Pre-season Tours

[That Fat Centre Half]

Team are currently in Slovenia training. Before they left we played our regular pre season game against Hitchin and won that 6-2. They have given us a bit of a game in the past, so 6-2 is a decent result. Were very comfortable but gave away 2 really bad goals with defensive errors from Lloyd Jones and for second Sonny Bradley didnt look to clever, very slow turning circle.

Still early on and you could see the pattern of play wasnt there at all but a few players really impressed me. Cornick looked like he had learned how to shoot (his new hair is dreadful though!), Gambin looked class too. Bar his error Lloyd Jones looked very comfortable on the ball. Also liked the look of Aaron Jarvis, who is a striker I had totally forgotten we had signed last season. Looked like a really good proper number 9 and held the ball up well, leading to some good goals from Gambin and Cornick.

 

[Bottega Don]

Not a tour but there's rumours we may have to postpone a pre-season match with Alfreton due to a lack of players. We are a joke.

 

[Marked Ox]

Not a tour but there's rumours we may have to postpone a pre-season match with Alfreton due to a lack of players. We are a joke.

That really wouldn't be good.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Didn't we just field our assistant manager to make up numbers?

Problem is, Sunderland need to sell their world cup superstars before they sign anyone. All the good players are waiting for their offers from Sunderland. All the rest of us are waiting to see who Sunderland sign before we pick up the rest. It'll all work itself out after the tournament finishes.

 

[Marked Ox]

Didn't we just field our assistant manager to make up numbers?

Problem is, Sunderland need to sell their world cup superstars before they sign anyone. All the good players are waiting for their offers from Sunderland. All the rest of us are waiting to see who Sunderland sign before we pick up the rest. It'll all work itself out after the tournament finishes.

We did but this was so we weren't risking other players who had a knock in the game (Rob Dickie and Samir Carruthers). Also Cameron Brannagan had a virus which meant he was unavailable and as was Rob Hall. We still had 20 players involved.

Also, we've had a bid accepted for a player (not that it means it will happen) and have a loan agreed although don't know who. Apparently we're very near another loan as well.

 

[Caer]

Game 1 in our tour of 30 minutes drive away we lost 1-0 to Darlington.

A result and performance that would normally be worrying if not for that I remembered the pre-season during Moyes' reign we were unbeaten and drew with Borussia Dortmund so friendlies are an utter anomaly.

Hartlepool away this Saturday and Middlesbrough away on some Friday night conclude that tour.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Also, we've had a bid accepted for a player (not that it means it will happen) and have a loan agreed although don't know who. Apparently we're very near another loan as well.

If it is Matty Taylor I hope a handshake was involved

 

[GFCSludge]

Gills sides of varying strengths right down to our scholars have beaten Bromley (5-1), Sheppey Utd (7-1) and Faversham (2-0) and drawn with Deal (2-2) and Folkestone (1-1).

The big guns of Margate and Tonbridge Angels await on Saturday...

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Underestimate Tonbridge Angels at your peril

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Underestimate Tonbridge Angels at your peril

Certainly not an easy place to go on a moderate Saturday afternoon.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Didn't we just field our assistant manager to make up numbers?

Problem is, Sunderland need to sell their world cup superstars before they sign anyone. All the good players are waiting for their offers from Sunderland. All the rest of us are waiting to see who Sunderland sign before we pick up the rest. It'll all work itself out after the tournament finishes.

How many players, and who, have Sunderland got at the WC?

 

[Kenneth E End]

Team are currently in Slovenia training. Before they left we played our regular pre season game against Hitchin and won that 6-2. They have given us a bit of a game in the past, so 6-2 is a decent result. Were very comfortable but gave away 2 really bad goals with defensive errors from Lloyd Jones and for second Sonny Bradley didnt look to clever, very slow turning circle.

Still early on and you could see the pattern of play wasnt there at all but a few players really impressed me. Cornick looked like he had learned how to shoot (his new hair is dreadful though!), Gambin looked class too. Bar his error Lloyd Jones looked very comfortable on the ball. Also liked the look of Aaron Jarvis, who is a striker I had totally forgotten we had signed last season. Looked like a really good proper number 9 and held the ball up well, leading to some good goals from Gambin and Cornick.

Got a game today v NK Rijeka which will probably be one of the toughest of pre season; they’re going to be entering the Europa League in August. They’re the second best team in Croatia; maybe time for a bit of revenge after Wednesday?!

 

[Kenneth E End]

Anyone in need of a Friday afternoon football fix can watch our friendly here...

Planet Sport 1 already looks better than Premier Sports!

