Some Programme Stories

[LaticsPete]

Over the last two or three years I've been writing a column on old Latics programmes for "Programme Monthly and Football Collectible" magazine. Some also appeatred in last season's Oldham programme.  There may be an interest in them amongst the OWTB readership too, so I'll start reproducing them here. They did appear with photographs but it's just going to be text here! 

If people spot errors then please let me know.  Here's the first;

 

Over the Sea to Oldham

 

Often called “Ice Station Zebra”, Oldham’s Boundary Park ground is probably not on the “must play at” venues of most overseas clubs. So, the list of foreign visitors to this part of south Lancashire is not a long one and didn’t commence until after many other teams had played against international opposition. Ironically, Latics had been a pioneer in venturing abroad, with a series of matches in Vienna and Budapest in 1911 including a draw with Ferencvaros and victory over MTK.

The lack of floodlights at Boundary Park was a prime reason for not hosting touring sides but, in 1961, that was finally rectified. In November, just a month after the lights were officially switched on, OFK Belgrade were welcomed. That season saw OFK win the Yugoslav Cup, providing them a path to the semi final of the European Cup  Winners’ Cup the following year.  The regular pocket-sized Oldham programme, priced 6d, was issued, with the match date on the cover but no opposition listed. A “rousing welcome” was encouraged in the anonymous editorial, very brief pen pictures of the Belgrade team were provided (surnames only) with most having represented the country at “A” or” B” team level. Teams were shown in the 2-3-5 formation, Oldham playing in change colours of tangerine shirts with the visitors in blue and white stripes. The Match Ball had been given by “The Manchester Greyhound Bookmakers’ Protection Association”, which has a sinister ring to it. Oldham ran out 3-1 winners in front of a crowd of 10,230.

Five years later it was the turn of a Swiss side to visit. FC Thun , although part time, were top of the Swiss Second Division and supporters were urged to give them a “Thun-dering Big Welcome”. The programme in 1966/7 was a very distinct quarto sized 12-page affair, with a cover price of 1/- (5p) but which was given away free at the turnstiles. The Chairman (Ken Bates in his first venture into club ownership) hoped that more international matches would follow but repeated his disgust at recent away performances by his team. There are nearly two pages on the town of Thun, “the gateway to the Bernese Oberland” and the growing strength of Swiss football. A photo of the opposition team but no pen pictures other than a list of the other jobs that the players had. A stonemason, watchmaker (of course), precision mechanic, and bookbinder all lined up. No cotton spinners however, which was a shame as there were adverts from both the Elk Mill and Courtaulds with vacancies for those. It turned out to be an easy night for Latics, 9-2 winners before 5,577 spectators.

A step up in status with the next match played in 1971. Oldham fans can brag that they have an unbeaten record against Borussia Dortmund as a result of the 0-0 draw on Oct 5^th that year. Even way back then they were impressive opposition, winners of the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1966 and semi finalists in the European Cup. The programme editorial recognised that it was “a feather in the cap” to be recognised “worthy of meeting such high-class opposition”. A step down in the quality of the programme, however. The A5 16pp,has little written content and several pages of small local adverts: John Wood Chemist can supply all your patent medicines , Horsman Butchers suggest you get a meat pie or two from the snack bars, and the Grapes Hotel is a town centre pub with a country inn feel.  Teams are lined up 1-11 in a list wit brief notes by each player, home and away. Branco Rasovic lines up at no 4 for Dortmund, with ten caps for Yugoslavia, and Jurgen Schutz is the star player, many caps for West Germany and spells with Torino and Roma. Just under 7,000 spectators witnessed the draw.

Lastly, probably the biggest coup for Latics in terms of opposition, when on 25 February 1975, Internacional from Brazil arrived. In the year they won the Brazilian championship, they arrived at Boundary Park with seven of the Brazilian World Cup squad of the previous year. The programme is the standard “Boundary News” of the season, a cover proudly displaying the Div. Three Championship Trophy won the season before and action pictures spelling out he word “Latics”. Match details are clearly displayed, and the cover price is 10p. There is a feature on Brazilian football, another on Pele, and pictures of some of the Internacional stars including Paulo Cezar and Lula. Fixtures and appearances for the home club are well laid out, a pen picture of the referee, Ted Jolly, says he is an insurance agent and has two children. Lees Lager has a full-page advert on the back cover and job opportunities are this time available at Ferranti, the engineering company.A decent crowd of 9495 saw the Brazilians win 1-0.

 

 

[LaticsPete]

Over The Border    

Matches with Scottish clubs had been a rare occurrence for Oldham, only Clyde in 1953 having actually played at Boundary Park.  The arrival of floodlights in 1961 opened up the possibility of enticing additional  Caledonian visitors and consequently St Mirren travelled down from Paisley for a friendly on November 6^th 1963.

The Buddies had made a good start to the season, six victories in the first ten matches of the Scottish top flight, and the Oldham programme looked forward to a “galaxy of Scottish talent on show” from “some of the best performers in Scottish football”. Priced at 6d that season  had probably my favourite cover of all Latics’ programmes with the illustration of a player in the distinct broad blue and white striped shirt, smiling as he confidently kicks the ball. Complete with club crest and match details (as well as a lucky number), it was a perfect pocket size although its 24 pages was dominated by advertising. The visitors had a page of pen pictures, there was a photo of their accomplished defender Cameron Murray, and a half page devoted to match referee Arthur Holland from Barnsley, a respected international whistler.

A warm welcome was extended, it was noted that Oldham’s manager Les McDowell came from Paisley, and all was set fair. That is until the Oldham climate produced a thick fog that meant that, even with the newish floodlights, the game was called off even as supporters were waiting to be let in. Programmes were obviously sold but they were now for a cancelled match.

Forward 11 years and the Texaco Cup brought Heart of Midlothian down on the much brighter evening of September 17^th 1974. Oldham had qualified for this Quarter-Final match from an all-English group and, newly promoted into Division Two, were excited about their first foray into the competition. The programme was the usual issue for that season, its cover having full match details on it, but was inserted into a Texaco Cup wrap around that repeated them and was dominated by a photograph of the cup itself all in the oil company red and black.

The programme editorial showed some excitement , a quarter final being the furthest in any competition that Latics had progressed for years, there was “something special about a two legged affair”, and a victory could mean a meeting with Rangers or Newcastle. Hearts were given a half page team photo, and the same for a brief look at some players and the club’s history. There is a good deal on home club matters, from the shop, supporters’ club, and pools office and a piece on new signing Andy Lochhead. Teams are listed 1-12 in the middle pages . Another noted referee, Gordon Hill, was in charge, and like many referees then and since, he was a schoolteacher. A good crowd of 11,465 saw Oldham win 1-0, enough to get them through to the semi-final after a 1-1 draw in the second leg. Alas, nor Rangers awaited them but Southampton, the Saints winning both legs.

The competition had changed its name to the Anglo-Scottish Cup by 1978 but it was at the quarter-final stage again that the Lancashire club came up against over-the-border opponents. This time it was Greenock Morton of the Scottish Premier League, a team who had won their last three league and cup matches. Once more a two-legged affair , the first one at Cappielow Park on September 13^th 1978, and a A5 16pp home programme price at 12p. Printed throughout in blue and black, a lot of it quite blurry, it had two pages on the visitors, news that one of the supporters’ coaches to Hearts had its windows smashed, and there’d be no more mud at the turnstiles as entrances had been resurfaced. The still part-time nature of the club was highlighted by the Player Profile of forward Ally Scott. His other job was working for a Building Society though he still found time for golf and fishing.  The 91 supporters already booked for the return leg would be keenly looking forward to that match, the “Pride of the Clyde” winning this match 3-0.

Just less than two weeks later , September 26^th, Oldham manager Jimmy Frizzell wrote in his welcome notes of his boyhood in Greenock and the lack of proper footballs or grass pitches . Jimmy “Frizz” had been signed by Latics from Morton as a player in 1960, taking over as manager in 1970 for a tenure of 12 years. By comparison the last five years have seen 14 appointments to the job.  The programme was the standard 16pp A5 style mainly in black but with blue and tangerine as spot colours. A “Face in the Crowd” photo and competition took up one page, and a quiz on Laws of the Game another. No mention of whether referee Keith Hackett  (a sales manager from Sheffield as well as international ref) had taken it.  A generous four pages were devoted to Morton although it was Jimmy Frizzell who points out that Joe Jordan used to play for them - and he had wanted to buy him for Oldham but the fee then quoted, £10,000, was seen as too much of a risk!  Teams, numbered 1-13, were laid out in the centre pages, whilst a list of J.W.Lees’ 170 pubs filled, in small font, the back cover. For the buses of Morton supporters they could probably have done with a drink, their team losing 4-0. Oldham went on the Final of the competition before losing to local rivals Burnley.

[LaticsPete]

Heraldic Devices !

 

Club badges and logos seem to be amended and tweaked with a frequency that seems to prosper graphic designers rather than respond to a need from supporters.  There are some notable exceptions, but clubs appear to welcome the opportunity to sell their merchandise on the basis of an altered visual representation.  Usually, they are stripped down to a handful of components, yet programmes show that heraldry was once a major part of a club’s identity and association with the town where they played. Although some modern badges use amended elements from town arms, it was probably pre-1970s when civic pride was most obviously shown on programmes.

Northampton Town emblazoned their crest on their programmes in 1967-8. Heavily based on the town’s coat of arms, the local castle is the centrepiece along with a shoe to mark the local industry, and a Tudor Rose. The maroon and white cover carried no match details, they are on page 8 along with team line-ups, for the 16^th March 1968 match against Oldham in Div. 3. That same colour was used extensively inside too although “Club Notes” and Des Talking”, with comedian Des O’Connor reverted to black print. O’Connor had been evacuated to Northampton in the war and was a talented footballer playing for the Cobblers’ Reserves and, later, for the “Show Biz XI”.  Bolstered by the inclusion of “Football League Review”, the programme was a mix of local and national football news and comment.  The former said Town’s win against Walsall was” one of the best performances of the season”, whilst the latter noted that “Birmingham City have opened a full-time shop on their ground” and claimed it was “especially popular with the schoolboys”.  No mention of the Latics squad, struggling towards the bottom, but a 2-1 win was part of a late-season revival that saw them finish 16^th, a place above their hosts. Was Des there amongst the 7558 spectators or was he checking to see if any of his records were in stock at “the Midlands Leading Record Store”, John Lever on Gold Street?

