Over the next few weeks we will be getting to know the OAFC Her Game Too team a bit better. First up is our amazing advocate Dawn!
Name: Dawn Marsden
What got you into football?
My dad used to take me to Latics when I was a kid in the early 90s. He tried his best to pass his passion on but I just wasn’t interested in what was happening on the pitch so I used to take a book. His persistence eventually paid off and I started going because I wanted to and not just to keep my dad happy.
The irony of me actually being physically there for our glory years but not paying any attention is not lost on me.
In 2004, I started going out with Carl, who I married five years later. He's a lifelong fan and, at the time, he was the Latics reporter for the local paper and did the away team profiles for the programme so I got much more into following the club thanks to him.
Our son Oliver was born in 2011 and we spent a decade trying to get him into football with very limited success. He was signed up as a Boundary Blue within minutes of being born across the road from BP - thanks to a quick phonecall to Alan Hardy - and he was match mascot before he even started school.
Oli meeting Chaddy
He was always obsessed with Chaddy but he just wasn’t feeling the footy side of things no matter how many games we took him to.
He begrudgingly came with us to Dale at home last season when Shez returned and was immediately hooked. He’s just got his first ever season ticket and puts all his efforts into getting his mates to come to BP instead of watching United and City on telly.
Myself, Carl & Oli.
Favourite memory as a fan?
Obvious ones, like knocking Liverpool out of the FA Cup after our lot spent hours clearing snow off the pitch so the game could go ahead, beating Everton on their own turf and THAT Peterborough game that I had to be dragged to because I was severely hungover.
My favourite game last season was Scunthorpe away because it was my son’s first away and he said it was the best day of his life! He was absolutely entralled for 90 minutes and spent the whole game singing his little head off.
Favourite past player and why?
Anyone who knows me at all will know the answer to this. Sean Gregan will never be removed as my all time favourite player. He was a proper leader on the pitch and dominated our back line. I still miss him.
Favourite current player and why?
I’m still getting used to our current squad and haven’t made my mind up about most of the players yet.
Oli and his Christmas present
When Oli was little, we bought him a brick that would go in the North Stand (now the Joe Royle Stand) next to Joe Royle’s brick. He wasn’t too impressed when he received the certificate for the brick on Christmas Day but now he insists on going to see his brick before every home game and he rubs it for good luck.
Oli’s first ever game. He treasures the signed flag given to him by manager Paul Dickov
How is it being involved with Her Game Too?
HGT is a fantastic cause and it’s wonderful to work with such a lovely bunch of girls to get positive things done at BP.
I can only speak for myself, but I have always found Latics fans to be a friendly and welcoming bunch and I have never felt intimidated or discriminated against by our male fans because I’m a woman.
Female fans don’t want special treatment or any kind of fanfare, we just want to be able to go to games and not have to worry about harassment or sexist abuse. I hear stories from female fans at other clubs and feel lucky to be Oldham Athletic.
I’m proud of the work the OAFC HGT team have done so far, especially working with local businesses to get free sanitary products in every stand. Initiatives like that will make a real difference and help to make it even more family friendly.
Meeting Wealdstone FC fan Nicola, who took part in our blog
I also love featuring a female away fan on our blog ahead of every home game. It’s a great way to learn more about this new league we’ve found ourselves in this season!