England fans keeping the faith
Reporter: RICHARD HOOTON
Date published: 22 June 2010
It will take more than a couple of dodgy results to stop these supporters believing...
OLDHAMERS have come up with some quirky ways to lend England some luck and revive our footballers’ flagging World Cup hopes.
The flags are still flying across the borough as locals keep the spirits up before tomorrow’s crunch game with Slovenia.
Supporters are hoping Rooney and the boys can put Friday’s dismal 0-0 draw with Algeria behind them and put in a much better display to ensure they don’t fall at the first hurdle. And to help England keep their dream alive, a Saddleworth businessman hopes his specially-built model of a wizard will cast a lucky spell.
James Wells installed the 7ft statue in the front garden of his Dobcross home and decked it out in England colours and flag of St George.
He said: “Since I had the wizard made some months ago it has become a big attraction locally.
“It has its own spotlights which come on at night. It’s a real eye catcher — complete with long robes, imposing beard and tall hat.
“I certainly hope he’ll bring us a turn of fortune against Slovenia.”
Meanwhile, creative Jinny Hanmer is hoping England fans who buy her handmade soaps will be able to bathe in the team’s sweet smell of success.
Jinny, from Denshaw, who has been making luxury soaps with a variety of styles and scents for eight months, is also wishing her latest creation “Bathe in the Glory” will bring our national side some fortune.
Jinny sells her soaps, which include novelty varieties and handcraft soap flowers, under her Froths and Bubbles banner at farmers’ markets across Saddleworth.
“The England soaps are doing well — there is tremendous loyalty and support from locals for our national team,” she said.
Youngsters from Chadderton’s Freehold Community Primary School brightened up the Hare and Hounds pub and demonstrated their geographical knowledge with colourful paintings and drawings, including the flags of participating countries. Their work is displayed on windows at the Block Lane pub in Chadderton.
England fan Chris Beech has displayed his true colours — by painting the St George’s Cross complete with three lions on the garage of his home in Whinberry way, Moorside.
He creates the display for every major tournament in which England qualify and they have become legendary with locals ensuring they pass by just to get a view. It took an hour of his time and cost only a tin of paint to produce the professional-looking image.
Mr Beech, who works for Warburtons in Shaw, said: “It’s just something a bit different, rather than putting flags up.”
And he predicted a better display tomorrow, adding: “It was awful on Friday, but we’ll qualify.”
But the team might need to show Slovenia a bit more respect than one Oldham town centre pub that appears to have invented a new country in the World Cup battle for supremacy.
“Solvenia” appears on a board outside the pub — which might be the solution to England’s current crisis.
Said one local wag: “Perhaps we’ll have a better chance of winning against a country that doesn’t exist.
“We are certainly not having much luck in the competition so far.”
Looking on the bright side, England remain unbeaten — which is more than can be said of Germany, France and Spain.
Workers will be looking for an early finish to pack pubs once more as the game kicks-off at 3pm.
