Butcher is worming his way back into the midfield at the Latics and he said, “I don’t hold any grudges about what happened with the fans, it’s more a question of wanting to show people they were wrong. I’ve been through the most difficult time of my career, but I want to put all that behind me and make sure it never happens again. I was surprised by the level of criticism because I didn’t think I was doing that badly, not really badly enough to justify it. But we started losing a few games and the fans were obviously disappointed, so a few of them took it out on me. It was a really low point, especially in the game at Barnsley, and I had never experienced anything like it before.”“Other than losing out in the play-offs, things had always gone well for me at Lincoln, and also at Kettering before that. In the end, the gaffer thought going back to Lincoln on loan would be good for me, and I didn’t disagree. I wasn’t running away from anything, but I was going to a place where my confidence would start coming back and people knew what I could do. The loan finished after a month and I came back to Oldham expecting to just keep my head down and play in the reserves. I was surprised when the gaffer put me in against Chasetown and I was very, very nervous before that game, more nervous than I have ever been in my life. Things have gone okay because the team is improving and we are unbeaten in the three games I’ve played since coming back.”
“I’m bound to make mistakes, which is what all footballers do, but hopefully people accept I’m not giving the ball away on purpose. All I wanted was a chance to play again, so I appreciate what the gaffer has done and I’ll do my best to repay him. Andy Liddell has been fantastic with his help and advice, and all the other lads have been supportive as well. Moving from Lincoln in the summer wasn’t an easy decision, but I was determined to have a go with Oldham because I can definitely play at this level. If there are people out there who disagree, fair enough. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I’ll just have to win them round.”
“Yeovil asked about signing me on loan, but I told the gaffer I wanted to stay and get back in the side. It was Ronnie Moore who brought me here in the first place and I want to show him the form which earned me that chance. It’s fine by me if I end up seeing out my contract, although in football you never know what’s going to happen. The most important thing is that I’m back in the team at the moment – there was a time when I thought it might not happen.”
It will take a lot to win back any respect from the fans when he doesn't even seem to realise why he got the abuse. Richie Wellens, Luke Beckett and others have criticised their own performances while Butcher thought he was doing well enough and considered that he was being singled out for abuse. The main reason why the fans were chastising him at Barnsley was because he had stopped running for the cause. JJ was the last player who performed that much below par and he was eventually sent packing. Although his embarrassing white boots have disappeared Butcher's performances since returning to the midfield have been suspect to say the least and it will remain to be seen if he can sustain his position when the likes of Swailes and Haining are back to full fitness.
His famous “It will take something very special for me to want to stay at Oldham” quote will stick in the throats of most Latics faithful and he's going to have to perform like a superstar if he is to win back any credibility. It will be surprising if Butcher is still at Boundary Park when the transfer window opens up again in January. Football is all about opinions but we'll have to wait and see on this one.