club, or maybe just a very talented journalist whose services were lent out to other clubs as well? I also used to wonder whether this was the same Paul Doherty who worked as an interviewer and later a producer for Granada TV, and was involved in programmes like 'Kick Off' in the Gerald Sinstadt era. He later became the channel's Head of Sport. I think that at the very least it's quite likely it was the same person, but can anyone confirm it one way or the other? Here are a couple of links to articles about him, neither of which makes any reference to Oldham Athletic: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/granada-sport-paul-doherty-dies-10737243 https://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/sports-broadcasting/granada-tvs-sports-innovator-paul-doherty-has-died/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Down Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Feel sure it's the same man. The programmes were brilliant. My assumption is that Paul Doherty was a young and ambitious journalist at the beginning of his career, who had been given the opportunity to do something beyond the norm at that time and knew it would stand his career in good stead. Very much a case of doing well by doing good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 9 minutes ago, Dickie Down said: Feel sure it's the same man. The programmes were brilliant. My assumption is that Paul Doherty was a young and ambitious journalist at the beginning of his career, who had been given the opportunity to do something beyond the norm at that time and knew it would stand his career in good stead. Very much a case of doing well by doing good. This has piqued my interest, thank you summerdeep and Dickie Down When he was doing the BB he was 29-32 and already consultant, report and presenter on Granada TV and well on his way to being Head of Sport. Definately seems doing well by being good, seems very respected. His career seems to be well establsihed by the time he was doing BB. Maybe it was a favour, maybe it was a hobby, even just a Latics fan as we were in the doldrums when he started. A story in itself I think. Very interesting. I'm not a programme collector but I'm going to acquire a few to look at. Cheers chaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Whole edition here, I see what you mean!! https://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/images/Programmes/1968-1969/PDF/1968-10-26 Oldham Athletic Vs Swindon Town.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 He was editor in 1967. He probably did most of the programme. Bottom of the last page. Sounds like you are right Dickie, his sucess in TV obviously ensuting he could not spare the time for us. He talks about full time Chairmen here, in his Talking Point column. Very prescient. https://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/images/Programmes/1966-1967/PDF/1967-04-28 Oldham Athletic Vs Swindon Town.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 I need to get on., but here is Dec 1967, his ohine number is Deansgate, Granada? Love these programems and the adverts as well! I had a look at 1966, it was not BB then, It coould even be the case that Paul H was responsible for rebranding it Boundary Bulletin. https://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/images/Programmes/1967-1968/PDF/1967-12-02 Oldham Athletic Vs Swindon Town.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summerdeep Posted June 17, 2021 Author Share Posted June 17, 2021 ^ Hadn't realized he'd been involved as early as 1967. Those large old programmes from the earlier part of the Bates era were really something, weren't they?! I think the fact that they became smaller and less ambitious from some time in 1968 was a reflection of Bates's growing lack of interest and reluctance to keep on funding the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 4 minutes ago, Summerdeep said: ^ Hadn't realized he'd been involved as early as 1967. Those large old programmes from the earlier part of the Bates era were really something, weren't they?! I think the fact that they became smaller and less ambitious from some time in 1968 was a reflection of Bates's growing lack of interest and reluctance to keep on funding the club. Something else! Paul H wasn't an angel it seems!https://www.granadaland.org/don-jones-remembers-paul-doherty-head-of-sport-at-granada-tv/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 It says here that Granada Soccer Night began as Paul was unhappy with the Oldham coverage of our 1990 run, so there is at least an affinity! Talk about using your influence!! