Merry Monday! Matt is here with the latest from AFC United where they’re taking Division 2 by storm but there’s always a price for success…
Half term is over – not sure if that means a lot at the moment, but my calendar tells me its Monday again and time to catch up with our ex-Utd heroes, young and old, well known or otherwise. (I’m writing this up before the Sunday Man Utd/Newcastle game, so depending on the result – thank you Dave for publishing this!)
Last time out we were rocking at the top of the division and settling in new signings such as Darren Ferguson, Keith Gillespie and Clayton Blackmore. Our adventure continues at the glamorous surroundings of Brisbane Road. Bjorn ran the show, we were second class.
Ok, so that’s our first league defeat of the season. The lads are hurting, so I tell them to take it out on Cambridge in the League Cup. Its a masterclass in attacking intent. Cambridge make a fist of it but Twiss and Brown see them off to set up a 4th round tie with Pompey.
The board are delighted with recent results, we’ve even made a bit of bunce.
The Broadhurst faithful have a new terrace chant – Everybody if you can do the Notman, Whoa, Shake your body, turn it out if you can man. Everybody in the house do the Notman.
I can’t see it catching on…
With Keithy Gee still out for a while and Danny Wallace not getting any younger, I ask Darren to sweet talk his Dad into loaning us Ready Steady Terry
Its a proud moment at Broadhurst, my starlets are entering the international stage.
Preston cannot Holt our rampaging forwards. Tomlinson isn’t getting much game time at the moment with Brown and Nevland in form, but he knows when to take his chance.
Ooh baby, do you know what that’s worth? Well, 3 pts Belinda. Tel Boy and Rodders on target, cushty.
I really can’t describe this. Atrocious.
There’s a response against Tranmere, but Dazza seems a fiery one in midfield
When we get another red card in our next match, I experiment with this 10 man formation
It doesn’t do a lot other than keep the score down. Maybe I should have gone with no keeper – maybe I will if Phil Neville ever joins our crusade.
Our form is a bit up and down of late, but normal service resumed against Crewe? We’re into the next round anyway.
Tel Boy’s performances on loan haven’t gone unnoticed
Panicking, I put a bid in, although it’ll use up 60% of my remaining transfer budget. I get my bid in before others block me out (is there anything more soul destroying than seeing 5 bids go in for a player you’ve been after and no option to do the same? No. I didn’t think so.). Tel Boy turns down the others and he’s a permanent member of this adventure.
He’s cup tied (somehow) for the FA Cup visit of Oldham, but Keithy Gee is back from injury, but despite a goal, he can’t over turn a Ken Barlow double and Oldham have the Ansah with the third, and winning, goal.
More cup action next, and Pompey in the League Cup. It looks like we are heading out of the cup again 2-3, but Notman pops up with a late strike and Twiss gives us a lead we never relinquish in the first minute of extra time. Leicester and Kasey Keller await in the quarters.
Oh, well, that’s just fan-diddly-tastic. Danny is the rock upon which our defence is built. Alan Tonge on standby.
All this cup action, extra time and suspensions are taking its toll on my squad, but we battle through against Wigan in 8th, but I’m feeling a little thinness in the squad.
Wallwork is still asking for a transfer and won’t sign a new contract, so I’m considering my options. Pat looks decent, but he’s unavailable.
Preston might not have Murdock and Appleton anymore, but we can’t find a way past Eric B. and Rankine.
Wes turns down the chance to join us permanently.
My hand may be forced soon, but it’s no for now.
Ill discipline is our enemy against bottom of the pile Northampton. It feels like a while since we kept a clean sheet…
Blackmore atones for his sending off with a goal to help see off Southend, but still a clean sheet alludes us.
We finally get one, but it should have come with a win really
Worse is to follow – I never do well in that competion
Its a different story in the League Cup however, the only cup we’re still in. Mickey Twiss powers past Kasey in the second half. Semi-finals here we come. Darren Ferguson seems like a steady guy in the middle of the park, earning his captains armband.
We’ll be up against the blue side of Manchester, good job we play them in a pre-season friendly every year.
Our form is so up and down at the moment, have we peaked already?
Maybe not, So solid at Crewe, but we didn’t score after 21 seconds. Danny Wallace has ‘0’ fror most of his stats in my database, so feel I’ve got lucky in this save.
We leave it late, but keep our hair on against Barnet
Our form in the fist part of the season was so blistering, the draws and loses we’ve picked up here have hardly dented us
We’ve got a healthy lead, but injuries and suspensions could be our undoing in the final third of the season. We’ve got a Semi-final with City to look forward to over two legs, so please join me next Monday to see how our season ends up, it’ll be cheers or jeers, guaranteed.