24th July 2000   

Glentoran report Latics to IFA

ATHLETIC have been handed an attractive draw against Huddersfield Town in the first round of next season's Worthington Cup. The Boundary Park side will be at home in the first leg on Tuesday, August 22, before travelling to the McAlpine Stadium in the week beginning September 4. Huddersfield narrowly missed out on the play-offs last term and, under manager Steve Bruce, have become one of the top sides in the first division. Bruce has invested heavily to build a powerful squad and his team could well include two exciting Dutchmen in ex-Leeds striker Clyde Wijnhard and former Ajax star Dean Gorre. The tie is a welcome financial boost for Athletic as the two clubs are fewer than 25 miles apart. They can expect good crowds for both legs, especially at the popular McAlpine, where Huddersfield usually have crowds of 10,000-plus for league games.

Meanwhile, Athletic made a winning start to the Isle of Man International Festival yesterday when they beat first-division Burnley 3-1. If they overcome the Isle of Man tonight, they will be certain to reach the final for a second successive year. Manager Andy Ritchie was delighted to see off Burnley, but makes five changes to give his older players a break. Gary Kelly, John Sheridan, Lee Duxbury, Steve Whitehall and Neil Adams all give way, to be replaced by David Miskelly, Mark Innes, Danny Boshell, Matthew Tipton and Craig Dudley, who will play at right wing-back. Said Ritchie: "I'll be disappointed if we don't reach the final, although it's going to be a hard game because the Isle of Man get better every year. "It's also difficult having to play twice in two days. I would have preferred the matches to be spread out so we weren't twiddling our thumbs until the weekend."

Athletic: Miskelly, Jones, Garnett, Hotte, Adams, Holt, Rickers, Boshell, Innes, Allott, Tipton. Subs: Kelly, Adams, Sheridan, Duxbury, Whitehall

ATHLETIC all but clinched a place in the final of the Isle of Man International Football Festival after a 3-1 win yesterday against Burnley. Goals from Paul Rickers, Mark Allott and substitute Matthew Tipton sealed the victory after Burnley had taken a 12th-minute lead. The holders will now meet the Isle of Man national side tonight confident of clinching a place in Saturday’s final. However, it could so easily have been a different story as Athletic struggled to deal with a lively Burnley side during the opening exchanges. Gary Kelly had to be alert to palm away a Micky Mellon shot in the 10th minute and the ‘keeper was then called into action to deny Andy Payton. But even the Athletic No. 1 was helpless to prevent Mellon from opening the scoring after a Graham Branch through-ball caught the defence flat-footed.

Despite being under pressure, Athletic hit back within five minutes when Rickers received the ball on the edge of the area and turned two defenders before rolling the ball past Paul Crichton. As the half drew to a close, confidence grew in Andy Ritchie’s side and it was no surprise when they took the lead a minute after the restart. Andrew Holt’s long throw across the box caused confusion in the Burnley defence and Allott was ideally placed to hook a crisp 18-yard volley past Crichton. The hard-working Allott came within a whisker of a third moments later, but his shot cannoned back off a post after a superb crossfield pass from man-of-the-match John Sheridan. Burnley almost capitalised in the 72nd minute, but the impressive Shaun Garnett cleared the ball after Kelly had parried Alan Lee’s close-range effort.

With the first division new-boys increasing the pressure late on, Ritchie brought on Mark Innes, Tipton and Danny Boshell — and all three were involved in the third goal two minutes from time with a superbly executed counter-attack. Innes and Rickers combined before releasing Boshell down the right flank, and his cut-back was expertly fired home by Tipton. Ritchie picked out Sheridan, Allott and Tipton for praise after the game, but stressed it was the team performance which pleased him most. “We have scored three goals and come from behind so I am delighted,” he said. “But what pleased me most was the way we passed the ball. We were very slick and gained a lot of confidence against a side in a higher division than ourselves. “Hopefully, we can take this forward into the Isle of Man game. I will make a few changes to freshen the legs up, but we won’t take anything for granted. We are expecting a difficult match.”

Athletic: Kelly, Jones, Garnett, Hotte, Adams, Holt, Duxbury (Innes 70), Sheridan (Boshell 80), Rickers, Whitehall, Allott (Tipton 76).

