club legends ?

[LaticsPete]

So it’s now anyone who was a good player? 
 

The devaluation of the term “legend” continues apace. 

[BP1960]

8 minutes ago, LaticsPete said:

So it’s now anyone who was a good player? 
 

The devaluation of the term “legend” continues apace. 

 

Jim Rollo?

[Worcester Owl]

Bobby Collins (sorry if he's already been mentioned). Not sure he was with us for all that long, but I have an indelible memory of him jumping up to try to chin Tony Hateley. The jump alone was legendary!

[mcfluff1985]

Andy Holt

[Bobledgersheart]

48 minutes ago, Worcester Owl said:

Bobby Collins (sorry if he's already been mentioned). Not sure he was with us for all that long, but I have an indelible memory of him jumping up to try to chin Tony Hateley. The jump alone was legendary!

I remember that but thought it was Colin Blant of Rochdale.

It's a story I recount regularly so would appreciate any input!

[Littlemoor Lad]

3 hours ago, LaticsPete said:

So it’s now anyone who was a good player? 
 

The devaluation of the term “legend” continues apace. 

Makes you realise just how many good uns we've had over the decade's 

[Punce]

5 hours ago, LaticsPete said:

So it’s now anyone who was a good player? 
 

The devaluation of the term “legend” continues apace. 

 

 

I'll take Gunner Halle though.

 

Denis Irwin was knocking on the door then made a dodgy career move.    Earl Barrett for sure.

 

.

[lalalajpkalala]

7 hours ago, LaticsPete said:

So it’s now anyone who was a good player? 
 

The devaluation of the term “legend” continues apace. 

This is such a daft comment.

 

I haven’t lived in England for a long time.

 

I meet people on a weekly basis who are fascinated that I’m a football fan from England and therefore must be an authority on English football.

They tell me how much they love the game in England, which team and, more importantly, players they love.

 

They ask me who my footballing hero is.

 

I reply with the obvious, John Sheridan.

 

Who?

 

I follow up with a well-honed lecture on why Sheridan is more important to me than either Messi or Ronaldo.

 

I then ask why they, as a <enter nationality> would care about Messi, Ronaldo, Kane, Haaland or Sheridan.

 

They struggle to conjure words.

 

I regale them with stories of my youth following Latics all over the land.

 

They admit they don’t really support <whichever European team they’d previously claimed as their own> like I do Oldham Athletic.

I was born in 86.

 

I’m in awe of those born before me who saw better Latics players than I ever will. But I’m even more in awe of those born after me who love Oldham Athletic nevertheless.

 

They never saw Ritchie, Palmer, Marshall, Holden, Barrett, Jobson, Hallworth, Henry, nor even Richardson, Barlow, McCarthy or Duxbury, Sheridan, Eyres, Carss, Beckett, Wellens, Liddell.

 

I saw them all.

 

If our legends were based on League finishes they’d have all been dead 50 years ago or more.

 

Legends are the guys who made you fall in love with the club.

 

It could be Bobby Johnstone or Kenny Clements or Tommy Wright or Andy Ritchie or it could be your Dad or the bloke down the Clayton Arms or White Hart or Greyhound who loved the club with an enthusiasm that infected you.

 

Or you could just look down on your fellow fans and pretend you know best because you saw (x) in 19<xx> or was it 18<xx>?

[Magic Mikey]

7 hours ago, lalalajpkalala said:

This is such a daft comment.

 

I haven’t lived in England for a long time.

 

I meet people on a weekly basis who are fascinated that I’m a football fan from England and therefore must be an authority on English football.

They tell me how much they love the game in England, which team and, more importantly, players they love.

 

They ask me who my footballing hero is.

 

I reply with the obvious, John Sheridan.

 

Who?

 

I follow up with a well-honed lecture on why Sheridan is more important to me than either Messi or Ronaldo.

 

I then ask why they, as a <enter nationality> would care about Messi, Ronaldo, Kane, Haaland or Sheridan.

