Pre season friendly thread

[Crewelad87]

Ours are as follows

Nantwich Town (A): Saturday 7 July (3pm)
Derby County (A) (Behind-Closed-Doors): Tuesday 10 July (TBC)
Colwyn Bay (A): Wednesday 11 July (TBC)
Barrow FC (A): Saturday 14 July (3pm)
Bala Town (A): Tuesday 17 July (TBC)
Kidsgrove Athletic (A): Tuesday 17 July (TBC)
Altrincham FC (A): Friday 20 July (7:45pm)
Blackpool FC (H): Saturday 28 July (3pm)
Leek Town (A): TBC

 

[Andy Proctor]

Only confirmed ones are away to kidgrove 7th july home to Blackburn14th july away to halifax 17th july home to Blackpool 21st july. We r meant be playing reditch away but the time and date hasnt been confirmed yet.

 

[Indian Dan]

We’ve 2 at home - WBA and Pompey and 3 local non league teams away. Also a game against a Benfica touring side at St George’s.

 

[Casey]

We will only be having one home friendly. It seems we are having major work done on our pitch which, too be honest, was not that bad at all but Brighton's women team will be using it this year too so the work was considered necessary.

We have agreed to play an Ipswich side and Charlton at East Grinstead's ground (East Grinstead are in the Ryman league and are five to ten miles east of Crawley). Obviously, we will not be making much in the way of cash from these games.

Casey

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Lincoln are hosting us on Friday 13th, my first trip to the San Sincil.....

 

[Davidimp]

Lincoln are hosting us on Friday 13th, my first trip to the San Sincil.....

Pretty certain we played you guys in a friendly around 20 years. We also have Blackburn at home too.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Pretty certain we played you guys in a friendly around 20 years. We also have Blackburn at home too.

July 98, won 3-0, i didn't go.

 

[Davidimp]

July 98, won 3-0, i didn't go.

Thought so!
You'll be in the Stacey west stand behind one of the goals.

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Thought so!
You'll be in the Stacey west stand behind one of the goals.

I may not be, my mate works for your club so maybe sat with him

 

[Blue Lion]

We are playing a couple of tiny non league minnows called Wrexham and Stockport County. We also have a fearsome derby game against Alty.

 

[JJ1532]

Ours are as follows

Nantwich Town (A): Saturday 7 July (3pm)
Derby County (A) (Behind-Closed-Doors): Tuesday 10 July (TBC)
Colwyn Bay (A): Wednesday 11 July (TBC)
Barrow FC (A): Saturday 14 July (3pm)
Bala Town (A): Tuesday 17 July (TBC)
Kidsgrove Athletic (A): Tuesday 17 July (TBC)
Altrincham FC (A): Friday 20 July (7:45pm)
Blackpool FC (H): Saturday 28 July (3pm)
Leek Town (A): TBC

A typically bland set of games. Not a single interesting game amongst them, the Colwyn Bay and Leek games will probably be U23 games.

Still, Blackpool should be a better warm up game for the season than the Stoke reserves were this season.

 

[Si Robin]

We've announced two so far, Birmingham at home on July 21st and Cirencester Town away on July 6th.

 

[Chris FGR]

We've got Slimbridge and Swindon Supermarine confirmed as usual, will probably have Brimscombe and Thrupp and Shortwood confirmed soon as well. Same set of local away games we always have.

 

[Another Walkley Owl]

Lincoln are hosting us on Friday 13th, my first trip to the San Sincil.....

Never done Lincoln City either, having been to Lincoln for a 50th do last month, and had a great day, (from what I can recall) I will definetly be up for this, nice City, plenty of boozers, relatively large (for a friendly) pissed up following, should be a good day out.

 

[GloverGing]

Ours are:

Wed 11/07/2018 : 19:45 : Home : Swansea City
Sat 14/07/2018 : TBA (expexted to be as part of a training camp in Wales, wouldn't be surprised if its Merthyr Town where Gavin Williams is manager)
Tue 17/07/2018 : 19:45 : Home : Bristol Rovers
Sat 21/07/2018 : 15:00 : Home : Plymouth Argyle
Tue 24/07/2018 : 19:45 : Away : Dorchester Town
Sat 28/07/2018 : 15:00 : Away : Corby Town
Mon 30/07/2018 : 19:00 : Away : Gillingham Town

The usual mix of West Country and Welsh teams, with a rather random trip to Corby Town.

 

[Boz]

Currently, Homes to Fleetwood, Wigan and Rochdale, Aways at Warrington and Chorley.

No confirmation of a money-spinning friendly with Red Scouse yet.

 

[Dan_Macclad]

Stockport, Altrincham and Wrexham so far.

 

[The_Boss]

Stockport, Altrincham and Wrexham so far.

Interestingly at home Vs Wrexham!! Hopefully they bring a few!!

 

[Huntsman94]

Currently, Homes to Fleetwood, Wigan and Rochdale, Aways at Warrington and Chorley.

No confirmation of a money-spinning friendly with Red Scouse yet.

