Laticsgers Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 Hi Guys This post will be quite long winded so bare with me lol. I came across some old memorabilia the other day that I collected as a kid. Im from Glasgow and when i started getting into football decided to follow Oldham Athletic. Being a Rangers supporter the colour blue was a factor in that decision but i also wrote to some of the premier league clubs asking for autographs (i was about 8 at this point btw lol). Oldham were one of the few clubs to write back and it was always Gordon Lawton. He would also send me match programs, and even a genuine signed picture of Gunner Halle. He sent me about 6-7 packages over the years and I always remember as a kid opening his letters and how happy it made me. Even after the relegations i still followed on and used to get slagged at School when i wore my red and blue striped Oldham shirt. my heroes as a kid were Paul Gerrard, Paul Bernard, Carl Serrant, Andy Ritchie to name a few. sadly years later I remember watching a documentary on some of the riots in Oldham. As a kid you arent aware of this stuff, but it kinda put me off as i come from a mixed race background. Mum is white and Dad is Pakistani. If i was older it wouldnt have bothered me as im old enough now to realise what you see on tv and media isnt always a representation of real life. Being of mixed background for me gives so much positives like being able to look at things properly and understand there are good and bad on both sides. I know the town has issues and genuine concerns. I dont want to get into politics as you guys are in a better position to know whats best for your town but i do believe bringing people together through football is a start. more young asians are getting into football and i do believe Oldham Athletic have all the values to attract some of them. Going back to Gordon and how kind he was, even now that the club are back in good hands again you can feel the sense of community and im happy you guys have your club back. I always still to this day look out for the results and one day will finally make the trip to Boundary Park. I watched the Dorking game and it was incredible the support and atmosphere, and also how Frank has brought people together. Good luck for the season ahead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 4 hours ago, Laticsgers said: Hi Guys This post will be quite long winded so bare with me lol. I came across some old memorabilia the other day that I collected as a kid. Im from Glasgow and when i started getting into football decided to follow Oldham Athletic. Being a Rangers supporter the colour blue was a factor in that decision but i also wrote to some of the premier league clubs asking for autographs (i was about 8 at this point btw lol). Oldham were one of the few clubs to write back and it was always Gordon Lawton. He would also send me match programs, and even a genuine signed picture of Gunner Halle. He sent me about 6-7 packages over the years and I always remember as a kid opening his letters and how happy it made me. Even after the relegations i still followed on and used to get slagged at School when i wore my red and blue striped Oldham shirt. my heroes as a kid were Paul Gerrard, Paul Bernard, Carl Serrant, Andy Ritchie to name a few. sadly years later I remember watching a documentary on some of the riots in Oldham. As a kid you arent aware of this stuff, but it kinda put me off as i come from a mixed race background. Mum is white and Dad is Pakistani. If i was older it wouldnt have bothered me as im old enough now to realise what you see on tv and media isnt always a representation of real life. Being of mixed background for me gives so much positives like being able to look at things properly and understand there are good and bad on both sides. I know the town has issues and genuine concerns. I dont want to get into politics as you guys are in a better position to know whats best for your town but i do believe bringing people together through football is a start. more young asians are getting into football and i do believe Oldham Athletic have all the values to attract some of them. Going back to Gordon and how kind he was, even now that the club are back in good hands again you can feel the sense of community and im happy you guys have your club back. I always still to this day look out for the results and one day will finally make the trip to Boundary Park. I watched the Dorking game and it was incredible the support and atmosphere, and also how Frank has brought people together. Good luck for the season ahead Gordon was a club legend, these are the words normally associated with players and managers. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that he helped you in the way he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laticsgers Posted August 18, 2022 Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 15 minutes ago, disjointed said: Gordon was a club legend, these are the words normally associated with players and managers. