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LOTW - 20/12/07 - Ricky Kowenicki


Stevie_J

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Welcome to the 26th Latics Legend of the Week. This week it's Latics' first overseas player (I believe), Ricky Kowenicki.

We're looking for you, the OWTB members, to post their memories, anecdotes and stories of our weekly Legend. Anything at all.

Mate of yours? Met him in a pub? Go to school with his Mrs? Get hit by his car? Had a scuffle with him?!
Anything and everything!

If you have access to some season stats or career stats then post those too; pictures, videos, songs, etc, etc...!?
Post them all!!



A couple of very simple rules:
1. Please stay on the topic of a single legend at once... it probably apparent why by now.
(If you would like to suggest an upcoming legend then please feel free to PM me)
2. Please don't post anything which may subject you to libel... as OWTB cannot be held responsible for that.
3. Have fun!
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Guest oa_exile

You had to see his throw in's to appreciate it , quality !

 

I remember this very well and thought it would be worth posting for those of you who dont remember him.

I will probably be corrected but , our first overseas signing ? we paid £10,000 i think ?

 

 

BACK FROM THE GRAVE

After the Oldham Chronicle had revealed that Ryszard Kowenicki had died in the 1990's the LSC received the following communication from a Latics supporter in Poland which makes very interesting reading:

 

I have had a very busy time lately but now I can be absolutely sure about Richard Kowenicki as I've been talking with him just about 10 days ago. On Saturday 21st. October 2000, there was a Jubilee Match due to a 90 year anniversary of his former club, Widow Lodz. A great number of former Widzew stars have come to Lodz (ie. Boniek, Smolarek, Dziekanowski and many others - some of the greatest Polish players). I'm a fan of their local rival, but my wife is a fan of Widzew so we went there. Besides, my friends, who work for local newspapers, told me that Kowenicki may go to Lodz too, and he did. Due to help from another of my friends I managed to exchange a few words with him.

 

He said, "I am living in Denmark and am in good health". He was very amused about the news of his death. He said that now he is absolutely sure he would be living many years. Here in Poland we have such a funny superstition that if anyone comes to know about the news of his death from other people he will survive until an old age.

 

One of local papers has published a photo from that game with all the players whose took part. Kowenicki is there too on the photo (front row - second from the right). So, if you want, let me know and I will try to scan it for you to make you absolutely sure that he is among the living. That's all about it.

 

Wish you all the best. Cheers,

 

Bartek (A Polish fan from Widzew)

 

 

True enough Richard Kowenicki is still alive and kicking (pun intended) as the following photo will confirm

 

widzew1.jpg
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Please god let somebody have a clip of his throw in :pray:

 

From his throw-in, the follow-through occasionally left him nose-downwards on the pitch, yet with his toes miraculously grounded behind the touchline.

 

P.S. The Millwall Vital Football site's account of last Saturday's match takes a completely different line to all the others. It says:

 

"Mind you, a lot of trouble could have been avoided if the linesman, sorry assistant ref, had been on the ball. Oldham's first goal clearly came from a foul throw, as the player's foot was obviously on the touchline. The lino was only a couple of feet away but completely missed it. That was the first really poor piece of officiating and it just snowballed from there."

Edited by Diego_Sideburns
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Taken from Oldham Athletic - Complete Record 1899-1988 by Garth Dykes.

 

KOWENICKI, Ryszard 1979-1981

Midfield. 5ft 10ins. 11st.

Born: Poland, 22 December 1948

Debut v Chelsea (h) 8 December 1979

Appearances: 40(2) Goals: 5

Career: Widzew Lodz; ATHLETIC 7 December 1979; Bradford City (trial) 10 August to 1 September 1981.

On his day, Ryszard Koweicki was a fine attacking midfielder with a powerful shot which brought him a few spectacular long-range goals. His game also featured a remarkable throwing-in technique, the follow-through of which occasionally left him nose-downwards on the field, yet with his toes miraculously grounded behind the touchline.

 

kowenicki.jpg

 

Hmmm, sound familiar anyone?

 

Interesting to see that he will be 59 tomorrow :happybday: . He also signed on my 11th Birthday and played in the home match against Chelsea the day after which we won 1-0 with a goal by Simon Stainrod.

