INTERESTING INTERVEIW Korey Smith's " Lee helped and guided me before I left Oldham! " Oh those LJ knockers.....................
If he had been anyone else but the manager's son he would have been treated better than he was, which was sometimes disgraceful and insulting. I think under his special circumstances he deserves better respect than he got from the terraces. I think he has proved himself, as a few always thought, a perfect gentleman and he should get a good welcome back to the land of the doubters. Well done Lee.
Always thought him as being an ok player, gentleman, professional and a hard worker. The more some people attacked him the more I respected him. Hope his side lose tomorrow though! ��
'If he had been anyone else but the manager's son he would have' - never got a contract in England. Did manage to get one in a pub league but even they got rid. 'I think he has proved himself' - As what ? Can't be a player, he retired at 31. 1For (Junior's greatest fan), will admit I always said he had a 'footballing brain'. Poor sod just couldn't deliver and killed Marvin to boot who did Junior's running as well. If Orr hadn't got injured, highly probable we'd have beat Hull. 'welcome back to the land of the doubters' - You are confusing his playing ability - zilch, with possible managerial ability. Utterly useless but better than Wagstaff. He took the wife out and pissed in my cornflakes. Although saying that, I see Cotterill's taken my advice. Bring him on in injury time and to play central, he has an eye for a goal.
I read somewhere that LJ is a millionaire several times over so he is clearly not stupid. He has always behaved like a gentleman and clearly has strong family links. Players do however tend to get criticised on their abilities and in this respect he was frustrating. However those times have gone and he should be treated and greeted as an old working colleague who has moved on. Well done Lee and good luck
I think you'll find that he could and did get another contract in England - on loan at Derby where he was very much liked. That only ended when GJ recalled him. Glad he moved on though for his sake - and the unity of our fans. Mind you, his replacement was Kilkenny - now he WAS poor! (Although seems to be doing ok at PNE....)
LJ was beautifully balanced with a wand for a passing foot. The only trouble was he could be pushed off the ball by a large 12 year old. When George Best first arrived at Manchester United there were major doubts he would be big enough for a career in pro football. So Busby sent him to live with a family who were told to fatten him up. Plus he had a growth spurt around 18. Then alcohol gave him plenty of weight in his 20s as his other abilities began to emerge. Sadly LJ never had that growth spurt (or drinking career), never learned to tackle without regard for life nor limb, didn't have the ferocious character of a Bremner, Gemmil or Gow. Realistically if he had done, we never would have got him away from Arsenal, and I doubt GJ would have become our manager because junior would have had him on the bench alongside Wenger. Thats how the Johnson family values work
To come back at redprintt's comment that if Bradley Orr hadn't been injured we would have beaten Hull leaves me a bit quizzical because according to my contacts wasn't Bradders one of the biggest negatives in the dressing room? I got the impression that he was a major part of our problem and I also heard about some kind of dust up in the time leading up to the final that fed poison through our club that was part of the reason we failed to show up as a team at Wembley. I know it was a long time ago now but after that outing we fell apart in dramatic fashion and there had to be a reason and I have never believed it was LJ's fault despite the sad treatment he received at Ashton Gate. A lot of you know way more than I ever will so what's the truth behind whatever happened prior to the Wembley final?
Biggest mistake was leaving out Elliott and then bringing him on at full back. We were outgunned in midfield, with our ball winner playing in Orr's position. That and the fact that Carle couldn't shoot whereas Hull scored a cracker Ancient history - the reality of now beckons
Rickster. Marvin, the best midfielder in the Championship that season, started the game. Orr got injured, Unbelievably Dad moved Marv to RB so the runt could come on in midfield. 1 decision weakened our defence and put an end to our midfield. Ancient history I know but some need reminding.
As you say RP Whether that actually cost us the match though is debatable, and that would be a futile exercise. What is happening at the moment is much more interesting, and one wonders how far it can go. Maybe, just maybe, if we are at Wembley at the end of next season, things might work out differently. Its been a long time since 1980
Never had a problem with Little Lee when he was with us, and he got my applause when he walked out on Saturday. The team he's assembled at Oldham, and on a shoestring budget are a credit to him.
Go along with that too- Always conducted himself well. I am of the opinion that nepotism played a part, but Junior can hardly be blamed for that- He was too short in my opinion by made up for it as well as he could be jumping well.
Ah, the good old LJ debate yet again, poor bloke has been gone for years and still gets a good caning. Stats and facts are a wonderful thing, as RP says LJ never really got another long term full time contract after leaving us and cut his losses at 31, all true, however another true and verifiable fact is that it was only when LJ got injured that our form dipped and we slid from 2nd to clinging onto a play off spot at the end! LJ was always the scapegoat, and Elliott considered the star midfielder, yet when he had the chance to breakfree and show us all how good RP thought he was without Junior weighing him down, he couldn't really do it and our form dropped alarmingly. As I say you can present/view facts/stats anyway you like. I liked LJ and yes he had his faults, not many of that team didn't, but he was consistently picked on (although I absolutly agree that GJ did him no favours at the Play Off final, that was blatant nepotism, and ended any chance of either staying at the club much longer) and if I'm honest, rightly so. I am glad to see him doing a good job at Oldham as English football needs good young managers brething life into lower league football, and I hope he gets the chance in time to manage at a higher level soon.
