#1
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Oldham 1993
There has, as usual, been much talk of the 'Oldham' factor in GPD over the last few weeks. It appears that we should now be safe from the drop, but in 1993 we all felt much the same, only to suffer a shock relegation after Oldham pulled off three highly unlikely wins to end their Season.
Most people remember the five point gap, but on the Saturday evening, after Palace’s win against Ipswich, the gap was 8 points, with Oldham due to play the following day. Palace looked to have pulled well clear of relegation after an excellent 4-1 win against Middlesbrough on 12 April and that 3-1 victory against Ipswich on 1 May. In addition, we managed a point away to Leeds on 17 April. A reverse against the champions Manchester United (a narrow 0-1 defeat at home on 21 April) didn't do much to affect the optimism. So, following our win over Ipswich (as has been frequently mentioned) there was a lap of honour. This looked safe as we then had a massive EIGHT point lead over Oldham (and a better goal difference) - although they had a game in hand (albeit against Aston Villa away, who were second in the table). This is how the table looked that evening, after the Ipswich match and the premature celebrations: Middlesbrough only had one game left, so they couldn't catch us. Oldham had to play Aston Villa away, and Liverpool and Southampton at home. Palace had to play Manchester City and Arsenal (both away). Oldham had to win all three to survive (highly unlikely) and rely upon Palace picking up no more than a single point. So, what happened? Having previously won just 10 games that season - about one in four - Oldham did win all the final three: Aston Villa (A) 1–0, Liverpool (H) 3–2, and Southampton (H) 4–3. Palace managed a draw against City and lost the final match against Arsenal (with Ian Wright scoring against his former Club to hammer the metaphorical nail into the Palace coffin). So, what are your memories of that awful Season end? I flew to New York on the Sunday morning, confident that Palace would be safe. I didn't find out that Oldham had beaten Villa that day until three days later, when I saw the result buried in a US newspaper. Still, we had a five point lead, with both having two to play. I couldn't find the midweek results anywhere, and only discovered the awful truth when I arrived home on 10 May 1993. Here is the final table: |
#2
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For my money, there are a at least a couple of other teams more at risk from "Oldham Syndrome" than us this season - see recent celebrations in Huddersfield and Brighton.
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I get all the news I need on the weather report. |
#3
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Quote:
I started the thread not to alarm people, but to explain to those who were not around at the time how the 1993 season ended and to ask for those who were there to talk about their memories of the unlikely events. |
#4
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You just knew the moment Oldham won at Villa and giving United the title that it was going only one way.
At least we only let in 3 at Arsenal which was an improvement on the 3 previous seasons, so a small positive on a sad day. I was left wondering if the football Legend that was Louie Donowa would have made a difference at the end for us though. |
#5
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A new Royal baby and all the joy that brings - now this, what a downer
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#6
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I still can't believe that happened - I can shut my eyes now and still see the team walking round the pitch after the Ipswich game. I wonder who made the decision to do 'that' lap of honour.
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#7
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What I do remember is that going into the last day, there seemed an inevitability that we would be relegated.
Their victory against Villa was a greater shock, as it was away and Villa were 2nd in the table, than their victory over Liverpool (though still surprising). A horrible week for us Palace fans. It was the steepest and most dramatic drop in the rollercoaster ride we have ever had to experience over the years. I took myself away to a bedroom listening alone to a radio while around at my dads house as Ian Wright put one of the nails into our coffin. Alan Smith said some things at the end which made me happy that he was appointed as the manager following Coppell's resignation. How many others like me, despite being really thankful to him, thought Coppell falling on his sword was the right thing to do? I was wrong on both counts. |
#8
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I remember it only too well, especially the miserable journey home from Highbury.