 

Other players in the team at that time were John Platt, Ged Keegan, Kieth Kicks, John Hurst, Paul Atkinson, Vic Halom (King of all Geordies), Jim Steel, Carl Valentine, Ronnie Blair, Kenny Clements, Rodger Wylde.........ah, those were the days :imnotworthy:

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Taken from Oldham Athletic - Complete Record 1899-1988 by Garth Dykes.

 

By the way, if you have this book in hardback, I am Number 126 in the list of original subscribers to the limited edition.

 

Interestingly.....

 

Number 16 is John Motson

Number 79 is Michael Yarwood

Number 105 is Mark Crossley

Number 229 is N Redfern

 

:blink:

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great player was ricky ,my ear still hurts from the ball that hit me ,at wrexham latics were warming up just before the game ,i was just behind the goal with my back to the pitch ,then i felt a massive bang to the side of my head ,it knocked me over ,i got up to find someone gave me a hand to get up ,it was ricky ,he hit the ball towards the goal but it hit me instead ,my ear was ringing for most of the match ,he did say sorry thou . on latics liner to way matches i sat with the players (ticket cost more but it was worth it ) he gave me a badge of his old club Widzew Lodz;which i still have its got uefa cup 1977/78 on it and it has vice championship 76/77 on it .and i got to know him quite well ,one other latics fan knew a bit of polish so we had long talks i even went with ricky to slim jims in lees together ,he also got the other polish player ,who played for bolton to to to slim jims too , i even got ricky a big gold bracelett (from our shop in rochdale) and i got it inscribed the name Ryszard on it , it was before the game v chelsea away which the players missed the train back by 1 min ,and i got a few bottles of bells whiskey for the players ,but in the end a few of us drank it and the galleon bottle of bells whiskey ,i gave to mike twiss to pass on to peter mc donnell who was my player of the season that year ...

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On his day, Ryszard Koweicki was a fine attacking midfielder with a powerful shot which brought him a few spectacular long-range goals.

 

 

 

Scored the winner in my first ever match - 1-0 v QPR, first day of the season 1980-81. I know, I don't look old enough, do I? :)

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still got one of those kits and a white umbro one as well

 

JEALOUS

 

:disappointed:

 

My Mum threw mine out - it was only when I left home that I was able to keep hold of the shirts - I have quite a few waiting for me to be able to afford getting them framed.

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Guest oa_exile
I LOVED that team. Look at all the perms on the back row......brilliant kit with the Umbro logos down the sleeves.....shirts were thick and itchy.....BRILLIANT!!!

 

Me also Rick , i followed that team everywhere as an 18 year old ! :chaddy: ........... spent some money with Barlows B)

 

Some quality players in there including one of my all time favorites Roger Wylde :imnotworthy:

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Me also Rick , i followed that team everywhere as an 18 year old ! :chaddy: ........... spent some money with Barlows B)

 

Some quality players in there including one of my all time favorites Roger Wylde :imnotworthy:

 

I had my stag do in the Isle of Mann so that we could take in the pre-season tournament. It would have been 1998. After we narrowly avoided winning the wooden spoon, we went onto the pitch and invited the players to come out and have a few drinks. They didn't think that Stitch would let them, but to my joy they joined us later in the night. I was talking to Andy Ritchie when someone came over and asked for his autograph at which point I dropped my trousers and got him to sign my right buttock :grin:

 

Later on, my brother came over and said "Come here, there is someone you have got to meet".......Rodger Wylde!! :imnotworthy: So after we had spoken about what a great player I thought he was, i got him to sign my other cheek :grin:

 

I was going to get them tattooed in, but they washed off when I was skinny dipping in the Sea !!!

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Guest oa_exile
at which point I dropped my trousers and got him to sign my right buttock :grin:
"Sign Here" :shakeit:

Later on, my brother came over and said "Come here, there is someone you have got to meet".......Rodger Wylde!! :imnotworthy: So after we had spoken about what a great player I thought he was, i got him to sign my other cheek :grin:
.........and "Sign Here" :shakeit:

I was going to get them tattooed in, but they washed off when I was skinny dipping in the Sea !!!
:ohno::laught16:

 

 

Great Story ! :applause1:

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  • 2 weeks later...

If I recall correctly - our very own Rummy The Owl was sat on the hotel steps laughing his head off :lol: when the Police turned up :busted: and shone a big spotlight at my naked (and rather cold) form...... :shy:

 

 

Ah, those were the days !!

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