Last time The Imps faced Oldham Athletic they beat them 3-2 in the Second Round of The Emirates FA Cup. It’s certainly not something we’re likely to ever forget!
That night, in front of a crowd of 7,012 at Sincil Bank, The Imps were 3-0 up after 47 minutes, with goals from Theo Robinson (22′ and 47′) and Terry Hawkridge (24′). Two Oldham goals in the space of 3 minutes made it a very nervy ending, with Peter Clarke scoring in the 70th minute and Billy McKay finding the back of the net in the 73rd minute. The Imps held on to make it a truly unforgettable night.
Anyway, onto the Q&As!
Thank you to Oldham Athletic supporters Paddy and Steven for answering our questions!
First up, the answers provided by Paddy! (You can get to the second set of answers by clicking HERE or by clicking “Click here for the second set of answers!” at the bottom right of the article)
How long have you supported Oldham Athletic?
I went to my first game when I was about 6 weeks old. My first memories are of the Premier League when I was 5 or 6.
Where did you finish last season?
We were relegated from League One after failing to win any of the last 8 – a set of 8 fixtures that couldn’t have been any easier.
What do you think of your Manager?
Some of the football has been as bad as I can remember, and I am far from convinced he is the right man for the job.
What are your hopes and expectations for this season?
I hadn’t quite appreciated how bad the standard is in this Division, so I think anything outside of the top 7 will be a failure. However, I expect us to finish 13th-18th if we keep Bunn.
One(s) to watch?
Surridge is probably our most dangerous player, but we struggle to get him on the pitch regularly.
Who do you think will finish in the top 7?
I think that yourselves will certainly be up there, along with MK and Bury. Exeter, Tranmere, Stevenage and Carlisle to make up the top 7.
Who do you think will finish in the bottom 2?
In my whole time watching football, I haven’t seen a side as bad as Morecambe, so I will opt for them. Macclesfield also look like they are seriously cut adrift, so I think they are pretty doomed too.
What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?
They seem to have a decent side and a very good manager. Akinde should score a bagful at this level.
What do you think the score will be?
We usually do alright on a Tuesday night, but you guys are riding high, so it’ll be a tough game. I’ll go for a 1-1 draw.
What will your likely default formation and style of play be for this season?
4-5-1 and chuck it long, although hopefully Surridge returning will make us a bit more pleasing on the eye.
Random fact about your Club?
When Coventry got promoted, it made us the club that has gone the longest without any success. We last got promotion in 1991. Horrific.
If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?
Akinde, because he’s a better option than O’Grady and Ishmael Miller.
What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as an Oldham Athletic Supporter?
The proudest moment would probably be the first time I took my sons to a Latics game. My 3-year-old is now a Season Ticket holder with me.
The most embarrassing would be getting relegated last season. It was absolutely criminal that we went down when all we needed to do was pick up one victory in our last 8 games.
Who would you say is your most underrated player?
Dan Gardner gets a ridiculous amount of stick from our fans but is actually one of the only players who tries to drive us forward and get on the ball.
Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?
Yes. They are absolutely useless and most of us don’t actually know what they do.
Which was your favourite match involving Oldham Athletic?
Beating Liverpool 3-2 in the FA Cup in 2013.
Which was your least favourite match involving Oldham Athletic?
The 2-2 draw at Northampton last season that confirmed our relegation.
Jose Baxter. A bit of a wasted career with his off the field issues. Has he lived up to expectations since he re-joined?
Nope. He has really struggled to get into the side and hasn’t looked anywhere near the player he was when has played.
What’s the financial situation at the Club? There were a few newspaper articles in the summer about silly ages being paid and also seems to have been a few occasions where players haven’t been paid on time.
That’s pretty much the top and bottom of it. We were paying some ridiculous wages last season and the players weren’t justifying the huge salaries, but this season, our owner has trimmed the wage bill massively and still can’t appear to pay the staff and players on time. It’s all massively worrying.
Of all your foreign players are any of them actually any good? Does young Benteke show any traits of his brother?
Nepomuceno is probably the best we have at the moment, and he is average at best. Benteke has traits of his brother, in that they are both absolutely useless.
Chris O’Grady was widely lambasted last season at Chesterfield. How has he fared this season? And has Ishmael Miller shown anything yet?
O’Grady is one of the most honest pros you could find, but he has been pretty poor and has only scored one goal this season. Miller, on his day, is a massive handful but is another that we have struggled to get out on the pitch regularly.
Are you looking to sign Sam Sturridge on a permanent deal? And will he still be at Oldham after January?
There is absolutely no chance of Surridge signing on a permanent deal. I would like to think we would keep him after January, but if he gets back fit and scoring again, I’m sure clubs from L1 and the Championship will be sniffing around.
Do you miss the plastic pitch?
I am too young to remember the plastic pitch, so I don’t miss it at all.
I bet I make it sound really depressing, don’t I?
"I am far from convinced he is the right man for the job.":https://t.co/Vh9MWAQ15O#OAFC #Oldham #ImpsAsOne
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) November 27, 2018
https://www.facebook.com/VitalLincolnCity/posts/1949605378409031
