Latics’ hot seat is like all the rest

Ronnie Moore: love-hate relationship with local fans

RONNIE Moore relishes returning to Boundary Park. Not because Athletic supporters particularly appreciate what he did for the club over 15 months in charge. But the banter from the stands appeals to his sense of humour.

“It’s love-hate thing,” Moore quipped after a return with Tranmere four years ago: “I love them and they hate me.”

Before his departure, Moore took a bit of verbal stick from some well-lubricated Athletic fans at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in 2006. Moore’s assertion, made in the wake of John Sheridan’s departure, was that Athletic supporters “don’t want successful managers” at Boundary Park.

But chairman Simon Corney’s picks can’t have been that bad. Of the club’s last four permanent bosses only one — Penney, now Phil Brown’s assistant at Southend — is not currently in charge at another Football League club.

Moore did well last season with Tranmere and Sheridan is at Plymouth. Paul Dickov earned a jump to the Championship at Doncaster

Athletic supporters are the same breed as those at any other club. Managers are expected to fulfil dreams.

It just so happens that in Oldham, those dreams were fulfilled as recently as the 1990s - and the reality is that they are light years away from coming true again any time soon.

All we can hope for is progress. Under Lee Johnson, Athletic seem to be making some; under Ronnie, Tranmere appear to be doing the reverse.

Saturday promises to be a true clash of old-school an new-schoool styles