| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park 14:11 - Feb 10 with 1952 views | durham_exile |
First things first. A momentous week for the U’s.
Matt Bloomfield (MB) has scooped the League Two Manager of the Month award for January. This is not only richly deserved but also shows just how hard MB has worked to galvanise his team into a coherent and industrious unit.
It was also pleasing to note how many of the victories were away from home. I must say that I had some great journeys back from Harrogate, Rochdale and Hartlepool after these recent wins.
Now as Wessex points out after Phil Parkinson won a similar award he took his charges to the Championship. Can lightning strike twice. Momentum is a great thing to have in your locker.
Where MB has scored is in changing the whole approach to the game. He has taken a team short on confidence and results and achieved some vastly improved performances. He is also to be congratulated on melding his new arrivals into the team in a seamless and straightforward way.
It is never easy to do something like that but MB has achieved it. He has also determined that 3,5,2 or 3,4,1,2 can work and work effectively. Most important of all playing two up top has been a revelation.
We also have plenty of strength on the bench now and some great attacking options.
Robbie Cowling has been true to his word with the January war chest which has been deployed sensibly and economically.
Grimsby on a Saturday afternoon. A rarity and we can thank the fixture computer for this gem. Grimsby and Cleethorpes in the daylight, very unusual but welcoming.
Gerry and I will be sampling Papa’s Fish n Chips on Cleethorpes Pier. They come highly recommended and the walk to the ground afterwards sets us up nicely for the 90 minutes of football. My eldest son remarked to me recently that Colchester must be playing the longest games of football at present. There is often 4,5 or 6 minutes added on to the first half and the same sometimes doubled for the second. At Harrogate Gerry was worried about getting home before midnight afterwards. Now there are many reasons for this; over exuberant goal celebrations, injuries, time wasting and substitutions.
What we are long overdue is to dish out a real tonking to one of our opponents. Something like 4 or even 5 goals. Some of our football has deserved it.
Whilst I am not suggesting that Grimsby will roll over on Saturday but the 5th round game at Southampton will be playing on their minds. Cup runs do that as we know on those rare occasions when we have one.
Luton were brushed aside on Tuesday night by the Mariners in a comfortable win. Paul Hurst will not have to lift his players they will be as high as kites; his problem is keeping their feet firmly on the ground.
Grimsby also have an incredible 5 games in hand over the U’s but a victory for MB’s team will take us above the Mariners.
Tranmere 29 38
Grimsby 25 33
COL U 30 31
Crewe 27 31
Newport 27 29
Harrogate 27 27
Crawley 26 25
Hartlepool 29 25
Gillingham 27 24
Rochdale 29 20
I have included Tranmere to show that the gap is closing on the top seven or so clubs. Currently it is 11 points and the Prenton park mob are vying for a top seven spot. So, the distance is almost within range.
Colchester need 17 more points to be safe but only 22 more on top of that to achieve 70 points which may be enough for a top seven spot. Let’s see where each game takes us starting at Blundell Park.
Grimsby are fretting on the availability of Kieran Green who injured his ribs against the Hatters otherwise they will surely play an unchanged team from Tuesday.
Congratulations to Luke Chambers who has clocked up 858 appearances in all competitions.
MB has a nice problem in team selection.
I will keep things simple.
Let’s go 3, 4,1,2 with the following:
O’Hara
Chambers Kelleher Hall
Tchamadeu Skuse Read Wood
Chilvers
Appiah Tovide
Subs:
Goal Keeper — at present I would opt for Gerry the Cat after Tom Smith’s possible injury. (Gerry bring your gloves on Saturday).
Ashley, Newby, Jay, Akinde, Hopper, Kazeem
Weather for Cleethorpes on Saturday Sunny 10 degrees Celsius, light winds and dry.
Perfect for football. A decent crowd also expected and the pitch looked in good order from the limited highlights I saw against the Hatters. We also owe the Mariners for the 1-0 defeat inflicted upon us earlier in the season.
Safe journey to the travelling faithful, who should be present in good numbers and voices.
Almost forgot the score prediction. A Colchester victory in a thriller 3-2 with Tovide, Appiah and a scorcher from Tchamadeu.
Enjoy the game.
Get right behind MB and the boys and lets bring home another three points.
Up the U’s
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 16:13 - Feb 10 with 1907 views | gerry_us |
I'll have to decline Peter; can't find my keeper gloves, and more importantly, when I was initially around the fringes of the U's, Percy Ames was still 1st team keeper. Work that out mate.