“May Shrewsbury Flourish” (Floreat Salopia) was an integral part of the coat of arms of Shrewsbury which were adopted by the local football club in 1907 and used without amendment until 1970. Centrally placed on the cover of the programme it proudly displays three Loggerheads (leopards), a possible link to the arms of Edward I, who based his army there to conquer Wales. It was a Lancashire force that had to be overcome on Feb 21^st, 1959, however, in the first season of Div. 4, as Oldham were the visitors. They were “having one of those lean spells” (how often could that be written?!) but did boast one former FA Cup winner in Bill Spurdle, ex-Manchester City and one of the few Channel Islanders to play in the top flight.  A slim, 8pp, programme led on its front page with a letter of thanks to the “Splendid Supporters’ Club” who had raised significant money for the Shrews, and there was a good deal of club news inside. A photo of Ken Tucker accompanied a small feature on the player, “a likeable little fellow” and winger who had been with Shrewsbury for a year.  Team line ups were on the back page and there was considerable doubt as to who would line up at no.8 for the home team: Ambler or Russell or B. Jones were all printed as possibilities – it was the first of these who turned out.  Shrewsbury didn’t flourish in this match, but neither did Oldham, a 0-0 stalemate for the 6172 to watch. It was Latics’ solitary point from ten consecutive matches and the Salopians couldn’t match the claim of a local restaurant. Apparently. two certainties were “Sidoli’s for a good meal, Shrewsbury Town for the Third Division”. I hope the food was good.

 

The Tranmere Rovers programme of 29^th March 1968 possibly can’t be surpassed for heraldic impact. A large, three colour, coat of arms dominates the front page, derived from those of the town of Birkenhead, with “TRFC” entwined in the middle, and a football replacing a helmet at the top. The borough’s motto, Where There is faith there is light in strength, runs in Latin at the bottom. Adopted in 1962, this was used until 1972.  Birkenhead as a strong presence on the cover, Birkenhead Ales advertising strongly at the bottom. In between are the match details for the visit of Oldham on 29^th March 1968., just two games after the tip to Northampton. Some decent pen pictures this time, Ian Wood forecast as having “a great future”.  Wood went on to play 525 games for the club, a record so that was a decent prediction, whilst it was noted that Tranmere winger Roy Sinclair had just completed 100 games for Rovers. It was a programme with lots of “snippets” of club news: the former Chairman had just had an operation, and the club had requested personal hearings for two players booked at Shrewsbury. It was hoped “to produce some revealing photographic evidence”! Presumably about the match.   As with many programmes from this era, they help tell the tale of the demise of local brewing; Birkenhead Beers eventually became part of Whitbreads, and Bents Bitter, “still supreme” on the centre pages also eventually were absorbed into, and eventually closed by, the same company. At least, in 1968, there was something local to sup, and to celebrate with after a 1-0 win, if you were a Rovers fan in the 7454 crowd.

 

Another 1960s example comes from Vicarage Road and Watford. It was just seven years after it had adopted the Borough Council’s arms, adapting them to include “Watford F.C.”.  In a prominent position on the programme cover when Oldham visited on 16^th January 1968, the two harts for Hertfordshire and wavy lines representing the River Colne, are underscored by “Audentior” (With Greater Boldness) and continued to be used until 1972. Black and amber give an assertive look to this front page, confidently laid out with details of this match, the next one and the club’s name.  Inside the content doesn’t quite match up to this authoritatave start, masses of advertisements intruding on match and club news. The latter is heavy on the previous week’s FA Cup win over Hereford, setting up a 3^rd Round tie at home to Sheffield United. Ticket details for this are added on to the editorial (“Voice of Watford”), whilst those for the League Cup Final are just above Hodsons Furnishing Fabrics.   The centre page line=ups have to fight for attention with Jackson the Jewellers, the Palace Theatre pantomime, and two local newspapers. Something different in that there are pen pictures of all three officials, all on the same page as those of the Oldham players. Watford seems to have been an abstemious community, just one ad for a brewery (Ind Coope) and none for pubs. Not much to drown their sorrows in for the bulk of the 12521 crowd, Latics edging it, 2-1.

[LaticsPete]

                                                                                    Team Photos

 

One shared feature amongst several clubs was the use of a squad photo on their programme cover and I'll be looking at some as used in games against Oldham. Serried ranks of players, often accompanied by Manager, backroom staff, arms folded or on knees, would look out, match after match. As the season wore on the photos naturally became less and less accurate, transfers in and out, managerial changes (although not as frequent as nowadays), encouraging a bingo game response of blacking out those who had left.  I’m not sure if any clubs maintain this design feature but, given the revolving doors of loans, the cover’s relevance must become less and less.

Some clubs continued the squad photo season-after-season even if the rest of the design altered, whilst others totally eschewed its presence. Sitting somewhere in between was Oldham. For sixty years, since the first Latics programme was produced, until 2^nd December 1967, there was, as far as I’m aware, no cover team picture. When one did appear, it was a strictly one-off. The large format “Boundary Bulletin” was well into its second season and, as it said, “by popular demand” its “first Latic’s team picture” was on the front page. Slightly spoilt by the inaccurate placing of the possessive apostrophe (it should have been Latics’ rather than what was printed), it was, nevertheless, bang up to date, taken just the previous Monday. A senior squad of 16 would be light by today’s standards and, by the end of the season, 26 players had turned out, new signings and youngsters getting blooded, boosting the numbers. The photo was on sale in the club shop or by post at 3/6 (18p), “an ideal gift this Christmas”.

The 12 page “Bulletin” very much had a magazine feel to it, lots of features on playing, operational, and backroom matters, led off by Physio Jimmy McGregor opining that it was a disgrace that water being used for the “magic sponge” was warm in some clubs’ buckets.  It was the coldness that reduced inflammation and numbs damage he said. Chairman Ken Bates, never short of an opinion, wants “ruthless referees”, ones prepared to act firmly on dissent and dirty play, whilst Manager Jimmy McIlroy expressed his disappointment with some of the youth players and, in a warning, “the next month or two could be called stocktaking time”. There’s a page of newspaper reports on recent matches, another of letters from supporters, facts, figures and fixtures for the season are comprehensive, and the visitors, Swindon Town, are introduced “through the eyes of manager Danny Williams”. Actual pen pictures appear on the back page along with the teams in the 2-3-5 style. The Robins were handily placed in Div. 3, despite not having won away from home, and had Don Rogers, “the most sought-after player outside the First Division”.  Needless to say, he scored, and Swindon notched an away victory 2-0, with 6968 watching Latics lose at home for the fifth time.

 

Just one week previously, on 25^th November 1967, Oldham had travelled to Shrewsbury for a match against the Town.  This time 27 faces greeted the reader, although ‘keeper Alan Boswell had obviously seen something more interesting than the photographer, looking to one side rather than straight ahead. It’s a neat, tidy cover, club name and crest above the photo, match details below, a 3.15 kick off which was, I think, the traditional time for the Salopians along with just a handful of other clubs. The eight pages carry fairly basic content, the inclusion of “Football League Review” provides most of the reading.  However, Manager Arthur Rowley identifies the Shrews’ poor away record as being concerning but, in a nice touch, congratulates Shrewsbury Schoolboys on beating Flintshire as they progress in the English Schools Shield. I wonder if any that side went on to play for the club. There’s a “Personality Spot” with 86-year-old Sydney Yates in the limelight. A former director and president of the Supporters Club, he once played cricket at Gay Meadow, before the football club moved there. Another aged supporter, 76 yr. old Jack Watkin is held up as an example to others for his selling of the club’s Pools tickets to a regular 148 people.

Just a column on the visitors, with a little more given to the club Secretary talking about FA Cup tickets and a new matchday bus service.  In those days most clubs had a supply of Cup Final tickets to share out and Shrewsbury included a form to apply.  Tucked away, in response to requests, are the names of the players on the front.  Teams on the back page, 1-12, with the unusual proviso that they “are set out by numbers for identification only, not necessarily for positional reference”. So don’t take umbrage if the no 9 doesn’t turn out as the main striker!

It was a home win, 4-2, and the 4772 spectators were on the brink of the Shrews moving up the table to finish an eventual third, with Oldham ending 16^th.

The next ten years saw widespread adoption of full colour printing for programmes and the red and white of Sheffield United’s shirts showcased 30 players who, along with six staff members, overwhelmingly smiled for the camera. As a result, a photograph took up much of the cover of the 20p programme for the Div. 2 clash with Oldham on 21^st October 1978 watched by 14514. Inside it was, however, mainly black and white with a spot colour of red or blue in a fairly random fashion. It was against a background of the latter that Manager Harry Haslam (recently returned from the Argentine) wrote about how bad weather could affect pitches and that Oldham “are a difficult club to meet”. Presumably on the pitch rather than in a social setting. Haslam did play, twice, for Oldham in his league career of nine games although is better known for being boss at Luton Town as well as Bramall Lane, very nearly signing Maradona. Awaiting a flight at the airport to England to complete the transfer, the fee was increased, and the deal called off. He never got to use his hand of God as a Blade.

Local journalists often used to get a column and here it was Tony Pritchett of the Sheffield Star. Like Haslam, he had just been to South America, reporting on the Blades’ news. He railed against the treatment handed out by United supporters to ex-favourite Tony Currie who had returned to play for Leeds United in the last home match. “I would like to think that those are a bit shame-faced about it on reflection”. I doubt it, Tony.  There was a large list of items on sale at the Club Shop including, strangely, 1979 Official Annuals for a range of other clubs (although not Leeds).

Supporter behaviour is also behind a piece that claims that the first referee was a Sheffield policeman.  Before an early Sheffield FC game, trouble broke out and a PC strode on to the field, calmed things down and remained on – in his black uniform and blowing a whistle. Tall tale?

 On to 1978 and Latics are given a full-page team photo and a page of notes, mentioning that it had been an up-and-down season so far. They sat four places below the Blades at the time and were soundly beaten 4-2. By the end of the season, however, tables had been turned, Sheffield were relegated whilst Latics ended 14^th.  The relegation- destined squad on the cover are probably not held in the highest regard by the Sheffield faithful and it may have been galling to see them smiling as they edged ever nearer to the drop.  

