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26th July 2000

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Bury in IOM final

Oldham Evening Chronicle Ritchie pleased with progress

ATHLETIC were getting back to the grindstone today as the countdown continued to the new season, which gets underway in only 17 days' time. The players on duty in the Isle of Man were allowed to go out and enjoy themselves last night, but manager Andy Ritchie now has them back on the training pitch ready for Saturday's Festival final. After beating Burnley 3-1 and the hosts 2-1, Ritchie's men will face either Stoke City or Bury when they bid to defend their title. The second division rivals have both beaten Darlington and were meeting this afternoon for the right to top Group B. Said Ritchie: "It was hard work playing twice in two days, so the lads deserved a bit of a breather.

"They went out for a beer, but there will be some hard work for them today, tomorrow and Friday." Ritchie is pleased with the pre-season build-up so far and plans to field his strongest team in the final. Danny Boshell can expect some involvement as a flare-up with an Isle of Man player on Monday saw him substituted during the first half. The alternative, as the referee made clear, was a red card. The only injury of the trip is a slight back problem for Shaun Garnett, who is expected to be fit in a couple of days. Athletic's final two friendlies are at home to Leeds, on August 6, and Manchester City, on August 8. Admission for both games will be £10 for adults and £5 for juniors and OAPs. The reserves gave a disappointing display at Guiseley last night, with Danny Walsh's goal the only consolation in a 3-1 defeat.

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Teamtalk Oldham Bury in final
Oldham will face Lancashire rivals Bury in the final of the Isle of Man Football Festival. Bury managed a 2-1 win against Stoke this afternoon in order to book their place against the Latics in Saturday's final. The Latics qualified earlier in the week for the final, after beating both Burnley and the Isle of Man, and will now look to retain the trophy they won last year.
Reserves lose
Whilst the first team have been starring in the Isle of Man the reserves have not been so impressive losing to Guiseley 3-1 last night. A strong reserve side took on Guiseley but were well beaten with the Latics goal coming from Danny Walsh. However, the second string will have the chance to put right that performance when they take on Harrogate on Thursday night. Paul Beavers will continue to his experiment of playing in defence. The match will also give full back Richard Dunning, who is on an extended trial at Boundary Park after being released by Blackburn, another chance to impress. The squad is also likely to include 16 year old Toni Leonoff, one of two Finnish youngsters who have been signed up as trainees. Other players who have had first team experience are Jordan Tait, Ben Futcher, Phil Salt and Stuart Thom who are also down to play.
Sheridan will be fit
John Sheridan has shaken off his thigh injury and will be fit for the next game, which is the Isle of Man Football Festival final on Saturday. The 34 year old picked up the injury in Sunday's 3-1 win over Burnley forcing him to sit out Monday night's 2-1 win over the Isle of Man. However, Andy Ritchie revealed Sheridan would train with the squad against for the rest of this week in preparation for the final against either Stoke or Bury which will be decided tonight.
Youngster decision u-turn
One player who has caught the eye in pre-season is teenage striker Jonathan Froggatt and it has saved him from getting the axe at the club. The youngster was told that he was being released this summer but he has won a reprieve after impressing the Latics' coaches with his determination to succeed.
Meanwhile, former Latics player David McNiven, who was freed by the club last season, is now having trials with York where he hopes to revive his career.
Thankful for decision
The club in general, and Danny Boshell in particular, have good reason to be thankful for a referee showing a bit of sense! The referee in question was the man who officiated Monday night's game against the hosts in the Isle of Man football festival in Ramsey. The match was just 35 minutes old when Boshell was involved in an off the ball incident with Isle midfielder Lee Dixon. There was a bit of a flare up and it was clearly a red card incident. However instead of sending both players off, which would have meant a ban for the start of the season for Boshell, the ref. instead held up play and spoke to Andy Ritchie. He asked the boss to either sub the player or he would dismiss him. Ritchie agreed and came on himself in place of Boshell. Hence, instead of facing a three game ban, Boshell got of lightly and is no doubt grateful to ref. Kevan Maitland for showing some common sense to his flash of indiscipline.

