Advertisement
Big Joe makes Latics return
Reporter: TONY BUGBY
Date online: 16 March 2009
LATICS legend Joe Royle returned to his spiritual home today following an extraordinary weekend of events at Boundary Park.
The popular 59-year-old, who managed Athletic during the late 1980s and early ’90s — the most successful period in the club’s history — has agreed to take over for the final nine league games of the season following yesterday’s sacking of John Sheridan.
Royle said: “I am excited by the prospect of managing Latics again. I have tried for one or two jobs but didn’t even receive a reply.
“It seems people have forgotten me so it was nice to be remembered by Oldham who still have a big place in my heart. When I met managing director Simon Corney and chief executive Alan Hardy, we spoke for about three minutes about money and three hours about football.”
Saturday’s 6-2 defeat at Milton Keynes Dons saw Athletic slip to eighth place after a run of only two wins in 10 league games.
It was the manner of recent defeats which worried the directors. They decided something had to be done after Saturday’s hefty loss.
Sheridan was summoned to Boundary Park yesterday lunchtime for a meeting with Corney after which a brief statement was issued indicating that the club had parted company with Sheridan after almost three years in charge.
Royle’s appointment will give the club — and the borough — a massive lift as Latics bid to arrest the slide and reclaim a place in League One’s top six.
l Athletic won’t be rushing into appointing a long-term successor to Sheridan. That decision won’t be taken until the summer.
Comments
give him the job full time if he wants it.hes already a success in the eyes of the fans and deserves a full season.
lOOKS LIKE WE ARE ALL EXCITED JOE,YOU AND YOUR ADORING TOWN OF FANS,Welcome home Joe,just 12 FA CUP FINALS TO GO.
Welcome back Genial Joe and many thanks and good luck to John Sheridan
Talk about have a go joe,you have a mountain to climb but i know you can do it.BEST OF LUCK.
Good Luck Joe, if you need any help, how about a team-bonding session at Belle Vue . . . Superbowl!!!
i feel sorry for sheridan the players let him down badly and i think one or two of them should also be through the door.Plus the fact that the directors are partly to blame for the clubs present situation they have done nothing but dither, perhaps they should go too! as for big joe being back I am also not a fan of a second time round manager either but i wish him the best of luck.
Great News. Had a kip on Sunday, when I woke up Joe was back. No more like for like substitutions. If we are losing, take 2 defenders off and play 4 upfront . . . welcome back gaffer! Rock 'n' Roll!
Can't share the euphoria. Joe's last act before he left his sinking (relegated) ship, was to recommend Graeme Sharp as his successor, and look where that got us - back to the old third division after an absence of 23 years. However, having seen all the post-war triumphs (few) and disasters (many), and now poorer in the pocket, I wish the club well. but I'm not holding my breath.
I can't believe the comments of AGH, maintaining that big Joe left a sinking ship. No-one in the history of this club has achieved so much, has his memory let him down? Remember the pinch me season, the two semi finals against Man U, the League Cup final, the promotion to the top flight? I can't believe he will manage that again but for heavens sake, get behind big Joe, he's a legend and I for one am delighted that he is back.
Wonder if there is any chance we could get the plastic pitch back too :-)
No 'Bestie666' my memory's fine. FACT: we had been relegated - Joe left. His endorsed successor, Sharp, took us down again - that's sinking! In my opinion, Joe's terminal preference for Andy Holden over Warhurst, cost us the first semi at Maine Rd, not to mention the second. Holden made 'old man Robson' look like a whippet. The players were good enough to go up despite Joe's team selection preferences, but that's not the rose-coloured view. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.
sounds like joe is going to have to tell one or two where they exactly stand and whos the real gaffer
it's only a game
Have Your Say
Best of luck Joe, I think your first challenge is re-introduce the players to each other, then teach them what the colour blue looks like, then encourage them to pass to their new found friends running around in blue.. Other than these minor points they have the individual quality to win promotion.
By NDL @ 16/03/2009 12:42:29