 

They struggle to conjure words.

 

I regale them with stories of my youth following Latics all over the land.

 

They admit they don’t really support <whichever European team they’d previously claimed as their own> like I do Oldham Athletic.

I was born in 86.

 

I’m in awe of those born before me who saw better Latics players than I ever will. But I’m even more in awe of those born after me who love Oldham Athletic nevertheless.

 

They never saw Ritchie, Palmer, Marshall, Holden, Barrett, Jobson, Hallworth, Henry, nor even Richardson, Barlow, McCarthy or Duxbury, Sheridan, Eyres, Carss, Beckett, Wellens, Liddell.

 

I saw them all.

 

If our legends were based on League finishes they’d have all been dead 50 years ago or more.

 

Legends are the guys who made you fall in love with the club.

 

It could be Bobby Johnstone or Kenny Clements or Tommy Wright or Andy Ritchie or it could be your Dad or the bloke down the Clayton Arms or White Hart or Greyhound who loved the club with an enthusiasm that infected you.

 

Or you could just look down on your fellow fans and pretend you know best because you saw (x) in 19<xx> or was it 18<xx>?

I think that you are defining personal heroes which admittedly could be anyone. Surely a club legend should be one of a small number of people that that there is a consensus on. The likes of Johnstone, Ritchie and Sheridan moving through the generations. I'm with Pete, the number of suggestions so far would need enough gold bricks to rebuild the Chaddy. 

[Littlemoor Lad]

Heroes & Legends

Never the twain shall meet 

[Worcester Owl]

16 hours ago, Bobledgersheart said:

I remember that but thought it was Colin Blant of Rochdale.

It's a story I recount regularly so would appreciate any input!

You could be right - I don't remember Rochdale being the opposition but it was a long time ago! Whoever the other guy was he absolutely towered over Bobby Collins, but it didn't stop our boy leaping like a salmon to take a swing at him! Still one of the funniest things I've ever seen on a football pitch.

[Bobledgersheart]

1 hour ago, Worcester Owl said:

You could be right - I don't remember Rochdale being the opposition but it was a long time ago! Whoever the other guy was he absolutely towered over Bobby Collins, but it didn't stop our boy leaping like a salmon to take a swing at him! Still one of the funniest things I've ever seen on a football pitch.

If I remember rightly they both got sent off and we went on to win 2-0, but I won't be making a trip to Ladbrokes to bet on it !!  

I used to see "Blanty" in Heywood many years ago but haven't confirmed the story with him.

[Worcester Owl]

2 hours ago, Bobledgersheart said:

If I remember rightly they both got sent off and we went on to win 2-0, but I won't be making a trip to Ladbrokes to bet on it !!  

I used to see "Blanty" in Heywood many years ago but haven't confirmed the story with him.

You've forced me to look up the Garth Dykes bible and I think you could be right, though not on the scoreline.

 

Bobby Collins played 6 league games in 1972/73 and also came on as a sub in a 0-0 draw v Rochdale on 20 April 1973. The six games he started were against Wrexham, Charlton, Scunthorpe, Swansea, Plymouth and Grimsby - I don't remember Hateley playing for any of those clubs! He also played in 2 FA Cup games v Scarborough. He was our oldest ever debutant at 42 when he played against Wrexham.

 

The Dykes book doesn't record sendings off but maybe it was your man Blant after all.

[Bobledgersheart]

2 hours ago, Worcester Owl said:

You've forced me to look up the Garth Dykes bible and I think you could be right, though not on the scoreline.

 

Bobby Collins played 6 league games in 1972/73 and also came on as a sub in a 0-0 draw v Rochdale on 20 April 1973. The six games he started were against Wrexham, Charlton, Scunthorpe, Swansea, Plymouth and Grimsby - I don't remember Hateley playing for any of those clubs! He also played in 2 FA Cup games v Scarborough. He was our oldest ever debutant at 42 when he played against Wrexham.