It was a bright black and amber team photo that adorned the cover of Cambridge United’s programme  just a few weeks later on 9^th December again for a Div 2 clash and all 24 player and staff are in black footwear (Adidas to a man), not something that would be seen today. It’s a landscape format, 20p again, and Vol 4 No 11, although the U’s had been in the League for longer than four seasons, and worked well, apart from the fixtures page where the programme had to be turned 90 degrees.  It showed that United had been beaten 5-0 the week before at Upton Park, “well and truly Hammered” according to boss John Docherty.  Two pages once more on Oldham, some history and pen pictures with a small team photo. There’s a further page “Looking Back” that reviews some earlier encounters between the teams – not that many as they first met in 1970.

It's a programme that is well-balanced: news about Div. 2, plenty on the youth teams (the “Young U’s” had notched a 3-2 victory over West Ham on the same day that the seniors crashed), the Ball boys for the day were from Pin Green Juniors, and Referee R Daniels from Brentwood. An ex-Military Policeman, he likes coarse fishing and ballroom dancing. Sponsors are featured, including Pye Ltd who had donated a colour tv for the players’ lounge, and every game has a match ball sponsor. The ads are primarily local; Christopher Biggins will appear in Mother Goose at the Arts Theatre, United midfielder Willie Watson is a “Tip Top Performer” along with Toyota cars from Hallens Garage, and you could adopt the 1970s manager fashion style with a sheepskin coat from The Tannery Shop. For something more sporting, the club shop was offering a full United kit for £5.65, about £25 in today’s value.

Although Oldham achieved a 3-3 draw, it was part of a 12-game run without a victory, scoring no goals in the next four matches. For the U’s fans in the 4663 crowd, it would have been a familiar result, the sixth draw at home in 11 games but a respectable 12^th spot was achieved in the end.

[LaticsPete]

 

It's Christmas time

 

Christmas is here and it’s an open goal to look at programmes that have some relationship with it . What could be a  link?. Programmes with players dressed up as Santa Claus on the cover? The words “Happy Christmas” emblazoned across the front? No. It’s Robins.  Surely there’s no creature that appears on more Christmas cards than a robin. So, it’s Latics versus four clubs that have “Robins” as their nickname. A tenuous theme but here we go.

First up is a very recent issue from Altrincham, replete with “Robins Review” across the front. Oldham’s first visit to Moss Lane in the National League was on 25^th October this year and a very readable programme was produced by the Cheshire club. A good, sharp, photo of two celebrating players filled most of the cover, match details at the bottom (dates but no opponents which seemed strange). Inside there’s no mistaking that it was Oldham who were the visitors, five pages devoted solely to them, whilst three other features linked to the Lancastrians in one way or another.  The last time the teams had met was in a Friendly in 1968 and there’s a two-page spread on that, tying in with what else what has happening (the Beatles were at No 1).  There’s also a similar-size piece by Neil Tague who had spent his youth being a fan of both clubs, and both articles are all illustrated with contemporary and archive illustrations.  The same applies to “Football Focus” by Alty’s Director of Football whose wife and family hail from Oldham. As with the whole programme, there is a clear piece of text on perfectly white paper, creating a simple, yet strong, design that’s easy to read and looks clean and easily as good as some EFL clubs.

The editorials are boosted by some wider football content but written by Altrincham connections. Director Scott Burton writes about Canadian soccer, national and local, and Programme Editor Ed Martin links that to his piece on former Everton and Alty defender Roger Kenyon. All very readable and overall, a cracking programme with good coverage of the community side of the club.  It was, however, a far from cracking performance by Latics, losing 1-0 in front of their hosts’ biggest attendance of the season, 3553.

Just, almost exactly, nine years earlier, the Robins of Swindon were at Boundary Park for a League 1 game on 26^th October 2013. Again, two players took up most of the cover, although only half of each, apparently split in twain down the head and torso. This issue had Matteo Lanzini and Anton Rodgers (Brendan’s boy) divided by match details and club crest for the front of the 68pp programme.  There’s a strong emphasis on Latics’ players throughout with features of varying angles on Adam Rooney (ex-Inverness  , “when Inverness came in for me I wasn’t even sure where it was”), Arsenal fan  Charlie MacDonald on Oldham being his 13^th club,  young Rodgers on how the Seven Deadly Sins affect him ( greed – “I once bought a Louis Vuitton rucksack for a small fortune” ) , and ‘keeper Paul Rachubka with what happened on the day he was born , 21^st May 1981.

Lee Johnson “The Gaffer” in his “Welcome to the Robins”, says he’s interested in how they have linked to Tottenham Hotspur and taken young players on loan and wonders if the idea spreads to other clubs. Johnson matched up against another young manager in Mark Cooper and he, along with skipper Darren Ward are profiled after “Factual Robins” that has details of previous clashes.  The Robins’ “Star Man” is identified as Nile Ranger. Surely one of a handful of players who has a section headed “Legal History” in his Wikipedia entry. A little more wholesome are articles on Oldham’s Community Trust, and the junior Boundary Blues where Match Mascot Daniel English predicts a 2-1 home win. Football historian Leigh Edwards looked at ten key matches and events that shaped Swindon’s post-war history and there are other “external” pieces on Financial Fair Play in the EFL, and whether teams that have made a good start of the season finish well. Travel to the next away game is under “Starship Latics – boldly going where no-one has ventured before” but not really a claim that could be made for the trip to Bristol City!  “Earth Transportation (road) “is given as 187 miles to Ashton Gate. But if you had suffered a loss or accident on the way, you could get a free season ticket from a local firm of solicitors.

The youngster’s prediction of a 2-1 home win was spot on, Swindon’s goal courtesy of James Tarkowski putting in his own net.  A crowd of 3837 was present on a cold autumn afternoon.

The “big match companion for (Bristol) city supporters “ was “Robin”. For 30p the Ashton Gate attendee got 16pp with a chirpy looking redbreast popping out of the front cover title, above action from the Bristol derby earlier in the season. Match details - 29^th November 1980, Div. 2 - nice and clear at the bottom. As, unfortunately, were both clubs, occupying two of the three spots at the foot of the table. Manager Bob Houghton is pictured on p3 with an expression that could be described as a cross between belligerent and baffled but takes heart from players returning from injury and vows that no more top players will leave the club after Gerry Gow’s move to Manchester City. Houghton had been successful as a manager in Sweden, as had his new assistant, a certain Roy Hodgson. Whilst the latter went on to manage England, Bob left Bristol in 1982 with his career taking him to Canada, China, India and Uzbekistan amongst other places.  Ironically there’s an editorial page that focuses on loyalty amongst managers to clubs, and vice-versa, and a page on Oldham, pen pictures in the form of an article. Roger Palmer had signed from Manchester City the previous week for £70000, not a bad fee for someone who went on to become the club’s record goalscorer.

“Meet the Board” profiled Norman Jones, club vice chairman, and members of the coaching and scouting staff were also given introduction, as was the “poly-gym”. This was a piece of machinery that allowed several players to work on different muscle groups at the same time and was regarded as a big boost for the Robins’ levels of fitness. Local journalist Colin Price bemoans hard times in some press facilities though not at Ashton Gate – “first class”. Interestingly there’s only one advertisement in the whole programme so the 8037 who witnessed the 1-1 draw weren’t enticed to rush off and spend their money elsewhere. Bristol pulled off a double that season with both City and Rovers relegated from the Division whilst Oldham struggled to a 15^th place.

 

The final Robin related team, yet another from the west country, is Cheltenham Town and Oldham were there on another October afternoon, the 6^th of the month in 2007. What is it with that part of the country that teams with red shirts got that nickname whilst it is relatively rare elsewhere?  Anyway, along with sponsors’ logos at the bottom of the front cover is one proclaiming that it was “League One Programme of the Year 06/07”. Something to live up to for Programme Editor James Brown and his cover uses an action shot of Damian Spencer trailing an interview with the striker inside. Brown’s own column expresses shock at Manager John Ward leaving the club in midweek, as does the club Chairman, lamenting the loss of “our most successful manager ever”. Caretaker Boss Keith Downing has a similar theme but welcomes Oldham Manager John Sheridan (one of his five spells in that job) and there’s generous six pages on the visitors. Leigh Edwards this time writes about ten leading Oldham managers over the previous 100 plus years, and the Star Player is identified as Michael Ricketts although he left the club just a few weeks later.

There’s plenty of content throughout whether it’s from the local BBC reporter, the club physio, a guest fan, the club mascot Whaddney, or about the Ladies’ Team, the Junior Robins, away travel, commercial activities, football in Luxembourg, or the Women’s World Cup. There’s nothing sensational about the design but it’s well laid out and was value for the £2.50 cover price. At the time, the Robins were one off the bottom, with Latics three places above them but both clubs rose after this 1-1 draw watched by 3621. Oldham finished a healthy eighth, whilst the Robins moved up to 20^th.  Whether you are watching Robins or not this Christmas (and for me it’s the Magpies of Nottingham Latics are facing), I hope you have a happy one.

[LaticsPete]

Nearest And Dearest

 

Located in what is probably the highest concentration of professional clubs in the country, Oldham have a multiplicity of local derby options. Within fifteen miles of Boundary Park there are two Premier League and four EFL clubs, recent years have also seen Halifax, Stockport and Bury in competitive action against Latics and that’s all before the farther reaches of Lancashire in the form of Preston, Wigan, Blackburn, and Burnley are included. The ups and downs of league status have always provided opportunities for the spice that derbies provide although Rochdale and Bury were consistenly the games that provoked some of the most frequent clashes in recent  years.

The “Flat Cap Classico” against Rochdale only started in 1935 when both clubs were in Div Three North but the three miles separating the two grounds has meant that it has been eagerly anticipated ever since. In 1958 both clubs found themselves in that same division but with the threat of demotion to the new Division Four that was being created the following season. The match on April 26^th saw Oldham on 44 points and Rochdale on 45. The latter were, however, just above the mid-point of the table which would mean continued Division Three presence whilst Oldham were just below, giving the game a “four pointer” feel. The eight page programme, priced at 3d, was eight pages in the rather awkward size of ….. printed throughout in blue. The Editorial congratulated the “playing staff on the grand fight they had put up in recent weeks” with three wins from the last five games. Rochdale were given a page of pen pictures, note being made of seven Scots in the 12 man squad.  Entertainment was provided by the St John Pipe Band and after the match you could call for both bleached and unbleached tripe at Heginbottom & Sons. The second highest attendance of the season, 10919, saw a 0-0 draw, not enough for Oldham who finished fifteenth and into Divisiin 4.