GLENTORAN manager Roy Coyle today hit out over Oldham's handling over the potential transfer of Oval youngster Hugh Dickson. The 18-year-old defender, who was outstanding in last season's victorious Irish Cup final, is currently on trial with Oldham and impressing the Boundary Park chiefs, who are keen to sign him. But Coyle revealed that he DID NOT grant Oldham or Dickson permission for the trial to happen. And so incensed is the Glens boss that he has contacted the Irish FA and asked them to look into the situation. Dickson, from Killyleagh, is on an amateur contract at the Oval and as such the Glens would only receive a small compensation fee for nurturing the player, as opposed to a transfer fee similar to the £100,000 received from Motherwell for winger Stuart Elliott. "I'm very disappointed with the way Oldham have handled this situation," said Coyle, who was in Liverpool last week to watch the Anfield club's training methods. "I did not grant them permission to take Hugh on trial, nor did I grant Hugh permission to go. "I can understand that the player wants to play professional football with a cross channel club and he is a young lad but Oldham should know better. "That's why I have contacted the IFA. It will be interesting to see what our governing body does about this.  "Hugh is on an amateur contract and as such he is our player. I want him to sign a professional deal with us because I feel he can have a big future at the Oval but I have not heard from him or Oldham for some time."Another man possibly on his way out of Oval is Rory Hamill, who was placed on the transfer list in a cost cutting exercise. As revealed in the Ireland's Saturday Night Coleraine and Portadown are now in the race, along with Bohemians and Shelbourne, to sign the Northern Ireland ace. But Coyle said: "No one has contacted me about Rory yet although I've heard other managers do not feel they should be paying a transfer fee for him. Do they want us to pay them to take Rory? I don't think so. We will be asking for a fee that's for sure. "I would like to talk to these interested managers and take it from there."

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 Manchester Evening News  Oldham win in Isle of Man 

OLDHAM Athletic manager Andy Ritchie was full of praise for his side after they defeated Burnley in the opening match of the Isle of Man International Football Festival on Sunday. Goals from Paul Rickers, Mark Allott and substitute Matthew Tipton clinched a fine 3-1 victory for the Latics at the Bowl, Douglas. But it was the manner of the performance which delighted the Oldham boss as his well-organised team dominated for long spells after suffering an early setback. Burnley took the lead in the 12th minute when Micky Mellon raced onto Graham Branch’s superb through ball and lofted the ball over Gary Kelly. However, that proved to be their high spot against a well-organised Latics outfit who levelled the scores within five minutes. Paul Rickers received the ball on the edge of the box and turned two defenders before rolling the ball past Paul Crichton.

The competition holders took control for the remainder of the half and the hard-working Steve Whitehall came within a whisker of a second goal on the stroke of half-time after good work from man of the match John Sheridan. The Latics didn’t have to wait long to take the lead and a superb 18 yard volley from Allott a minute after the re-start brought Ritchie to his feet. Allott struck the post moments later as Oldham threatened to overrun Burnley, and although Stan Ternent’s side enjoyed a spell of late pressure, substitute Matthew Tipton made the game safe in the 88th minute when he hooked the ball home following a measured cut back from Danny Boshell. Ritchie said: ‘I am pleased we scored three goals and we did well to come from behind. We played some excellent football. The habit of winning breeds confidence and self-belief and if we can take that form into the new season I will be thrilled. “Steve Whitehall, John Sheridan, Paul Rickers and Mark Allott all proved today that we have a good set of players who will work hard for the cause. Matthew Tipton and Danny Boshell also impressed me when they came on and all in all I couldn’t have asked for more.’

Ritchie vowed to make changes as Oldham complete their Group A fixtures against the Isle of Man national side tonight (Monday). “It is difficult to play two games in two days so I will make some changes. It is good to rotate the squad and use all the players. We will need some fresh legs as we are expecting a difficult game.” The Latics beat the Isle of Man 2-0 in the competition 12 months ago.

Oldham: Gary Kelly, Paul Jones, Andrew Holt, Shaun Garnett, Mark Hotte, Neil Adams, Lee Duxbury (capt) (Mark Innes 70m), John Sheridan (Danny Boshell 80m), Paul Rickers, Steve Whitehall, Mark Allott (Matthew Tipton 76m).

