As starts to the season go, this wasn't one from the Carlsberg stable, but more of a Ronseal job - it did what it says on the tin.
All you want from the first game is a win, a clean sheet and some decent performances from your new signings. That's what we got.
It wasn't spectacular. It didn't send a roaring message out to the rest of League Two. We just did what needed to be done.
After last season's over-achievement of finishing in sixth place, we now start with that as the minimum requirement in most supporters' minds.
The bar has been raised, and therefore most of the 2,655 who bothered to turn up (more on that later) did so not hoping for a Ruby victory, but expecting it, against a side beaten 7-1 on aggregate last season.
I suspect that had we ended up with a draw, there would have been a few teeth gnashed together in the town's pubs, but as it was we got the win.
The performance itself was patchy. That might have had something to do with the absence of two key men in Alan Bennett and Kaid Mohamed - losing your skipper and joint top league scorer on the opening day is not always easy to overcome.
If fact, it probably mounts to an injury crisis for us, as last season we hardly lost anyone to injury throughout the campaign - so let's hope this isn't a foreboding of what is in store this time around.
So Harry Hooman kept his place alongside Steve Elliott - a vote of confidence for him as he was preferred to Keith Lowe, the right decision in my book as HH is more natural at centre-half than Keith.
Mo's absence pushed Chris Zebroski out left as Mark Yates decided not to play a natural left-footer in Bagasan Graham or even Danny Andrew out wide.
I felt it did at times leave us a bit unbalanced as Zeb looked to drift inside and on occasions we were a bit short of width on the left unless Billy Jones was able to get forward and help out, or Sam Deering found himself moving out there.
The loss of two players also showed up the depth of the squad, as the 18 included youth teamer Joe Hanks and the (by the manager) unwanted Andrew, and beyond that there is no-one else. Reinforcements are still needed.
Benno and Mo are still out at Torquay tomorrow, so bets are off for the make-up of the squad...
As well as Zeb's move, Mo's injury meant Shaun Harrad came in for his debut, and the goal would have been the perfect start to his career with us.
We started well, and created a couple of openings, Jermaine McGlashan shooting wide and Deering hitting the post, but Daggers came back into it as the half went on.
Browny made a couple of decent saves and the Daggers won a few corners, and as the half was coming to an end, I was thinking that the win was not going to be as straightforward as maybe a few people thought pre-match.
But then, with practically the last kick of the half, we scored. Sido's ball up the line, Sam's low cross and Harrad got in front of Gavin Hoyte to score at the near post. Just the sort of half-chance we have been crying out for someone to convert.
The goal would have changed the two managers' team talks, and when Jermaine smashed in the second four minutes after half-time, it looked like the job was done.
Ultimately, it was, but we seemed content to sit back and defend our 18-yard line, letting them have the ball 30-40 yards out.
I am not a fan of this habit we seem to have fallen into when we get a lead. We have the players who can hurt the opposition with pace and movement - I would rather we had looked to get a third and tried to kill the game off, but instead at 50 minutes, it seemed we settled for 2-0.
The humid conditions may have played a part in that mindset, but credit to Dagenham as they carried on pressing and with a bit more composure and luck (I thought Steve Elliott's clash with Dwight Gayle was a penalty, not a yellow for diving) they could have made things a bit more hairy for us.
I may have to revise my pre-season predicitions on this basis - Dagenham were better than I thought they would be.
After Jermaine's goal, I can't remember us creating another clear-cut chance as we looked to close the game out, but we kept our shape and managed to close the game out.
Of the newcomers, Harrad and Deering were the most impressive, Harrad with his finish and good hold-up play and Deering with his ability to find space and time on the ball in a cluttered midfield.
His arrival pushed Russ Penn deeper, and I thought he was our best player - he was everywhere and amazingly told me afterwards that this was the first time in his pro career that he has tasted victory on the opening day of the season.
Zebroski showed promise, while Billy Jones looked a steady performer but worried me positionally on a couple of occasions when crosses from his side nearly caused problems.
But it was a win. No frills, not spectacular, just a win, and we haven't had many of those on the opening day down the years, so we'll take it, and move on to two tricky awaydays at Torquay and Aldershot.
Before we head for Devon, a final word on the attendance figure of 2,655, of which 200+ came from East London.
To put it mildly, 2,400 home fans on the back of what we achieved last season is a pathetic figure.
Twice that number went to Spurs. Five times as many went to Wembley. Whether the excuse is holidays, being sat in the garden having a barbecue because the weather is nice, post-Olympics hysteria or whatever, it's crap.
We all know that if the season pans out as we hope, and in 8 months time we are heading upwards, they'll be back, queueing for tickets.
It's a recurring theme and not a new problem. I just wish we had a solution to it.
Player by player
Scott Brown - Two good first half saves and one dodgy back pass to worry about but otherwise protected well by his back four.
Sido Jombati - Some galloping forward runs and solid enough defensively, but got a silly booking at the end.
Billy Jones - Better going forward than defensively. Was caught out positionally a couple of times which led to crosses into our box.
Harry Hooman - The odd nervy touch early on and one anxious back pass, but otherwise did well.
Steve Elliott - Usual dominating self as he led the back four in Benno's absence.
Russ Penn - My man of the match. Thought he was everywhere, breaking up play and throwing himself around to block shots and passes.
Marlon Pack - Didn't think he had the influence he has had in past games. Good spell in the first half but was in and out of the game.
Sam Deering - Slow start but grew into the game the further it went. Great cross for the first goal and unlucky to hit the post in the first half.
Jermaine McGlashan - Great strike for his goal and almost had another. Did well against the left-back Femi but thought crossing was patchy.
Chris Zebroski - Out of position really, standing in on the left for Mo, but showed some good touches and nearly got on the end of a good move in the first half.
Shaun Harrad - Poaching skills shown with the finish for his goal, and he was excellent at holding the ball up and linking with Deering, Zebroski and McGlashan. Promising signs.
Substitutes
Jeff Goulding (for Sam Deering 73) - Thought Jeff struggled in that 'hole' position, didn't really get into the game.
Bagasan Graham (for Chris Zebroski 82) - Could have got on the end of a cross with a bit more awareness, and only had one little run. Needs to show more when he gets a chance.
Darryl Duffy (for Shaun Harrad 85) - Not really enough time to influence the game.
Monday, 20 August 2012
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Here we go again...
OK, so in around 44 hours time the first game of the new League Two campaign will be over, and hopefully we will have our first three points in the bag having mercilessly swept Dagenham and Redbridge aside.
Hopefully.
And that's the great thing about it - here we are on the cusp of the season, and no-one knows what will happen in the next 10 months.
We are a perfect example of that - no one, not even the most optimistic of our fans, really thought deep down that we would get anywhere near the play-offs last season.
But we did, and such is the way that football goes and fans' expectations increase, in some of our fans' eyes, the play-offs will not be enough for some.
Everyone wants their club to progress and move forward, and so the only way we can move forward and improve on last season is to go up - either winning the play-offs or finishing in the top three.
On Twitter, I asked some Cheltenham fans for their views on how they felt we would go and what their hopes for the season would be.
Here are some of them:
Stowe Gregory: Realistically play-offs would once again be a great achievement. But we want more! Squad has the quality, but not much depth
Kevin McKenna: Think the main concern is we need to remain injury free with such a small squad.Having said that we will be in the top 8.
Laurence Horton: Last season everything that could go right went right. Expect some setbacks this season but still a comfortable top 10 finish.
