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Brief history of Oldham Athletic?
Originally known as Pine Villa, the "original" Latics have spent most of their time in the lower divisions of the football league. However, in the early 1900’s the Latics did have a spell in the top division. In 1914/15, they gained their best ever league placing by coming runners-up to the English Champions, Everton.
After a 68 year wait, the Latics finally reached the top division once again as in 1990, the "pinch-me" season saw a famous injury-time Neil Redfearn penalty vs Sheffield Wednesday win the old 2nd division.
The blues spent 3 years in the top division, becoming founder members of the Premier League but then spent several years in decline after relegation in 1994. This season will be the Latics’ 5th season in division 2, but at the moment there’s every chance there won’t be a 6th.
Your thoughts on this season?
Plenty of highs, lows and frustrations. The highs have been superb cup wins. The lows have been some very poor home defeats – which we go into the Stockport match on the back of one. And the frustrations have been the number of appalling referees we have had. The suspensions we’ve clocked up this season have been unbelievable and 80% of them have been ridiculous and totally unjustified.
What’s your manager like?
Iain Dowie (pictured) is outspoken, but honest. His away tactics are spot on. Unfortunately though, we are losing our home games because of them. The Latics are playing the same tactics which simply doesn’t work because the opposition usually turns up with an 8 or 9 man defence. The idea of launching forward balls for the strikers to chase and defend upfront doesn't work because they hit a sea of defenders every time and are easily mopped up. That leaves us highly vulnerable to counter-attacks and it has led to 6 bad home defeats this season.
What’s your chairman like?
Chris Moore (pictured) doesn’t get the praise he deserves. Then again – the town of Oldham doesn’t exactly embrace its football team in the way it should. It is a major problem that Oldham and Stockport fans alike, share.
Despite existing financial problems, Moore has invested a lot of money to stem the crippling outgoings and to create an Oldham Athletic side which can be competitive enough for this division. It is paramount to get into Division 1 for any side now. The Premiership would be even better, but despite what most believe – there is still a huge amount of money around in division 1 for those clubs which are well run (ie. not your types that spend copious amounts on failed foreigners.) Moore knows this and will breathe easier once we get there. His fore-thinking should be commended.
What’s it like being an Oldham fan?
Hard work. I don’t think there’s much between being an Oldham fan or a Stockport fan. We both live in towns filled with glory-hunters – ones which are currently nowhere to be seen but are the first in the queue when a big cup tie comes around. It grates on the most mildly tempered supporter. But then you have to swallow it and admit the money is needed.
However, you have to taste the lows before you can appreciate the highs. No Scum Utd fan could ever feel glory on a level that we can when it comes along, because they’ve been on a drip-feed of success for years. Fans like us appreciate the success when it comes against all odds, rather than being a success which has been completely fuelled & manufactured by money. It does take some money true – but look how much Wigan ("fake" Latics) have thrown at it. Unfortunately though, they’re going to succeed at their 4th attempt.
What are Oldham fans like?
There are different types. There’s a small percentage which call a "spade" a "spade". If the Latics are bad, they admit it and look at the reasons rather than homing in on one player or the manager. Then there’s a large support who call us bad, then slag the team off, then the players off and during games it produces a very bleak and uninspiring atmosphere. We have too many of these types.
And then there are the "walkers." These are the ones that may be so appalled with a performance that they will walk out after 45 minutes.
Personally, I prefer away games because the ones who constantly find something to slag off the team about and are never happy, they rarely decide to turn up. That makes the atmosphere much better and much more supportive – even if or when things are going badly. Unfortunately though, this Stockport game will see a selection of each type of fan there on Saturday. In effect, it is almost a home game for them because it’s 10 minutes in a car.
How many will be coming to Stockport?
I believe that after having 2 extra lots of tickets sent to us, we will have around 3,000 fans there. Selling the tickets isn’t a problem. We took about 3,300 to Bury last season.
Who are your main rivals?
There are teams we hate and then there are current rivals. The obvious teams we hate are Scum Utd and the Big Time Charlies at Maine Road. Then we have Wanky Wanderers, Ba****d Rovers and to complete the hat-trick, the T*rd Moor lot.
We’ve never liked Wigan, but really we take pity on them for having to steal other clubs identities to create a football team in a rugby town. And recent years has seen Bury begin thinking they were a big club after reaching the 1st division. Look at them now.
How did you start supporting Oldham?
It was a gradual progression. I mainly took notice during our cup runs in the 1989/90 season but I always had a dislike of Scum Utd and I never took any notice of the Big Time Charlies at Maine Road. Also, my dad worked in Oldham so it was a small number of things. I rarely got to see them as a youngster though so at 22 yrs old, I’ve come along after the party.
