Boundary Park - "Fantastic in Plastic"

"Fantastic in Plastic"

In 1986 the club installed an artificial pitch in order to generate more income for the club and this coincided with the club's upturn in fortunes under manager Joe Royle. In 1987, the club reached the play-offs and in 1989/90 the club went through what is regarded as the club's greatest-ever season, reaching the League Cup Final and the semi-final of the FA Cup, and the club claimed major upsets against the likes of Arsenal, Southampton, Everton and Aston Villa. Critics felt that the pitch gave the club an advantage, but in 1991 Royle responded to this when the Portsmouth manager declared that Oldham couldn't play away, he stuck the article to the dressing room door and the team responded with a 4-1 victory. At the end of the 1990/91 season the club secured promotion to the top flight, the final match on the plastic pitch was probably one of the most memorable games played at the ground when Latics, in order to win the old second division, had to beat Sheffield Wednesday and rely on West Ham losing. 60 minutes into the game, Wednesday were 2-0 up, but Ian Marshall pulled a goal back, then Paul Bernard equalised. By this point, West Ham were losing. In time added on, Andy Barlow went down in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Neil Redfearn stepped up to convert it and a mass pitch invasion followed, as it had been confirmed that West Ham had lost 2-1 to Notts County. With promotion to the top flight, Oldham Athletic were then forced to have the plastic pitch removed because of league rules. They stayed in the top league for 3 seasons ( 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993-4) before being relegated, and after 3 seasons in the second tier were relegated again in 1997. They have been in the third division, now called League One, ever since.