Jamie Howells: We set the bar last season with the core still here and only Summers leaving and some good additions coming in. We have to aim for the play-offs as a minimum but I'm really confident we can go one better I know its gonna be a tough season but with MY and the togetherness of the squad I'm really optimistic and looking forward to the season ahead!!
Healer: It will be hard to beat last seasons efforts and with the division improved I think a playoff place would be a good target.
Alan Calverley: My view 'building on last year'. One first teamer out - Summerfield - 4 in which makes for more competition. Playoffs minimum.
So there you are - a small straw poll, but it shows where the expectations are - top 10, top 8, play-offs minimum, improve on last season is the mantra coming from the terraces.
But can we do it? I don't see why not, but I do have some concerns about areas of the team, and I also feel that the division is going to be stronger than last season.
Overall, the squad is stronger with the additions of Sam Deering, Billy Jones, Chris Zebroski and Shaun Harrad, as well as the young keeper Connor Roberts.
Deering looks like he will play the 'in the hole' role when we play 4-2-3-1, and I am delighted we have got him as he has been one of those players who I always wished was in our side when he was playing for Barnet.
Jones will be solid at left-back - no frills, just a steady 7 or 8 every week, and gives an option for set-pieces and possibly penalties as well as giving us lots of experience in that position.
Zebroski is the sort of player we have been looking for - a speed merchant down the middle to really worry defenders and I hope he can find the goalscoring streak he had at Torquay.
We have seen what he is capable of when he has played against us in the past - and the same can be said of Harrad, who has been a thorn to us when he played for Burton.
If those two play like they did for those clubs then we have guaranteed goals in our locker, as well as those from Darryl Duffy (15 last season), Kaid Mohamed (11), Jeff Goulding (6) and Jermaine McGlashan, who was the play-off semi-final king.
Marlon Pack can contribute as well, as can Sido Jombati, Steve Elliott and Alan Bennett from set-pieces, and also Billy - basically, we have the potential to score goals all over the team.
Zebroski, Deering and Harrad give us multiple options in the midfield and up front - we can now play practically any system Mark Yates wishes, and have the players to fit those formations.
It looks like Russ Penn will have a different role - he looks set to play deeper, alongside Marlon in the role Luke Summerfield had last season, so basically he will be the enforcer while Marlon tries to be our quarterback.
However, I have a worry if Russ, Marlon or Sam get injured, and I feel we are crying out for at least one more central midfielder as cover.
I know we have had youth teamer Joe Hanks in and around the squad, and it looks like Jordan Hibbert will be offered something, maybe a six-month deal, and nothing against them, but I am just a bit worried we are a bit light in that central area.
I have seen Hanks play for the youth team, and only saw Hibbert briefly against Cardiff in a sterile second half, and they may be short-term cover but I feel we need a 'front-line' player to bolster us in the middle.
As well as Summers, we lost Josh Low, Junior Smikle and last season Dave Bird from that area and it seems we have gone from a position of strength in there where we almost had too many options in midfield to not having enough.
Whether it is 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 which Yatesy chooses to adopt, the only consistent thing is the '4' at the back.
Sido, Benno, Steve Elliott and Billy will be the first-choice four, with Scott Brown behind them.
They will be aiming for that consistency we found in the first half of last season, when the bedrock of that great run we had in October and November was built on the clean sheets we managed to keep.
But the defence is my other area of slight worry.
I wasn't at the MK game as I was watching Brazil choke in the Olympic final against Mexico, but I was slightly concerned to note that Steve Elliott was ruled out and Benno went off late in the game.
We know already that the pair are 'managed' very well with their training workload and therefore they clearly have some fragile fitness issues.
When Stevie was out for a few games after the Tottenham game last season, we struggled - and the first game he came back was the 5-0 win at Dagenham and Redbridge, when he slotted in like he had never been away.
This is no criticism of Keith Lowe or Harry Hooman, as Keith is a wholehearted player who has never let us down, and I think Harry has shown that he has great potential and will be looking to kick on this season, but I would be slightly worried if either of them had to fill in long-term at the heart of the defence.
I feel Keith has played his best games for us at right-back anyway, and he won't get much of a chance there with our cult hero Sido in that role.
On the other side, with Danny Andrew out of favour and seemingly heading for the exit door, we don't have any natural deputy for Billy Jones - I would guess if Billy gets injured or suspended, Sido will swap and Keith will play at right back.
So for these reasons, in an ideal world, I feel we need another defender - preferably a player who was equally comfortable playing at centre half and left back, which would then give us adequate cover right across the back line.
Behind them, Scott Brown has a vote of confidence and will be number one for the season, with only injury, suspension or a horrendous loss of form likely to take him out of the side.
So how are we going to do...?
Looking down the clubs in League Two, and the squads they have assembled in the summer, and it is going to be a competitive season.
I could make a case for at least half of the division to finish in the top seven, including us, but I feel we will be strong challengers for that, but I must admit, if I am realistic, I think the top three may be out of reach.
Fleetwood will be right up there having the backing of Andy Pilley's millions and players like Jon Parkin, Steve Gillespie, Youl Mawene, Damien Johnson, Dean Howell and David Ball will give them a strong backbone.
Then there is Rotherham, with the lovely Mr Evans in charge and a brand-new stadium, the chairman Tony Stewart has provided big funds for 11 summer signings, including Kayode Odejayi, and there is no doubt they will be right at the top.
Of the relegated clubs, Chesterfield will be strong - two seasons ago they walked the league but come back down with the signing of our old target Marc Richards, who is sure to give them a cutting edge.
Wycombe's fortunes could hinge on whether they keep Stewart Beavon, who scored 25 times in a relegated side, but players like Gareth Ainsworth, Gary Doherty and Matt Spring give them big experience.
Rochdale and Exeter I am not so sure about - they will be in the top half, but I am not sure if they will have what it takes to challenge for the top seven.
Then we have Southend, Torquay, Oxford, Northampton, Bradford, Bristol Rovers and Gillingham.
Southend and Torquay were alongside us in the play-off zone and, like us, will think they should be there again. Southend have signed Freddy Eastwood permanently, while Torquay have landed Billy Bodin - but lost Bobby Olejnik and Eunan O'Kane, two big players to replace.
The other five clubs fall into the 'can do better' category.
Oxford and Bristol Rovers both go into the season with expectations of getting out of the division.
Chris Wilder must be under some pressure to deliver after flattering to deceive of late, while Rovers improved under Mark McGhee and will want to continue that upward move.
I don't believe Bradford will have another poor season, and the arrival of Alan Connell from Swindon is a good acquisition, as is the vastly experienced Gary Jones from Rochdale, and Adie Boothroyd sorted Northampton out after he arrived.
He has signed Clive Platt to form an imposing front line with our friend Mr Akinfenwa, and I fully expect them to be looking upwards as well.
That leaves Gillingham, and anything could happen there given the man they have in charge. They have good players and the prolific Adam Birchall is fit after missing the whole of last season, but I wonder how long the Martin Allen-Paul Scally dynamic will hold out.
Scally will want promotion, but nothing will ever convince me that Allen's scattergun approach to players and tactics will provide it.
Elsewhere, I think Aldershot will be a dark horse. Dean Holdsworth has assembled a decent squad, and I think they could challenge for the top seven as well.
Port Vale are also in that category, as long as they can sort out their financial problems they will not be in any trouble and could be a top 10 side given a good run.
There are a few clubs who I cannot see making a challenge for the top echelons, but will not be in danger of the drop - AFC Wimbledon, Accrington, Plymouth and York should safely be mid-table.
