Saturday 21st August

[denzel ecfc]

At least Grounds won’t be playing. That’s got to be a bonus!

He is eligible so you never know. But a back three of Hartridge, Ray and Sweeney seems to be working better. No guarantee that they are all fit tomorrow though!

 

[Robshep]

I think the crowds are down as ticket prices have gone up, they were a tenner I think the last season with fans but now £15.00 so less attractive for the part time United fan.

Good. Horrendous club.

 

[chipmunx]

good news for supporters of all other L2 clubs - we've drawn the short straw on Saturday - Trevor Kettle is reffing our match at Harrogate.....

 

[Conker]

For what it’s worth you can do much, much worse than Trevor Kettle in L2.

 

[Grumpy Grecian]

For what it’s worth you can do much, much worse than Trevor Kettle in L2.

Indeed. Brett Huxtable for one (or is it two?)

 

[EricSabin]

Charles Breakspear is a relatively new addition to the ‘oh for fuck sake it’s not him is it?’ list

 

[BarraMatt]

Football League quality refs? We've never had it so good.

 

[Conker]

Indeed. Brett Huxtable for one (or is it two?)

Anthony Backhouse is one to look out for.

 

[hellogregory]

We are in the playoff positions.

Just saying it while I still have the chance. Living for the moment. What a feeling.

 

[Kauto Star]

Football League quality refs? We've never had it so good.

Forgot his name, but the ref who did our match in midweek against Stevenage was good. Kept the game flowing as much as possible and turned a blind eye to any player from either side trying to con a free kick out of him.

A couple of hard but fair tackles were allowed where a lot of refs would have blown for a free kick.

 

[Reremnart]

Indeed. Brett Huxtable for one (or is it two?)

We had Andy Haines at Vale last week. If there is a worse Referee in the FL than that clown Heaven help whoever is having him.

Of course my own "favourite" in the "Oh God not him" stakes is Carl Boyeson. I hate that guy so much I will not go to a game he is in charge of because I already know the result before the game even starts. We all at some time, I guess, have thought a certain ref hates our team. The one who never gives us a damn thing game after game. Well Boyeson really does hate Tranmere as the 18 straight defeats we have suffered with him blowing the whistle proves. Every season I look at the list hoping he has retired but there he is yet again. Luckily we managed to avoid all last season but it`s only a matter of time before he darkens our door again.

 

[F!RTHY]

Forgot his name, but the ref who did our match in midweek against Stevenage was good. Kept the game flowing as much as possible and turned a blind eye to any player from either side trying to con a free kick out of him.

A couple of hard but fair tackles were allowed where a lot of refs would have blown for a free kick.

Built like a brick shithouse, anorl!

 

[AdamStag]

Anthony Backhouse is one to look out for.

Will be keeping out a lookout for him in the future, surprised he didn’t pick the ball up for newport and kick it into our net haha

 

[FGR Stroud]

Picked up my free copy of the Metro on bus today;
Tipster
QPR, WBA, Portsmouth & FGR form tomorrow's Football League yankee.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Metro lined up table and fixtures and it was only then did I realise that FGR have played and beaten three of the teams at bottom of table> Sutton, Rochdale & Walsall.
Question is are the three teams at bottom because they all lost to FGR or is FGR a top of table team?
90 minute win v Sutton, Rochdale unlucky to lose, and only against Walsall did FGR do well.

 

[Soup Ladle]

For what it’s worth you can do much, much worse than Trevor Kettle in L2.

Ah Jesus the standards must have slipped then in the last few years.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Indeed. Brett Huxtable for one (or is it two?)

actually the last two games we have had him he has been alright. Still runs in slow motion, but his game management and control had improved a lot. We even had one game last year when Trevor Kettle was okay, which was a big surprise.

 

[Soz]

Football League quality refs? We've never had it so good.

there's no such thing.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

good news for supporters of all other L2 clubs - we've drawn the short straw on Saturday - Trevor Kettle is reffing our match at Harrogate.....

We had him last weekend at Col U, he had a good game. He justifiably sent our centre back off, he had caught the ball over the top that prevented the Col U striker being through on goal.

 

[Salvador]

Jord has mentioned the housing estate but the car parks by the Walter Tull and Bella Italia are free, will take 5-10 minutes to get out after. Can also pop in the Sixfields Tavern for a pint which welcomes away fans.

Never mind. Me and my mate have decided on a last minute train booking. Should make the Victory sweeter/defeat less bitter/draw less bland. Realised a reason I may dislike Northampton as an away is I’ve only ever got a lift, or when I lived in Dale a coach, there and gone to the soulless chain pubs nearby. Will be good to sample some real pubs tomorrow as Northampton looks a decent town. I’ve earmarked the Albion as somewhere to plonk myself.

