Dear Fellow Supporters,

Today's the day! Fun, frolics and frizes (well, it rhymes). The draw is probably taking place right now. You may even have missed one or three already.

3-30 One unit
3-45 One 8oz. can Sockeye salmon
4-00 One Unit
4-07 Handmade 'Dragon' stemmed wineglass
4-15 The Chairman Eats
4-30 The usual weekly draw
4-37 Porcelain Becks beer mug (I pt)
4-45 One 8oz. can Sockeye salmon
4-52 A mystery framed picture
5-00 One Tranmere Rovers unit
5-07 3/Sth. unit
5-15 Sunday Brunch for two at the Sheraton ($35 value)
5-22 Zoltrix Fax Modem
5-30 A beer bell
5-37 One free 5x7 enlargement (London Drugs)
5-45 One 8oz. can Sockeye salmon
5-52 "Three mugs of beer" (must be consumed now!)
6-00 Top quality Spalding golf bat ($100 value)
6-07 A sports jacket (Grand Marnier)
6-15 One 8oz. can Sockeye salmon
6-22 Hand made pair of candle holders
6-3 0 Porcelain Becks beer mug (1 Ltr.)
6-37 A large stretched canvas painting (original)
6-45 One unit
7-00 Bottle of Australian plonk

This year has been a good one for FIRSTS. We had our FIRST record gate of over 50, we had our FIRST flier in the last programme, we has our FIRST 'Ernie' draw and this week we have our FIRST double. A double of Dufflecoat Dan and Dufflecoat Danielle all in one volume with our FIRST centrefold pull-out. You can pull it out and stick it to your locker, bedroom wall, at work in the office, or wherever. It is also a FIRST for the Colour Me contest. Get your crayons out. I would like to add "I wish all Latics supporters everywhere a joyous and restful Christmas and a prosperous and happy new year. Peace and goodwill to all mankind (ok - women too!). Lets hope for a bucketful of points in our Christmas stocking. See you all next year."

The Chairman

The boys are back on track. After last week's shock 0-1 result (to the Wolves fans anyway) we pulled out of bottom spot and are again heading in the right direction as the following league table will verify. Come on you blues................

	Team             	P     	W	D    	L     	F   	A	Points

	Bolton Wanderers	23	11	9	3	46	32	42
	Barnsley		22	11	8	3	41	26	41
	Sheffield United	22	11	6	5	39	24	39
	Crystal Palace		22	9	9	4	47	23	36
	Oxford United		23	9	6	8	31	22	33
	Wolverhampton		22	9	6	7	29	22	33
	Stoke City		21	9	6	6	29	30	33
	Norwich City		21	9	6	6	28	22	33
	Birmingham City		23	8	9	6	23	21	33
	Tranmere Rovers		23	9	5	9	31	29	32
	Queens Park Rangers	23	8	7	8	29	28	31
	Port Vale		23	7	10	6	22	23	31
	Swindon Town		23	9	2	12	32	30	29
	Ipswich Town		23	7	8	8	29	33	29
	Portsmouth		23	8	5	10	28	30	29
	Charlton Athletic	22	9	2	11	24	32	29
	Huddersfield Town	23	7	7	9	26	31	28
	Manchester City		22	8	2	12	26	35	26
	Reading			22	7	5	10	25	33	26
	West Bromwich		21	5	10	6	28	33	25
	Southend United		23	5	9	9	23	40	24
	Oldham Athletic		23	5	8	10	24	28	23
	Bradford City		23	5	7	11	21	37	22
	Grimsby Town		22	5	6	11	24	41	21

Hi all,

My last notes were just before the Newcastle game, and what a game. We played like we used to in the days before promotion but we could not score which really sums up why we are bottom of Div.1. Newcastle is by far the best stadium I've been to and I've been to about 50 now, the worst one probably Notts County. We took about 1000 supporters to Newcastle including me and Nikki (she wished The Chairman a happy birthday). The next home game was against Southend. What a let down with the performance. When we won at Grimsby I thought that was it, I've missed our only away win of the season.

That changed when I went to Bradford. We thought we were bad but they are terrible. Another disappointment at home to Portsmouth. My next away game will be Wolves (Ed's note- Wolves 0 Latics 1). I'm hoping to get you some sponsorship for your football team and the programme from Boddington's Brewery. Send a copy of The Latic Fanatic with circulation numbers and they may wish to sponsor/advertise in it. I very much like the programme and would be honoured to be an affiliated member.

A bloke says "I'm sick of this dog. Every time United lose it barks it's head off”. "What does it do when United win?" asks another. "I don't know. I've only had it for six weeks." Let's enjoy it while we can!

Did you know none of the letters in Hull City can be shaded in while you're waiting for the results? Portsmouth have held the F. A. Cup for the longest period - why?