AFC have Jack Midson to score goals, Accrington had a good finish to last season and can carry that on, Plymouth should be strong enough and York, while an unknown quantity, seem to have made some useful signings on the back of the momentum of promotion and their FA Trophy win.
That leaves Barnet, Burton, Dagenham and Redbridge and Morecambe - and I see two of these going down I'm afraid.
Barnet have hovered around there for a few seasons, Burton dropped like a stone last season, while Dagenham and Morecambe both work under financial constraints which may prove insurmountable.
So, prediction time, and here goes:
Top three: Fleetwood, Rotherham, Chesterfield.
Play-offs: Cheltenham, Wycombe, Southend, Bristol Rovers.
Relegated: Barnet, Morecambe.
There. Head on the block... let battle commence.
Hopefully.
And that's the great thing about it - here we are on the cusp of the season, and no-one knows what will happen in the next 10 months.
We are a perfect example of that - no one, not even the most optimistic of our fans, really thought deep down that we would get anywhere near the play-offs last season.
But we did, and such is the way that football goes and fans' expectations increase, in some of our fans' eyes, the play-offs will not be enough for some.
Everyone wants their club to progress and move forward, and so the only way we can move forward and improve on last season is to go up - either winning the play-offs or finishing in the top three.
On Twitter, I asked some Cheltenham fans for their views on how they felt we would go and what their hopes for the season would be.
Here are some of them:
Stowe Gregory: Realistically play-offs would once again be a great achievement. But we want more! Squad has the quality, but not much depth
Kevin McKenna: Think the main concern is we need to remain injury free with such a small squad.Having said that we will be in the top 8.
Laurence Horton: Last season everything that could go right went right. Expect some setbacks this season but still a comfortable top 10 finish.
Jamie Howells: We set the bar last season with the core still here and only Summers leaving and some good additions coming in. We have to aim for the play-offs as a minimum but I'm really confident we can go one better I know its gonna be a tough season but with MY and the togetherness of the squad I'm really optimistic and looking forward to the season ahead!!
Healer: It will be hard to beat last seasons efforts and with the division improved I think a playoff place would be a good target.
Alan Calverley: My view 'building on last year'. One first teamer out - Summerfield - 4 in which makes for more competition. Playoffs minimum.
So there you are - a small straw poll, but it shows where the expectations are - top 10, top 8, play-offs minimum, improve on last season is the mantra coming from the terraces.
But can we do it? I don't see why not, but I do have some concerns about areas of the team, and I also feel that the division is going to be stronger than last season.
Overall, the squad is stronger with the additions of Sam Deering, Billy Jones, Chris Zebroski and Shaun Harrad, as well as the young keeper Connor Roberts.
Deering looks like he will play the 'in the hole' role when we play 4-2-3-1, and I am delighted we have got him as he has been one of those players who I always wished was in our side when he was playing for Barnet.
Jones will be solid at left-back - no frills, just a steady 7 or 8 every week, and gives an option for set-pieces and possibly penalties as well as giving us lots of experience in that position.
Zebroski is the sort of player we have been looking for - a speed merchant down the middle to really worry defenders and I hope he can find the goalscoring streak he had at Torquay.
We have seen what he is capable of when he has played against us in the past - and the same can be said of Harrad, who has been a thorn to us when he played for Burton.
If those two play like they did for those clubs then we have guaranteed goals in our locker, as well as those from Darryl Duffy (15 last season), Kaid Mohamed (11), Jeff Goulding (6) and Jermaine McGlashan, who was the play-off semi-final king.
Marlon Pack can contribute as well, as can Sido Jombati, Steve Elliott and Alan Bennett from set-pieces, and also Billy - basically, we have the potential to score goals all over the team.
Zebroski, Deering and Harrad give us multiple options in the midfield and up front - we can now play practically any system Mark Yates wishes, and have the players to fit those formations.
It looks like Russ Penn will have a different role - he looks set to play deeper, alongside Marlon in the role Luke Summerfield had last season, so basically he will be the enforcer while Marlon tries to be our quarterback.
However, I have a worry if Russ, Marlon or Sam get injured, and I feel we are crying out for at least one more central midfielder as cover.
I know we have had youth teamer Joe Hanks in and around the squad, and it looks like Jordan Hibbert will be offered something, maybe a six-month deal, and nothing against them, but I am just a bit worried we are a bit light in that central area.
I have seen Hanks play for the youth team, and only saw Hibbert briefly against Cardiff in a sterile second half, and they may be short-term cover but I feel we need a 'front-line' player to bolster us in the middle.
As well as Summers, we lost Josh Low, Junior Smikle and last season Dave Bird from that area and it seems we have gone from a position of strength in there where we almost had too many options in midfield to not having enough.
Whether it is 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 which Yatesy chooses to adopt, the only consistent thing is the '4' at the back.
Sido, Benno, Steve Elliott and Billy will be the first-choice four, with Scott Brown behind them.
They will be aiming for that consistency we found in the first half of last season, when the bedrock of that great run we had in October and November was built on the clean sheets we managed to keep.
But the defence is my other area of slight worry.
I wasn't at the MK game as I was watching Brazil choke in the Olympic final against Mexico, but I was slightly concerned to note that Steve Elliott was ruled out and Benno went off late in the game.
We know already that the pair are 'managed' very well with their training workload and therefore they clearly have some fragile fitness issues.
When Stevie was out for a few games after the Tottenham game last season, we struggled - and the first game he came back was the 5-0 win at Dagenham and Redbridge, when he slotted in like he had never been away.
This is no criticism of Keith Lowe or Harry Hooman, as Keith is a wholehearted player who has never let us down, and I think Harry has shown that he has great potential and will be looking to kick on this season, but I would be slightly worried if either of them had to fill in long-term at the heart of the defence.
I feel Keith has played his best games for us at right-back anyway, and he won't get much of a chance there with our cult hero Sido in that role.
On the other side, with Danny Andrew out of favour and seemingly heading for the exit door, we don't have any natural deputy for Billy Jones - I would guess if Billy gets injured or suspended, Sido will swap and Keith will play at right back.
So for these reasons, in an ideal world, I feel we need another defender - preferably a player who was equally comfortable playing at centre half and left back, which would then give us adequate cover right across the back line.
Behind them, Scott Brown has a vote of confidence and will be number one for the season, with only injury, suspension or a horrendous loss of form likely to take him out of the side.
So how are we going to do...?
Looking down the clubs in League Two, and the squads they have assembled in the summer, and it is going to be a competitive season.
I could make a case for at least half of the division to finish in the top seven, including us, but I feel we will be strong challengers for that, but I must admit, if I am realistic, I think the top three may be out of reach.
Fleetwood will be right up there having the backing of Andy Pilley's millions and players like Jon Parkin, Steve Gillespie, Youl Mawene, Damien Johnson, Dean Howell and David Ball will give them a strong backbone.
Then there is Rotherham, with the lovely Mr Evans in charge and a brand-new stadium, the chairman Tony Stewart has provided big funds for 11 summer signings, including Kayode Odejayi, and there is no doubt they will be right at the top.
Of the relegated clubs, Chesterfield will be strong - two seasons ago they walked the league but come back down with the signing of our old target Marc Richards, who is sure to give them a cutting edge.
Wycombe's fortunes could hinge on whether they keep Stewart Beavon, who scored 25 times in a relegated side, but players like Gareth Ainsworth, Gary Doherty and Matt Spring give them big experience.
Rochdale and Exeter I am not so sure about - they will be in the top half, but I am not sure if they will have what it takes to challenge for the top seven.
Then we have Southend, Torquay, Oxford, Northampton, Bradford, Bristol Rovers and Gillingham.