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that he helped you in the way he did. Was really sad when I found out he passed away mate. Really kind guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Ritchie Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 4 hours ago, Laticsgers said: more young asians are getting into football and i do believe Oldham Athletic have all the values to attract some of them. It is something that could certainly benefit the local community and the club. I would love to see the club and town do more. Sadly most kids around the town support United, City or Liverpool. If you don't have someone to follow into supporting a team you tend to just pick one of the big ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laticsgers Posted August 18, 2022 Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 Just now, Roger Ritchie said: It is something that could certainly benefit the local community and the club. I would love to see the club and town do more. Sadly most kids around the town support United, City or Liverpool. If you don't have someone to follow into supporting a team you tend to just pick one of the big ones. yeah thats true mate. I do think kids would enjoy a trip to BP now though. Atmosphere is a lot better. Football these days is so expensive and corporate. Oldham have the history, and if they can connect with the local community and put a decent team on the pitch its possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboothOASF Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 1 hour ago, Laticsgers said: yeah thats true mate. I do think kids would enjoy a trip to BP now though. Atmosphere is a lot better. Football these days is so expensive and corporate. Oldham have the history, and if they can connect with the local community and put a decent team on the pitch its possible. Hi mate, I'm a director at OASF and looking to start a project to develop inclusion in the Asian community. I'd love some help if you want to email me. jim.booth@oasf.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximus1267 Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 7 hours ago, JimboothOASF said: Hi mate, I'm a director at OASF and looking to start a project to develop inclusion in the Asian community. I'd love some help if you want to email me. jim.booth@oasf.co.uk Hi Jim, I have emailed you regarding something similar. Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Burns Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 love this No Surrender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laticsgers Posted August 19, 2022 Author Share Posted August 19, 2022 8 hours ago, JimboothOASF said: Hi mate, I'm a director at OASF and looking to start a project to develop inclusion in the Asian community. I'd love some help if you want to email me. jim.booth@oasf.co.uk Hi Jim will email you today mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifford Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 2 hours ago, Monty Burns said: love this No Surrender As if you couldn't embarrass yourself even further on here..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ndl1ne Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 9 minutes ago, Clifford said: As if you couldn't embarrass yourself even further on here..... Especially if you knew his surname… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underdog Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 Lovely story. Thanks for sharing. There is still a yearly tribute to Gordon that needs to get back on the agenda. The end if season Cricket and family fund day. Ideally to have some current and previous players and have Gordon's family invited too OACT do wonderful stuff in the community that needs support and I note OASF director has commented too. We need to look at how other clubs are inclusive and celebrate diversity of their communities. I would love a Bangla bantums style community hub. For sport and well being. We will have to see what happens/plans of the new custodian when the ground purchase goes through Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Branston Pickle Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 There's still a lot of work to be done unfortunately, I was embarrassed at some of the racist chanting and the booing of the knee last season from a minority of our support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lags Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 This say's everything we already knew about Big Gordy. Get yourself down to BP Ger, in fact, make a weekend of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Only Blue Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 19 hours ago, Roger Ritchie said: It is something that could certainly benefit the local community and the club. I would love to see the club and town do more. Sadly most kids around the town support United, City or Liverpool. If you don't have someone to follow into supporting a team you tend to just pick one of the big ones. My mate identifies as a Man United "fan" firstly but goes to Rochdale as it is his local team. He is now taking his kids who hopefully at an early age start to think of their local team firstly and just like Man United "because my dad does" or not even like them at all!!! It's all about changing the mentality on it and the only way is get people to the ground regularly. It won't work for all but we have to start somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimeblue Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 In fairness, I do see Asian and black kids wearing Latics shirts these days. Far more than I used to. Also saw a diverse set of young lads in the RRE for the Dorking game. Good to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 2 hours ago, Guy Branston Pickle said: There's still a lot of work to be done unfortunately, I was embarrassed at some of the racist chanting and the booing of the knee last season from a minority of our support. Racist chanting??? Where did you witness this then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfatjoe1 Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 10 hours ago, Monty Burns said: love this No Surrender No comment....ever again! 