Dear Fellow Supporters,

It has been suggested that one evening should be put aside to accommodate a 'dinner evening'. The idea is that you can stay on and a table at The Sheraton would be pre-booked for after the meeting. When the meeting has finished the banquet will start. I am prepared to allow some leeway with attendance for this evening. Check with me for details. If you are think you might be interested give your name to Fisher Crockett. He will collect the names and decide if it is a worthwhile venture or not. The suggested date will be in late February or early March. If you have any similar suggestions please put them in writing and give them to me. It was good to see the appearance of Stormin' Norman last week. He flew in from Mexico specially to be at our meeting. That's dedication. It's always nice to see an honorary member and good to know that they are always thinking of us when they are cruising their way around the world and spreading the word about OAFC. Come back again soon, Norm.

The Chairman

Greetings and Salutations,

It is pleasing to note that there are just more than the odd one Oldham Athletic supporter here in Canada. Although, Oldham England, is probably nearer to Fredricton, New Brunswick than Surrey B.C. I am a lifelong supporter (from 4 until now) of the Latics, since 1972. My family still reside in Oldham and have strong connections with the club. I just wanted to drop a line and let you know I will be making a quick flying visit to Oldham tomorrow. I will be there for six days. Therefore, I will have the opportunity to see the lads play against Grimsby. Is there anything you want me to pick up for you? Maybe a program, or an Oldham Evening Chronicle, or a bottle of Dandelion & Burdock!!

I spoke to my paps the other day and he was somewhat interested in you. Simply because, you listed and also mention some of his idols of yesteryear!! Bobby Johnston is still bowling for Hollinwood Con's. However, he often bowls (practice) in Coalshaw Green Park, South Chadderton. When he has finished, he sometimes calls in for a few gills (or bowls) at Chadderton Cricket and Bowling Club. Where are you from in Oldham? My family were residents of Glodwick from 1963 until 1980. Then South Chadderton from 1980 until now! Maybe we know you or quite possibly my father does! Well, I guess I will sign off now! I will let you know about my brief escapade in Owdham. Maybe I'll neck a few gills around my birthplace.. Glodwick. (Gio-dick). I fly tomorrow on 02/O3/97. May I thank you for your time and attention,

David Ward (New Brunswick)

Johnson Heights Secondary School, Surrey old boy, goalkeeper Paul Shepherd, is at Boundary Park as cover for the injured regular goalkeeper, Jon Hallworth. Paul is well known by many of the Canadian LSC members as he is a graduate of JH. He has dual Canadian and British nationality (like his hero) and has played for both the Vancouver 86'ers and Dundee United of the Scottish League. He also represented Canada last summer in Australia. Of all the teams in England, Scotland and the rest of the world it is a strange twist of fate that he should end up at Athletic. Talk about coincidences! The LSC wishes Paul every success at Oldham. We must surely get free match tickets now! Anybody got any ideas for free airline tickets? Good luck, Paul. We hope you make it now you're in the BIG time.

OLDHAM ATHLETIC’S monopoly of the top place in the Ford Sporting League has drawn criticism that the scheme- aimed at rewarding goals and sporting behaviour-is not functioning as it should do. Some people, and neither The League nor Fords would disagree, claim that clubs who miss out on the top placings at the start of the season, have little chance to catching up and therefore no interest in the £100,000 prize money to be won by clubs and spent on improving ground facilities and spectator amenities.

But those who claim that the Ford Sporting League has little to offer the game as a whole should face facts. From the start it was emphasised that The Ford Sporting League was a completely new idea. There would be teething troubles. Alterations would have to be made based on the practical experience provided by the competition's early history.

LEAGUE SECRETARY Alan Hardaker has had many discussions with the Ford organisation on possible improvements but the fact remains that The Football League believe that there is a place for the Ford Sporting League in the field of sponsored soccer. Possible changes already investigated have included an alteration to the points system which at the moment awards two points for each away goal, one point for each goal scored at home, five points deducted for a caution and 10 for a sending off.

It also seems likely that next season, apart from the aggregate League tables which will be used to find the end of season winners and runners up, a separate monthly table will be compiled to provide the winners of the eight monthly awards. This would mean that although a club finished bottom of the table in one month, it would still have an equal chance of winning the next monthly prize. Every new worthwhile development in the game has faced initial problems and criticisms. Remember how The League Cup competition and substitute ruling were 'shot down' by short-sighted critics in their early days ... and how alterations, based on experience, turned these two Items into an integral part of the modern game. No matter how many administrative difficulties may be faced, surely a scheme injecting money into football to be spent on improving crowd facilities deserves the chance to succeed . . particularly in the fight of recent sad events.

