Thetownend.com

Will we push on from Tuesday night?

Will Pooky have two good games on the trot?

Will Hasney yet again fail to applaud the fans at the end of the game?

Will Brez finally kick the ball in a straight line?

Will Fred ever go to a game sober?

Will the cunt in the Green top be there again?

So many questions....................

Will Taylor throw his teddy out of the pram again?

I hope so!

No, no, no, no, no, probably.

See you there!

You keep writing see you there, but I keep missing you...............

Lucky cunt steve

Ha ha forgot about last season's Taaaayyyylooooorr! Top class stuff. Let's rattle his cage again because he's a good player.

Anyway i'm going for 2-2 today.

Well I'm always there*

*Disclaimer: If I post during the game it's from my phone. Ahem.

That's not very nice, I've just been to Lidl to buy your Christmas present.  :(

I'm wearing blue today Hertha

haha

Merlin time? I'll buy the person with the earliest response a pint. Well aslong as they're actually there when they say they are.

I'll be there between 11.30 and 12

ace. cheers by big cuddly samdy wamdy.

Catching the 11.30 torpedo express into Swindon Central, stop off and have a bit of a natter to all me alki mates, so should be there by 12

Ooooh. A Rival time.

If you're there before samdy you could probably claim his pint. This is exciting.

That's of course if you don't both beat me to the merlin, in which case I'll buy you both a pint.

It's a race! Wahoooooooo

It's on! 8)

on your marks

I'm gone already mate.

To be honest as stupid as this will sound, im not fussed too much about the result!

Oldham are a good side, better than us...

If the players show the same guts and determination they have the last two games then that for me will be enough to show we've turned the corner.

Even if we dont win today, keep playing like that and the results will follow.

cheat.

i dont expect anything today, but that doesn't make it alright.we should be able to get results at home against anyone in this league,or at least make the cunts battle like fuck to get anything against us.
a defeat will keep us in deep shit still.i really hope i'm wrong and we get a performancer out of the team today

3 points today please! I quite liked that winning feeling  8)

I'd prefer to get pissed tonight in the manner of celebration, rather than 'drowning my sorrows!!!!'

COOOOME OOOON YOOOOU REEEEEDS!

I'm not sure what to expect today. Do we get what we got Tuesday or the crap we've had to endure. I've certainly got more hope than I did on Tuesday. Lets hope the Rock and the Cock put in similar performances.

3pts please,i haven,t seen a win since Franchise away--getting restless

i just realised that i've missed both our home wins this season. therefore, i am a curse.


i'm just about to leave for the game

This is a quiet thread. Anybody here?

i am, are you listening to the game BR?

keep me updated as im at work and cant listen to it

Will do Tans.

Bright start from us by the sounds of it.

No.

I am briefly.

Nope, I am not here either :)

I'm yerr, penniless, need to get a result on my accumulator.   :D

Attacking line-up today, hopefully McGovern's got his head sorted... cunt.

cheers BR

Sounds like a lively start from both teams.

Sounds like Oldham getting on top a bit, free kick for us now though.

Sounds a bit boring now/

GET IN

1-0 Morrison

A'er noon chaps !

Whassup ?

NMH

Finally I start listening and we score insteal of concede!

Aha ! My arrival prompts a goal methinks !

NMH

well done Morrison!!

Good lad!  :)

Is it on't'internet radio or only World?

NMH

Looks like World only...So what is happening now ?

NMH

come on cox!

Come on Smith then!

Get the fuck in.

C'mon Smith...What ?

NMH

Was that a penalty or something ?

NMH

GRRRR I leave the country and we play well in 2 successive home games

Well chuffed at 2-0 and both goals scored by defenders!

 
[/quote]

Penalty scored by Jack Smith (Swindon)
34    
Penalty taken by Jack Smith (Swindon); placed right low: scored
33    
Handball by Lee Hughes (Oldham )

Thanks Lee.

ooh were winning!

Cheers Crozzer. Where do you get the live text ? Looked on BBC and they are stuck at 31 mins.

NMH

I hope we play like this at Scunthorpe next week! I leave Canada tomorrow.... Do i miss the next home game though as we are winning when I'm gone??? :)

WE ARE STAYIN UP SAY WE ARE STAYIN UP!