However, the tables show that Oldham had actually won 10 games that season before the final week - 1 in 4. This is significantly better than Southampton or Stoke have achieved this year. Oldham also had a better goal scoring record. Nevertheless, that relegation still haunts me and will continue to do so every season until we are mathematically safe. |
#9
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Quote:
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#10
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The only good thing about Oldham is that we will never do a premature lap of honour again (cue Saturday after Leicester game)
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Once an Eagle, always an Eagle. |
#11
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The pain remains !
Going down on 49 points with a pretty decent team. Shattering. Particularly recall 'Calamity' David James having a horror show for Liverpool v Oldham and gifting them the game.
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In hindsight, we've all got 20/20 vision..... |
#12
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There will be congas, okey-cokeys and a bit of zumba if we win - feel free to join me.
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#13
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What is interesting looking at the final table is that only one team had averaged less than a point a game.
The points average that Palace got, 1.17, would see us 1 point away from guaranteed safety this season with 3 games to go. |
#14
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Given the Ipswich home game was the last of the season there was always going to be some sort of lap of honour even if we hadn’t won just to show our support going into the final two games. Clearly at the time it looked an impossible job for Oldham and there would have been few concerns.
By the time of the Arsenal game, and given our record against them, it was more a case of hoping that Oldham didn’t get all 3 points in their final game. I was in the bottom tier of the stand to the left of the Clock End but to be honest I can’t remember knowing what the Oldham score was during the game. Once Arsenal scored it was a question of just hoping that Oldham would mess it up. Interesting to note that Sheffield United who were below us won their last two games.
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Also Michael Hughes a f*****g 87 year old journeyman showed Garcia, Pongolle, Potter, Kewell and Cisse how to play in a wide position, he took the p**s out of us tonight. (LFC fansite) Comment is free, but facts are sacred. (C.P. Scott) |
#15
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That is , as I always remember it as it just being between ourselves and Oldham going into the final week.
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#16
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The closest to 'an Oldham' in recent times in the Premier League must be Fulham winning their last three in 2008 to stay up on GD. They were 2-0 down with 20 mins left away at Man City in the first of those three games (and mathematically down at that point).
I know RH says he never consciously knows when he uses his past experiences but I'm glad he's we've got him and RL and Stoke/Southampton haven't! Fulham qualified for Europe the following season. To view the link you have to Register or Login
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Frisk |
#17
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Two words said at any time and in any context sends a shudder through me. One is 'Claridge' and the other is 'Oldham'
Quite the 2 worst feelings I have had as a Palace fan. Couldn't face listening to the last day on the radio (I find that terribly stressful at the best of times) so took the dog for a long walk and came back when it was finished. Just had to look at my Dad's face when I got in to know what had happened. The dog made herself scarce pretty quickly.
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Without the pain, the pleasure of supporting Palace would be less. The big clubs can't understand that. |
#18
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Agree - Huddersfield all holding hands and taking bows to cheers the other week looked very premature to me
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"Crystal Palace is cult viewing, like a late night TV show that only a few people know about, like a precious record that was never number one but makes everybody who knows it want to dance and sing… and sometimes cry." Tony, 3-7-2001 "Well, as I said before, we are only 6 points behind 4th from bottom with the prize of an additional £65 million (minimum) if we stay up. So, we'd be bonkers if that wasn't the top priority. Nobody's giving up on staying in this league." CPFC2010, 5-11-2013 |
#19
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The only thing I remember about the game was coming home from it with my dad and crying on the tube and being consoled by a couple of Arsenal fans who told me we'd come straight back up.
I think that's partially why I don't mind them as a team. My earliest memory of their fans was positive, so it stuck with me.
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Snowflake/PC Twat Free Palestine |
#20
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Thank you James for posting that.
I am of the generation that simply says "Remember Oldham" and never considers us to be safe until the mathematics show us to be safe. I was at a meal last night with a number of friends and more than one of them said words to the effect that we were safe. This is despite me keep telling them that we could still go down (unlikely I know). Clubs being supported by others at the meal were Oxford, Portsmouth and the Clowns. Interesting rivalry between them. |
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