Oldham (and probably Hibs) visit Wigan in top of the table battle

It's tough at the top - they say...

But to hell we'll settle for it.

A massive game at th'athletics stadium against Oldham Town becomes even more important as rivals AFC Liverpool and Bootle play the league's bottom two - Rochdale Town and Ashton Town respectively. A win is a must.

That said Oldham are a decent team that looked good going forward in the game at their gaff a couple of weeks ago. They'll also be smarting after the Robins took away their home league record and not a little miffed about the sending-off.

It should be a cracking game. Whilst WRP haven't hit the giddy heights of scoring six a game they've manage to grind out the results and despite being ravaged with injuries have kept it pretty solid at the back.

Usual procedure: 3pm kick off, £3.50 in and £1.50 for the programme.

So if anybody wants to watch good, hard, competitive football then WN5 is the postcode to be seen in this Saturday




Meanwhile here's a summary of the Robins remaining fixtures - sort of

As it stands at the moment

Oldham Town (H) Sat 28 Feb 2009.

Darwen (A) Tue 3 Mar 2009.

Norton Utd (A) Sat 7 Mar 2009.

AFC Blackpool (H) Sat 14 Mar 2009.

Padiham (H) Tue 24 Mar 2009.

AFC Liverpool(H) Tue 31 Mar 2009.

Darwen (H) Sat 4 Apr 2009.

Chadderton (A) Sat 11 Apr 2009.

Irlam (A) Easter Mon 13 Apr 2009.

Cheadle Town (A) Sat 18 Apr 2009.

Padiham (A) Sat 2 May 2009.

THREE GAMES STILL TO BE ARRANGED

Stone Dominoes (H)

Daisy Hill(A)

Eccleshall (A)

FREE SATURDAYS

21 Mar 2009
Both Stone and Daisy Hill have no game that day

25 Apr 2009
Eccleshall have no game that day

9 May 2009 - this weekend is set aside for final games I believe. So could play either of three then but common sense would suggest:

21 Mar Stone (H) or Daisy Hill (A)
25 Apr Eccleshall (A)
9 May Stone (H) or Daisy Hill (A)

Then again all that doesn't take into account other games that Stone, Eccleshall and Daisy Hill have to play... So who knows

* Not sure if they'll have Hibs with em

Wigan travel to Yorkshire in search of Champions League place

So if I want to know about Oldham I give my mate Oldham Geoff a bell and I say: "What's Hollinwood like?"

And Oldham Geoff says: "Used to be a nice working class area full of neat terraced houses.

"All gone now - last time I was driven through the place I didn't recognise it.

"Used to go to my mate Dave Salt's - who lived there - before we went to the match and before we were old enough to drink.

"He had a sister that was five years older than him and was fucking gorgeous.

"Looked like Suzi Quatro but with bigger tits and we used to listen to Nazareth and Uriah Heap and Yes.

"She's probably a grandma and retired now!"












So now you know about Hollinwood. And where those houses were runs the M60 motorway that heads south around Manchester. But Hollinwood is in Oldham and home of Oldham Town Football Club. The team that were formed in 1964 as the works team of George Dew and known as Oldham Dew.But now they are Town and play at the White Bank Stadium and lie just one place behind the Robins in fifth and are in fine form.

This will be a vital game for both teams. Blue and white stripes will take on red and white hoops the John Willie Lees will be flowing...

Ground:

White Bank Stadium
White Bank Road
Hollins
Oldham OL8 3JH

Directions:

M60 to Junction 18, join the new M60 motorway to junction 22, Hollinwood, at top of slip road turn right (Roxy Cinema on your left), turn left at next set of lights onto Hollins Road (A6104), follow road until you see fire station on right, turn right at fire station, follow road down to next left Whitebank Road. Ground is on your left.

Nearest Railway Station: Hollinwood



OLDHAM TOWN PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVE FROM AFC LIVERPOOL

Live from The Sands, Wigan WN5

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But Eccleshall is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I've bought some Uncle Joes for popping,
The floodlights are turned way down low,
Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow!

Will we finally see goals this night,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you keep the midfield tight,
The curry in the Bath Springs will be warm.

The Bear is really flying,
And, Ben Kay, is still half-dying,
But as long as Michael Fish says so,
Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow! Stop the Snow!

And if it's on it'll be: Twelfth versus Fourth and a chance for Jay Foulds to challenge 1032 (or whatever it is) minutes without conceding a goal. Jay could be on 360 - if we ignore the Bacup game!

The Robins have been a bit rusty of late but the mean-spirited defence has held firm and has made up for the less than fluid football that has been played up front.

As normal all we can ask for is to home it's on, a good game takes place and we come away with three points.

Oh and the ground looks a blinder...

MISS WIGAN ROBIN PARK FEBRUARY 2009

The most sought-after accolade in non-league football sees Robin Tunney crowned as Miss Robin Park February 2009.

The Prison Break actress can claim her prize of free entry to a Robins game of her choice and half-price pie at any of this season's remaining games at th'athletics stadium