Southend and Torquay were alongside us in the play-off zone and, like us, will think they should be there again. Southend have signed Freddy Eastwood permanently, while Torquay have landed Billy Bodin - but lost Bobby Olejnik and Eunan O'Kane, two big players to replace.
The other five clubs fall into the 'can do better' category.
Oxford and Bristol Rovers both go into the season with expectations of getting out of the division.
Chris Wilder must be under some pressure to deliver after flattering to deceive of late, while Rovers improved under Mark McGhee and will want to continue that upward move.
I don't believe Bradford will have another poor season, and the arrival of Alan Connell from Swindon is a good acquisition, as is the vastly experienced Gary Jones from Rochdale, and Adie Boothroyd sorted Northampton out after he arrived.
He has signed Clive Platt to form an imposing front line with our friend Mr Akinfenwa, and I fully expect them to be looking upwards as well.
That leaves Gillingham, and anything could happen there given the man they have in charge. They have good players and the prolific Adam Birchall is fit after missing the whole of last season, but I wonder how long the Martin Allen-Paul Scally dynamic will hold out.
Scally will want promotion, but nothing will ever convince me that Allen's scattergun approach to players and tactics will provide it.
Elsewhere, I think Aldershot will be a dark horse. Dean Holdsworth has assembled a decent squad, and I think they could challenge for the top seven as well.
Port Vale are also in that category, as long as they can sort out their financial problems they will not be in any trouble and could be a top 10 side given a good run.
There are a few clubs who I cannot see making a challenge for the top echelons, but will not be in danger of the drop - AFC Wimbledon, Accrington, Plymouth and York should safely be mid-table.
AFC have Jack Midson to score goals, Accrington had a good finish to last season and can carry that on, Plymouth should be strong enough and York, while an unknown quantity, seem to have made some useful signings on the back of the momentum of promotion and their FA Trophy win.
That leaves Barnet, Burton, Dagenham and Redbridge and Morecambe - and I see two of these going down I'm afraid.
Barnet have hovered around there for a few seasons, Burton dropped like a stone last season, while Dagenham and Morecambe both work under financial constraints which may prove insurmountable.
So, prediction time, and here goes:
Top three: Fleetwood, Rotherham, Chesterfield.
Play-offs: Cheltenham, Wycombe, Southend, Bristol Rovers.
Relegated: Barnet, Morecambe.
There. Head on the block... let battle commence.
Saturday, 4 August 2012
Patience is a virtue
'All good things come to those who wait' is fast becoming the mantra of Cheltenham Town's close season.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the majority of Ruby fans were getting a bit jumpy as the days count down to the start of the proper stuff next Saturday.
I turned up for the Cardiff friendly and looked at the team sheet, thinking 'right, we can put out a decent starting 11, but after that... hmm'. Not any more.
Before that game, the Echo had published their story linking us with Chris Zebroski, a player who started out as a youngster at the Cirencester Academy and went off to Plymouth, Millwall, Wycombe, Torquay and Bristol Rovers.
He is a player we tried to sign back in January, with rumours of a £75,000 bid being turned down - but in true Mark Yates style, he answered the questions about Zebroski after the Cardiff game with a flat bat of which Alastair Cook would be proud.
But the way he responded was an indicator that there was something in Jon Palmer's story - and so it proved when the signing was announced.
I am told that the fee is less than that £75,000 figure, and he will give us options up front and also out wide.
He had the best spell of his career at Torquay, and the move to Bristol Rovers did not really work out, especially after Paul Buckle, who took him to the Mem, was sacked.
Mark clearly wanted his man, having been knocked back and then saw him come back on to the radar - and it seems that he had to use his persuasive powers to get him here with the gaffer being quoted as saying that Zebroski 'finally saw sense and realised his future was with Cheltenham'. Nice one Mark.
Zebroski only got three goals in 28 starts - one at Whaddon Road - but was more prolific at Torquay so we have to hope he can find that Plaunmoor form.
Back to that Cardiff game, and we were beaten 4-0 - a thumping on paper but we were up against a side who will be chasing a Premier League place, and we competed well for half an hour before they got their three goals before half-time, and added another with that superb free-kick just after the break.
Possibly our brightest player during the Cardiff game was Tristan Plummer, who had scored on his first appearance at Evesham, then headed for the Welsh bonding camp, played at Port Talbot and also faced Birmingham.
This was his last chance to chance to impress, and he was our main goal threat, forcing a save from David Marshall from a free-kick and putting another chance over the bar.
Post-match, Mark said he needed to make a decision, and yesterday a tweet from Tris told us that he would not be getting a contract.
I must admit I was surprised, as were many others judging by the response to Tris's tweet from other fans - but thinking about it I suggest that the Zebroski signing put paid to his chances.
In my view, they would be a similar type of player, and I feel that had the Zebroski move not materialised, then Plummer would have got a deal.
Yatesy also had to weigh up his budget, given the fact that he wants to bring in a central midfielder (young, box-to-box, six-month loan hopefully tied up next week said the gaffer) and also a goalkeeper to back up Scott Brown.
On that front, we have seen three candidates this pre-season - Phil Smith, the former Swindon keeper who played well at Evesham, saving a penalty, but is felt to be too expensive; then former Everton youngster Adam Davies played at Port Talbot but has signed for Southampton, and finally Connor Roberts, another Goodison Park product who played for 20 minutes against Cardiff.
So that is a work in progress - and I am told there was an another goalkeeper training at Seasons with Browny and Steve Book yesterday, so someone might play a part against Burnley today.
The Zebroski signing had whetted the appetite for that Burnley game with fans looking forward to their first sight of him.
After that signing, some fans were bemoaning the fact that he is not a 'goalscorer' - not that 20-goal striker every team seems to crave.
I am not sure many of them exist - as the top scorer in League Two his 18 in the league - but then, as he has done so often, the gaffer went and pulled another rabbit out of the hat.
Yesterday morning, one of those infuriating Twitter rumours said that Bury striker Shaun Harrad was signing for us on a season-long loan.
Given the stream of nonsense these sites have come out with this summer, it is no surprise that people were sceptical, and I was top of that list until I had a Twitter message telling me this one was true.
Wow. That one certainly came out of the blue.
At Burton, Harrad was a goal machine. He hit that famed 20-goal mark for Burton before heading off to Northampton and then Bury, and he scored a few goals there without really hitting that prolific form again.
We saw him score the winner for Burton at Whaddon Road, and he got the Brewers' first two goals in 'that' 6-5 game at the Pirelli, and I remember in that first half that he ripped our defence apart and could have had more goals.
Potentially, he is the goalscorer we have been looking for, and to get him on a season-long loan is a coup, and the reaction to it from fans of other clubs has been mainly 'good signing, how did they manage that?'
I cannot understand why things seem to have gone wrong at Bury and why they seem happy to let us have him for the season, but to paraphrase Barry Davies from the 1988 Olympic hockey final, 'frankly, who cares'.
If they don't want him, we will welcome him with open arms, and he definitely gives us options in that final third of the field now, and it was another triumph for patience as the gaffer got his man again.
Yatesy will be able to play whatever system he wants now. Against Cardiff, we played 4-2-3-1, but with Zebroski, Harrad, Darryl Duffy and Jeff Goulding - backed up by Kaid Mohamed, Jermaine McGlashan, Sam Deering and Marlon Pack we have creators and finishers in abundance, and we really should not be short of goals.
We also have pace to burn and as we have seen in League Two in recent seasons, that can be a potent weapon.