It was at that level that the clubs met at Spotland on March 3^rd 1962. Both teams were regarded as having an outside chance of promotion and a “cracker” was anticipated in the Supporters’ Club Notes. A small, pocket size, programme favoured at times by Crystal Palace, Swindon, Walsall, and Oldham themselves, was the order of the day, 12 pages on gloss paper for 4d. At the time Rochdale played in black and white and the programme printed likewise, a very clear front cover dominated by match details. Oldham were rebuilding their side with star being Bobby Johnstone, one of Hibs’ “famousFive” forwards and an FA Cup winner with Manchester City, but the home side were “hoping to prove Rochdale’s superiority”.  Home of the Co-operative movement, founded in Toad Lane, Rochdale, the local Co-op was advertising “Stanley Matthews” football boots which were lightwight, streamlined and special , all for less than 37 shillings ( £1.85). Blackburn brewers, Duttons, claimed “today’s most popular beers” , and Blacburn got another mention when Dlae’s League Cup Semi-Final against Rovers  was given a reminder, a game that saw Rochdale into their only major trophy final, losing to Norwich. Against Oldham the home team were comfortable 3-1 winners, despite a Johnstone goal, completing a double over Latics.

Promotion was achieved by Oldham the following season and on Septembrr 5th 1967 thry travelled the seven miles to play Bury. An A5 programme, price 6d and including a copy of Football League Review, made great play on both the cover and inside, of the introduction of radio commentaries of Shakers’ matches to hospital patients. Only one survivor in the Oldham team from the Rochdale match five years earlier , Jimmy Frizzell, who went on to manage the club for 12 years. The headine of “First Victory Awated” greeted readers as Bury had lost their first three games and a “vigorous search is being made to add to the playing staff”. Oldham had recently returned from a victorious tour of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Malawi but had also had a tough start, just one point fom three games. Along with player manager Jimmy McIlroy a further 20 pen pictures appeared of the visitors although the line-up that was printed was unchanged at kick off. Lots of adverts from local companies with an exhortation to support these businesses. The ferilizers for the Ggg Lane pitch were supplied by Rigby Taylor who are still in existence, as is the White Lion Hotel, although it no longer has “Harry Whitworth ex Bury AFC” as its proprietor. A few celebratory pints may have been pulled as Bury won 3-1 to please the majority of an 8208 crowd.

Finally we move more than 40 years on and into the era of glossy    , high-spec, match programmes. It’s still the third rung, now called League One but now £3 for the full colour 64page magazine that Oldham produced on 5 November 2011 to welcome Bury. Six pages of information on the visitors, two of which look at former players including Neville Southall, Colin Bell and Lee Dixon. Oldham also look at the past with a review of season starts from 1968 onwards. Scottish defender Zander Diamond explores the idea of independence for his country, is sympathetic to it but hasn’t definitely decided. Lots of stats are crammed in as well as articles by manager Paul Dickov, captain Dean Furman, and local and national journalists. No adverts for tripe butchers this time but Latics fans can get discounts with Thomas Cook. Another win for Bury however, a 2-0 success and only 5149 watching. It was Latics’ 15^th consecutive season in the division eventually finishing 16^th whilst Bury ended 14^th.

[LaticsPete]

League Cup and Latics
The Carabao Cup Final is nearly with us, the most recent incarnation of what has previously been the Milk, Rumbelows, Coca-Cola, Worthington, Carling, Littlewoods, Capital One, and of course Football League Cup. Officially it is now the EFL Cup, and the trophy is the one first used in the original season of 1960/61.
Oldham’s first foray into the competition had resulted in a 2-1 home win against Hartlepools but next up was an away game at Norwich on 28th October 1960. The programme’s “Club Notes” welcomed everyone to Carrow Road’s first ever League Cup contest and it was noted that it was Latics’ introduction to playing there. The bright canary yellow cover had an aerial photo of the venue, match details in green, and was priced at 4d for 16pp.  No pen pictures but a page about the visitors the same as allocated to “Personality Parade”, showcasing the chartered accountant and Norwich Director Henry Robinson. (Delia was just about starting her cookery career as a restaurant dishwasher in Paddington). Fixtures, appearances, and the League Table (Division Two) all featured, and the teams were laid out on the centre pages. Shorts were still described as knickers and local adverts included Norwich Surgical Stores for “jock straps and appliances”, vacancies in the Norfolk Yeomanry, and “the best travel agency in Norwich”, George Wortley. A very comfortable 6-2 win for the Canaries, Bert Lister bagging both Oldham goals with a crowd of 13080.  Norwich went on to the 4th Round and a defeat by Shrewsbury.
It had become the Littlewoods Cup when Darlington hosted Oldham, again in the 2nd Round, on 27th September 1988. The Quakers, propping up Div 4, had knocked out Doncaster in the two-legged previous round whilst Latics had received a bye courtesy of their Div 2 status. A glossy 16pp programme was fronted by the club nickname dominating a background goal net, with match details easily visible, all in black, white and yellow. A full three pages were devoted to the visitors, including two matches from the past. Whilst the teams were squeezed onto the bottom half of the back cover, the centre pages covered fixtures, appearances, upcoming games and a note of the day’s Quaker Mascot. Is Scott Ripley, then aged six, still a supporter? Or have his other hobbies of fishing and Tae Kwondo taken over? He would have been a happy boy that night, his Quakers winning 2-0 before 1665 spectators. Unfortunately, this was another two-legged affair and Oldham had a comfortable 4-0 victory at Boundary Park, Frank Bunn and Andy Ritchie, of whom more later, amongst the scorers.  It was a season that ended with Latics 16th in Div 2, but Darlington were relegated from Div 4. 

Our next programme is of a match that was probably the most celebrated defeat in Oldham’s history. Losing 0-3 at West Ham sent Latics fans into ecstasy as it meant that the club had reached Wembley for the first time, in the final of the (still) Littlewoods Cup. On 14th Feb 1990 Oldham had, in what even this programme called “the St Valentine’s Day Massacre”, thrashed the Hammers 6-0 at Boundary Park in the semi-final first leg. Now, three weeks later, West Ham tried and failed to overcome that. It must have been tough for the programme editor to create an upbeat feel to the publication and realism prevailed with “the burning embers of our Wembley dreams still lay smouldering in the debris of that humiliation”. However, the 40pp programme was filled with reports of all the Hammers’ victories in earlier rounds, content from several players, two pages on player connections between the clubs, only five had turned out for both it seems, and historical content about earlier clashes. Teams were listed 1-11 on the back page and another six-year-old mascot, Jonathan Short, is featured. 
Despite the state of the tie, the programme cover had the trophy in centre stage, flanked by photos of the two captains, Mike Milligan and Julian Dicks. There’s no match date (it was 7th March 1990) and the price was £1.00 in the ground and £1.25 “off stadium”.  The 6-0 first leg victory wasn’t Oldham’s biggest in the competition that season, a 7-0 win over Scarborough in October witnessing Frank Bunn’s record six goals in a League Cup match.

Finally, another game that saw the goals flow, in the Rumbelow’s Cup as it was called in 1991/2. Top-flight Oldham, as they were by then, had the 2nd Round First Leg at home to Torquay on 24th September. The club’s programme had adopted a reproduction of the “Oldham Athletic Gazette” heading that had graced the very first issues and for many years after. The rest of the cover had certainly moved on, however, a full colour action photo in the middle superimposed on a crowd background. 40pp for £1.20, four of which were focused on Torquay including spotlights on the manager (John Imney), star player (Wayne Dobbins), and former star (Robin Stubbs).  
Historical content is included with nine games played on the same date in earlier years, and there are features on Scottish football, other local clubs, and the next home game. The teams are lined up on the back cover, Oldham’s including Andy Ritchie who bagged four goals in the 7-1 win. Probably the biggest cheer for a goal from the 7250 spectators that night came, however, for the one from Graeme Sharp. Signed in close season from Everton, he’d not got a goal in his first nine games, but this unlocked the door, and he ended the season with 15. A 9-1 victory on aggregate, a victory over Derby in the third round, but Latics cup run ended at Old Trafford, losing 2-0 to Manchester United in December.

[LaticsPete]

 

Crests and Coats of Arms

 

 

Club badges and logos seem to be amended and tweaked with a frequency that seems to prosper graphic designers rather than respond to a need from supporters.  There are some notable exceptions, but clubs appear to welcome the opportunity to sell their merchandise on the basis of an altered visual representation.  Usually, they are stripped down to a handful of components, yet programmes show that heraldry was once a major part of a club’s identity and association with the town where they played. Although some modern badges use amended elements from town arms, it was probably pre-1970s when civic pride was most obviously shown on programmes.

Northampton Town emblazoned their crest on their programmes in 1967-8. Heavily based on the town’s coat of arms, the local castle is the centrepiece along with a shoe to mark the local industry, and a Tudor Rose. The maroon and white cover carried no match details, they are on page 8 along with team line-ups, for the 16^th March 1968 match against Oldham in Div. 3. That same colour was used extensively inside too although “Club Notes” and Des Talking”, with comedian Des O’Connor reverted to black print. O’Connor had been evacuated to Northampton in the war and was a talented footballer playing for the Cobblers’ Reserves and, later, for the “Show Biz XI”.  Bolstered by the inclusion of “Football League Review”, the programme was a mix of local and national football news and comment.  The former said Town’s win against Walsall was” one of the best performances of the season”, whilst the latter noted that “Birmingham City have opened a full-time shop on their ground” and claimed it was “especially popular with the schoolboys”.  No mention of the Latics squad, struggling towards the bottom, but a 2-1 win was part of a late-season revival that saw them finish 16^th, a place above their hosts. Was Des there amongst the 7558 spectators or was he checking to see if any of his records were in stock at “the Midlands Leading Record Store”, John Lever on Gold Street?