Letter from Ross of Hyde Mark,

I read your letter with some interest. I too have talked with other Latics fans about this matter and I have in some ways defended Andy Ritchie for the way he has kept the same 3-5-2 system. I will explain why.

Firstly, while you comment on us having a decent away record in the last few seasons, let's not forget that in the 98/99 season we didn't win a league game until well into the turn of the new year (in fact I think it may have been as late as March.) The Latics have up until recently had a good home record, which as you correctly point out this has been a problem of late.Now where the system is concerned, Ritchie experimented in the first 5 games of last season, as panic set in and we tried to find a way of playing as a team to stop us from losing. As we all remember we lost all 5 of those games and as soon as we beat Bury 2-0 (using a 3-5-2) Ritchie immediately stuck to that formation and it didn't change again.

That meant Adams played as wing-back rather than a winger, which at home may have been a problem, but that was not evident during the months of October
to December as we created more chances than anyone in this division. Failing to take them was the problem. Against, Wycombe at home last season, we played against their 10 men for 86 minutes in a fascinating 2-2 draw, but at 1-1 we failed to break them down until going 2-1 down, even though we had 25 chances in that game. Defensively, what was more prominent to me, is that the 3 defensive pairing at the back looked more solid and hence it was the inability of the forward line to keep the ball that meant that the defence and midfield often had to work overtime. That left us more susceptible to the last minute goal syndrome which occurred throughout the season.

However, no matter what anyone says, the football pitch had a major part to play where our home games were concerned, rather than the formation. That pitch was barley suitable for the rugby lot come the end of the season, let alone the footballers who needed a surface suitable in order to play a ball along it. I honestly believe that we brought ourselves down to a level where teams like Cardiff and Chesterfield could take us to the cleaners. Their hoof and chase style suited more, than what our passing play did (or lack of passing due to the pitch) on what can only be described as a truly awful surface by May. That hopefully has been rectified now.

This new season, we need to strike a balance and if Ritchie feels he can do it with a 3-5-2, then I won't be one to disagree. We had the chances to win every home game last season, but failed to take them and the buck most stop with the forwards for that one. Maybe, just maybe, that trend has changed now.

Roll on August the 12th.

Cheers. Ross. Letter from Illuder of SOUTH AFRICA Mark, Through the reports I read about each game, I agree fully with your views.I always had a point against Ritchie, & that is his inexperience as a coach. His tactics are very naive & he fancies playing one type of play during the whole match. Looking at the tactical changes during the Euro 2000 matches, those managers knew their game. Although I am not comparing Ritchie with world class managers such as Lemerre, he should at least pick up some pointers from there. Oldham has become very predictable, from the tapes the opposition watches, they know exactly what to expect & counter attack those tactics. Another field of inexperience of Ritchie shows in the transfer market. Inactivity there from Ritchie's who should be strengthening his young squad, perhaps bring in older (close to retirement) players to balance out the team age? Many youngsters will learn lots from the more experienced players. He should at least look in the free transfers for a striker, an experienced 1st division striker (older) will do no harm. Players from Africa are extremely talented & will move to England for almost nothing. Then sold to larger clubs once made an impact. Ritchie should wake up! Football is not only in Europe, Africa & Asia are coming up too!! Get players from there! Even for a season's work permit, at least the squad will have more depth. I would still call for a manager replacement. Someone who has experience can only take the club to new heights & improve the financial position of the club. Arguably Warnock did a better job, with the main players injured, he managed to keep Latics up, more effort should have been made to keep him. On a lighter note, I certainly do hope that the Leeds link will bring lots of new talents as Oldham has not really reaped much more from its upcoming youngsters. Serrant was the last one with a big money move. Anyway, that's from a supporter for only 10years, the Big Daddy's there would probably look at it in a different view. ByeIlluder

Predictions competition entriesIf you are entering the competition please don't use derogatory words for "that" team from Manchester. I might agree with them but I would not include words like that in the BBZ.PREMIER LEAGUE : CHAMPIONS MAN UTD ( Oh, how I hate to say it!)