Yeah stay away Gaz you Jonah ;) :)

Sporting Life site:

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/

Click on "Swindon"

Franchise just had a red card (what a shame)

Yeah the Keeper got a red for violent conduct. shame. Lick my Arse Orifice

MISSED PEN: Franchise 1-1 Cheltenham: Leven (38) 

Amazing though really and gutting... well not gutting but shame I cant see it!

Half Time 2-0 to Swindon....good start, keep it up lads.

Woot. 2-0. A repeat of last year's score would do very nicely indeed

(That was 3-0 btw, in case anybody has forgotten).

What's happened to Ifil?

got dropped gaz

Oh right ok... wondered if he got injured or something as he is not even on the bench!

Nah mate just a total lack of confidence.

Pity Cox couldn't have scored that - would have been a bit more comforatble then

Blackpool 0-1 Crystal Palace: Ifill (28)  

GOAL: Plymouth 0-3 Ipswich: Lisbie (48) 

I know what's happened, we swapped managers on the quiet.

Cox off the post.

close again by Cox!!

Agree disgusting behaviour. Get them off.

Last couple of times I've posted we've scored....Will it work again I wonder ?

 NMH 

I guess not...Anything happening ?

NMH

almost!!

Bloody post keeps getting in the way.

73    
Caught by Mark Crossley (Oldham)
72    
Shot by Hasney Aljofree (Swindon) : the 'keeper has it covered
72    
Swindon corner from the Left taken by Jon-Paul McGovern

Corr scored yet?

NMH

   
Swindon tactical substitution: Billy Paynter replaced by Barry Corr

Plymouth comeback ?

More bad news for 'Nam. Dongs 3-1 up

Am bored! Talking to myself now!

NMH

Plymouth Argyle     1:3      Ipswich Town

Swapped managers.

is it - is it REALLY going to happen?

Our 1st clean sheet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What, two wins at home in under a week? And a clean sheet as a bonus?

Never would have thought it could happen......

Get in.

6 points out of 6 and a clean sheet to boot.

Sounded to me like a gritty game with some sexy football thrown in. And listen to that applause, when is the last time we heard that?

Has MM turned the corner??

Now up to 15.

It is as if they said we've got to listen Byrne  :doh:.

Good result. Think we caught Oldham at the right time as they seem to have gone off the boil in the last couple of weeks. That's not to cast doubts on the performance mind. I'm happy. My curry and few beers later will feel much more satisfying now.....

Malpas out ;) Time to go on thisis to wind them up!

Apart from the first 20 mins we looked totally in control today!

No bad performances from the squad, though I wish Brez would stop punching the ball!  Timlin MOTM IMO, though the whole defence was quality today!

Aljofree still got a monk on with the fans, no clapping at the end!

Hughes, Taylor and Greegan are cunts!

That performance has convinced me that the corner has been turned.

Fair Play to Mr Malpas!

I've missed the last 2 home games as I am in Canada (come home tomorrow). Think I shall miss the next home game. clearly I am the reason we were losing at home!!! :)

Easy, easy, easy.

First 20 minutes we were under pressure, we defended well.

We took the lead and then defended some more. We got a second then it was half time.

Oldham offered no threat in the second half and we could have had more.

Our players wanted it more than them today and I hope we can keep that level of performance and more importantly desire and work rate up for the rest of the season and the results will follow

COME ON YOU REDS!

Bloody thrilled with that.  V good performance.

I cant decide on MOM, between Peaks, Pook and Timlin today.

Timlin MOM for me. Clean sheet and two defenders on the score sheet, also Aljofree's goal should have counted.
Still looked dodgy at the back but hopefully this will give them confidence

I heard some Oldham fan in the bogs at the Merlin saying he wanted 4 points from their last two games but after their last game would settle for 3. Now they've got 0.

Eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasy!

for me pook was the best player first half,timlin the second.
peacock was no way mom.infact apart from running around and the odd tackle was covered by the excellent pook quite a few times today.
front two were superb.

we scored at the right time as we could have been losing by then.scored against the run of play and it did us the world of good

Excellent team performance. Timmy gets my MOM but everyone had a reasonably good game. And what a cool finish by Morrison! Nice to enjoy a weekend :)

One slight word of caution, the back 4 still aren't as solid as they can be. But a clean sheet they are moving in the right direction.