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer_Night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Down Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 20 minutes ago, singe said: Something else! Paul H wasn't an angel it seems!https://www.granadaland.org/don-jones-remembers-paul-doherty-head-of-sport-at-granada-tv/ The programmes he edited 66-68 were probably unlike anything in football. They were part of the admission. As I recall 3 shillings for a junior, programme included. They were instrumental in teaching me to read. Oldham ran a phonetic scheme called the Initial Teaching Alphabet (ITA) at infant school. when I first went to Latics in 1967, I could read anything in ITA, but nothing in standard alphabet. As I was madly interested in football and Latics in particular, I just took the programmes to bed and forced myself to be able to read them. But enough of me. When Ken Bates lost interest and Latics were utterly potless in 68-69, Paul Doherty carried on the programme in much reduced form and into 69-70. Certainly the memories of his colleagues chime with those two seasons of brilliant publications. He was doing something new and very well. Lots of people in Oldham, including me, still have full sets, including the two close season editions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Down Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 He was also the son of Peter Doherty, regarded as one of Northern Ireland's greatest ever players. Extrapolating from that he may have had a connection with Jimmy McIlroy, who managed Latics during those years and that's how he ended up with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summerdeep Posted June 17, 2021 Author Share Posted June 17, 2021 56 minutes ago, singe said: Whole edition here, I see what you mean!! https://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/images/Programmes/1968-1969/PDF/1968-10-26 Oldham Athletic Vs Swindon Town.pdf It seems that just about every matchday programme involving Swindon Town from 1956-57 onwards is available to download online. How impressive is that?!!!! Wish more clubs would do likewise, but just think what it might do to the market for actual physical programmes... https://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/index.php?MediaType=Programmes&SeasonSelect=1956-1957 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singe Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 14 minutes ago, Dickie Down said: The programmes he edited 66-68 were probably unlike anything in football. They were part of the admission. As I recall 3 shillings for a junior, programme included. They were instrumental in teaching me to read. Oldham ran a phonetic scheme called the Initial Teaching Alphabet (ITA) at infant school. when I first went to Latics in 1967, I could read anything in ITA, but nothing in standard alphabet. As I was madly interested in football and Latics in particular, I just took the programmes to bed and forced myself to be able to read them. But enough of me. When Ken Bates lost interest and Latics were utterly potless in 68-69, Paul Doherty carried on the programme in much reduced form and into 69-70. Certainly the memories of his colleagues chime with those two seasons of brilliant publications. He was doing something new and very well. Lots of people in Oldham, including me, still have full sets, including the two close season editions I love this. I don't recall details about ITA as vividly as you, or at all, but very vividly recall I started reading the Daily Telegraph (RIP) aged 6 reading sports pages looking out for Oldham (ha, how naive) sitting on the next to the top step of the landing and spreading the paper across the top. I recall asking why Ashton Villa had been spelled wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summerdeep Posted June 17, 2021 Author Share Posted June 17, 2021 ^Funny you should say that. There was a club called Anson Villa who used to be in the Second Division of the Cheshire League. They ceased to exist in 1980. As Eric Morecambe might have said, "Not a lot of people know that!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summerdeep Posted June 17, 2021 Author Share Posted June 17, 2021 LOL, here's the 'X Certificate' version, Paul Doherty in 'Derek & Clive' mode (second paragraph): https://www.granadaland.org/paul-greengrass-on-the-debt-he-owes-paul-doherty-the-head-of-sport-at-granada/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz_Oafc Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Note to self: read thread before immediately googling name thinking it was a new signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookersstandandy Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 12 hours ago, singe said: Whole edition here, I see what you mean!! https://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/images/Programmes/1968-1969/PDF/1968-10-26 Oldham Athletic Vs Swindon Town.pdf We finished 17th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 19 hours ago, Summerdeep said: It seems that just about every matchday programme involving Swindon Town from 1956-57 onwards is available to download online. How impressive is that?!!!! Wish more clubs would do likewise, but just think what it might do to the market for actual physical programmes... https://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/index.php?MediaType=Programmes&SeasonSelect=1956-1957 The thing that jumped out of their was the advert for LV Lawlor which was a printers near Cross St lights; must have moved from Union St. Used to practice in there when i played the drums in a band. We were shite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summerdeep Posted June 18, 2021 Author Share Posted June 18, 2021 ^ What jumped out at me from that programme (Latics v Swindon, 26 October 1968) was the fact that our future right-winger Don Heath was playing for Swindon that day, but he appears on the team list as 'Don Health'. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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