Think of everything that's happend to Barnsley since promotion to the Premier League - administration, relegation to League One, promotion back to the Championship, a trip to the Old Wembley, a trip to the New Wembley, beating Chelsea etc... and then look what's happend at Oldham Athletic during that time: 2011-2012: League One - currently 13th 2010-2011: League One - 17th 2009-2010: League One - 16th 2008-2009: League One - 10th 2007-2008: League One - 8th 2006-2007: League One - 6th 2005-2006: League One - 10th 2004-2005: League One - 19th 2003-2004: League One - 15th 2002-2003: League One - 5th 2001-2002: League One - 9th 2000-2001: League One - 15th 1999-2000: League One - 14th 1998-1999: League One - 20th 1997-1998: League One - 13th 1996-1997: Championship - 23rd (relegated) ...so not much. Looking at clubs like Oldham just makes me appreciate what our small town club has achieved/been through over the last 15 years or so. So to all those who've commented they are getting bored BFC at the moment - let's all be grateful we aren't Oldham fans!!
They had it tough dealing with locals wanting to support Manchester United. Now with Manchester City as well the crowds are really suffering. Currently in a deal of 5 games for 15 quid (yes three quid each) and still only just getting 4,000 through the gates. Stagnated as the longest reigning club in that league, but Dickov and Taggart are doing a pretty good job. Well until they lose a lot of their players in the summer to clubs who can swipe them away cheaply.
You're absolutely right about the Manchester clubs, but the other major problem they have had is the ground. It has been a matter of on-again, off-again for moving grounds for the last 15 years. They were about to move to a new ground just a bit further down the hill (towards the motorway junction) but that was called off late in the planning stages, they ended up losing the ground (I think the local council owns it now) so they have considered trying to find a completely new location but face the same old problem of having no asset to leverage to build a new place. Meantime, Boundary Park is falling down (the old Lookers stand has been dismantled) and it is just not an appealing place to attract new fans - not that it ever was, to be honest. Thank goodness I get to go to Oakwell whenever I'm back in the UK, while my other half skulks off to Boundary Park. Tee hee.
Why compare ourselves to Oldham and Rochdale? Why not look at Swansea who finished 90th in the Football League in 2003 and were getting crowds of 4,000. Why can't we be aspirational rather than being grateful for the fact that there are people worse off than us.
The 15 years before then were a bit more eventful though. Premier league, Cup final at Wembley, Promotions, Relegations... while we were sat happily in Division 2 with the occasionally flirtation with promotion or relegation. Both clubs have had periods of consolidation and times on the rollercoaster.
Absolutely right! Boundary Park............officially the coldest place on Earth!!! (BTW, hope your "new" neighbour isn't causing too much trouble!!)