Enjoyed the game more than any other thus far this season. Excellent.

How did Taylor get on?
I didn't go? :D

will be interesting to see how we deal with going a goal down

i enjoyed that :)

good team performance, plenty of fight and grit and you could see us grow in confidence during the game.

mcgovern was still crap.

I thought the exact opposite. Put in hard graft to close down the opposition and did OK going forward too.

I thought JP worked very hard and played very well today!

Morrison was mint. He will easy play at a higher level one day.

I agree about JP!

Sorry Sonic!   :harhar:

Strike me down with a wet tampon if it's been asked but what's up with Ifil?  Is he injured or just not making the bench?

until he scored he was very ropey i thought.he grew in confidence after that.
he will go on to great things i'm sure.
why didn't anyone attack his long throws?

i thought jpm did ok.when out wide its hard to be involved at times.i dont think he did anything bad at all.

JPM wasn't as good as he was against Northampton but still put in a good shift.

AFAIK he's just not making the bench - official club scapegoat.

JPM didnt see alot of the ball but put his shift in again.

Morrison took most of the first half to get used to Hughes, who is probably the best striker he has come up against. I think again, like Tuesday he looked slightly jaded.

He looked better in the second half but I also think Oldham attacked less in the second half to.

that was ace.

heard a rumour that he could be off to Plymouth on loan in January

We played as a team today, really strongly felt that moreso than other games this season.

Thought the fans were much better today, good atmosphere!

Enjoyed that, thought Aljofree did a good job, Timlin excellent - but unless he has the ball Macnamee is a luxury.  He cannot close down or tackle, should keep out wide and we should try and find him more often.  Oh, and Aljofree made a point of applauding all sides of the ground before kick-off.

Not that fucking footballrumours.com again?

I heard it's Sheffield Utd!

ifil aint good enough to play up a div.
if any defender goes,it will be morrison

nope. got told at work.

My mate i was sat with said exactly the same about Morrison regarding his fatigue.

Pook had another (SHOCK HORROR!) good game today aswell as Jack Smith.

Well I guess that means it must be true then!

Huh, did you watch the game. Recently macca has been closing down and tracking back really well. Case in point when he chased taylor down the wing in the second half, preventing the cross from coming in at the expense of a corner.

Great dancing in the corner at the end from Macca as well!

MJ eat your heart out!

Hooray back-to-back wins. Hooray a clean sheet.

MALPAS OUT!

:D

Really enjoyed that game!
It's already been said, but we worked well as a unit and i felt each and every Swindon player played well.

Either Peacock or Timlin MOTM for me, although Coxy was very good once again.

Aljofree impressed me today.

Oh, and the lino was a cock........

Like on Tuesday, Pook made the difference again IMO. He did the simple dirty work protecting the defence just in front so effectively with Peacock that their only danger was long through balls. A revelation, can he keep it up?

Oldham OS Report   :D and Fuming Manager   ;D

Off-colour Athletic's indifferent form continues as an excellent start unravelled against Swindon at the County Ground.

If Athletic dominated the second period at Bristol in midweek, they cranked it up another notch by absolutely blitzing the Robins in the first 20 minutes.

A barrage of chances came and went as John Sheridan's side laid siege to the home goal, but a breakthrough wouldn't come and one of the most against-the-run-of-play goals you will ever see threw an industrial-sized spanner in the works.

And so it goes on......


A furious John Sheridan launched a stinging verbal volley at his side following the 2-0 defeat at Swindon.

Two first-half goals against the run of play condemned Latics to their second successive defeat following the reverse at Bristol Rovers.

Sheridan cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as the visitors failed to make an impression in the second half against a determined Robins outfit.

And the gaffer - who will be bringing his side in for extra training next week - didn't hold back post-match.

"That was our worst performance of the season, and with the goals we gave away you'd think you were watching schoolboy football," he fumed.

"I'm not happy at all today. We started well but gave ourselves an uphill battle. We looked poor today - no-one played well from one to eleven.

"I'm not going to accept that level of performance, because we will be relegated if we keep playing like we did today.

"I am not happy one bit and I have told the players that. They will be working long, long hours because I just won't have that level of performance."

Sheridan believes he has weeded out players who he feels are in a comfort zone, and the Latics chief is prepared to make changes to combat the problem.

