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The Unofficial Daily On-line e-zine for  223 Oldham Athletic Supporters Worldwide
 
Today's Edition for
 
    3rd January 2002 
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 Oldham Evening Chronicle (www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk) Eyre’s Cup tonic JOHN EYRE has given Athletic a lift as they prepare for Sunday’s FA Cup, third-round tie at Cheltenham Town. Athletic’s striker shortage has been eased with Eyre being given the all-clear to play against the third division club. The 27-year-old has made a speedy recovery from the ankle injury sustained last month against Wigan Athletic. And Eyre’s return to first-team action could not be better timed with loan signing David Reeves cup tied, Mark Allott out on loan at Chesterfield and Carlo Corazzin injured. It was feared Eyre had ruptured ankle ligaments when he was hurt in the opening minutes of the derby against Wigan and he might be out of action for two months. But the damage was nowhere near as bad as was first feared and less than three weeks later he is back training normally. Head coach Mick Wadsworth still has plenty of attacking permutations with Eyre joined by Allan Smart and Matthew Tipton while David Eyres can also be pushed forward. Wadsworth could also call upon Craig Dudley and Ryan Sugden, two players who haven’t featured for some time and who are available on loan. The strike department is not the only one affected as Wadsworth has to make changes in defence. Chris Armstrong and Dean Holden are ruled out through suspension while Manchester United won’t permit on-loan Paul Rachubka to play. Gary Kelly, who has recovered from knee surgery, will return in goal while Scott McNiven could be in line for a recall. Tickets for Sunday’s cup tie are on open sale with Athletic set to be backed by a 1,000 strong travelling army. 
 Official Oldham Athletic Web Site (www.oldhamathletic.co.uk)Content from the Oldham Athletic Web Site is used with permission of Oldham Athletic Football Club Injury Update

Latics Physio, Paul Caton spent the morning here at Boundary Park looking after the injured players as the fit ones went off training at the JJB Soccer Dome, Trafford Park. "It's a case of you can't be in two places at once, so I have spent the morning working with the injured players".  The good news was that Tony Carss went off training this morning and is available for selection after being declared fully fit at the start of the week. Wayne Gill was still hobbling around and his plaster is due off next week before he embarks on 4 weeks re-hab.  Shaun Garnett is due to see a specialist next week and hopefully then, he will be given the all clear to resume full training. Carlo Corazzin is due back in tomorrow after his Christmas break in Canada.  Paul informed the Website that "Carlo should be fully fit in 3 weeks".  David Miskelly goes for his operation on his shoulder injury sustained at Stoke back in November.  He will face 8 weeks re-hab after the operation because it is imperative that the shoulder recovers fully due to the nature of what a goalkeeper has to do in a game, i.e.;diving around making saves on the damaged shoulder.  Paul added "David won't be rushed back, we will make sure everything is 100% OK before he returns to full training". Ritchie joins Leeds

Oldham Athletic Football Club have heard this afternoon that former manager, Andy Ritchie is to take over as Academy Director at Premiership league leaders Leeds United.

Futcher to Stalybridge?

Oldham Athletic Football Club has today (3rd January 2002), by mutual consent, terminated the contract of Ben Futcher. The 20 Year old Central defender was a product of the Latics School of Excellence and has made 10 appearances for the Latics first team.  This season the player was loaned out to Stalybridge Celtic where he made 17 appearances, scoring once. It is now expected that the player join Stalybridge Celtic, where his father is the manager. 

