Oldham fans: we can’t score, we can’t win and we don’t entertain…
It’s a shorter than usual “Opposing views” feature ahead of Tuesday night’s game but it’s fair to say Oldham fans are not optimistic this season…
Thanks to REP for posing the questions
About the fans…
opinions4u – I’m 48 and I attend with my 19 year-old so I tend to get to around half the away games in a season. His first game was as a five year old at Tranmere. The FA Cup wins over Everton and Liverpool have been the highs of a period that has seen the club go from League One competitive to League One relegation favourites.
the_mighty_bosh – I’m a fan of 22 years, an exile and get to about three to five away games plus a home game every season.
Hometownclub – I’ve been going since March 1973 When I was aged 9. I used to go everywhere home and away, but these last few years it’s a struggle to get motivated to attend home matches and away days are out of the question currently.
Lee Sinnott – I’m 28 years old and I’ve been going to watch Latics since I was a baby. I’ve had a season ticket for years. Recently, I’ve knocked it on the head quite a bit. I’ve done five games this season and only actually seen us lose once, but it’s bored me to tears, so I’m in no rush to go again.
About the opposition…
How do you expect your team to do this season?
We can’t score, we can’t win and we certainly don’t entertain…
opinions4u – I’ll stick my neck out and go for an optimistic 20th. We’re not good to watch and we don’t score goals. Despite a remarkably high number of clean sheets our ability to concede from a set-piece is depressing.
the_mighty_bosh – In pre-season, due to our shambolic summer preparation my prediction was 24th. After a solid yet unspectacular first month my expectations had risen but since then our alarming lack of goals has made it very likely that relegation is on the cards.
Hometownclub – At the start of the season I wasn’t very optimistic, given our previous manager John Sheridan had jumped ship during the summer. As usual we brought in the cheapest managerial option available, and it shows. We can’t score, we can’t win and we certainly don’t entertain, our best hope is always 0-0. So I fear the worst, but just hope somehow we can scrounge enough points to somehow stay up, it’s the very best we can hope for.
Lee Sinnott – We always manage to find four teams worse than us and I remain confident that we will do the same again this season. We’ll probably hit a bit of form around March time and stumble to an 18th placed finish.
What are your thoughts on the manager and his signings?
We don’t win. We don’t entertain. We don’t score goals. He’s a sacking waiting to happen…
opinions4u – He was appointed in July when we had a playing staff of five, most of whom aren’t good enough for this league. He recruited a squad in quick time. His Northern Ireland background seems to encompass a work hard, defend hard and hope to win 1-0 mentality. However, I don’t think we’ve won 1-0 all season. We don’t win. We don’t entertain. We don’t score goals. He’s a sacking waiting to happen.
the_mighty_bosh – It’s a tricky one. He came across very well early on. Bullish, fairly articulate and he has decent coaching and playing background. He’s a rookie manager but aside from Shez returning last year all our managers have been in the last seven seasons have been. Add to that he inherited a mess as the board had gutted the playing squad in the off season he got a lot of sympathy from fans at the start. However, while he has mostly done a decent job with the defence (lots of clean sheets but a surprising amount of goals conceded by set pieces), the attacking players and strategy have been terrible and it doesn’t look like getting better until January. Patience is still there from fans due to the summer but its wearing thin. Things can’t continue as they are for long.
Hometownclub – I’ve got to say I’m decidedly unimpressed with both the manager and his signings. We have nobody you need to look out for, our best players by a country mile are Connor Ripley (on loan goalkeeper) and Centre Half Peter Clarke. There’s nobody else worth mentioning, and certainly nobody in the attacking third.
Lee Sinnott – Terrible. Cheap option again. Players are absolutely useless also, Ripley and Clarke apart.
Your thoughts on the board?
He really should sell up, but it’s difficult to find anyone who would want to come here or pay the asking price…
opinions4u – It is Simon Corney’s club. His basic objective has been to break even. He has wealthy friends but has no intention of investing his (apparently) modest fortune in the club. He has managed to get our new stand built, albeit there’s still an empty top floor. But this has involved more debt and players being paid late on several occasions. He wants to sell and his asking price which has been quoted by others is silly.
the_mighty_bosh – I used to be supportive of Corney as he and his friends stabilised the club in the early years then he stuck with us when his friends left him in charge during the financial crisis. However 2015 was the turning point for me. The Ched Evans farce was completely unnecessary and aside from rehiring Shez to pull off a miracle at the end of last season, his decision making has been awful. It would be best for the club if he left but his rumoured asking price seems way too high.
Hometownclub – Not a lot if I’m honest, we have owners and a Chairman who don’t want to be here and haven’t done for years, but are not willing to sell for anything remotely like a realistic price. So we are stuck with them and they are stuck with us. They won’t invest a single penny, and are presiding over a very slow demise of the club, with the already small fan base being steadily eroded year on year (Happy days!)
Lee Sinnott – I’ve always defended the owner, but Kelly and Dunn last season were horrendous appointments. I thought he’d seen the error of his ways when he brought an experienced manager in (Sheridan), but then he decided a club in the League below (who were under a transfer embargo) were a better option than us, which says a lot. The time it took to appoint this manager, and the fact he actually got the job, is a disgrace. Cost cutting all over the place and it’s making us a bit of a laughing stock at the moment. He really should sell up, but it’s difficult to find anyone who would want to come here or pay the asking price.
A score prediction and predicted away following?
opinions4u – 0-0 and 175 if it’s a midweek game. I’ve been distracted by other things recently and barely know who/when we play anybody!
the_mighty_bosh – Sadly 2-0 to Vale. We’ve failed to score in 11 of 17 league games so far (EDIT: now 12 in 18!), so the odds are we won’t score.
Hometownclub – You’ll probably beat us 2-0. I’m sorry, I don’t know who might score for you, certainly nobody will score for us.
Lee Sinnott – 1-1 draw.
A guide for Vale fans…
What about a recommended blog or forum?
opinions4u – OWIB is probably the best forum.
the_mighty_bosh – Can’t think of a better Latics forum than OWIB. Ernie Flag and Joe’s blog are very good reads.
Hometownclub – OWIB is the only one I go on, as said above The Ernie Flag blogs are always a good read.
Lee Sinnott – OWTB is the only one I log onto.