Far be it from me to deny the claims that soccer was invented by the Chinese, Greeks or Romans. However, the fact is that rules of the game of soccer we use today are due to the young men at England's schools and universities in the mid nineteenth century. They produced the codes of law that were necessary before two teams could compete on equal terms. If you were transported back to the 1860s, you could be forgiven for assuming that the group of young men playing with a large muddy object in open fields were engaged in a game of rugby (or American football) rather than soccer, or maybe just a general brawl! If a player caught the ball, he could run with it until tripped or hacked to the ground with a sharp kick to the shins. If the ball was on the ground, both sets of players would form a scrum round the ball and attempt to move it forwards. A participant admitted that rough play was engaged and you can imagine that tempers were short in the general melee. Another account described the players as a set of harmless lunatics, who amused themselves by kicking one another's shins, but did no great harm to the public at large.

The public schools took the lead in writing down the rules of the game for others to follow. However, each school had different ideas on the size of the pitch, the size and shape of the ball, how much handling was allowed, and whether or not hacking was permitted. The early soccer clubs would have adopted whatever practices suited them best. The first (as distinct from a school or university ) was the Sheffield club, formed in 1857. Sheffield adopted a set of eleven rules. These were based, we believe, on the laws in use in the public schools and at Cambridge.

Flushing with the hands was allowed, but not hacking or tripping. Running with the ball in the hands (as practised at Rugby school) was not allowed. However, the ball could be caught, provided it had not touched the ground.' a free kick then followed (similar to today's rugby football). The ball could also be pushed on with the hand. There were no off-side rules, so players known as kick-throughs were positioned permanently in the opponents' half. There was no limit on team size, and whatever size or shape of ball that happened to be handy was used. Referees were unnecessary, as the two captains would settle any dispute.

In tracing the history of the game, there are four sets of laws in particular that a made a significant contribution to today’s game. They are Cambridge(1848), Sheffield(1857), Uppingham (1862) and the fledgling Football Association in 1863. Remember that one set of rules do not supersede another; it was up to the clubs (or the association to which they belonged) to decide which set to adopt. It was the eventual merger of the rules of Sheffield and the Football Association that provided the platform for the growth of the game world-wide. We will bring you the four sets of rules over the next few programmes.

Dear Dr. Roof,

I chucked my husband out two months ago because he was doing drugs and it was affecting our kids badly. He even stole my wee boy's piggy bank and they couldn't get to the game. I find it hard being on my own and feel I cannot cope. I know I'm better off without him, but it's lonely and our kids miss him, too. I know he's moved back to England and I don't want to see him any more. What can I do?

Lonely in Langley

Dear Lonely,

You're better off without him and you did the right thing when you threw him out. You feel down because you've been through a difficult time. You need some support to get your life back together. Try calling Rent-a-Sub. You can share your problems by hiring a substitute father who knows about football, and can put your kids back on the right track at the same time.

A new guy has moved into Manchester, and being a little bored on Saturday he decides to take in a footie game. Upon surveying the papers he sees that City are playing at home so he decides to go to the Academy (not knowing it's Comedy). Upon nearing the ground he gets a little lost so decides to ask a local how to get to the ground. Being the friendly open sort of guy you get in Manchester the local gives him directions.
Mancunian: "Take the first right, follow the road, second left and then right again. You'll be near the ground so you should then see some queues.
Stranger: "Thanks a lot"
Mancunian: "You should see two queues, a long one and a short one, get in the short queue"
Stranger: "Why?"
Mancunian.. "Because the long queue's for the chippie"

British Rail have decided to start sponsoring Manchester City. BR think they're a suitable team because of their regular points failures.

A couple were going through the traumatic throes of a divorce when the subject of the custody of their 4 year old became the contended point. The judge said that since the lads future was at stake he would like to see the young boy alone in chambers. Once in chambers, the judge asked if the boy understood what was happening.
The 4 year said "Yes sir, my mummy and daddy won't be living together any more."
"That's correct m'boy" said the judge "And would you like to live with mummy?"
"No" replied the boy.
"Why not?" asked the judge.
"Because she beats me!" said the lad.
"Hmm" said the judge, "Would you like to live with your daddy then?"
Again the boy answered "No."
Again the judge asked "Why not?"
The little lad replied "Because he beats me too."
"Well then, who do you want to live with?" queried the judge.
The young boy quickly replied "Grimsby Town FC, sir."
"Why Grimsby Town?" Asked the puzzled judge.