“May Shrewsbury Flourish” (Floreat Salopia) was an integral part of the coat of arms of Shrewsbury which were adopted by the local football club in 1907 and used without amendment until 1970. Centrally placed on the cover of the programme it proudly displays three Loggerheads (leopards), a possible link to the arms of Edward I, who based his army there to conquer Wales. It was a Lancashire force that had to be overcome on Feb 21^st, 1959, however, in the first season of Div. 4, as Oldham were the visitors. They were “having one of those lean spells” (how often could that be written?!) but did boast one former FA Cup winner in Bill Spurdle, ex-Manchester City and one of the few Channel Islanders to play in the top flight.  A slim, 8pp, programme led on its front page with a letter of thanks to the “Splendid Supporters’ Club” who had raised significant money for the Shrews, and there was a good deal of club news inside. A photo of Ken Tucker accompanied a small feature on the player, “a likeable little fellow” and winger who had been with Shrewsbury for a year.  Team line ups were on the back page and there was considerable doubt as to who would line up at no.8 for the home team: Ambler or Russell or B. Jones were all printed as possibilities – it was the first of these who turned out.  Shrewsbury didn’t flourish in this match, but neither did Oldham, a 0-0 stalemate for the 6172 to watch. It was Latics’ solitary point from ten consecutive matches and the Salopians couldn’t match the claim of a local restaurant. Apparently. two certainties were “Sidoli’s for a good meal, Shrewsbury Town for the Third Division”. I hope the food was good.

 

The Tranmere Rovers programme of 29^th March 1968 possibly can’t be surpassed for heraldic impact. A large, three colour, coat of arms dominates the front page, derived from those of the town of Birkenhead, with “TRFC” entwined in the middle, and a football replacing a helmet at the top. The borough’s motto, Where There is faith there is light in strength, runs in Latin at the bottom. Adopted in 1962, this was used until 1972.  Birkenhead as a strong presence on the cover, Birkenhead Ales advertising strongly at the bottom. In between are the match details for the visit of Oldham on 29^th March 1968., just two games after the tip to Northampton. Some decent pen pictures this time, Ian Wood forecast as having “a great future”.  Wood went on to play 525 games for the club, a record so that was a decent prediction, whilst it was noted that Tranmere winger Roy Sinclair had just completed 100 games for Rovers. It was a programme with lots of “snippets” of club news: the former Chairman had just had an operation, and the club had requested personal hearings for two players booked at Shrewsbury. It was hoped “to produce some revealing photographic evidence”! Presumably about the match.   As with many programmes from this era, they help tell the tale of the demise of local brewing; Birkenhead Beers eventually became part of Whitbreads, and Bents Bitter, “still supreme” on the centre pages also eventually were absorbed into, and eventually closed by, the same company. At least, in 1968, there was something local to sup, and to celebrate with after a 1-0 win, if you were a Rovers fan in the 7454 crowd.

 

Another 1960s example comes from Vicarage Road and Watford. It was just seven years after it had adopted the Borough Council’s arms, adapting them to include “Watford F.C.”.  In a prominent position on the programme cover when Oldham visited on 16^th January 1968, the two harts for Hertfordshire and wavy lines representing the River Colne, are underscored by “Audentior” (With Greater Boldness) and continued to be used until 1972. Black and amber give an assertive look to this front page, confidently laid out with details of this match, the next one and the club’s name.  Inside the content doesn’t quite match up to this authoritative start, masses of advertisements intruding on match and club news. The latter is heavy on the previous week’s FA Cup win over Hereford, setting up a 3^rd Round tie at home to Sheffield United. Ticket details for this are added on to the editorial (“Voice of Watford”), whilst those for the League Cup Final are just above Hodsons Furnishing Fabrics.   The centre page line=ups have to fight for attention with Jackson the Jewellers, the Palace Theatre pantomime, and two local newspapers. Something different in that there are pen pictures of all three officials, all on the same page as those of the Oldham players. Watford seems to have been an abstemious community, just one ad for a brewery (Ind Coope) and none for pubs. Not much to drown their sorrows in for the bulk of the 12521 crowd, Latics edging it, 2-1.

[LaticsPete]

Slim Pickens was an American actor, often in slightly comic roles as in Blazing Saddles and Doctor Strangelove, and TV shows like Bonanza and B.J. and the Bear. If you saw him, you’d recognise the face. This month we’ll be looking at a few “slim pickens” ourselves, as Oldham publications using no more than a single sheet of paper come into view.

To begin with, there’s a single sheet production for a game that brought silverware to Latics, in one of the oldest football competitions in the region, the Lancashire Senior Cup.  Dating back to 1879, Oldham first competed in 1906/7 and, a season later, after beating Preston North End 2-0, the name was on the trophy for the first time.  60 years passed before the next success, another 2-0 victory, this time over Barrow on 9^th May 1967 at Boundary Park.  Whilst the Boundary Bulletin for that season had been a large colourful programme, there was just a black & white sheet for this game, given away free at the turnstiles.  The style was used on some other occasions, mainly for pre-season friendlies.

One side was predominantly given over to the team line-ups, and at the top of the page was the old Latics crest, an owl perched on the Borough’s coat of arms.  On the reverse side was a welcome to Barrow with pen pictures so small that even strong floodlights would have made them hard to read. More prominent were adverts for two upcoming matches; the last home league game versus Watford and a charity match between Northern TV All Stars and a Celebrity Select XI. Younger readers may not recognise some of the promised players but (honestly) they were big at the time including Gerry Marsden (of the Pacemakers) Roy Hudd, Simon Dee (the DJ), and Stuart Hall.

The win by Oldham was chairman Ken Bates’ first silverware in football (apparently, he had later success with a club in London) and the first for Jimmy McIlroy as a manager, and was much enjoyed by a crowd of just of just 3512.

Another monotone programme, a “Mini Bulletin”, this time priced at 2p, was published during the power cuts of the Three-Day Week in 1974.  A Tuesday afternoon, 8^th January, was the Third Round FA Cup Replay with Oldham hosting Cambridge United. The first game on the previous Sunday morning had finished 2-2 and a home tie against First Division Burnley awaited.  A simple front (although without the date) listed both teams and the match officials. There was an announcement that a minute’s silence would be held before kick-off in memory of the late Oldham Chairman, John Lowe, and the reverse featured brief pen-pictures of Cambridge players and a reminder that there would be extra time if the game was all-square at 90 minutes.  That indeed turned out to be the case and the match eventually ended in another draw 3-3, entertaining a bumper afternoon crowd of 10,250.

So, on to the second replay, this time at a neutral venue, the City Ground of Nottingham Forest, 79 miles from Oldham and 92 from Cambridge so a decent choice in terms of distance. Once again it was an afternoon match, 1.30 pm on Monday 14^th January 1974. A small (about 17cm x 9cm), pale green “Official Team Sheet” was issued, match details, the Forest crest, and provisional teams on just one side of print. I say provisional as there were four changes to the published Oldham line-up and two to that of the Us. A winner at last, Latics edging it 2-1, with a crowd of 3563. Burnley in the 4^th Round was a step too far but between Jan 12^th and March 12^th, Oldham won ten successive league games, moving towards the Third Division Championship that season.

Still in the FA Cup, there was a standard issue for the Ist Round Replay at Boundary Park against Northern League Shildon Town. Programmes that season were a sheet of paper in the odd size of 25cm x 37cm with two folds, producing six pages for 3d. No floodlights at the ground for another two years so, once again, an afternoon match, 2pm on Tuesday 17^th November 1959, clearly marked on the front, along with the club officials and contact details.  These were financially dire times for Oldham and there had been just three wins on the pitch since the start of the season, form that was to continue right through to the end and (fortunately) re-election, despite finishing five points behind Gateshead who were ejected from the League.  The programme was on poor quality paper, there were gaps in the advertising spaces and even the prospect of unbleached as well as bleached tripe from Heginbotham & Sons wouldn’t have lifted spirits. A last-minute equaliser up in Co Durham had got Latics the replay and they made no mistake in it, a rare 3-0 victory cheering up most of the 4567 there on a cold November afternoon.  A local derby in the next round but a loss to Bury meant that the road to Wembley ended at Gigg Lane.

A similar style (one sheet, two folds) was used by Gillingham in the 1967/8 season. A punchy production with no advertising and a good amount of information with league tables and fixtures for first team and reserves, “Supporters Notes”, pen pictures, team line ups (Oldham in “alternative colours”), and a welcoming editorial. Judging by a serial number, there was also a “lucky programme” competition for the 4186 spectators.  The teams are interesting in that each had a future Manchester City manager in its line-up; Mel Machin appeared for the Gills, and Jimmy Frizzell for Latics. It was a 1-0 home win for the Kent side in a season where neither club pulled up any roots, Gillingham ending 11^th and Oldham 16^th.

By 1981, Oldham had been in the Second Division for several years whilst Bolton Wanderers were back in it after relegation from the topflight. The Sunday Observance Act was still in place, meaning that Sunday matches that took place allowed admission by other means than payment at the turnstile. Bolton used coloured “Team Sheets”, different tints for different parts of the ground or concessions.  For the derby match with Oldham at Burnden Park on 22^nd February 1981, I’ve shown a pink item, price £3.20 that was for a seat. I’m aware of a gold sheet for standing, at £1.60 for a standing area, and a green one, 85p, also for the terraces, presumably for youngsters.  Other than the prominent price and Bolton name at the top, there was just room on the A5 paper for teams and match officials. The reverse was a full-page ad for Season Tickets for the following year, certainly getting in early. The top “early bird “price as £48, rising to £59 after 31 May, and you could stand for £19. I’m not sure how successful the early marketing was, given that Wanderers didn’t have a good season, finishing fifth from the bottom and not giving much encouragement to sales. The team did, however, notch up a win in this game, 2-0, so maybe some of the 9641 present considered a purchase.

Finally, a programme from the 1983 European Youth Championships. Two Iron Curtain nations, Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria, met at Boundary Park on Sunday 15^th May. Sixteen teams qualified for the nine-day tournament, four groups playing at venues across England.  As well as a Tournament brochure, “available inside the ground”, an A4 single sheet, black on a pale blue background, was produced for this game at Oldham. The tournament logo, match details, officials, and squads took up nearly all the page (although a small plug for Latics Season Tickets is present).  Many of the u-18s representing their nations I have never heard of, but a little bit of research showed that at least nine went on to play full internationals. For Bulgaria, Nikolay Illiev got 53 caps and was Bulgarian Footballer of the Year in 1987, whilst Nikolay Todorov played 13 times and his son of the same name, has been on the books of several British clubs, most recently Dunfermline Athletic last season.