Decent set of fixtures so far. Think the LFC game is the midweek before Wigan just waiting for them to announce. Club takes around 130k on that game which helps!

 

[shoddycollins]

We haven't announced ours yet but the general pattern is, we don't do home friendlies and instead do a tour of Cumbria concluding with a couple of away friendlies at teams from the Conference, SPL or League One and maybe one or two behind closed doors against similar opposition. Last season we kicked off at Carlisle City which was the first friendly we'd played in Carlisle in a while so I hope we do that again, it was a nice day out.

 

[Greenacres]

We've got Slimbridge and Swindon Supermarine confirmed as usual, will probably have Brimscombe and Thrupp and Shortwood confirmed soon as well. Same set of local away games we always have.

Much as I enjoy visits to Shortwood and Brimscombe, which are equally lovely as places to watch a game of football, they are little more than a chance to improve match fitness. I would rather the first team played behind doors friendlies against serious opposition than put out different sides in each half against local teams that are in some cases half a dozen divisions below where we are. I accept that some of this is about maintaining a relationship with local teams and helping them generate vital funds, which should be applauded, but from the point of view of assessing where your squad is and where there might be gaps their value is close to zero. We used to play some decent teams in pre-season, which also helped swell our coffers, which we didn't do last season and possibly paid the price in having a squad that wasn't division two quality.

 

[valefan16]

Think we have Rotherham and Shrewsbury lined up at home. Playing four at home this year as Aspin wants the players to get used to Vale Park. (Which I assume means we will play with the wider pitch setting)

Assume we will have Newcastle Town thrown in somewhere too and we have a deal that we will play Redditch away as part of the Dior Angus transfer.

 

[shoddycollins]

Much as I enjoy visits to Shortwood and Brimscombe, which are equally lovely as places to watch a game of football, they are little more than a chance to improve match fitness. I would rather the first team played behind doors friendlies against serious opposition than put out different sides in each half against local teams that are in some cases half a dozen divisions below where we are. I accept that some of this is about maintaining a relationship with local teams and helping them generate vital funds, which should be applauded, but from the point of view of assessing where your squad is and where there might be gaps their value is close to zero. We used to play some decent teams in pre-season, which also helped swell our coffers, which we didn't do last season and possibly paid the price in having a squad that wasn't division two quality.

I'm sure the bucolic splendour of Shortwood makes a nice change from the concrete jungle that is central Nailsworth though, good for your fans to get a breath of fresh air. Just remember to cover up your FGR tops until you're safely inside the segregated away fans' section, I hear the old farm derby can get pretty tasty.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

I'm sure the bucolic splendour of Shortwood makes a nice change from the concrete jungle that is central Nailsworth though, good for your fans to get a breath of fresh air. Just remember to cover up your FGR tops until you're safely inside the segregated away fans' section, I hear the old farm derby can get pretty tasty.

Shortwood's not so bad if you keep your head down but if they catch you by the chippy in Brimscombe you can end up with a nasty case of Thrupp.
Take greenacre's point about their utility as warm-ups but I'd hate to lose these local games, love 'em.

 

[Chris FGR]

I'm sure the bucolic splendour of Shortwood makes a nice change from the concrete jungle that is central Nailsworth though, good for your fans to get a breath of fresh air. Just remember to cover up your FGR tops until you're safely inside the segregated away fans' section, I hear the old farm derby can get pretty tasty.

They're lads don't wanna mess with the South Stand bods pal. Cheltenham ran, so will they.

ALL of the Stroud Valley is our turf now.

 

[Greenacres]

It is quite bizarre to think of Rovers having a "firm", or at least one that likes to think of itself as such, most of the time I have been following the team the majority of our fans have fallen within the "infirm" category.

 

[Chris FGR]

It is quite bizarre to think of Rovers having a "firm", or at least one that likes to think of itself as such, most of the time I have been following the team the majority of our fans have fallen within the "infirm" category.

You clearly don't remember the Barnfield Army or the Rockwool Army then?

 

[Greenacres]

I do remember the Rockwool Army, and musing why they didn't change their name to the Eesi Army when the stands swapped ends, but can't remember them having any ideas of their own self-importance like the South Stand group have.

 

[Douglas_Valley_Reds]

Ours are as follows

Nantwich Town (A): Saturday 7 July (3pm)
Derby County (A) (Behind-Closed-Doors): Tuesday 10 July (TBC)
Colwyn Bay (A): Wednesday 11 July (TBC)
Barrow FC (A): Saturday 14 July (3pm)
Bala Town (A): Tuesday 17 July (TBC)
Kidsgrove Athletic (A): Tuesday 17 July (TBC)
Altrincham FC (A): Friday 20 July (7:45pm)
Blackpool FC (H): Saturday 28 July (3pm)
Leek Town (A): TBC

Will give the Barrow & Alty matches a go, shame the Colwyn Bay game is midweek.

 

[Amber Nectar]

They're lads don't wanna mess with the South Stand bods pal. Cheltenham ran, so will they.

ALL of the Stroud Valley is our turf now.

View attachment 8487

Firm or kids club?