Latics fans find their lift roof and eclipse

Latics fans join their coaches at Boundary Park

by ANDREW RUDKIN, travelling with the Latics fans

AN AIR of expectancy surrounded Latics fans on Friday night. Year 2012 could be a great one in the history books.

Supporters had one eye on a potential trip to Wembley in a few months time and the other focused on the tough and imminent task of snatching something at The Kop.

Paul Dickov’s Barmy Army were in full voice as coach after coach lined up at venues all over the borough just short of three hours before kick-off to ferry the travelling faithful across the Mersey.

How we needed that time to get to Anfield (which should only take 90 minutes max), as Metrolink work halted the Oldham fans singing in full voice.

The travelling chanting army had well...not travelled very far — we were stuck on Union Street.

As songs turned into groans and shouts of “are we nearly there yet?” after moving about 200 yards —the early stumbling block was over after 20 minutes and it was Liverpool here we come.

Chris Howard, tells the faithful upon entering the Merseyside city: “(Steven) Gerrard and (Jamie) Carragher are playing — they must be scared of us.”.

To know that two Kop legends were on the starting XI was food for thought as the coach was bumper to bumper with just 50 minutes to go, with us still a far few miles from our destination.

Some of the lads were getting reckless as it was wasting drinking time and when a siren-blaring ambulance tried to get past, one fan shouted: “Get behind it driver.”

Parking up with just 20 minutes to get to the seats, my coach buddy and Chronicle’s pitch-side photographer Vincent Brown, was in a race against time to quickly prepare himself for capturing action — I was more bothered about finding a burger.

Reaching my seat with five minute to spare — with ketchup on my chin — I got my mobile phone out ready for filming the pre-match “specatcle” fans had planned, to light up the stand with their flashing cameras three miniutes before kick-off.

The show failed to materialise, but the 6,000 travelling faithful were in full voice singing “Dickov’s Blue and White Army”.

Fans then paid the utmost respect for a minute applause to the late Gary Ablett who won the FA Cup with both Liverpool and Everton.

I’m sat next to two brothers Charlie (25) and James Weems (27), with the elder sibling a Latics doctor —but like his brother they were both pumping with blue blood for their club.

“I hope we nick a 1-1 draw,” said Charlie.

When Latics scored through a ‘Roy of the Rovers’ goal from Robbie Simpson before half-time — bedlam and blue flares ignited — a win was on the cards.

But as soon as the smoke settled Liverpool inflicted two sucker punches for the away fans before half-time with a deflected goal and a controversial penalty.

“We can still do this,” said James at the break and as the whistle went for the second half, fans knew they were still in the game.

Unfortunately, it was not to be and three more goals from the Premiership side left a sour taste for fans who felt they had been hard done by.

But the Latics faithful never gave up hope, urging their team on with song after song – as one fan put it: “They sang’ You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and we sang all night!”

Fan Denise Shenton said: “I thought they played excellent and they gave everything. They did not show themselves up.

“For a League One side they give them a run for their money 5-1 flattered Liverpool.”

Wayne Williams felt the Dickov’s boys were unlucky. He said: “In the first half we were the better side, I thought their second goal was never a penalty and in the second half we just ran ourselves ragged. The scoreline? I am not having it — they were not four goals better than us.

“It’s been a good day, we will forget about and we will go have a drink now.”

Andy Mackenzie believed Liverpool did not look like a Premiership side. He said: “Despite the loss it was a good day out for everybody and I enjoyed it. It was an even game.”

The scoreline will go in the history books, but Latics fans will remember a fighting performance from their side.

Despite some dejected people in coaches and cars on the way home — there will be thoughts of Wembley within touching distance and hopefully bringing a trophy home to Boundary Park.