Best and worst moments following them?
Some of the highlights have to be the FA Cup runs of 1990 & 1994. Also promotion in 1991 and the season of the "Great Escape" in 1992/3 when the Latics were doomed from the Premiership, only to come back from the brink.
More recently, our last trip to Maine Road saw us beat the Charlies when we scraped 2nd division survival in 1998/99 season. However, this season has seen some good moments, most notably our win at West Ham Utd in the Worthington Cup. Hopefully though, the best moments are yet to come this season.
The biggest black day though has to be the goal which sent the Latics where they are. We have more of a reason to hate the Scum than most because not only is our town full of them, but they had a major hand in putting us where we are. Mark Hughes’ 94th minute equaliser in the 1994 FA Cup Semi-Final took the heart and soul out of the club and it started a 7-year downhill spiral. The replay saw us lose 4-1, the Latics had a disastrous end to the season and were relegated and the recovery has taken years to come. Hopefully, it’s finally here now.
Away trip Oldham fans look forward to the most?
All of them this season as we’re the only unbeaten team away from home. But usual picks are mainly local teams. Bury has been a good trip over recent years but we would like to get back amongst clubs that we really don’t like, so we can beat them on their own patch. At least we have Wigan to look forward to this season on Easter Monday.
What do you think of Stockport County?
Neither like or dislike. When we were in the higher divisions I always used to hope County did well. I still do in a way – it would be nice to see County bounce back. But not this Saturday I hope!
What’s the 1st thing that comes in your head when you think of County?
Middlesborough and that cheating little git Ravenelli. Like we hate Mark Hughes for his goal against us, I’m sure that Stockport fans hate the Italian for the way he conned officials in the League Cup semi-final. Tony Dinning never deserved to be sent off and that put paid to any hopes. But at least, like us, there are some memories of glory - even if the memories are becoming all too distant.
Prediction?
The Latics have several players missing. But that’s nothing new for this season as we’ve not had our 1st 11 out once. With the usuals of Hill, Low, Corazzin, Wijhnard, Holden and Appleby on the injury list and Pogliacomi, Hall and Baudet suspended the Latics play "make do" once again.
Add to this, Ben Burgess is an absentee for the game as he has no permission to play. However, that is a good factor as far as I am concerned. Burgess looked good on his debut against Brentford and linked up well with Andrews at Wycombe, but since then his performances have left something to be desired. He looks lethargic, but admittedly he does possess some quality skills when he’s on the ball. But that is proving not often enough. Plus we have Killen (pictured) sat on the bench waiting to play, when Burgess appears a) to be guaranteed a place and b) is a loanee that we probably won’t end up signing. Therefore against Stockport, Chris Killen should get a rare chance to line up with Andrews with youngster and promising talent, Scott Vernon on the bench.
Although I’ve been frustrated with Killen sometimes he now deserves his chance and I hope he can finally prove why he has come here. Although he’s had a stop-start Oldham career, I do think Killen will go on to better things with us but he needs a slice of luck to do this. Like for the whole team this season, away games seem to suit the former Man City player. But that’s because our tactics at home (as mentioned earlier) don’t suit us at all.
In defence, Hall serves the 2nd of his 2 match suspension. We missed him badly last week but the players need to adapt to that. Armstrong, Berehall (currently off-form) and Haining are all capable enough and must show this tomorrow. In midfield, we will continue with wingbacks Eyres and Murray. Darren Sheridan, Tony Carss and I suspect, John Eyre will make the middle three. The reason I say suspect, is because that would mean Duxbury will be dropped. Admittedly he had a poor game last Saturday and Dowie appears to favour Eyre, so he will probably get the nod.
On paper, the Latics still possess a strong side despite many absentees. However, it is the way we play away from home that is the biggest factor. All it needs is for a team to stick a big defence infront of us (like teams visiting Boundary Park do) and play on the counter and we will get beat on our travels. But no home team does that and thus I can’t see Palmer deploying that style.
Looking at Stockport, last Saturday they achieved their first win in over 2 months but that came against bottom of the league Cheltenham. Fans are frustrated at present, as Palmer has failed to keep the Hatters out of a relegation battle. Hovering just 2 points above the drop zone, Stockport have won just once at home in their last 6 games and are letting in at least 2 goals per game. That’s encouraging for the Latics who are now scoring more freely on their travels - 7 goals in 4, compared to just 3 goals in 4 at home. Any team in the country should be scared of our away record and with over 3,000 Latics fans at Edgeley Park, I think that the Latics will win comfortably - A 2-0 victory.