 

[Craig]

We're going to Hungary to play Budaörsi SC.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Finished HNK Rijeka 2-0 Luton Town in Slovenia. The Croatians are a top quality side; probably low Premier League level. They enter the Europa League in a few weeks, but last season they beat AC Milan in the Group Stage.

The first half Luton struggled to get the ball off them; the second goal being a great strike from 25 yards from a player who has won leagues in 2 countries. Second half particularly impressed by Harry Cornick who definitely seems like he's stepped up a level over the summer.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Finished HNK Rijeka 2-0 Luton Town in Slovenia. The Croatians are a top quality side; probably low Premier League level.

 

[GFCSludge]

Certainly not an easy place to go on a moderate Saturday afternoon.

Pffft, 5-1 win. Angels, we shit 'em.

 

[Pugwash]

Just back from a long weekend in Budapest, part funded by the club, to see the Cods take on a Hungarian side (2-0 to the Cods by the way). Bit surreal watching my team play a foreign side in a state of the art Hungarian sports complex, followed by watching the England v Belguim play off game beside the first team players and Joey Barton. Dosn't seem that long away I had a stand to myself watching them away at Bacup Borough.

General consenus from the other travelling supporters, coaching staff, players and manager is that this could be a very good year for the club, really good vibes coming from everyone. Onward Together.

 

[joethegill]

I know it doesn't count for a lot, and I'm by no means a Walsall expert and therefore don't know how close this is to a first 11, but they look dreadful in their friendly with Villa tonight. 3-0 down at half time and look appalling.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Lost 3-2 to Sheffield United last night, Wyke went off after 8 minutes "injured".

 

[Marked Ox]

We beat Aldershot 3-0. The remainder of the squad play Hungerford today.

We then have the start of the more serious friendlies with C Palace on Sat, Leeds on Tues and then MK Dons on the Friday.

 

[joethegill]

Beat Dartford 3-0 last night, Elliott List with 2 and Josh Parker with the other. Looks like Tom Eaves may miss the start of the season, and Conor Wilkinson was also absent last night, so it's great to see List getting on the scoresheet more regularly albeit in pre-season games. Finished the season with 2 in 2 so there are fairly high hopes for more progression. Another double header on saturday, with games at Ebbsfleet and Dover simultaneously which is a bit weird - the first team were together for the first time last night, and they're going to be split up again at the weekend presumably, don't really get that myself!

After the weekend, we have away games Eastleigh and Colchester as the final two 'first team' warm up games.

 

[Caer]

First win of the preseason at Grimsby last night, when we don't pass the ball to the attackers we don't concede. I suspect Jack Ross' will be relaying that to the players from now on.

Tour of the North East-ish so far:

1-0 loss to Darlington
1-1 draw with Hartlepool
1-0 win against Grimsby

St. Mirren on Saturday
Middlesbrough at some point between now and the end of the season

Exciting stuff.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Just finished Chesham United (step 3) 1-5 Luton Town. Goals from Jake Jervis, Jorge Grant (2), Danny Hylton and Matty Pearson. Chesham took the lead in this game and it was only really the last 10 mins where Luton cut loose and score their last 3 goals. Reminicient of last season.

 

[Marked Ox]

An Oxford Utd XI including the odd 1st team squad member and u23s beat Hungerford 3-2.

 

[bantamigo]

Finally won a preseason game last night against Park Avenue, ironically it was mostly youths and reserves.

 

[mowgli]

We've played 2 home friendlies so far and lost both.
Wycombe 0 West Ham 1 against their first team minus players involved in Russia.
Wycombe 0 Brentford 1 a late pen.
We played well in both games apparently and had 5 trialists against West Ham 3 of who were asked to come back for Brentford and did enough for another look according to Ainsworth.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Finally won a preseason game last night against Park Avenue, ironically it was mostly youths and reserves.

Bit of a piss take really, Park Avenue playing their youths and reserves against you.
Glad you beat 'em.

 

[Kenneth E End]

St Albans City (Step 2) 3-6 Luton Town

Would like to say it was relatively routine, which it was for the majority, but some pretty soft goals conceded on Luton’s part; the second in particular for St Albans was a huge cock up between Lloyd Jones and Marek Stech. Youngster Arthur Read came on second half and cracked in a great strike; he looks to have real promise.

First half hat trick for Danny Hylton, with goals also from Jorge Grant, Read and James Collins - Town being 5-1 up at HT.

Four first team pre season friendlies - scored 17 conceded 8! Standard really steps up this week v Norwich and Notts County.

 

[joethegill]

Half our first team beat Dover 3-0, and the other half lost 2-0 at Ebbsfleet.

I was at Ebbsfleet.