 

[Salvador]

I’ll also post for BANTZ purposes I’m eternally grateful for Northampton drawing Vs Oldham a few years ago to relegate them and keep us up.
I’ve never been as excited to see another team’s score as yours in that game. I had to go to the bar about 10 mins before HT due to nerves and seeing Oldham were winning.
All irrelevant now ofc, given we’re all down here .

 

[kieran_vale]

Never mind. Me and my mate have decided on a last minute train booking. Should make the Victory sweeter/defeat less bitter/draw less bland. Realised a reason I may dislike Northampton as an away is I’ve only ever got a lift, or when I lived in Dale a coach, there and gone to the soulless chain pubs nearby. Will be good to sample some real pubs tomorrow as Northampton looks a decent town. I’ve earmarked the Albion as somewhere to plonk myself.

There’s a few decent pubs in the town centre but just be aware it is a little bit of a trek between Sixfields and there.

 

[Salvador]

There’s a few decent pubs in the town centre but just be aware it is a little bit of a trek between Sixfields and there.

Aye I know. 40mins. That’s without staggering and needing a piss. Will prebook a taxi to the ground. Dunno how reliable the shuttle buses are coming back. Need to be at the station for 18:00. Maybe a Cobblers fan or you can help advise? Weather looks shite tomorrow so don’t fancy a long mooch!

 

[Lancs@(Bantam)]

I hate going to Stevenage. For some reason they always seem to up their game against Vale, even when they are doing shite. We historically do not fare well at tight small grounds and Stevenage seem to have upped their game. Poor result against Bradford but there will be a few teams that get a hiding there.

I'm convinced we've got a better team than last year but I'm not convinced that we're set up in the best way to utilise it. Previously we have started the season well only to struggle over Christmas. I hope we come up along the rails this time and get better towards the business end of the season. At least we are not conceding many, which is a good base, as attacking play is easier to improve in training.

Win this and it's an ok start. Draw or lose and it'll have been a very poor start and already playing catch up at this early stage. Having said that, we are getting a lot of our tough fixtures out of the way early, with a better run from October up until Christmas.

Despite them getting well beaten by us in midweek and us constantly over running them you could still tell they are a decent side, the lad up front think it's Elliott List deffinately looks top end for this level, he will cause most teams in L2 all sorts of problems this season.

 

[JaredSUFC]

SUFC v SUFC.

Even this early in the season this could be a big game. For Sutton it’s a chance to build on a decent point at Salford last week. We didn’t play midweek so hopefully the extra rest will be to our advantage.

It’s the first game I’ll be missing this season so I may try out listening on iFollow.

 

[EricSabin]

Aye I know. 40mins. That’s without staggering and needing a piss. Will prebook a taxi to the ground. Dunno how reliable the shuttle buses are coming back. Need to be at the station for 18:00. Maybe a Cobblers fan or you can help advise? Weather looks shite tomorrow so don’t fancy a long mooch!

Don’t use the buses myself but you do see a lot about after the game ends. Usually hover at the top and bottom of the hill.

 

[Kauto Star]

Despite them getting well beaten by us in midweek and us constantly over running them you could still tell they are a decent side, the lad up front think it's Elliott List deffinately looks top end for this level, he will cause most teams in L2 all sorts of problems this season.

Elliott List did indeed stand out a mile in a very mediocre Stevenage side we saw the other night. Very dangerous on the break and took his chance well to capitalise on hesitancy in the Bantams defence

 

[kieran_vale]

Elliott List did indeed stand out a mile in a very mediocre Stevenage side we saw the other night. Very dangerous on the break and took his chance well to capitalise on hesitancy in the Bantams defence

He’s caused us trouble in the past from memory. I’m not reading too much into how they went midweek though obviously it was a complete hammering. It’s L2 and the inconsistencies of all teams down here will mean we are all on the end of one of those games at some point this season.

Hopefully we can be a bit more clinical today. Apparently we’ve created the fourth most chances in the league this season and have the highest xG of all EFL teams who are yet to score so surely that means things have to change…

 

[Greenacres]

Picked up my free copy of the Metro on bus today;
Tipster
QPR, WBA, Portsmouth & FGR form tomorrow's Football League yankee.

I really hope it isn't us who let you down!

Tricky game today but have a feeling we will edge it...just about...but hope we don't have to wait until time added on to settle the nerves!

 

[Stripes]

Trouble with going on an unbeaten run, the tension builds knowing it has to end sometime. Will it be today! Crawley have always struck me as a side with a good front line. I'm sure they will pose a real threat today. We've been resilient and stuck to it, but when you lose a player to injury that can it can effect confidence, this happened last season when we lost Nicky Cadden before the Cheltenham game, and we duly lost. We lost Godwin-Malife on Tuesday, out for some months, may unsettle us at the back. We'll see. For the time being loving Rob Edwards our coach, he's a breath of fresh air. Plenty of positively atm. Will be interesting to see how we cope when we have to chase a game though. Early days, feel there's more to come from us.