Athletic host League leaders Scunthorpe at Boundary Park on Tuesday, and a number of fringe players could now find themselves involved.

Sheridan stormed: "Some people in the team think they're going to be picked week in, week out. Well, that's going to change.

"There are no automatic choices and people are waiting to play. This is a reality check because some people just weren't at the races today."

He added: "I want to apologise to the fans who have travelled a very long way because I just will not accept that performance.

"I am a very angry man at the moment."

The first goal was definitely against the run of play.
Imo we saw the game out professionally.
Timlin, Pook again were superb.
Aljofree, best game I've seen him play this season, especially the wasting time bit when he alleged a smack in the chops, liked the way Peacock got hold of Hughes by the neck in the resulting corner, have it my son.
McNamee luxury I think not, always a threat and he did track back well.
All in all a very good win against a very good side.

I think I will go to Walsall on Tuesday, but first get pretty pissed tonight. Great stuff.

We are getting there,i was one of the few who wanted Morrison in the team...you gota play em to see how good they are,he still gets bullied abit,but thats experience,17 years old and a diamond i reckon.
Great to see a player get on with his work,play the reserve matches,no whining...come back and play for his team,well done Pook,my man of match,although Cox did well as always.
Tough one next sat so a result on tuesday is a must.

am i the only one who didn't think peacock was that good today?
everyone seems to be creaming their pants over the bloke on the forums tonight.
pook dug him out quite a bit today.and his positional play was all over the place.i like the bloke but he wasn't all that today at all.

No, i too dont think he was at his best. Its not his technichal ability that we need though

Pook and Peacock joint MOM. They covered every blade of grass and won virtually evey second ball. Even when they couldn't get a good contact, they got some contact. The defence was still very shaky as a unit. Aljofree got in a couple of cracknig tac kles in the 1st half. Morrison grew as the game went on - loved it when he physically moved Hughes out of the way off the ball - and a really cool finishh for the goal. Agree abuot JPM - he did a lot of tracking back. Paynter yet again took some punishment but had a great game. in fact, they all played well.
I will enjoy my pint tonight and I'm just glad I'm supporting a "team" again not a collection of individuals.
JPM and Aljofree - take note - fans will be on your side if you give 100% and both of you have in the last 2 games. If you have a crap one now, the fans will get behind you.    

i thought Peacock was solid, did what he had to without being outstanding, id settle for that performance from him every week

Peacock wasnt great in a technical sense but as usual covered every blade of grass, went in for every tackle and hassled their midfielders as soon as they got the ball.

Everything we've lacked when we've had Nalis playing.

timlin was awesome, over the moon with his performance and attitude today

pook, peacock both deserve a mention

lets hope for more of the same midweek

Peacock did a working shift today, wasn't superb at all but took control of those around him, Aljofree take note.
Peacock is a leader and players around him responded to his instructions.

yeah i agree,but he was all over the place at times.
he seems to get the praise today when imo pook was much better.

I believe for two seasons Arriba we have both been saying Pook is a decent player at this level and that a non-league player as many have taunted him in that time.

They were both bloody good today though.

Perhaps Peacock does get noticed more, things like hugging all the players before and after, he's alot omore vocal in the middle of the park and he has bright white hair!

Saying that, its not like Pook isnt getting praise. Its just a shame we didnt get time to take him off for Easton. After the last two games he deserves to go off to a Standing ovation, which lets be honest he's probably never expirenced before

amazingly pook is now the better footballer in centre mid.his use of the ball today was superb.he really has grown without even playing.
the lad impressed me greatly today and i'm proud he is a home grown player.he has had it tough, but fuck me he should be one of the first names on the team sheet next week.

It was only the fact that he played x games alse season that triggered the automatic 12 month contract he's on now. If he carries on in this form, it will be very interesting to see what happens at the end of the season.

Agree Arriba..its like the tension has gone from his game...Nalis and co will have to work there balls off to get back in.

Nailis is a very creative player, but it just shows and the results speak the truth, put two hard workers in the middle like Pook and Peacock and we have actually played better football without him.

It would be great to see and we will probably start the same XI against Walsall on Tuesday, well I hope we do.