RUNNERS UP ARSENAL

RELEGATED BRADFORD, CHARLTON & SOUTHAMPTON

DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS BLACKBURN ROVERS

PROMOTED FULHAM & HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

RELEGATED GILLINGHAM, TRANMERE & NORWICH CITY

DIVISION 2 CHAMPIONS BRISTOL ROVERS

PROMOTED STOKE CITY & MILLWALL

PLAY OFFS WIGAN ATHLETIC, OLDHAM ATHLETIC

RELEGATED COLCHESTER UNITED, READING, ROTHERHAM UNITED & CAMBRIDGE UNITED

DIVISION 3 CHAMPIONS BRIGHTON & H.A.

RELEGATED CARLISE UNITED

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS DONCASTER ROVERS

SCOTTISH PREMIER CHAMPIONS RANGERS

F.A. CUP WINNERS LIVERPOOL

LEAGUE CUP WINNERS

CHELSEA

From Martin of Derby

PREMIERSHIP winners:- Red so and so's
RELAGATED:- Bradford, Ipswich and Man City(just)

Div 1 winners:- Blackburn
PROMOTED:- b'burn, Wimbledon, Wolves
Playoffs:WOLVES, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Bolton
RELEGATED:- Preston, Burnley, Palace

Div 2 winners:- Oldham (hey a guy can dream cant he!)
Promoted:- Oldham, Wigan, Bristol Rovers
Playoffs:- BRISTOL R, Brentford, Port Vale, Stoke
relegated:- Wycombe, Bury(yes), Colchester, Peterborough

Div 3 winners:- Darlington
Promoted:- Who cares
Relegated:- Rochdale (Of course)

Belfast Telegraph Glens are blocking Hugh move, say Oldham
But Coyle hits out as amazing war of words over Dickson grows

GLENTORAN and Oldham today became involved in an extraordinary war of words over 18-year-old defender Hugh Dickson. The teenager, who played a starring role for the Glens in the Irish Cup final success against Portadown, was scheduled to return home this afternoon following a trial at Boundary Park. Oval boss Roy Coyle revealed in Monday's Belfast Telegraph that he refused Dickson and Oldham permission to go ahead with the trial. But go ahead it did and the plot thickened today when Oldham assistant manager Bill Urmson said Glentoran's handling of the situation did Dickson's prospects of gaining a move to full-time football no favours at all. "We approached Glentoran about the young lad coming across the water and as far I am concerned we did everything right, going through the appropriate channels, " said Urmson. "But unfortunately for Hugh, Glentoran did not allow us to play him in a game. "He is a great lad and looked very sharp in training, quite a talent, but we really have to see him in a game to decide whether we could take things on that step further. "There is no doubt he has a chance of making it across the water but on this occasion he wasn't given the opportunity to show what he could do in a match. "Personally I think it is very unfair on Hugh. He seems to be getting a rough deal from his club and is very upset by what has happened."Dickson is on an amateur contract at the Oval and should he move anywhere, the Glens would only receive a small fee as compensation for nurturing the player. Coyle is keen to sign the teenager on a professional deal but he admitted today with what has gone on this week, persuading the defender to stay at the Oval could prove difficult. "Firstly I did not grant permission for this trial to take place but at the same time told Hugh I couldn't stop him," said Coyle. "I was disappointed when he went over but to hear this about us stopping his progress and a potential move makes me very angry. "Oldham say we stopped Hugh from playing in games. For starters, of course I am not going to give up Hugh's amateur registration with us because then he becomes a free agent and secondly I am informed by the IFA that a player can play for another club in pre-season regardless. "I have a player over from England who is playing games for me in pre-season in that situation and it has happened with Stuart Elliott and Colin Nixon in the past when they were over at Preston. "This problem was not created by us but I know that talking to Hugh about signing a new contract with us may now prove difficult."Coyle has asked the Irish FA to investigate the situation.

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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