And with that the jigsaw is nearly complete, with a couple of pieces still lying on the floor waiting to be picked up and put into place, and after this week, is anyone betting against Yatesy finishing the job?
It is not an exaggeration to say that the majority of Ruby fans were getting a bit jumpy as the days count down to the start of the proper stuff next Saturday.
I turned up for the Cardiff friendly and looked at the team sheet, thinking 'right, we can put out a decent starting 11, but after that... hmm'. Not any more.
Before that game, the Echo had published their story linking us with Chris Zebroski, a player who started out as a youngster at the Cirencester Academy and went off to Plymouth, Millwall, Wycombe, Torquay and Bristol Rovers.
He is a player we tried to sign back in January, with rumours of a £75,000 bid being turned down - but in true Mark Yates style, he answered the questions about Zebroski after the Cardiff game with a flat bat of which Alastair Cook would be proud.
But the way he responded was an indicator that there was something in Jon Palmer's story - and so it proved when the signing was announced.
I am told that the fee is less than that £75,000 figure, and he will give us options up front and also out wide.
He had the best spell of his career at Torquay, and the move to Bristol Rovers did not really work out, especially after Paul Buckle, who took him to the Mem, was sacked.
Mark clearly wanted his man, having been knocked back and then saw him come back on to the radar - and it seems that he had to use his persuasive powers to get him here with the gaffer being quoted as saying that Zebroski 'finally saw sense and realised his future was with Cheltenham'. Nice one Mark.
Zebroski only got three goals in 28 starts - one at Whaddon Road - but was more prolific at Torquay so we have to hope he can find that Plaunmoor form.
Back to that Cardiff game, and we were beaten 4-0 - a thumping on paper but we were up against a side who will be chasing a Premier League place, and we competed well for half an hour before they got their three goals before half-time, and added another with that superb free-kick just after the break.
Possibly our brightest player during the Cardiff game was Tristan Plummer, who had scored on his first appearance at Evesham, then headed for the Welsh bonding camp, played at Port Talbot and also faced Birmingham.
This was his last chance to chance to impress, and he was our main goal threat, forcing a save from David Marshall from a free-kick and putting another chance over the bar.
Post-match, Mark said he needed to make a decision, and yesterday a tweet from Tris told us that he would not be getting a contract.
I must admit I was surprised, as were many others judging by the response to Tris's tweet from other fans - but thinking about it I suggest that the Zebroski signing put paid to his chances.
In my view, they would be a similar type of player, and I feel that had the Zebroski move not materialised, then Plummer would have got a deal.
Yatesy also had to weigh up his budget, given the fact that he wants to bring in a central midfielder (young, box-to-box, six-month loan hopefully tied up next week said the gaffer) and also a goalkeeper to back up Scott Brown.
On that front, we have seen three candidates this pre-season - Phil Smith, the former Swindon keeper who played well at Evesham, saving a penalty, but is felt to be too expensive; then former Everton youngster Adam Davies played at Port Talbot but has signed for Southampton, and finally Connor Roberts, another Goodison Park product who played for 20 minutes against Cardiff.
So that is a work in progress - and I am told there was an another goalkeeper training at Seasons with Browny and Steve Book yesterday, so someone might play a part against Burnley today.
The Zebroski signing had whetted the appetite for that Burnley game with fans looking forward to their first sight of him.
After that signing, some fans were bemoaning the fact that he is not a 'goalscorer' - not that 20-goal striker every team seems to crave.
I am not sure many of them exist - as the top scorer in League Two his 18 in the league - but then, as he has done so often, the gaffer went and pulled another rabbit out of the hat.
Yesterday morning, one of those infuriating Twitter rumours said that Bury striker Shaun Harrad was signing for us on a season-long loan.
Given the stream of nonsense these sites have come out with this summer, it is no surprise that people were sceptical, and I was top of that list until I had a Twitter message telling me this one was true.
Wow. That one certainly came out of the blue.
At Burton, Harrad was a goal machine. He hit that famed 20-goal mark for Burton before heading off to Northampton and then Bury, and he scored a few goals there without really hitting that prolific form again.
We saw him score the winner for Burton at Whaddon Road, and he got the Brewers' first two goals in 'that' 6-5 game at the Pirelli, and I remember in that first half that he ripped our defence apart and could have had more goals.
Potentially, he is the goalscorer we have been looking for, and to get him on a season-long loan is a coup, and the reaction to it from fans of other clubs has been mainly 'good signing, how did they manage that?'
I cannot understand why things seem to have gone wrong at Bury and why they seem happy to let us have him for the season, but to paraphrase Barry Davies from the 1988 Olympic hockey final, 'frankly, who cares'.
If they don't want him, we will welcome him with open arms, and he definitely gives us options in that final third of the field now, and it was another triumph for patience as the gaffer got his man again.
Yatesy will be able to play whatever system he wants now. Against Cardiff, we played 4-2-3-1, but with Zebroski, Harrad, Darryl Duffy and Jeff Goulding - backed up by Kaid Mohamed, Jermaine McGlashan, Sam Deering and Marlon Pack we have creators and finishers in abundance, and we really should not be short of goals.
We also have pace to burn and as we have seen in League Two in recent seasons, that can be a potent weapon.
And with that the jigsaw is nearly complete, with a couple of pieces still lying on the floor waiting to be picked up and put into place, and after this week, is anyone betting against Yatesy finishing the job?
Sunday, 22 July 2012
First impressions
Think back a year or so, and remember a 1-1 draw at Cirencester which was our first outing of last season.
It was a warm day and we played two different teams in each half with a few trialists, at a friendly Southern League club with a nice modern ground.
Well, we did exactly the same at Evesham's new Spiers and Hartwell Jubilee Stadium (yes, really...) and the other similarity with that game at Cirencester is that the result does not matter one bit.
It was a fitness exercise, an extended training session, and a chance for the trialists that we have had in training for the past 10 days or so to impress and earn a trip to the Wales training camp this week.
Trouble is, they didn't do that, of which more later.
Our first half team included new signings Sam Deering and Billy Jones, along with one of the trialists, the ex-Marine Rob Farkins, and also Danny Andrew, playing in midfield.
In both halves, we used the same formation, a 4-2-3-1 system, and in the opening 45 it was Scott Brown in goal, Sido Jombati and Jones at full-back and Farkins and Steve Elliott at centre-half. In mdfield, Marlon Pack and Danny Andrew sat back with Deering further forward and Jeff Goulding up front supported by Bags Graham and Jermaine McGlashan.
I thought we did well in the first half, spending about 80 per cent of the time in the Evesham half, and could easily have come out a couple of goals to the good.
Bags and Jermaine were lively on the wings, linking well with Billy Jones and Sido, who got forward well.
I liked the look of Jones, who got forward and tried to get some crosses in, also playing one lovely cross-field ball to Jermaine, who took it down well but then shot wide.
Deering also made a promising start and was the pick of the first half team for me, always busy, always wanting the ball and linking well with Jeff for a chance which the goalkeeper saved.
We were not really troubled at the back, bar the odd free-kick and couple of Evesham corners, so it was difficult to assess the trialist Farkins as he was alongside Steve Elliott, who won everything in the air and was his usual commanding self.
It was interesting to see Danny in midfield - I thought he did okay in there, but his presence in that role does show to me that we need another central midfielder in the squad.
That's why it was then going to be of more interest to see how the second-half team got on, as it included six trialists, including Mark Hughes, formerly at Barnet, and Ibrahim Farah, still under contract at Cardiff.
Alongside them, we had two new faces in former Swindon keeper Phil Smith (who has been training with us, Yatesy said post-match) and ex-Bristol City striker Tristan Plummer, who has just come back to his native Bristol from a spell playing in Portugal with Portimonense.