Michal Bilek received 35 caps for Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic, whilst Tomas Skuhravy may be remembered for his five headed goals in the 1990 World Cup, part of a career that included 49 full international appearances.

As for the others who featured in this 0-0 draw, at least they can look back and say that turned out at Boundary Park.

[LaticsPete]

North Yorkshire Matches

 

Latics haven’t met many clubs from North Yorkshire, but League, Cup, and Friendlies have thrown up clashes both home and away.

 Oldham have played the Minstermen  of York many times. In 1974/5 both clubs were celebrating their promotion into the old Div. 2, Latics coming up as Div. 3 Champions. The programme, “Boundary News”, for Oct 19^th, 1974, proudly displayed the championship trophy as well as action photos of matches from the previous season. At 10p, the glossy production of 20pp was in blue, white, and tangerine on the covers but just black and white inside. Whilst just half a page was about the visitors, Latics’ goalkeeper Chris Ogden had a full-page feature, disclosing that his dad Fred who had played in the same position at Boundary Park helped him deal with any pressure, and that his favourite meal was steak.  Manager Jimmy Frizzell was very disappointed in the previous week’s display at Orient, but Oldham still sat eighth in the table, one below York. There was news of upcoming Texaco Cup matches against “star spangled Southampton” whilst a proposed friendly against Polish Champions Gornik had been cancelled.

York won 3-2, home goals from Ian Robins and Alan Young, in front of 12141 fans, the start of a poor run for Latics, not winning in 11 league games, the next victory coming on Boxing Day – the 1-0 win over Man United. Worth waiting for?

Scarborough were in the Football League from 1987 to 1999 but it’s only been in cups that they’ve come up against Oldham. On Nov 18^th, 1972, the non-league side came to Boundary Park for an FA Cup 1^st Round tie. The home team sat fifth in the old Div. 3 and were firm favourites although the Seagulls had reached the First Round in each of the two previous years as well. The two pages of notes and pictures about them pointed out they had “one of the best defences in the Northern Premier League”, well organised by player-manager Colin Appleton, ex-Leicester City stalwart.   The 16pp “Boundary Bulletin” had features on the FA cup, fixtures and appearances, news of the Youth Team beating Bolton, and a pen pic of match referee Michael Lowe, a newsagent and keen tennis player. Lots of local adverts, Oldhamers were invited to visit “The Grapes” before and after the game, get their patent medicines from John Wood Chemist, whilst Breretons of Chadderton were specialists in gents’ hairpieces.

Oldham’s previous two matches had been a 7-1 victory and a 2-6 defeat, but goals were scarcer in this game, a 1-1 draw witnessed by 7943 fans. An upset in itself but the replay on the coast was even more of one, Latics losing to the non-leaguers 1-2. Maybe it was sweet revenge in 1989 when Oldham won 7-0 in the Littlewoods Cup on their march to Wembley.

Not everyone would regard Middlesbrough being in the same county, but it was part of the historic North Riding and so can be included. The 1989/90 season was regarded as Latics “Pinch Me” year and, on March 31^st, 1990, they travelled to Ayresome Park pushing for promotion to the top-flight. The “Boro Magazine” was a packed 32pp costing £1 and was full of reading. Five pages were generously devoted to the visitors, historical as well as contemporary, and there were full colour photos of the team and Andy Ritchie. Boro had just lost in the Wembley final of the Zenith Data Trophy and pictures of the game feature prominently. There’s lots about the Boro youth teams, an A-Z of past players and several other features.  Teams are listed on the back cover, a brief pen pic of each player on both teams by their name, and noting that Latics have three ever present players.

It was a stumble for Oldham, losing by he only goal o the game, with an attendance of 17238. No promotion but it was only delayed by one season.

There were links between Oldham Manager Neil Warnock and Pickering Town, and he’d brought previous teams he had managed to the Mill Lane ground, so a pre-season friendly on August 5^th, 1997, wasn’t unexpected.  Then in the North-East Counties League, the Pikes produced a special programme, the cover dominated by a photo of one of the terraces, the club logo and match details.  The “Meet the Visitors” section runs to two pages, mainly historical content, another of pen pictures, whilst a welcome to the visitors is also extended in “First Team Focus” from Manager Craig Salt and “Secretary’s Notes”. No forthcoming fixtures but a centre-page spread of the previous seasons, appearances and attendances included. The biggest home gate Pickering had was against Whitby Town in the North Riding Cup, 350 turning up but normally the crowd was about   80-100. The thriving Junior Section is given space, under-11s upwards, new senior signings are listed (including Mike Sellers from Harrogate Town) and there are many pages of advertising, not least from club sponsor Flamingo Land, just up the road, with butchers, bakers and undertakers also present.

Costing 50p the 36pp programme has colour on the cover pages and is black and white inside. It was to prove a disappointing season for Latics, ending mid-table in their first season after relegation from the Championship. The Pikes had no success either, finishing 15^th in their League.

Latics haven’t met many clubs from North Yorkshire, but League, Cup, and Friendlies have thrown up clashes both home and away.

The closest team to Harrogate is York City and Oldham have played the Minstermen many times. In 1974/5 both clubs were celebrating their promotion into the old Div. 2, Latics coming up as Div. 3 Champions. The programme, “Boundary News”, for Oct 19^th, 1974, proudly displayed the championship trophy as well as action photos of matches from the previous season. At 10p, the glossy production of 20pp was in blue, white, and tangerine on the covers but just black and white inside. Whilst just half a page was about the visitors, Latics’ goalkeeper Chris Ogden had a full-page feature, disclosing that his dad Fred who had played in the same position at Boundary Park helped him deal with any pressure, and that his favourite meal was steak.  Manager Jimmy Frizzell was very disappointed in the previous week’s display at Orient, but Oldham still sat eighth in the table, one below York. There was news of upcoming Texaco Cup matches against “star spangled Southampton” whilst a proposed friendly against Polish Champions Gornik had been cancelled.

York won 3-2, home goals from Ian Robins and Alan Young, in front of 12141 fans, the start of a poor run for Latics, not winning in 11 league games, the next victory coming on Boxing Day – the 1-0 win over Man United. Worth waiting for?

Scarborough were in the Football League from 1987 to 1999 but it’s only been in cups that they’ve come up against Oldham. On Nov 18^th, 1972, the non-league side came to Boundary Park for an FA Cup 1^st Round tie. The home team sat fifth in the old Div. 3 and were firm favourites although the Seagulls had reached the First Round in each of the two previous years as well. The two pages of notes and pictures about them pointed out they had “one of the best defences in the Northern Premier League”, well organised by player-manager Colin Appleton, ex-Leicester City stalwart.   The 16pp “Boundary Bulletin” had features on the FA cup, fixtures and appearances, news of the Youth Team beating Bolton, and a pen pic of match referee Michael Lowe, a newsagent and keen tennis player. Lots of local adverts, Oldhamers were invited to visit “The Grapes” before and after the game, get their patent medicines from John Wood Chemist, whilst Breretons of Chadderton were specialists in gents’ hairpieces.

Oldham’s previous two matches had been a 7-1 victory and a 2-6 defeat, but goals were scarcer in this game, a 1-1 draw witnessed by 7943 fans. An upset in itself but the replay on the coast was even more of one, Latics losing to the non-leaguers 1-2. Maybe it was sweet revenge in 1989 when Oldham won 7-0 in the Littlewoods Cup on their march to Wembley.

Not everyone would regard Middlesbrough being in the same county, but it was part of the historic North Riding and so can be included. The 1989/90 season was regarded as Latics “Pinch Me” year and, on March 31^st, 1990, they travelled to Ayresome Park pushing for promotion to the top-flight. The “Boro Magazine” was a packed 32pp costing £1 and was full of reading. Five pages were generously devoted to the visitors, historical as well as contemporary, and there were full colour photos of the team and Andy Ritchie. Boro had just lost in the Wembley final of the Zenith Data Trophy and pictures of the game feature prominently. There’s lots about the Boro youth teams, an A-Z of past players and several other features.  Teams are listed on the back cover, a brief pen pic of each player on both teams by their name, and noting that Latics have three ever present players.

It was a stumble for Oldham, losing by he only goal o the game, with an attendance of 17238. No promotion but it was only delayed by one season.

There were links between Oldham Manager Neil Warnock and Pickering Town, and he’d brought previous teams he had managed to the Mill Lane ground, so a pre-season friendly on August 5^th, 1997, wasn’t unexpected.  Then in the North-East Counties League, the Pikes produced a special programme, the cover dominated by a photo of one of the terraces, the club logo and match details.  The “Meet the Visitors” section runs to two pages, mainly historical content, another of pen pictures, whilst a welcome to the visitors is also extended in “First Team Focus” from Manager Craig Salt and “Secretary’s Notes”. No forthcoming fixtures but a centre-page spread of the previous seasons, appearances and attendances included. The biggest home gate Pickering had was against Whitby Town in the North Riding Cup, 350 turning up but normally the crowd was about   80-100. The thriving Junior Section is given space, under-11s upwards, new senior signings are listed (including Mike Sellers from Harrogate Town) and there are many pages of advertising, not least from club sponsor Flamingo Land, just up the road, with butchers, bakers and undertakers also present.

Costing 50p the 36pp programme has colour on the cover pages and is black and white inside. It was to prove a disappointing season for Latics, ending mid-table in their first season after relegation from the Championship. The Pikes had no success either, finishing 15^th in their League.

[LaticsPete]

“Come On City”, is a chant that can only be used to back a limited number of teams, a small proportion of those from the over 70 cities there are in the United Kingdom. This month, however, I’m looking at Oldham programmes involving teams from cities that have chosen not to embrace that status in their name. So not Manchester or Stoke or York, each of which has the “City” suffix, but some that might not immediately register as being entitled to if they wished. 

In some cities the foremost club is not the “City” one – Oxford and Cambridge as examples – and some have never had a team in the top echelons of professional football  - Wakefield ,Lichfield, and Truro for instance. Some cities are, of course, ancient, with Anglican cathedrals to boot, whilst others are as recent as this decade without such a physical statement of ecclesiastical might. I’ll have a look at programmes involving both forms and ponder whether “City” could be attached to the club’s name.