My first experience of the Latics was a night game during the promotion winning season of 1970-71 aged 10. I can't remember who we played.

Between 1974 and 1982 I only missed two home games. I had to visit the wife after she had given birth to our son (1979) and daughter (1981). I didn't let that happen again. Kids, hey!

All the Best, Up the Blues,
Baz (Nobby)

Ed's comment

Baz,

Very commendable but........ my daughter was unfortunate enough to be born on May 2nd. 1974 which was the day before Oldham needed a draw away at Plymouth Argyle to clinch the Third Division Championship. I was present and visited but I was in the car and drove the 300 miles to Plymouth to witness the 0-0 draw. We really lit up Plymouth that night with our celebrations - for my daughter of course!!!!

Starstruk - By Chantelle

i bumped into paul merson, just yesturday
i woz so bluddy starstruk, i froze
but i cudunt beleeve wot i saw with my eyes
- ee ad a french man stufd up his nose

when i luked closer, i cud see veri well
that the persun woz eric cantona
so i askd paul wot the ell ee woz doin
with owr mad french futballing star

"its bin reeli hard since i've been off kokaine
and often i crave for a fix
and thers nuffing so gud, at the end of the day
than eric for gettin REAL kicks"

"but stuffin a human inside yore nasal
must be ard i suppose ?"
"oh no", sed merson "it doesunt take mutsch
for im to get rite up yore nose"

so yu mite be supprised that i hurrid off
cos meeting a star made me pleesed
but ther woz nu blummin way i woz stayin arownd
just in case that ee wontud to sneez !

After our article on the history of the word "soccer" we continue our series with the history of the football.........

The first football was a pig's bladder, inflated with human lung power, and knotted at the end like a balloon. Boot and shoemakers then made a leather case for the ball, reflecting the shape of the bladder. This was plum shaped and rounder than today's rugby ball, but certainly not spherical. In 1862 came the invention of an india rubber bladder and a pump with which to inflate it. This allowed the production of a round ball, though some manufacturers still had a button at each end of the ball to hold the stitching together at the point where the leather panels met. Buttonless balls was a prime marketing buzzword for suppliers and manufacturers in the 1880s!

There was nothing in the early rules about the size of the ball to be used. Some of those used in the village kickabouts were enormous by today's standards. The F.A. Cup rules were the first time a standard ball was specified, the rules of October 1872 requiting that Lillywhite's No. 5 must be used. Though the old leather balls could be treated with dubbin in order to keep them in good condition, they usually became waterlogged and heavy in wet weather, Modern balls have a waterproof coating. Anyone able to visit the Gilbert Rugby museum in Rugby, England will find a fascinating display of early balls, soccer as well as rugby. The museum is just opposite Rugby School.

Did you know?

Oldham's 4000th goal was scored by Paul Heaton (a personal friend of the Chairmans at the time) on 19th. December 1981 in a Division Two match against Orient.

Record gate receipts: v Manchester United in the FA Premier League 9th. March 1993, £129,635

Lowest gate receipts: In January 1939 appalling weather limited the receipts to just £84 for the visit by Hartlepool United.

Steve Coppell and Alex Ferguson are getting interviewed and the interviewer turns to Alex. "So Alex, after a few disastrous results in the last couple of weeks where do you see Utd's season going from here?"
"Well, as I said at the start of the season, our main aim is to win the European Champions Cup and I still think we're in with a good chance!"
Interviewer turns to Coppell: "So then Steve, what do you think of City's prospects then?"
"Well I'm hoping that we'll go up as champions and probably win the FA Cup, then take the Premiership by storm next year with a possible Grand Slam of all major domestic trophies!"
The interviewer is a bit shocked and turns round to Coppell and says: "You're not serious, surely?" "Well Alex bloody started it!!"

A little boy from England had gone to Rome on holiday with his family hoping to see the Pope. Anyway, a couple of days after they'd arrived, the Pope was doing a tour of the city in his Popemobile. The little lad was a bit worried that the Pope wouldn't be able to pick him out in the crowd, so his Mum said "Don't worry, the Pope is a footy fan, so wear your Latics shirt and he's bound to pick you out and talk to you.".

So, they're in the crowd, but the Popemobile drives past them and stops a bit further down the street where John Paul gets out and speaks to a little boy in a Man. Utd. shirt. The lad is distraught and starts crying. His Mum says "Don't worry, the Pope's driving around tomorrow as well, so we'll get you a Utd. shirt and then he's bound to stop to see you."

The next day arrives, and the boy's got on his new Utd. shirt. The Popemobile stops right by him, John Paul gets out, bends down and says to the lad "I thought I told you to get lost yesterday?"

Apparently, Frannie Lee offered to send the squad on an expenses paid holiday to Florida but they said they'd rather go to Blackpool so they could see what it's like to ride on an open-top bus.