In front of Smith, Keith Lowe was at right back, with Niall Wellington on the left and Harry Hooman and Colin Hamilton at centre-half. The midfield three was Hughes, Farah and Russ Penn, with Darryl Duffy through the middle supported by Kaid Mohamed and Plummer.
We started the half quite well and the Evesham keeper made good saves from Duffy and a double save from him and Plummer, while Darryl also had a shot blocked on the line.
But we went a goal down when Roland Agbor, who was a real handful on the left and gave Keith Lowe a torrid time all half, crossed and Hamilton headed past Smith for an own goal.
You felt sorry for the lad, but I am sure that moment only confirmed his impending exit. Cracking header though.
Hughes started well I thought but then faded, and didn't look very dynamic. He seemed a bit one-paced to me, while Farah or Wellington struggled to make any impression.
I know it is harsh judging players on 45 minutes, but you want them to improve your squad, so they have to make an impression in games like this.
None of the trial players on show, bar Smith in goal and Plummer, looked like they would improve us, so Yatesy has made the right choice by letting them go.
Smith pulled off a superb save from Luke Corbett's penalty after Keith Lowe fouled our old youth teamer Marcus Palmer, before we grabbed our equaliser.
Plummer had been lively on the right-hand side, and it was a good finish, a bit of trickery followed by a shot across the keeper and inside the far post. He is worth another look.
After the game, Yatesy had the task of saying thanks but no thanks to the trialists bar Plummer, and also said that he might have someone in on Monday for the trip to Wales, and more intriguingly confirmed that he isn't only looking at out of contract players.
On Phil Smith, Mark said that he cannot afford him and said that Alan Bennett, who did not play a part, was not injured, but just given a rest so he could look at other players - confirmed also by the man himself.
So off they go to Wales, and Port Talbot on Tuesday, followed by the first home friendly against Birmingham on Saturday.
I won't be at either due to work and the Olympics, so my next look at us will be against Cardiff on July 31, by which time we might have some new players, but will definitely have a new kit...
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Time for some business
Tomorrow, pre-season will start in earnest.
The players came back on Thursday, did their fitness tests on Friday, and will assemble at Seasons with five days to go until the first friendly, at Evesham's new stadium next Saturday.
After the four summer departures, and the arrivals of Sam Deering and Billy Jones, we have 16 players on the books, and with Mark Yates saying he wants 21 or 22, there is still work to be done in the wheeling and dealing department.
I was delighted with the signing of Deering, a player I thought was one of the best to come up against us last season, and he is only 21.
He stood out in all three games we played against Barnet, and despite his lack of height, he is a tricky player with skill and will give us options if we play the 4-2-3-1 system, as Deering could play on the right side or just off the forward and would link the play well.
This would move Russ Penn back, I presume, to play more of a holding role alongside Marlon Pack, and I feel that might suit him better, and having Deering further forward will be more of a goal threat.
After Jones' arrival, Yatesy said he wants four arrivals before the training camp in Wales, so this week could be an exciting one.
The gaffer said that if he could secure one of the signings, the others would hopefully then fall into place.
This would appear to mean (if my reading between the lines is correct...) that this signing is the 'marquee' one, presumably a striker who will take up the majority of his remaining (slightly increased) playing budget.
Position-wise, we need two strikers, another goalkeeper, a wide player (I would say right sided) and maybe another central midfield player, which would take us up to 21 players.
The triallists we have are intruiging.
Mark Hughes is by far the most experienced one, having played alongside Sam Deering for Barnet and scored the goal which kept the Bees up last season.
I would say that Hughes would be more of a natural replacement for Luke Summerfield than Deering, who is more attack-minded, and Hughes would be more like Summers or Penn.
Having lost Josh Low, Junior Smikle and, last season, Dave Bird from our midfield back-up ranks, someone like Hughes could fill a gap in the squad.
We also have Ibrahim Farah on trial as a potential midfield recruit. He is a 20-year-old from Cardiff, who has not played for the Bluebirds, but made three appearances on loan at Tamworth.
Colin Hamilton is another candidate, the 20-year-old having come from Hearts, but his only games have been six starts and two substitute games at Stenhousemuir.
The other two triallists are defenders, Niall Wellington, a left-sided player from West Brom and Rob Farkins, a centre-half with an interesting story.
These are two areas we probably don't need cover in, unless a club comes in for Danny Andrew, which would leave Jones as our only left-back.
Wellington is a teenager from the Baggies' academy and may be worth keeping an eye on, while Farkins played for Torquay's youth team and served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine.
See Jon Palmer's Echo piece with him here: http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Cheltenham-Town-Soldier-Rob-aims-place-Yates-Army/story-16535091-detail/story.html
With him, fitness is not going to be a problem, and it will be down to whether the recommendation from Yatesy's old team-mate John Gayle is a good one, and the guy can play.
But with Keith Lowe and Harry Hooman already at the club as cover for central defence, it also brings into question whether we need another player in that area.
Evesham next week will give us our chance to see how these five limber up - and if Yatesy's recruitment plans are on course, there could be a few more new faces to have a look at.
The players came back on Thursday, did their fitness tests on Friday, and will assemble at Seasons with five days to go until the first friendly, at Evesham's new stadium next Saturday.
After the four summer departures, and the arrivals of Sam Deering and Billy Jones, we have 16 players on the books, and with Mark Yates saying he wants 21 or 22, there is still work to be done in the wheeling and dealing department.
I was delighted with the signing of Deering, a player I thought was one of the best to come up against us last season, and he is only 21.
He stood out in all three games we played against Barnet, and despite his lack of height, he is a tricky player with skill and will give us options if we play the 4-2-3-1 system, as Deering could play on the right side or just off the forward and would link the play well.
This would move Russ Penn back, I presume, to play more of a holding role alongside Marlon Pack, and I feel that might suit him better, and having Deering further forward will be more of a goal threat.
Jones is a solid, lower-league full-back, with good grounding at Orient, Kidderminster, Crewe and Exeter, having played some 300-odd games.
At 29, he will give us a first-choice defence packed with experience, and it seems that Jones is a set-piece man, as he has scored 26 goals in his time, good for a full-back.
After Jones' arrival, Yatesy said he wants four arrivals before the training camp in Wales, so this week could be an exciting one.
The gaffer said that if he could secure one of the signings, the others would hopefully then fall into place.
This would appear to mean (if my reading between the lines is correct...) that this signing is the 'marquee' one, presumably a striker who will take up the majority of his remaining (slightly increased) playing budget.
Position-wise, we need two strikers, another goalkeeper, a wide player (I would say right sided) and maybe another central midfield player, which would take us up to 21 players.
The triallists we have are intruiging.
Mark Hughes is by far the most experienced one, having played alongside Sam Deering for Barnet and scored the goal which kept the Bees up last season.
I would say that Hughes would be more of a natural replacement for Luke Summerfield than Deering, who is more attack-minded, and Hughes would be more like Summers or Penn.
Having lost Josh Low, Junior Smikle and, last season, Dave Bird from our midfield back-up ranks, someone like Hughes could fill a gap in the squad.
We also have Ibrahim Farah on trial as a potential midfield recruit. He is a 20-year-old from Cardiff, who has not played for the Bluebirds, but made three appearances on loan at Tamworth.
Colin Hamilton is another candidate, the 20-year-old having come from Hearts, but his only games have been six starts and two substitute games at Stenhousemuir.