Malpas In

Over the moon at today's performance/result.  Yeah Oldham had chances, but so did we, thought Coxy was a little unlucky with a couple of offside decisions in the first half, and when he hit the post, gutted for the bloke.

I love my w2b!!!!!!  Life's good!

Obv janaage has had a drink.

Bit soppy for a sweaty aren't you?

i don't think people should get carried away with pook. fair play to him for impressing and earning his place and he's done well on his comeback but he's still average and there's approaching 100 games that suggest similar.

long may it continue...sadly i doubt it will

He will make up for it tuesday Jan.

We could always swap him for MARSHALL!!!

eh?

Shit banter Dell

Fuck me I meant Taylor, twit.

today he wasn't average.arguably mom(timlin probably edges it on his second half performance though)

Page 65 of the programme today, whos who?
I'm on that page whoooopie.

Alot of teams talk up Taylor as being one of the top players in this division.

Every time I've seen him he's been shit. All he did was cut inside and run into players.

Explain Dell...who are ya!

I would guess that he doesn't like playing Swindon that much ;)

that narrows it down dell.

Taaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyylllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I'm wearing glasses!!

Anyone who criticses a Swindon player today is a cunt.

We won, out fought Oldham and, in the second half, outplayed them.

Yeah there were a few mistakes, so what? 2-0 win and a clean sheet. If you can be negative after that, you must be a really sad, miserable twat.................

haha.where abouts on the page dell and i'll take a punt

i still haven't a clue what you're on about :D


totally agree, he was superb today. unfortunately we've all seen him play utterly average or worse on numerous ocassions

Could not go today but chuffed to fuck with what i am hearing, well done malpas keep shoving my initial thoughts down my throat. Well done lads can't wait til walsall now

The right

Did you go today?

no i'm basing my opinion on second hand conjecture

flat cap? if not the one with the beard?

And Davies-someone tell him that even if he does earn more money than us,it doesn't stop him from being a cunt!

Scan the page in 8)

Ha ha, wrong, I'm not that fucking old.

And according to his managers comments, he will be working harder for his money next week than we will! :D

Ex Oxford of course.

Why do Ex Oxford players get such an easy ride here?

If he'd played for City or Rovers he'd get a harder time.

i dont know how nor can i be arsed.
dell just tell me i give up

Lazy bastard.

fucking right sam

:D

(I'd be the same)

At least he got more abuse that Hackett got when he came here with Millwall.

Somebody remind me who this Oxford mob are....

Edging slowly towards that 4-1 win Herthab,I predict Bristol Rovers away!

presumably it's the 'mob' you are referring to shooting, berni

Surely it goes without saying?

Fantastic team effort today - they have made me one very happy bunny.

Timlin looks a natural at left back.
Pook gives the centre backs confidence.
Another lung busting effort from Coxy.

People singing in the Arkells!!!!

Aaaah those ones!  

Meh!

 :rocket:

It's gonna come adje, remember where you heard it first!

Think I might attend the Walsall match now!

Today was good. In some ways carrying on from Northampton and being a bit more solid at the back. 2 home wins straight was just what the doctor ordered and we really needed it. Great stuff. Moving Peacock back to CM is proving a masterstroke from MM and so is playing Pook. It's working and here's to 3 points on Tuesday.

did anyone else think today's ref was a bit...odd?

not rubbish (although not good either) but made some really bizarre decisions

Hello to Si Pie(A wise head on young shoulders) and Iffy's Onion Bhaji(a hairy head on young shoulders)-good to meet you blokes today!

Yeah SY. Can't remember the last time a ref was actually decent at the CG tbh.

you dont foul Billy Paynter, he fouls you!

I swear the defenders use him as a ladder and he gets nothing, the minute he jumps its a foul against.

I thought the linesman were both shocking though. I swear they played Hughes onside a few times when he was a yard off and both of them flagged Coxy offside when he was a good yard or 2 onside!

As for the ref, he gave us a penalty - I did even see a handball to be honest. Want to re-watch it. Everyone else seemed certain!

I hope you are not saying today?

It was a cert pen.

oldham were a very handy side.

handy, gettit? no?

they handballed it quite a few times, including the penalty.

the ref stopped play when a player got hit in the head with a football. the bizarre dropkick - not seen that since i played footy at school...