Let’s start with a place that has had a varied governmental past. Peterborough is one of those ancient cities, the present cathedral dating back to 1118, yet was designated as having “New Town” status in 1967. One of the reasons for that was that it was seen as a progressive town, and the sense of local pride was surely enhanced by Peterborough United. In its very first season in the Football League the club was already second in Div 4 when it hosted Oldham on 22nd October 1960, and finished as eventual Champions . A fine aerial view of the London Road round, prominent floodlight towers and (nearly) three covered sides , is a classic example of lower league grounds of the time and makes a striking front cover in a blue tint. Red is used at the bottom to give the match details, Peterborough being one of those clubs that favoured a3.15 kick off. Inside the 12page, 4d, programme, the paper became rough and there isn’t a great deal of reading matter. “Club Chatter” extends over parts of two pages and covers everything from a ”look forward to an entertaining game”, mentioning that Latics had five former Manchester City players, brief comments on the Posh’s exit from the League Cup at Preston, the Reserves upcoming Midland Floodlit League match, and a Youth Team success against Corby Town. After the Preston match, the team had enjoyed “two restful days in Blackpool”. 

A booming local economy is represented by a plethora of advertisements, up to ten on a page, and they surround the teams laid out on the centre pages. Apparently “9 out of 10 people in the city & district read the Peterborough Citizen” and you could “score every time” with a used car from Regency Motors. The “entertaining game”  was a good forecast, the 11934 seeing a 2-2 draw .

The match had an ironic twist to it and might never have happened. Just a few months earlier Oldham finished second bottom of Div 4 and had to apply for re-election for the second successive season. They were successful but the team immediately above them, Gateshead, weren’t, and were replaced in the Football League by a thrusting non-league club – Peterborough United. By the way, there is a Peterborough City club, in the local District Football League.

In 2002 , City status was conferred on Preston, but the match at home to Oldham in Div 2 was twenty years earlier, on 4thApril 1981. I’ve not come across anything quite like it as a programme. For a start it was A4 in size, not unique but certainly distinct.  The “North Ender” has, however, from the front cover to the last of its 16 pages, the look and feel of a fanzine or student union magazine rather than a club production. The cover has a grainy action shot, programme title at the top in red & blue, and match details at the bottom. Inside, for your 30p, was a rather haphazard collection of articles, adverts, fonts, clip art, and statistics – all in a printed format that looked as though run off on a duplicating machine.  There are some good items tucked away in this jumble – a “Schools Corner” , two pieces (separate for some reason) on the Laws of the Game, as well as a 10, 20, 30 years ago page.  “Nobby’s Notes” from Manager Nobby Stiles is in a place to be expected, the inside front page, above a barely legible list of directors and honours. Nobby had been boss at Deepdale since 1975 but this was his last season, relegation, on goal difference, leading to his departure. He foresaw the team’s demise , “we’ve got an enormous task to stay in the Second Division”, and recognised Oldham were also in a precarious position, so the Latics’ 2-1 win was a big result for them, staying up by three points. 

The “Proud Preston” tag associated with the club, one of the greatest in the early years of the Football League, wasn’t evidenced by this programme. The Deepdale outfit was obviously struggling on and off the field and the slide continued until 1986, a 23rd position in Div 4 beginning a gradual climb back . As far as I know, there was never a serious desire to become “Preston City”, and I can’t find a trace of any amateur team adopting that title.

It had been two years since Sunderland had become a city when Oldham arrived for a League 1 (now the Championship) match on 29th October 1994. There had been some paper talk in the North-East that the football club should add “City” to its name, if only to spite Newcastle, but it never happened. As indicated by the programme title , “Roker Review”, the club was still at Roker Park, the move to the Stadium of Light being three years off. It was a bright, colourful publication , £1.30 for 36 glossy pages, with lots of reading matter and information.  The front cover flagged up some of the content inside, that as well as match details and sponsors’ names against a photo from a recent game versus Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

Mick Buxton had his “Manager’s Moment” on p3, bemoaningthe team’s “topsy-turvy season” and that there’s not a great deal to choose between any team in the division, including Oldham so “we have a big game on our hands”. There’s an informative four pages on the Latics, extensive pen pictureson some players and a series of snippets relating to links between the clubs – Mark Outterside made his only Sunderland appearance against Oldham in 1986/7. He “gave a solid performance but was never seen again in the first team” and was now playing in the Northern League.

Black Cat defender Ian Snodin, on loan from Everton, has two pages to himself (he was transferred to Oldham the next year ), the Reserves and Youth team news and fixtures are included, Captain Kevin Ball reckons teams went to Roker Park to frustrate the home side, and Physio Steve Smelt had a wonderfully titled column “Felt By Smelt” in which he brought news of injuries.

There wasn’t much to choose between the two teams when they met that season, both matches ending up 0-0. This one was watched by 17252, and campaign ended with Oldham in 15th spot, and Sunderland in 20th.

 

It was a significant day when a new team name appeared at Boundary Park on August 28th, 2004. Milton Keynes Dons had only been created the month before after the controversial uprooting of Wimbledon, from south of the Thames, to a location 50 miles northwest of London. It created confusion for football statisticians and writers for quite a while, some using old Wimbledon facts and figures, others down the path of the new entity having no history at all. I wonder if some of the tension could be dissipated by the club becoming Milton Keynes City , as the status was conferred last year. Maybe a MK supporter can shed light on the possibility.

Latics ‘programme for the League 1 match, went down the former path, and as well as four pages of notes and pen pictures, there are also details of MK’s last ten years (even if they had been under Wimbledon’s name). Anyway, the visitors included in their squad two former Oldham players, Paul Rachubka and Allan Smart. Goalie Rachubka had played 16 times for Latics, on loan from Manchester Utd, but turned down a permanent transfer. Smart left Boundary Park after disciplinary issues, despite a fee of £225,000 having been paid for him.

No such problems with the player on the programme’s cover - the legendary 40-year-old David Eyres, who was also given a two-page feature inside “Blue Pride”. A much younger member of the Oldham staff was local lad Danny Hall and he answered ten questions about himself; favourite holiday was Malaga, favourite club Manchester United. Danny never made it on to their books, despite racking up 19 in his career.  

The 60-page programme also included John Eyre’s expectation that he would be the team’s penalty taker, Manager Brian Talbot looking forward to a Sky televised League Cup clash with Tottenham after Latics had defeated Stoke, Chaddy the Owl talked about the Mascot Olympics, and Dean Holden apologised for his reaction to supporters after the defeat at Hull the previous week, and the Boundary Blues celebrated birthdays of its young members.

Match Mascot Aidan Smyth predicted a 3-0 victory for Latics, and his was a perfect prediction. Jermaine Johnson, Chris Killen and Mark Arber scored the goals in front of 5066 spectators.

 

[LaticsPete]

Re-arranging bookshelves the other week naturally took longer than it should have. Dipping into books I hadn’t used for a while happily diverted me and one particular side road was Simon Inglis’ “Football Grounds of Great Britain”, published in 1987. What a groundbreaking (no pun intended) type of football book that was and, even though probably every ground in the country has had significant alteration since, it’s still a reference work of great utility.

It got me thinking about how programmes not uncommonly used illustrations of club stadia for their front cover, some photographic , some drawn. The only “architectural” motif for Oldham home programmes was a photo of the Official Entrance on its 1960/61 issues so I’ll be looking at examples of what other clubs produced for their clashes with the Latics.  Mr Inglis’ book will help give some of the historical setting.

It was 1905 when Wrexham made the Racecourse Ground their permanent home. By 16^th November 1968 when Oldham arrived for an FA Cup 1^st Round match, there was still aspects of it that hadn’t changed much. The front of the programme’s aerial photo shows the Turf Hotel , used initially as changing rooms, in the corner and the uncovered terrace  or “Pop Side” dominates one length of the pitch. At the left is what was a fairly recent (1962) addition, “The Pigeon Loft”,  holding 1000 spectators and constructed from the frame and seats of Wrexham’s Majestic Cinema.  The rest of the cover is fairly basic, club name prominent and a price of 9d (4p) in the top corner.  Match details don’t appear until p3, along with the normal Board of Directors , Manager, and Secretary.  The “magnificent gesture” of Alderman Rowlands in giving a football was noted , just below a small half-time scores list.  

The layout was a template of adverts at the top and bottom of pages , with text between . So, both the Manager and Secretary had their say, each welcoming the visitors and recalling previous encounters. The centre spread had the teams listed 1-12, adverts around them , and then it was back to the template for the succeeding pages, where visitors’ pen pictures were given, along with fixtures and the Div 4 League Table. Several empty advertising slots I’m afraid but that of Williams the Wine Merchants promised “prompt delivery” even if the vehicle illustration didn’t encourage confidence! Right at the bottom of the back cover is a line noting that the programme was published by the Supporters Association on behalf of the club, an arrangement that had lasted for a little while.

The Welshmen notched a convincing 4-2 victory over their Div 3 opponents and a crowd of 7086 watched , under the careful eyes of the police and their programme crime prevention message.

It was another FA Cup match, this time the 2^nd Round, on 25^th November 1961, at Saltergate, when Oldham played at Chesterfield. It was a repeat of the exact same tie a year previously that had ended in a 4-4 draw.  It’s an artist’s impression of parts of the ground that takes up the top half of the front page. It’s a relatively accurate representation, the Main Stand , a 1930s design, to the left and, at the far end is the covered Kop. Interestingly, in the programme for the previous year’s match, a similar illustration had no roof on this stand , it being a new addition. A corner of the Popular Side is also just visible, so slightly over 50% of the Recreation Ground is portrayed.

Inside the programme unfolds with the Board etc, over  Saltergate Chatter, which then continues over pages4,5 &8. There’s quite a bit about the Latics, including pen pictures and history, but the Chatter also covers recent Spireite news : a draw last week when “offside tactics by Darlington lowered the standard of the game”.  Lots of local adverts throughout the programme, the teams, an on the centre pages and forthcoming home matches inside the front cover. The following Saturday Oldham were again the visitors in a Div 4 match, the absence of floodlights meaning a 2.15. kick off.  That turned out to be the third match in a week between the teams: this cup match finished 2-2 (att 11855), the midweek replay went Oldham’s way 4-2 (att 20800) and it was Latics again in the League match 3-2 (att 4167).