The other two triallists are defenders, Niall Wellington, a left-sided player from West Brom and Rob Farkins, a centre-half with an interesting story.
These are two areas we probably don't need cover in, unless a club comes in for Danny Andrew, which would leave Jones as our only left-back.
Wellington is a teenager from the Baggies' academy and may be worth keeping an eye on, while Farkins played for Torquay's youth team and served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine.
See Jon Palmer's Echo piece with him here: http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Cheltenham-Town-Soldier-Rob-aims-place-Yates-Army/story-16535091-detail/story.html
With him, fitness is not going to be a problem, and it will be down to whether the recommendation from Yatesy's old team-mate John Gayle is a good one, and the guy can play.
But with Keith Lowe and Harry Hooman already at the club as cover for central defence, it also brings into question whether we need another player in that area.
Evesham next week will give us our chance to see how these five limber up - and if Yatesy's recruitment plans are on course, there could be a few more new faces to have a look at.
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Summer silly season
With a week to go until the start of pre-season training, 17 days until the first friendly at Evesham and about six weeks until Dagenham and Redbridge come calling, the silly season is in full swing.
After the dust settled on the Wembley defeat, we said farewell to Josh Low, Junior Smikle and Theo Lewis, as well as our loanees Jimmy Spencer and Luke Garbutt.
The next focus was on the out of contract players, with Scott Brown and Keith Lowe signing for two years, with Harry Hooman, Bags Graham and Jeff Goulding staying for another 12 months and Alan Bennett invoking his 12-month appearance clause.
It was good work by Yatesy to get them all signed up, but he was unable to persuade Luke Summerfield to give it another go next season, as he opted for a move to Shrewsbury in League One.
As usual, some fans have taken his decision badly, accusing him of disloyalty after we 'rescued his career' last summer, apparently.
Not sure I would go that far, but we did give him a contract and he repaid us with some excellent displays and goals last season, but with his deal running out he is quite within his rights to have a look around.
Football is a short career - you are a long time retired, as I remember John Finnigan saying to me once - and Luke owes it to himself to spend as much of that time as he can playing at as high a level as he can.
He came to us having played in the Championship and League One for most of his previous career and it is good to see on Twitter that most CTFC fans have wished him and fiancee Heidi all the best.
But now we move on, and we start to wonder about Yatesy's summer recruitment, which is yet to start.
We are into July, and some are starting to get a bit twitchy as we have yet to add to our squad, which currently looks like this:
Goalkeeper: Scott Brown
Defenders: Sido Jombati, Keith Lowe, Alan Bennett, Harry Hooman, Steve Elliott, Danny Andrew (available on a free).
Midfielders: Russ Penn, Marlon Pack, Jermaine McGlashan, Bags Graham, Kaid Mohamed.
Forwards: Jeff Goulding, Darryl Duffy.
So we currently have 14 players (including Danny Andrew) and with Yatesy saying he wants 22 or 23 for the big kick-off, there is much work to be done and players to be signed in the coming weeks.
As I said, some are becoming a bit twitchy, but bear in mind that everything, including the start of training and the season itself, is two weeks later this year because of London 2012 - and players' deals did not end until last weekend, so players signed before then incur an extra cost.
Some clubs (Rotherham and Fleetwood especially) have done their shopping early, and seeing clubs like Southend, Burton and Aldershot also entering the market will leave people wondering if we are being left behind.
But we know that all the perceived best players have not gone.
Last summer, it was very late when Alan Bennett, Darryl Duffy and Luke Summerfield were signed, so there is still lots of time for rabbits to be plucked from hats by master magicians Yates and Howarth.
So where are they going to be looking to add to the squad?
A goalkeeper obviously - hopefully the next Jack Butland. Then, a left-back as Danny Andrew seems to be surplus to requirements.
Defensively, that would be it for me, leaving us with six - four of whom can play at centre back, Sido and Keith Lowe for right back and the new man plus Sido covering the left side.
In midfield, we need a replacement for Summers and I think also one more central player as we have lost Theo and Dave Bird, plus Junior from that area.
Out wide, I would like to see a right-sided wide man as competition for Jermaine, but we need to trust Bags on the left to backup Mo.
Up front we need two strikers, one of whom is ideally a Ben Burgess-style player.
So that makes seven players, which would take us (minus Danny) to 20, then Mark may look at a couple of long-term loans to supplement the numbers further.
As usual, the rumour mill has been strong, with names bandied about from the plausible (Anthony Straker), to the possible (Christian Ribeiro), the far-fetched (Alex Bruce) to the downright ridiculous (Kheli Dube, a Zimbabwean striker playing for Chicago Fire).
The good old PFA transfer list (http://www.thepfa.com/transferlist) has plenty of decent players still looking for clubs, and here are a few names which may, or may not, float your boat as potential Rubies (or whatever colour the new kit is).
Scott McGleish
Dean Morgan
Kenny Lunt
Mark Hughes
Sam Deering
Christian Ribeiro
Jos Labadie
Martin Devaney
Ryan Green
Lee Cook
David Clarkson
Stuart Nelson
Keiran Djilali
Jon Macken
Arron Davies
Anthony McNamee
Karl Hawley
There, that's a few names that jumped out at me from the PFA list - I don't expect any of them to sign for us, as some of them will be out our reach wages-wise, geographically and will not want to drop to League Two, but it does show the calibre of player which is out there.
Bear in mind also, that last summer arguably two of the most successful signings, Sido and Mo, were from left-field and one became player of the year and the other was our joint-top League Two goalscorer.
Just remember, it is still early July. The fun has yet to begin.
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Wrapping up the season
So that's that then.
Another season over, and another pre-season of ridiculous rumours and over-reaction to players leaving/arriving/turning us down has already started.
To wrap it up, it was a season which started slowly, gathered pace in the Autumn, stuttered slightly before threatening to implode completely, then almost finished on the most incredible high.
After an inauspicious pre-season which included defeats at Stourbridge and Newport and draws at Cirencester and Telford, optimism wasn't exactly high when we trekked to Gillingham for the opening game on August 6.
But as it turned out, by the end of August we had wrapped up home wins over Swindon and Crawley (both of whom went up) and a comeback win at Northampton, while making progress in the JPT as well.
September saw Jack Butland's arrival - and little did we know he would end the season on the plane to Poland and the Ukraine.
His debut, the 2-0 win over Macclesfield, was our only win in the month, which ended with a disappointing 0-0 draw at Hereford, but that was the catalyst for the season to really take off.
October opened at Bristol Rovers, and the team selection raised a few eyebrows - Danny Andrew dropped, Sido Jombati in, three in central midfield, and a new loanee Luke Garbutt on the bench.
One 3-1 win later and maybe that proved Yatesy does know best... The month carried on with only one defeat (against Crewe... see also April and late May...) and ended with a last-gasp 2-1 win over ailing Plymouth.
Three League games in November, and three wins meant we were flying up the table, and there was a also a superb 1-0 win at League One Tranmere in the FA Cup but a JPT exit.
We were then unbeaten in December and booked an FA Cup game at Spurs, by beating Luton in round two, and the home win over Southend was arguably the best display of the season, and the best at home for a few seasons.
We seemed to be on a roll and started January with wins over Port Vale and Aldershot, sandwiching that memorable day at White Hart Lane - but got a wake-up call with a defeat at home to Bristol Rovers.
But we ended the month on top of League Two after winning 3-1 at Macclesfield - but that was the to be as good as it got.
February opened at Crawley with a 4-2 defeat in a game which should have been postponed as the pitch was frozen, then carried on with usual non-victory at Hereford and a home defeat by Torquay.