14 minutes ago, yarddog73 said: Racist chanting??? Where did you witness this then? Where and when? 51 minutes ago, Only Blue said: My mate identifies as a Man United "fan" firstly but goes to Rochdale as it is his local team. He is now taking his kids who hopefully at an early age start to think of their local team firstly and just like Man United "because my dad does" or not even like them at all!!! It's all about changing the mentality on it and the only way is get people to the ground regularly. It won't work for all but we have to start somewhere. Even in the glory years, Oldham had a large number of United fans, the imaginatively named Oldham Reds. Stuck in my throat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Burns Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 8 hours ago, Clifford said: As if you couldn't embarrass yourself even further on here..... hahahahahahahahahahaaaa 1. fuckin sez 2. l don't get embarrassed hes Rangers, pal. it's what we say init. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifford Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 41 minutes ago, Monty Burns said: hahahahahahahahahahaaaa 1. fuckin sez 2. l don't get embarrassed hes Rangers, pal. it's what we say init. "We" ffs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiseowl Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 Been done to death. By and large Oldham's asians do not - and I don't think ever will - support the Latics. There has been initiative after initiative and, by and large, the only time you see more than an isolated few asian faces in the crowd is when free tickets are handed out. Looking at Oldham's demographics, there should have been circa 835 people of Pakistani heritage and 584 people of Bangladeshi Heritage in the crowd for the first home game of the season (amongst a general BME home contingent of 1879 fans). Tells you all you need to know after years of trying to attract asian support particularly. I truly hope we DON'T go down the route of free/cheaper tickets etc. to try and attract a certain demographic - it's just grossly unfair to fans who have coughed up thousands of pounds over the years. If you want to watch football at Boundary Park - then you have to pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimeblue Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 38 minutes ago, wiseowl said: Been done to death. By and large Oldham's asians do not - and I don't think ever will - support the Latics. There has been initiative after initiative and, by and large, the only time you see more than an isolated few asian faces in the crowd is when free tickets are handed out. Looking at Oldham's demographics, there should have been circa 835 people of Pakistani heritage and 584 people of Bangladeshi Heritage in the crowd for the first home game of the season (amongst a general BME home contingent of 1879 fans). Tells you all you need to know after years of trying to attract asian support particularly. I truly hope we DON'T go down the route of free/cheaper tickets etc. to try and attract a certain demographic - it's just grossly unfair to fans who have coughed up thousands of pounds over the years. If you want to watch football at Boundary Park - then you have to pay for it. What a shortsighted load of bollocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlossopLatic Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 50 minutes ago, wiseowl said: Been done to death. By and large Oldham's asians do not - and I don't think ever will - support the Latics. There has been initiative after initiative and, by and large, the only time you see more than an isolated few asian faces in the crowd is when free tickets are handed out. Looking at Oldham's demographics, there should have been circa 835 people of Pakistani heritage and 584 people of Bangladeshi Heritage in the crowd for the first home game of the season (amongst a general BME home contingent of 1879 fans). Tells you all you need to know after years of trying to attract asian support particularly. I truly hope we DON'T go down the route of free/cheaper tickets etc. to try and attract a certain demographic - it's just grossly unfair to fans who have coughed up thousands of pounds over the years. If you want to watch football at Boundary Park - then you have to pay for it. I've been going for 30 years paid in plenty and have my name on the North stand wall. I'm.happy for us to offer free cheaper tickets to attract any demographic. Particularly if it upsets Gammons like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laticsgers Posted August 19, 2022 Author Share Posted August 19, 2022 21 hours ago, JimboothOASF said: Hi mate, I'm a director at OASF and looking to start a project to develop inclusion in the Asian community. I'd love some help if you want to email me. jim.booth@oasf.co.uk Sent you an email mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Branston Pickle Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 7 hours ago, yarddog73 said: Racist chanting??? Where did you witness this then? Exeter away was the first time I heard it, chants against our former owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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