 TEAMtalk (www.teamtalk.co.uk) Eyre drafted in for Robins trip 
The Latics will have John Eyre back for Sunday's trip to Cheltenham in the third round of the FA Cup, and Gary Kelly will also start in goal. The 28-year-old striker has missed the last three games with ankle damage but has shown up well in training and will probably be on the subs bench. However, keeper Paul Rachubka, on loan from Manchester United, misses out because The Reds do not want him cup-tied. That will signal a return for veteran stopper Kelly, who has not played since the last round after undergoing surgery on an old knee injury. Midfielder Tony Carss, who last played back in September, is now in full training but is unlikely to be ready for the trip south. Wadsworth has nine other players unavailable but still has a strong enough squad to leave him with a number of options. He is keeping his selection plans close to his chest but versatile defender Scott McNiven, who has recently been out of favour, could come back into the reckoning. 
Cheltenham have lost just one of their last nine games, while Wadsworth's side have been beaten only once in 12 league and cup outings since he took charge. The boss admitted: "It is going to be tough. "Recent form has shown that both teams are playing well, with Cheltenham seventh in their division while we are in the same position in ours. "They are certainly an up-and-coming team, but we have done our homework and we will be ready for them." Wadsworth added: "Their manager Steve Cotterill has established them in the Football League, so there must be something about him." 
Hardy says snow to heating Chief executive Alan Hardy has defended the decision not to install under-soil heating at Boundary Park, saying it may not have worked anyway. The Latic's director has replied to fans who felt they should have installed the system when the new £520,000 pitch was put down in the summer. He explained: "Other factors come into play when a match is postponed. "You have to consider the safety of the fans and make sure that roads around the ground are clear. "Heating would certainly make the pitch playable but it wouldn't necessarily mean games going ahead. "Even if you clear everything and it snows heavily the night before a game there are no guarantees it will be played." Hardy insisted that was the first game in several years which had been lost to frost. He could also have pointed to the example of Halifax Town who recently spent £3000 on heating equipment only to have all their Christmas fixtures postponed anyway.

Reserves clash off The Latic's reserve team game with Rotherham that was scheduled for next Tuesday has been postponed by the club due to first-team commitments. They game should have been at Boundary Park on Tuesday night, but it will now have to be re-arranged. Officials decided on a postponement because the first team tackle Cheltenham on Sunday then face Blackpool the following Wednesday night in the semi-final of the LDV Vans Trophy. No new date has been fixed and that also goes for the home game against Tranmere which was called off on New Year's Day because the pitch was frost-bound. 
New stand tickets running out Most tickets for the popular new Wymans Road stand for the Cup clash with Oldham have been sold, much to club officials' delight. There are odd seats still available for the third round encounter in the new facility while there are around 300 seats still available in the UCAS stand and plenty of terrace tickets in the C&G stand, Paddock and Family Enclosure. Chairman Paul Baker is naturally delighted with the popularity of the club's new stand - stating he believes it makes Whaddon Road a more attractive venue, and puts it down to the excellent views and comfortable seating arrangement.

 Official Leeds United web site (www.leedsunited.com) ANDY RITCHIE BACK AT LEEDS

FORMER UNITED favourite and ex-Oldham manager Andy Ritchie is back at Elland Road after being appointed the new Director of the Leeds United Football Academy. The position has remained vacant since Brian Kidd was promoted to first team coach last March, but Ritchie, who left the managerial position at Boundary Park after turning down the position of Director of Football in October last year, steps in to take overall control of all United's youth teams. Leeds Chairman Peter Ridsdale confirmed the appointment on Thursday. Ridsdale told www.leedsunited.co.uk: "We are delighted to announce Andy Ritchie's appointment as Director of the Leeds United Youth Academy "He's stepped into a position that has remained vacant since Brian Kidd took up the position of first team coach last March. "Andy had an impressive playing career with Manchester United, Brighton, Leeds and Oldham, plus a grounding of football management at club level with Oldham. "Oldham have had one of the best youth policies at club level and Andy's appointment emphasises are commitment to develop outstanding young home grown players at Leeds United." 

Contributions and letters should be sent to Gary Davies by e-mail at LaticsGary@ntlworld.comor at Boundary Bullet-zine,41 Verney Road,Royton,Oldham,United Kingdom.OL2 6AZ07786 928689Or in the Setons Chaddy end Row R Seats 67 & 68Boundary Bullet-zine Archive can be found at http://www.oocities.org/laticsgary.geo.The views expressed on this e-zine are not the views of Oldham Athletic F.C. nor necessarily the views of the Editor.This e-zine is a unofficial publication NOT sanctioned by Oldham Athletic Football Club.The editor will not publish any letters containing bad language.This e-zine is written using Microsoft Outlook Express and is best viewed with the HTML (rich) text option enabled.