Dear Fellow Supporters,

Flipping brilliant !!!! Read the match report. Surfer Sam has done it again. A little article he picked up last week hints at a possible change in management. Sharp's contract is up in June and, untipically, nothing has been said regarding his future by the club. Rumours abound, even on national radio, that Andy Ritchie is being lined up to make a popular return to Boundary Park. Sharp has failed to motivate and recent results have had more to do with pride than anything Sharp said to them. Remember where you heard the news first.

The Chairman.

Just who is Cissie Charlton? Is she real or fictitious?

Answers as usual in writing. The winner receives the usual, as usual.

N.B.. Anyone wishing to borrow the tapes see the Chairman.

Oldham: Hallworth, Makin, Serrant, Fleming, Graham, Redmond, Rickers, Richardson, Beckford, Orlygsson, Creaney.

Subs Not Used: McCarthy, Barlow, Halle.
Goals: Creaney 72, Richardson 26 pen.

Stoke: Prudhoe, Clarkson (Carruthers 74), Sandford, Sigurdsson, Whittle, Potter, Devlin, Wallace, Sturridge, Sheron, Gleghorn.

Subs Not Used: Dreyer, Macari.
Booked: Wallace. - Att: 10,271

An impassioned battling display saw the Latics completely overwhelm play-off chasing Stoke City and secure their First Division status for another year. Stoke only tested keeper Hallworth once as the Latics central defence of Redmond, Fleming and Graham performed brilliantly to keep them at bay.

But it was Richardson who caught everybody's eye throughout the match. His contribution was outstanding. Hardworking, skilful, he had vision, a touch of flair when put under pressure while in possession, a command performance in every way.

The Latics went ahead in the 26th minute when Beckford turned brilliantly just inside the box and was brought down by Nigel Gleghorn. Lee Richardson took the penalty, wrong-footing the Stoke keeper who chased half the length of the pitch to protest to the referee. But in vain, 1 -0.

Relief for the Latics fans began to turn into tension as they failed to capitalise further. The second-half started as a rather lame affair and you feared the Latics might be sitting back too much and tempting fate.

But then Lee Richardson took the game by the scruff of the neck and his willingness to take the ball forward paid dividends when a foraging run took him to the by-fine. He put in a low cross and Creaney cheekily back-heeled the ball into the net on 72 minutes.

By now it was all over and the Latics were set to turn Sunday's game into a stroll while others in the division sweat it out.

The final whistle saw a pitch invasion and jubilant scenes. "Its like winning promotion", said lan Snodin on national radio. A great result, First Division football next season, some new faces, maybe a new manager, I can't wait

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