Percy was also a great wicketkeeper for Tiptree CC
See you tomorrow |  | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 16:41 - Feb 10 with 1894 views | durham_exile |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 16:13 - Feb 10 by gerry_us |
I'll have to decline Peter; can't find my keeper gloves, and more importantly, when I was initially around the fringes of the U's, Percy Ames was still 1st team keeper. Work that out mate.
Percy was also a great wicketkeeper for Tiptree CC
See you tomorrow |
Gerry I think you are being modest.
Still it was worth an enquiry.
Safe journey tomorrow.
Up the U's | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 12:32 - Feb 11 with 1771 views | durham_exile |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 16:41 - Feb 10 by durham_exile |
Gerry I think you are being modest.
Still it was worth an enquiry.
Safe journey tomorrow.
Up the U's |
Cleethorpes is mild and sunny.
Just walking down to the Pier.
Up the U's | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 14:30 - Feb 11 with 1708 views | Blue4U2 |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 16:13 - Feb 10 by gerry_us |
I'll have to decline Peter; can't find my keeper gloves, and more importantly, when I was initially around the fringes of the U's, Percy Ames was still 1st team keeper. Work that out mate.
Percy was also a great wicketkeeper for Tiptree CC
See you tomorrow |
Hornby named on the bench |  | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 15:14 - Feb 11 with 1687 views | wessex_exile |
iFollow appears broken using the website, but commentary on the app is working at the moment. |  |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 15:19 - Feb 11 with 1682 views | wessex_exile |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 15:14 - Feb 11 by wessex_exile |
iFollow appears broken using the website, but commentary on the app is working at the moment. |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 15:36 - Feb 11 with 1677 views | wessex_exile |
1-0 to the U's, and Hopper with his first!
Come On!!!! | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 17:04 - Feb 11 with 1630 views | wessex_exile |
Curse, what curse - U's win 1-0 at Blundell Park and Matty Bloomfield chalks up a fifth consecutive away win. Now, I'll have to check, but I think he now holds the record for the U's in the football league, given two of the previous three were in the Southern League, and in 1987 the five consecutive away victories were shared between Mike Walker (3 games) and Roger Brown (2 games).
The future is bright, the future is blue and white!
Up the U's! | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 17:20 - Feb 11 with 1614 views | noah4x4 |
Very cheerful CUSA coach A (of two). 6,000+ crowd, merely 253 U’s, but we made all the noise. Competitive game, U’s just shaded it in a game of few chances. Osama Ashley was awesome. Won everything in midfield and he made the difference. Am starting to believe anything is possible…. |  | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 17:39 - Feb 11 with 1606 views | wessex_exile |
None of the bottom three can catch us now, even with their games in hand, and a massive game on Tuesday at home to Walsall, which could put us within inches of reaching the mid-table group. Then, perhaps, we can start looking up not down. | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 18:42 - Feb 11 with 1567 views | bwildered |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 17:04 - Feb 11 by wessex_exile |
Curse, what curse - U's win 1-0 at Blundell Park and Matty Bloomfield chalks up a fifth consecutive away win. Now, I'll have to check, but I think he now holds the record for the U's in the football league, given two of the previous three were in the Southern League, and in 1987 the five consecutive away victories were shared between Mike Walker (3 games) and Roger Brown (2 games).
The future is bright, the future is blue and white!
Up the U's! |
Incorrect Wessex, the fourth win at Rochdale was managed by Steve Foley has caretaker after the sacking of Mike Walker . |  |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 19:53 - Feb 11 with 1512 views | grimsby1984 |
Hi guys /girls
Grimsby fan here thought i would post as i go to the odd Colchester game as my brother in law is a CUFC who lives in Braintree randomly .
Thought your support was superb today , easily the top 4 in terms of numbers and noise so far ,really got behind the team .
I thought the game had 1-0 or 0-0 written all over it but i think you proberly edged it .
But i more wanted to post as ,as the pretty mundane game was going on i was thinking about stadiums ,what your thoughts were on the ground and the contrast in your new one to the old one . Do you enjoy the new stadium as much as layer road ?
When away fans sing 'BP is a shithole ' etc i think is that a bad thing ?