If there’s one architectural feature of Fulham’s Craven Cottage to note, it’s the cottage itself. The one illustrated on the cover of this 7^th November 1953 programme for the Div 2 match was designed by the great football architect Archibald Leitch when he remodelled the ground in 1905.   The illustration uses it, and the Stevenage Road Stand of the same date, as a backdrop to a cover that’s full of movement, two footballers tussling, a flag that’s blowing about and a font for the words “Official Programme” that’s also quite dynamic. At the same time heritage via the club crest is present and match details are clear at the bottom, this game against Oldham kicking off at 2.45 pm ( no floodlights until 1962)  

Once again inner content leads on from the Board of Directors and club details. A certain top comedian of the time, Tommy Trinder, was a Director and became Chairman in 1959 right through until 1976. There’s a good deal of editorial, “Inside The Cottage”, that’s opinion and news, much appreciated by fans before mass and frequent coverage of the ins and outs of local clubs The Cottagers’ 3-1 win at Bury the previous Saturday was analysed, Johnny Haynes had “one of the finest displays he has ever given”, whilst Bobby Robson and Bedford Jezzard (two) scored the goals. A similar report on the last home match versus Doncaster was also given ,”a most disappointing result”.  Jezzard was the subject of a quiz : he had played for his Army Brigade in India, his brother was an amateur with Arsenal, and he played cricket for the Licensed Victuallers. It was page 7 before the visitors were mentioned, and that was in the 2-3-5 lineups.  Latics had a former England captain, George Hardwick whilst Fulham a future one, Johnny Haynes, and it was the latter who was in the winning team, 3-1 pleasing most of the 18285 in the ground. Oldham finished rock bottom of the Division, not returning until 1974, and the Londoners a creditable 8^th.

Lastly, a programme similar in many ways to the Wrexham one earlier. Another red and black cover, a big aerial photo of the ground, and a template inside that was, in parts identical. This game was a few years earlier and was the Div 4 match between Exeter City and Oldham on 4^th March 1961, the details prominent on the front as was the 4d (less than 2p) price. Not many Devonians nor Lancastrians there that day would probably have had the benefit of seeing St James’ Park from the air so the photograph gave them a very different perspective. The Main Stand, rebuilt in 1926 after a fire, had a big roof advert emblazoned “Regent for better results”, and the St James’ Road open end can be seen on the left. It was just 13 steps deep, a contrast with the “Big Bank”, again uncovered at the other end. To complete the picture, there was a  pitch length Cowshed, behind which is a school.

There are four pages that include “Club Chatter” (starting below, yes, the Board of Directors and the inappropriately named Honorary Medical Officer, Dr Stumbles). The Grecians were having a tough season, fifth from the bottom, and there was a sense of forward planning in the notes. It was , apparently, going to be tough with players’ contract talks, and a “statement from the Board of Directors outlining the policy for next season will be printed in our programme for the next match”. The Chatter reflects that Oldham had fallen from grace , next to bottom last season, but were recovering with players like Bobby Johnstone, Bert Lister , and “one of the best full backs in the Fourth Division, Ken Branagan”.  Teams were the centre pages, ably supported by advertisers for “Pony Cream British Sherry”, Holman Ham Chemists, Bartletts the Printers, and many other Exeter businesses. And it was the locals that could be happy, a 3-0 win to please 4955 spectators. 

[LaticsPete]

Nicknames are a crucial part of football history, reflecting club origins, or the local community and industry, and provide a lasting link to times when it wasn’t oligarchs and nation states that dictated the ebb and flow of the game. Some clubs, and the media, seem to have eschewed their early names : when was the last time Manchester City were referred to as “The Citizens” on tv? Or Preston North End as “The Invincibles” or even “The Lilywhites” Others have maintained them, and on the cover of their programmes. That’s where we’ll be looking this month, Oldham matches with “nicknamed” covers (and they are all FA Cup ties).

In chronological order, I’ll begin with Oldham versus Tranmere Rovers on 2^nd January 1993, a third-round game , and with “Latics” in script right across the top of the cover.  When the club, then named Pine Villa, moved to the “Athletic Grounds” it was then that the name changed and, the local corruption of “athletics” became “Latics”.   The “Blast from the Past”  page coincidently records that the first match Latics played there was on 1^st September 1906, was against Colne, and had a crowd of 3454.  Anyway, it was the first season of the Premier League when this game took place and Latics, as founder members, hosted Tranmere, pushing for promotion from Division 1. In fact, Joe Royle, in his programme notes, reckoned the Merseysiders “must be very confident” of promotion.

The visitors had a squad that included Pat Nevin, John Aldridge, and ‘keeper Eric Nixon, with over 400 games under his belt. The two clubs had shared , in 1935, an epic game that saw 17 goals. Unfortunately, Tranmere scored 13 of them  and it’s only briefly mentioned in the “It’s A Fact” column!  There’s a range of features , from Junior Latics , “Where Are They Now “, Youth team news, away travel , and the usual fixtures and results spread. There’s also a “Fan File” item, and many programme collectors will recognise the supporter featured – Jim Kirton. Sadly, now deceased, Jim ran the Programme Shop at Boundary Park for many years. His pet hate was “forecasters predicting Latics for relegation”. Jim, they got it wrong as Oldham stayed up , winning their last three games in what was genuinely a “great escape”.

A 2-2 draw with a crowd of 13389, and Tranmere won the replay 3-0, although missed out on promotion, losing to Swindon in the Play-Offs.

Over the border into Wales, and just over five years later on 3^rd January 1998, Cardiff City the home team in Another 3^rd Round tie. The club’s name had begun in 1908, and that’s when blue became the kit colour, leading easily to the Bluebird(s)  nickname, proudly heading up the front cover. A 32pp programme that had plenty of reading matter, beginning right away with two pages called “Bluebird View” from a club Vice-President, comment on club and wider football issues but he also introduces the day’s referee, match sponsor, and mascots. Cardiff were then in the bottom tier, Latics in the third and one of Neil Warnock’s seats in his managerial odyssey.  The Welsh club, had a Director of Football, Kenny Hibbitt , whilst the Manager was Russell Osman, and it was the former who contributed the “Team Talk” page, whilst both Youth and Commercial activities got pages to themselves.

A nice spread, including, photographs from two earlier Cardiff v Oldham Cup matches, in 1920 and 1949, both had gone the Bluebirds’ way , and it was to be the same in this match, a 1-0 home win. A problem with one turnstile’s automatic return not working properly led to the attendance changing from an announced 6623 to 6808, the biggest of the season.  A clean sheet for Cardiff ‘keeper Jon Hallworth who’d played for Latics for eight seasons , and there were two other Cardiff players with links to Oldham, although later in their careers.  Captain Dave Penney went into management and was boss at Boundary Park in 2009/10, and midfielder Tony Carss played 75 times for them between 2000 and 2003, a real favourite with fans.

The South Wales Echo seemed to go into overdrive with its match coverage, a four-page supplement on the following Monday.  Warnock was “devastated” at his team’s poor showing, there was lots of praise for the Ninan Park groundsman, goal scorer Jason Fowler dedicated his strike to the aforementioned Hibbitt and Osman, nine of the City players were marked as 7/10, one got 8/10 and one 6/10,  and the support from the home crowd apparently sent shivers down the spine of Kenny Hibbitt.

The First Round FA Cup of the year 2000 and Oldham travelled down to Staffordshire and the former coalmining town of Hednesford, to play the Town , or “The Pitmen” as they were known.  A strong cover to the programme, match details, teams, officials, and an action photo are all there, and the Conference club had produced an issue that had interest to regular supporters, away fans, and those who’d come for the glamour of Hednesford v Oldham!  There had been just two home attendances of over 1000 that season, so the 2053 who turned up for this match hopefully got their money’s worth from the 4-2 Oldham win. Talking of money, the welcome “Setting the Scene” apologises for putting up admission prices but says that extra stewarding and police costs  amounted to £6000.

The visitors are directly welcomed over three pages, including photos from their win just up the road at Stoke the previous Saturday. The Pitmen were struggling in the league and their last match had been a 5-1defeat at Nuneaton Borough, and their last win had been in the 4^th Qualifying Round, a 2-1 victory in a replay against Billericay Town with just 390 to see it at their Keys Park home.  Player Profile for the Pitmen was Neil Pointon, former Everton, Manchester City, and Latic (95 games) and now player-coach,   whilst one of his teammates was a certain Mark Cooper now, as at writing, in his 11^th managerial posting , at Yeovil.

There is a good deal of reading focused on Hednesford’s earlier FA Cup exploits, non-league giant killing stories, and Cup stats from the previous season, and the £2 cover price seemed a reasonable price. Unfortunately, relegation followed for Hednesford, and they’ve never got further than the 1^st Round since, although won the FA Trophy in 2004.

We stay in the Midlands and a coalmining area, albeit in Nottinghamshire this time, and Mansfield Town played Oldham at the same stage on 7^th November 2015.  Sherwood Forest stretched over much of the area, a royal forest that was popular for hunting with King John and others and, hence, the association with Stags and so on to the football club’s nickname.  A wonderfully simple front cover, basically the nickname, match details, and a massive photo of the FA Cup, with lots of the club’s blue and yellow colours.  The latter dominates inside pages too, all of which are cleanly laid out and designed. And the 2886 spectators hopefully appreciated the quality of this. A good deal of content was allocated to the Lancashire club, seven of the 32 pages, including historian Leigh Edwards’ “Unlikely Lads” , six ex-Latics players some folk might not associate with club, including Albert Quixall (missed a penalty against West Ham in 1966) , Tony Hateley  (just five league games) , and Asa Hartford (seven matches). Blink and you could have missed the last two, similarly with the then Manager David Dunn. When there was revolving door policy of managers at Boundary Park, Dunn was in charge for just four months.  “Famous Fan” was noted as Prof Brian Cox and “Best Ever Manager” as, no surprise, Joe Royle.

Nice to see something that was once a staple of many programmes – the “Face in the Crowd” feature, circling a supporter’s head and winning them a prize. The “Parting Shot “in the programme was a black & white photo from “the Stags’ greatest ever cup shock”, beating West Ham United 3-0 in 1969.  Two young lads, scarves aloft are chased off the pitch by “a member of the Nottinghamshire constabulary” , but he looks as though he is about to fall over! Nothing as exciting in 2015, a 0-0 draw, Oldham winning the replay 2-0.