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Letter from Mark of Oldham ...... Dear Gary, This started out as a question to Andy Ritchie, as I would be interested to hear his response to my views, but I couldn't manage to include everything I wanted to say whilst still keeping the question of a reasonable length. However, so strongly do I feel about the matter that I thought I would send you a letter about it in the hope that you would be kind enough to include it in a subsequent edition of BBZ, as I would be keen to hear what other fans think about the matter. In recent seasons our away record has been good, but our home record has been poor. Indeed we have finished with very similar points totals from our home and away fixtures. I feel this is because we play the same system at home and away. We pick up some good results away from home using the wing-back (3-5-2) system. We often defend resolutely, soaking up pressure, and pass the ball neatly when breaking into attack. Consequently we draw many an away game and nick a decent return of away wins. However, upon returning to Boundary Park we then proceed to play in exactly the same manner against lower/mid-table teams that we ought to be beating fairly comfortably. Yet regularly you will see a struggling or out of form side come to Boundary Park, start the match in apprehensive fashion, clearly prepared to settle for a draw, before visibly gaining in confidence and actually starting to dominate later in the game, encouraged by the sight of the home side's only width in attack coming from far too deep to make much of an impact. Admittedly, as wing-backs go, we do seem to push ours forward more than most, but this still does not give us as much attacking width as a 4-4-2 system would. In this system, although a wide midfield player would still be expected to defend when necessary, at least he could commit himself whole heartedly to attacks knowing full well that he has an out and out full-back to protect him should the attack break down. A wing-back cannot do this to the same extent and thus is forced to attack from a deeper position, and indeed, many of the goals we concede seem to me to come from the flanks and as a direct consequence of our singular wide players being advanced too far up the field to be able to offer proper defensive cover. In short, if his team is on top a wing-back spends much a match chasing the game without ever being involved in the play in any particularly influential situations. It is a case of one man trying to do two men's jobs. Whilst I accept that the wing back (3-5-2) system has a role to play in some away games and possibly even in home games against the better teams in the division, it is surely time that we started playing a 4-4-2 system in the majority of our home fixtures, and sometimes away from home. As the home team, when taking on lesser or out of form opponents, the onus is on us to take the game to the opposition, to be ruthless and not to allow them to grow in confidence and gain a foothold in the contest. I honestly believe that whilst we are in need of a few signings if we are to become a side instantly recognisable as one of the best in the division, we still have a squad at present containing a set of players far better than our recent league placings might suggest and good enough to challenge for promotion. In fact I believe that we have a better set of players than even the manager realises. We simply need to channel that quality into the system which is appropriate to each game. With potential wide midfield players (or wingers as they might be termed) of the quality of Adams and Holt, and potential full backs of the quality of Hotte, McNiven and Tait, we have the resources to be flexible in our formation (although in the long term we would want to sign an extra naturally left-sided player or two for a 4-4-2). Even if the manager does insist on playing a 3-5-2 system in every game, then I am still sometimes bemused by the players he selects and also find several of his substitutions a little mystifying. This is in no way intended to be a personal attack on Andy Ritchie. I am usually in agreement as to the quality of the players which he has signed and/or has been alleged to have been interested in, and I do believe that he has the potential to become a very good manager. I just feel that at times he is tactically naive, but perhaps that is just a part of his inexperience , and we all have to start somewhere. One thing for which he deserves the utmost credit is the brand of passing football he has got us playing, which is what we as spectators all want to see. At least, even in defeat, we can regularly go home saying that we have been entertained, and that is important. Unfortunately I genuinely feel that the failings I have outlined are costing us as much as 20 points per season, or more. Of course, mine is only one opinion amongst thousands. Some will agree with my views and many will disagree adamantly, which is why I sent this letter. I am just keen to hear what fellow fans think about this and other matters. But of course, none of us can say with any certainty who is right and wrong and at the end of the day the only opinion which counts is that of the manager. In the end we are all Latics fans and that is why no matter what formation or what players take to the field for us in every game this season, they will have my unconditional and extremely vocal support, and if they and Andy Ritchie prove me completely wrong, nobody will be more delighted than me. May I also take this opportunity to thank and congratulate Gary on the excellent job he does with BBZ. It is in my view on a par and sometimes better than the Oldham Chron' in providing the most up to date and in depth coverage of the Latics affairs on and off the field. Now if anybody can condense all that into a question for Andy Ritchie be my guest. I would love to hear his views on the matter. Cheers, Mark. 

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 Prediction competition entries From: TIM EDWARDS from Knaresborough

Prem champs: LEEDS
Prem relegated: MAN UTD, MAN CITY, BRADFORD

Div 1 champs: WIMBLEDON
Div 1 promoted: WIMBLEDON, BLACKBURN, WOLVES
Div 1 relegated: QPR, GILLINGHAM, TRANMERE

Div 2 champs: OLDHAM
Div 2 promoted: OLDHAM, BRISTOL R, SWINDON,
Div 2 relegated: WIGAN, BRISTOL C,

Div 3 champs: HALIFAX
Div 3 promoted: HALIFAX, CHESTERFIELD, YORK, ROCHDALE
Div 3 relegated: CARLISLE

conf champs: DONCASTER

scot champs: RANGERS

FA Cup: OLDHAM or LIVERPOOL

League Cup: OLDHAM or LEICESTER

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 Contributions and letters should be sent to Gary Davies by e-mail at [email protected].or at Boundary Bullet-zine,41 Verney Road,Royton,Oldham,United Kingdom.OL2 6AZBoundary Bullet-zine Archive can be found at http://www.geocities.com/laticsgary.geo.The views expressed on this e-zine are not the views of Oldham Athletic F.C. nor necessarily the views of the Editor.This e-zine is a unofficial publication NOT sanctioned by Oldham Athletic Football Club.The editor will not publish any letters containing bad language.This e-zine is written using Microsoft Outlook Express and is best viewed with the HTML (rich) text option enabled.

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