With the big freeze still taking control of the country (34 league matches were postponed last weekend alone) we thought it might be fun to remember some more of the snow stories from the past. An excellent reference book for similar Latics stories is Oldham Athletic "Miscellany" and we are including some excerpts from the book below. Enjoy your read.
"Oldham Athletic -
Miscellany"
Eric Gemmell
Eric Gemmell joined Athletic in June 1947 and in the league match with Chester on 19th January 1952, Gemmell performed an incredible feat when he scored seven goals in the 11-2 thrashing of the Cheshire visitors, six of them coming in succession. The feat had not been accomplished since April 1936 when Joe Payne had hit double figures in one match with his ten goals for Luton Town helping to anhialate Bristol Rovers by 12-0 in a Third Division (South) game. There were 13,252 spectators who witnessed the game which was played on the snow covered Boundary Park pitch and Eric's remarkable performance was enough to warm them up on such a chilly day. The previous week Chester had shocked First Division Chelsea with a 2-2 draw in the third-round of the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge and much of the pre-match talk was about that. Chester even took the lead in the game twice before Gemmell took a grip on proceedings. In the following season the Latics won the Third Division (North) championship and Gemmell was the club's leading scorer with 23 goals from only 27 league games as he had suffered through injury.
Inclement Weather
On 25th February 1933, and with a blizzard blowing and the pitch covered in snow, the home game against West Ham was postponed.
Fourth Division Runners Up
The undoubted highlight of the campaign came in very cold Boxing Day fixture which was played on a snow covered Boundary Park pitch. With many games postponed, the groundstaff worked wonders to get the field playable and did it pay off? Southport were the visitors and they returned to Haig Lane suffering after Athletic's record league win of 11-0 which also created a record score for the Fourth Division. The flurry off the field was matched with a flurry of goals on the field, a goal-fest which was led by a double hat-trick from centre forward Bert Lister. Colin Whittaker also scored a hat-trick and goals from Johnny Colquhoun and Bob Ledger completed the rout. The architect of the win was undoubtedly wee Bobby Johnstone who turned in a virtuoso performance that was a complete pleasure to watch. It was very cruel that the master craftsman couldn't have scored a goal himself on that day.
Oldham Athletic "Miscellany" can be purchased directly from the author who will send signed copies if you contact the e-mail address at this link . The books are also on sale at the club shop "We Are Latics", at all good book stores and through mail order at Amazon, WH Smith, Waterstones, Video and DVD online, Soccer Books Ltd. and other good online outlets. Join the Oldham Athletic "Miscellany" Facebook page at this link.