 

The Dykes book doesn't record sendings off but maybe it was your man Blant after all.

Thanks for that.

I think both got sent off but I've told the story so many times I've probably changed it over the years for literary effect !

 

[Summerdeep]

On 4/14/2023 at 6:19 PM, Bobledgersheart said:

I remember that but thought it was Colin Blant of Rochdale.

It's a story I recount regularly so would appreciate any input!

 

On the subject of Bobby Collins and his occasional tendency to 'have a go' at much bigger players, it's worth listening to the interview with Ian Wood below, from the 9:35 mark. Wood is referring to a friendly that the Latics played in Greece on 31 May 1973 against a side called Naousa, by the way.

 

 

 

[Summerdeep]

On 4/13/2023 at 11:20 AM, Dickie Down said:

 

 

The classic team from that season is worth noting:

 

Dowd, Wood, Whittle, McNeill, Cranston, Bowie, Heath, Shaw, Fryatt , Bryceland, Bebbington.

 

88 goals, 1 promotion and a £75000 stand, with around 2,200 total appearances for the club.

 

Tommy Bryceland remains  at least the equal of any player I have seen for Latics

 

A legendary team.

 

 

That 1970-71 Latics line-up is my favourite as well, marginally ahead of the one which propelled us to the Third Division title in the second half of 1973-74.

 

It was a side that looked for a while as if it could make a big impact on the Third Division in 1971-72, much as Bournemouth and Notts County did. I remember being at Bolton on 16 October 1971, when that legendary forward line of Heath, Shaw, Fryatt, Bryceland and Bebbington turned out for its penultimate appearance. Bolton had only lost two games from eleven, and had just beaten Man City 3-0 in the League Cup. Our away record was three wins, one draw and one defeat from five games. We played well that day, and were unlucky to lose 2-1. Three days later we plumbed the depths, losing 2-0 at home to relegation-bound Bradford City.

 

That signalled the break up of the 1971 promotion side. A few days later, Frizzell sold Fryatt to Southport, then Heath lost his place in the team, never to regain it. Bryceland left in the New Year for St Mirren. In fact, by the start of the following season, only David Shaw remained from the classic forward line!

 

[Dickie Down]

On 4/15/2023 at 3:08 PM, Worcester Owl said:

You've forced me to look up the Garth Dykes bible and I think you could be right, though not on the scoreline.

 

Bobby Collins played 6 league games in 1972/73 and also came on as a sub in a 0-0 draw v Rochdale on 20 April 1973. The six games he started were against Wrexham, Charlton, Scunthorpe, Swansea, Plymouth and Grimsby - I don't remember Hateley playing for any of those clubs! He also played in 2 FA Cup games v Scarborough. He was our oldest ever debutant at 42 when he played against Wrexham.

 

The Dykes book doesn't record sendings off but maybe it was your man Blant after all.

I recall this. Definitely Collins and Blant. The latter had been kicking lumps off , I think, Derek Spence and David Shaw. Collins came on as sub. Latics got a corner at the Rochdale Road End, Main Stand corner and it was overhit, probably deliberately. Blant ended up with his nose all over his face around the penalty spot and Collins was nowhere to be seen. Think he butted him.

 

There was a celebrated episode with Alan Lawson , then of Ashton United, and Hateley in a reserve or friendly  game at Ashton.

 

 

[Bobledgersheart]

1 hour ago, Dickie Down said:

I recall this. Definitely Collins and Blant. The latter had been kicking lumps off , I think, Derek Spence and David Shaw. Collins came on as sub. Latics got a corner at the Rochdale Road End, Main Stand corner and it was overhit, probably deliberately. Blant ended up with his nose all over his face around the penalty spot and Collins was nowhere to be seen. Think he butted him.

 

There was a celebrated episode with Alan Lawson , then of Ashton United, and Hateley in a reserve or friendly  game at Ashton.

 

 

Cheers for that confirmation. 

I also remember Lawson kicking Hateley full-on and hard on his gammy knee.