Best one was to give us a goal-kick in the "Taylor" incident-that was a right laugh

The most bizare one was when Peacock came in with a great slide tackle in the second half no one batted an eye lid Oldham played on - free kick?!

Then there was the one Aljofree clearly played off an Oldham player and they some how got a goal kick.

Then up the other end, Oldham corner comes in Lee Hughes meets it on the volley pretty much un marked, spoons it over....corner!?!?!?!

Yes hello mate. Good to meet you too. Nearly missed the first goal as you saw. Went mental coming straight from the bog to see it go in. It's almost what football is all about.

Good to see John Gorman today-not a great manager but a great human being in my book

you have a book?

yes i would be interested in reading your book

(i have a lot of time for gorman, good to see him in town)

 I had the pleasure of sharing some time in the company of Mr Gorman last night, he speaks highly of you too SY.

Thought the referee had a weird game, saw things that nobody else saw and gave things blatantly the wrong way, but his wrong decisions didn't really affect the outcome of the game for once.

Definate peno!  Huges seems to attack every ball with his arm in the air, so sooner or later he was gonna get one given against him!

He serioulsy needs a slap and the abuse he got from the townend was deserved!

Good to hear the townend back in good voice today!  Still think the club should encourage filling that end with cheaper tickets as it definately makes a difference.

Is anyone else merrily drunk tonight?  More of the same please Maurice!

According to Phil King, Sheridan was up drinking with him unti 3am at the dolphin talking about old times.  Did anyone else witness this meeting of minds?

To be fair the lino's were terrible, one of them let us off for disallowing that Oldham chance in the first half for offside, I was right in line and both players were onside.  :D

What can be worrying is when the lino's are shit for one team but not the other, but fair play to them they were consistantly shit.

I liked the moment when their winger was just hanging onto Maccas shirt as he was going forward and the 12 year old lino didn't give a fucking thing, thats what the lower leagues are famous for.

Oh, and I thought Pook was superb today.

thought we got it spot on today - credit where credit's due to Malpas. Tactically bang on, plus you could see all the lads were working for each other. At the final whistle fou players looked shattered and fell to their knees - that shows the lads give a shit and are working hard for each other and the manager - happy days.

Brez was more dominant, getting better by the week.

Defence was superb. Timlin immense, smith did really well, hasney and Morrison worked really hard - well done chaps. Hasney looked a bit moody throughout the game, but he was a rock, played really well.

Thought JP was quiet, Macca still not himself, but both worked hard.

Pook was great, but Peacok for me was fucking awesome.

We beat a good team today, happy fricking days

better, better, better!
I would of taken Peacs off instead of Billy and put the paynter man in midfield and pushed Corr on up front.
Overall very good and i am looking forward to Walsall.

Good post

Fucking awesome performance against a good Oldham side today. I'm quite happy to shut my trap regarding Malpas as manager for the moment. Whatever he's been accused of, the players do now seem to be playing for him by the bucket load. I hope he enjoys his deserved bottle of wine this weekend ;)

Can't fault the effort levels anywhere on the pitch at the moment and Pook especially must have a shit eating grin all over his face tonight. Maybe he's matured as both a player and as a person since we last suffered having to watch him lumber all over the pitch like a fucking amateur? For me, he's now doing everything nice and simple and is playing well. Can't fault his effort and desire either. Fair play to him, he's a dead cert on the team sheet every week the way he's playing at the moment. He can't afford to get fucking cocky though. He's had a really lucky break which he's made the most of for a couple of games. Hopefully he'll realise that. If not, he'll end up at Supermarine or worse next season. It's a fucking fine line, Pooky. Now then!

Hasney had an ace game today as well. Nice to see him playing well and full of confidence again. If only he can find it within himself to drop the surly fucking attitude he has towards our fans, he'd make a real name for himself and would be worthy of wearing the captains armband.

Oh, and the silence observed for Brian Hillier today was awesome regardless of the diverse opinions on him. Pin, drop, and all that:-)

Two wins means nothing. Malpas better pull his finger out if he's going to avoid the chop.

She made me write that!!  She thought it would embarrass me some what!!

Still well happy about the display and result, first 20 mins was a bit ropey but we settled well and looked worthy winners by the end.

Has the tide turned?  i hope so!

But then again "it was only Oldham" ;-)