"Because they don't beat anybody" the boy replied.

Did you know?

Oldhams most capped player is Albert Gray, who made 9 appearances for Wales whilst playing for the Latics.

Harry Massey, the Oldham Chairman, offered the Latics players a £5 per goal bonus prior to a game against Southport on Boxing Day 1962. ‘The Chairman’ saw the Latics win the game 11-0!!!

Oldham Athletic was formed in 1895, turning professional in 1899. They became a limited company in 1906.

You lose arguments with inanimate objects.
You have to hold onto the lawn to keep from falling off the earth.
Job interfering with your drinking.
Your doctor finds traces of blood in your alcohol stream.
The back of your head keeps getting hit by the toilet seat.
Sincerely believe alcohol to be the elusive 5th. food group.
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case - coincidence?? - I think not!
Two hands and just one mouth... - Now THAT'S a drinking problem!
You can focus better with one eye closed.
The Parking lot seems to have moved while you were in the bar.
Every woman you see has an exact twin.
You fall off the floor.
Your twin sons are named Barley and Hops.
Hey, 5 beers has just as many calories as a burger, screw dinner!
The glass keeps missing your mouth!
Vampires catch a buzz after attacking you [also mosquitoes!]
At AA meetings you begin.. Hi, my name is... uh...
Your idea of cutting back is less salt.
You wake up in the bedroom, your underwear is in the bathroom, you fell asleep clothed. - hmm.
The whole bar says "Hi" when you come in...
You think the Four Basic Food Groups are Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol, and Women.
Every night you're beginning to find your roommate’s cat more and more attractive.
Hi ocifer. I'm not under the affluence of incohol.
I'm not drunk... you're just sober...
Roseanne looks good.
Don't recognize wife unless seen through bottom of glass.
That damned pink elephant followed me home again.
You have a Reserved Parking space at the liquor store.
I'm as jober as a sudge.
You wake up in Korea in August and the last thing you remember is the Fourth of July party at the Halekulani in Waikiki.
You've fallen and you can't get up.
When hangovers become an attractive alternative lifestyle - please pass the ice pack....
Beer Tender! Get me another Bar!
The shrubbery's drunk too, from frequent watering.

My hometown team, non-league Cumbernauld United of Scotland, once took Kenny Dalglish on loan from Celtic way back in '69 or '70. For a few brief halcyon months they had at their disposal a player who would go on to become one the finest strikers in the world and an all-time scoring legend. So where did they play him? In goal. There's a picture in the club house of a young Kenny up to his knees in mud, all padded up, between the sticks looking bemused. No wonder they were non-league.

Things are starting to look pretty grim again, The annual February slump has seen the Latics drop to next to bottom of the league. A poor performance at Portsmouth last Saturday left them floundering yet again. It was a dire performance and if they lose at home to Grimsby (perish the thought) tomorrow, it means that the Latics will be rock bottom and looking forward to another end of season dog-fight for survival. I wish I could be more enthusiastic but the feeling of deep depression looms once more. Let's hope that the manager can make a quick signing or two and turn things around. It is true to say that a few wins strung together would sent Oldham into the play-off spots. Get out the old Dusty Springfield 45 (Wishin' and Hopin') and keep it playing at top belt so that all can hear at Boundary Park.

Abraham Lincoln became America's greatest precedent. Lincoln's mother died in infancy, and he was born in a log cabin which he built with his own hands. When Lincoln was President, he wore only a tall silk hat. He said, "In onion there is strength". Abraham Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address while travelling from Washington to Gettysburg on the back of an envelope. He also freed the slaves by signing the Emasculation Proclamation, and the Fourteenth Amendment gave the ex-Negroes citizenship. But the Clue Clux Clan would torcher and lynch the ex-Negroes and other innocent victims. It claimed it represented law and odor. On the night of April 14, 1865, Lincoln went to the theatre and got shot in his seat by one of the actors in a moving picture show. The believed assassinator was John Wilkes Booth, a supposingly insane actor. This ruined Booth's career.

Meanwhile in Europe, the enlightenment was a reasonable time. Voltare invented electricity and also wrote a book called Candy. Gravity was invented by Isaac Walton. it is chiefly noticeable in the autumn, when the apples are falling off the trees.

Bach was the most famous composer in the world, and so was Handel. Handel was half German, half Italian, and half English. He was very large. Bach died from 1750 to the present. Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf. He was so deaf he wrote loud music. He took long walks in the forest, even when everyone was calling for him. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died for this.