It ended better - wins over Dagenham and Burton and a draw with AFC Wimbledon re-ignited the top-three bid, but that was to be swiftly extinguished.
March. I thought about leaving it out but had to re-live the pain.
Two points out of 21, defeats to all of our promotion rivals, red cards, missed penalties and no goals for the best part of six games. Need I say any more? No, I don't think so.
So, that was top three out of the window and it was now a case of making sure we finished in the top six.
We managed it in April thanks to three home wins, over Barnet, Accrington and Bradford, despite one goal losses at Rotherham (in the 92nd minute) and Crewe (yes, them again).
May began at Plymouth with a much-changed team winning 2-1, and we were to go back to Devon for the play-offs, and what a night it was at Plainmoor as we booked that Wembley place.
It was to end in disappointment against Crewe - but what a season it was, and now is the time to hand out the CTC 2012-13 awards (drum roll please...)
Player of the season
As I have said often in the past, my vote here goes to Steve Elliott. I thought he had a fantastically consistent season, and we really missed him in those games he missed between the Spurs game and the 5-0 win at Dagenham back in mid-February. He benefited greatly from having Alan Bennett alongside him, and they formed a great partnership. Hope they both stay!
Signing of the season
A few to choose from here - Bennett, Duffy, Garbutt, Mo, Butland, Penn to name a few, but it has to be Sido Jombati. Plucked from Bath City (cheers Archie) he got his place in the side in October, and never lost it again. His goal at Oxford was a great moment, and he has become a cult hero. Still not the finished article and has to work on a few things, notably his tackling and cutting out the rash challenges which have cost us penalties and got him that red card at Southend.
Goal of the season
This looked to be a stright fight between two goals scored in the same game - Kaid Mohamed's solo effort and Luke Summerfield's smasher from the short corner routine at Bristol Rovers. That was until the 88th minute at Plainmoor in the play-off semi-final, when Marlon Pack's free-kick against Torquay nipped in and stole it. A special goal for a special moment.
Home performance of the season
I am going to vote here for the 3-0 success over Southend. It was during our great run of form, and was Jack Butland's last game of his initial loan spell. Southend were also high-flying but we swept them aside with a superb display and could have won by more. Jimmy Spencer, Russ Pen and Marlon Pack scored, but Marlon hit the post twice and Luke Daniels in the Southend goal made some fine saves.
Away performance of the season
For a change this season, we saw some superb displays on the road, and I could vote for the wins at Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Burton, Dagenham or Bradford - the five I would say are the best 'on the road' shows. Of those, I am going to the 3-1 win at Oxford, as that was the day I feel we really put a marker down. Right from minute one, we dominated and Sido Jombati, Jimmy Spencer and Kaid Mohamed sealed a superb win.
So that's the end of season 2011-12. Let the fun begin again in 2012-13...!
Another season over, and another pre-season of ridiculous rumours and over-reaction to players leaving/arriving/turning us down has already started.
To wrap it up, it was a season which started slowly, gathered pace in the Autumn, stuttered slightly before threatening to implode completely, then almost finished on the most incredible high.
After an inauspicious pre-season which included defeats at Stourbridge and Newport and draws at Cirencester and Telford, optimism wasn't exactly high when we trekked to Gillingham for the opening game on August 6.
But as it turned out, by the end of August we had wrapped up home wins over Swindon and Crawley (both of whom went up) and a comeback win at Northampton, while making progress in the JPT as well.
September saw Jack Butland's arrival - and little did we know he would end the season on the plane to Poland and the Ukraine.
His debut, the 2-0 win over Macclesfield, was our only win in the month, which ended with a disappointing 0-0 draw at Hereford, but that was the catalyst for the season to really take off.
October opened at Bristol Rovers, and the team selection raised a few eyebrows - Danny Andrew dropped, Sido Jombati in, three in central midfield, and a new loanee Luke Garbutt on the bench.
One 3-1 win later and maybe that proved Yatesy does know best... The month carried on with only one defeat (against Crewe... see also April and late May...) and ended with a last-gasp 2-1 win over ailing Plymouth.
Three League games in November, and three wins meant we were flying up the table, and there was a also a superb 1-0 win at League One Tranmere in the FA Cup but a JPT exit.
We were then unbeaten in December and booked an FA Cup game at Spurs, by beating Luton in round two, and the home win over Southend was arguably the best display of the season, and the best at home for a few seasons.
We seemed to be on a roll and started January with wins over Port Vale and Aldershot, sandwiching that memorable day at White Hart Lane - but got a wake-up call with a defeat at home to Bristol Rovers.
But we ended the month on top of League Two after winning 3-1 at Macclesfield - but that was the to be as good as it got.
February opened at Crawley with a 4-2 defeat in a game which should have been postponed as the pitch was frozen, then carried on with usual non-victory at Hereford and a home defeat by Torquay.
It ended better - wins over Dagenham and Burton and a draw with AFC Wimbledon re-ignited the top-three bid, but that was to be swiftly extinguished.
March. I thought about leaving it out but had to re-live the pain.
Two points out of 21, defeats to all of our promotion rivals, red cards, missed penalties and no goals for the best part of six games. Need I say any more? No, I don't think so.
So, that was top three out of the window and it was now a case of making sure we finished in the top six.
We managed it in April thanks to three home wins, over Barnet, Accrington and Bradford, despite one goal losses at Rotherham (in the 92nd minute) and Crewe (yes, them again).
May began at Plymouth with a much-changed team winning 2-1, and we were to go back to Devon for the play-offs, and what a night it was at Plainmoor as we booked that Wembley place.
It was to end in disappointment against Crewe - but what a season it was, and now is the time to hand out the CTC 2012-13 awards (drum roll please...)
Player of the season
As I have said often in the past, my vote here goes to Steve Elliott. I thought he had a fantastically consistent season, and we really missed him in those games he missed between the Spurs game and the 5-0 win at Dagenham back in mid-February. He benefited greatly from having Alan Bennett alongside him, and they formed a great partnership. Hope they both stay!
Signing of the season
A few to choose from here - Bennett, Duffy, Garbutt, Mo, Butland, Penn to name a few, but it has to be Sido Jombati. Plucked from Bath City (cheers Archie) he got his place in the side in October, and never lost it again. His goal at Oxford was a great moment, and he has become a cult hero. Still not the finished article and has to work on a few things, notably his tackling and cutting out the rash challenges which have cost us penalties and got him that red card at Southend.
Goal of the season
This looked to be a stright fight between two goals scored in the same game - Kaid Mohamed's solo effort and Luke Summerfield's smasher from the short corner routine at Bristol Rovers. That was until the 88th minute at Plainmoor in the play-off semi-final, when Marlon Pack's free-kick against Torquay nipped in and stole it. A special goal for a special moment.
Home performance of the season
I am going to vote here for the 3-0 success over Southend. It was during our great run of form, and was Jack Butland's last game of his initial loan spell. Southend were also high-flying but we swept them aside with a superb display and could have won by more. Jimmy Spencer, Russ Pen and Marlon Pack scored, but Marlon hit the post twice and Luke Daniels in the Southend goal made some fine saves.
Away performance of the season
For a change this season, we saw some superb displays on the road, and I could vote for the wins at Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Burton, Dagenham or Bradford - the five I would say are the best 'on the road' shows. Of those, I am going to the 3-1 win at Oxford, as that was the day I feel we really put a marker down. Right from minute one, we dominated and Sido Jombati, Jimmy Spencer and Kaid Mohamed sealed a superb win.
So that's the end of season 2011-12. Let the fun begin again in 2012-13...!
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