Ex-Captain Kev chooses Oldham

Last updated : 24 July 2008 By Shrimpers24


Maher: Not moving to Swindon

So after 10 years we'll be seeing Kev play in another shirt this season, weird!

Oldham Athletic have won the race to sign experienced midfielder Kevin Maher on a free transfer. Maher was released by the Blues at the end of the last campaign and had been training with Gillingham in pre-season.

He spent a loan spell at Gillingham last term and manager Mark Stimson was hopeful of signing the 31-year-old to complete a nap hand of old Blues at the Kent based side. Swindon Town had also made Maher an offer, but the player has opted for a move up north to Boundary Park.

We want to remember him at his best, that free-kick against QPR to make it five on that barmy February Friday night in 2007 when he made us all believe we might stay up or earlier that season, against Coventry in October 2006, when the thirty yard pass of the season put Freddie through for one of the best goals I've ever seen at the Hall.

Leading us out at Cardiff three times and being third time lucky as he picked up the League Two play-off trophy in May 2005, or a year later parading the League One Championship trophy around Roots Hall in front of estactic crowds.

He went hand in hand with the T&B years that changed the whole outlook of the club.


However, the writing was on the wall when Tilly shocked us all last October when he dropped Kev for, I believe, the first time. I picked out some correspondance on the Roots Hall Roar message boards.

Posted by canadaboy on 06 Nov 2007 16:28
Captain Maher ...
Have tried posting on some other forums. Being in Canada I am not savy on the happenings at the Hall. Why has Captain Kev not been playing? Is it just good play by others or did he do a nasty foe pas? This is his testimonial year. I would like to see him reserected thru the season as loyalty is without question for him. So what are your views. Just wish we could do some serious home winning!!!! Notts Forest tonight will be tough. Good luck.

Posted by tlgnews on 06 Nov 2007 17:31
re: Captain Maher ...
He was dropped before the Crewe game which caught us all out!
The bottom line was that Tilly likes us to play with two widemen which was tough while Gower was injured, (not that Black, and Gower since he returned, have played that well anyway). So he brought Bailey in and asked McCormack to play wide which caused some problems.
1) Bailey was brilliant but was forced back as Captain Kev dictated the offensive stuff from the middle of the park in his usual manner. The boy started to drift out of games. Bailey also scored great goals.
2) We lacked bite in the middle as opposing midfields got through too easily, forcing Mac to come back inside, leaving Lewis exposed. McCormack also scored great goals.
3) The pressure started to show on Kev as we lost a couple. (Including an extraordinary verbal attack on his own supporters at Brighton.) His main strength, his passing abilty, started to suffer. Maher only scored great goals twice a season.
The murmous started but even so it was a genuine shock when Tilly dropped him before the Crewe game not even placing him on the bench where he has been for the last three matches. We have now won 3 of the 4 games that the Bailey-McCormack partnership has been in operation, they do look seriously very good.
However I think you will get your wish on Saturday in the Rochdale cup tie with Mac suspended, again! It will be interesting to see if Bailey and Maher, who both like dictating the forward play, can get on together.
As for Forest, thanks, we will need it!
(Wasn't it just!)

Posted by canadaboy on 18 Nov 2007 00:42
re: re: Captain Maher ...
So how has he been playing since winning his position back?

Posted by tlgnews on 19 Nov 2007 09:40
re: re: re: Captain Maher ...
Well a couple of 6 performances really. Certainly better in the second half against Cheltenham than at any time v Rochdale. Seems to have slowed up a touch with his time in the reserves, while that clockwork passing certainly goes AWOL far too many times. The Bailey-McCormack duo is just better at the moment. Tilly has a problem here but as I suggested a while back we could be seeing the beggining of the end of a Southend legend.

Posted by canadaboy on 10 Feb 2008 01:09
re: re: re: re: Captain Maher ...
It seems he has dropped right out of team selection. Not even on the subs bench. Feel sorry for the man as he has been a loyal member. I hope he gets his testimonial. What is his future? But injuries can creep up. He is a valuable asset to the team.

Posted by tlgnews on 11 Feb 2008 17:37
re: re: re: re: re: Captain Maher ...
Yes, it looks as if he could be off at the end of the season or even a loan deal any day. I agree, great servant to the club, but the Bailey-Mac partnership, though looking tired at the moment, is the future and it's not fair to just have Captain Kev on the bench waiting for an injury or, the more likely, a suspension.
Still, he's done his 10 years so a testimonial should be on the cards at the start of next season. Spurs?

Kevin Maher has signed a one-year contract with the Latics and we wish him all the best with his new club.

YearsClubApp (Gls)*
1995-1998
1998-2008
2008
2008-
Tottenham Hotspur
Southend United
Gillingham (loan)
Oldham Athletic
000 0(0)
384 (22)
008 0(0)
000 0(0)
National team
R. Ireland under-21004 0(0)


N.B. Appearances and goals in domestic leagues only