Basically i wondered has the trade off of a new shiny ground thats relatively isolated and new build outweigh that shit hole /real /traditional feel of layer road ? |  | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 20:24 - Feb 11 with 1484 views | wessex_exile |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 19:53 - Feb 11 by grimsby1984 |
Hi guys /girls
Grimsby fan here thought i would post as i go to the odd Colchester game as my brother in law is a CUFC who lives in Braintree randomly .
Thought your support was superb today , easily the top 4 in terms of numbers and noise so far ,really got behind the team .
I thought the game had 1-0 or 0-0 written all over it but i think you proberly edged it .
But i more wanted to post as ,as the pretty mundane game was going on i was thinking about stadiums ,what your thoughts were on the ground and the contrast in your new one to the old one . Do you enjoy the new stadium as much as layer road ?
When away fans sing 'BP is a shithole ' etc i think is that a bad thing ?
Basically i wondered has the trade off of a new shiny ground thats relatively isolated and new build outweigh that shit hole /real /traditional feel of layer road ? |
Evening chap, and first of all thanks for the kind words, I wasn't one of them today but our travelling support may not usually be many in number but is always loud and proud. From my iFollow commentary perspective, it did sound like we probably edged it in a win ugly sort of way, but in our predicament, I'll take that. You'll be fine this season though, and you've got five games in hand to overtake our one point advantage at the moment, just don't get too distracted by your cup run (well done on that btw).
To be honest "<insert location> is a shitehole" is part of our standard playlist at away games, so don't take it too personally. Ironically, almost ten years ago to the day I was signing your online petition for a new ground, and I know many Grimberians did likewise for our own ground move petition. From a personal perspective, I'd say a guarded be careful what you wish for. Don't get me wrong, the JobServe isn't a bad ground, and on its day can generate a fantastic atmosphere, but for me, it day in day out struggles to replicate what Layer Road was like, and that truly was a shitehole, though it was our shitehole and we loved it.
The reality though is we had to move out of Layer Road, which we didn't even own by the end. The various covenants and restrictions made it impossible for the club to generate any review other than on matchdays. These days, other than U's games, we're hosting full houses for concerts, England youth games, plus of course all the usual conference facilities, meeting spaces etc. All sounds a bit prawn sandwich, but it makes a difference.
Blundell Park is a proper old skool ground, and it will be a very sad day for football when the last of them disappear.
Best of luck for the rest of the season, provided of course you lose your 5 in hand  | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 21:50 - Feb 11 with 1450 views | durham_exile |
The 253 sang for the entire game.
MB trademark celebration at the end of the game was brilliantly received.
You better believe that we can finish top seven.
The players believe it, Management believe it too.
5 consecutive Away wins and next Saturday we are at Brunton Park.
It's going to be a classic
Let's see if we can take 500.
Still smiling.
Up the U's | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 22:00 - Feb 11 with 1444 views | oxfcolu |
This side has the hallmark of progression and dare I say it consistency. To early to get excited yet but hopefully should stop looking over our shoulders. |  | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 09:52 - Feb 12 with 1368 views | noah4x4 |
Yet again, I want to praise the Grimsby stewards.
In previous seasons, they have gone beyond their call of duty. For example, the evening that our view was impaired by sea fog they led us to a better viewpoint in another stand. The club's hospitality and friendliness towards ordinary fans has always been exceptional.
Yesterday, we were disappointed that Grimsby's normally excellent Away Fans bar was closed due to problems with the pumps. It was merely 13:30 and the concourse (more like a WW1 trench given the barbed wire) kiosk had only cider and lager. The very young bar staff apologised, but were too busy to do more.
I (politely) explained to the senior steward that we had asked stewards outside the ground if the Away Fans bar was open (true) and had been told we could get a "beer" in the ground (else we would have found a pub), and that we were real ale fans. He responded by sending a message to the Home Fans Bar that supplies of a suitable beverage were urgently required. Cue, three burly stewards appeared carrying cases of (bottled) Doom Bar like George Lazenby in the "Big Fry" advert of yesteryear.
It wasn't great in chilly weather supping ale from flimsy plastic pots in a run-down corrugated iron clad corridor that smelt of wee (remember behind Layer Road Terrace Four?) but in the circumstances, the senior steward did a great job.
A near full house guaranteed a good atmosphere, but the U's fans dominated. Nice that the Grimsby fan (above) ackowledged that. Sadly, there was one U's fan ejected for bad behaviour, basically drunkenly, verbally abusing stewards (the same one that gets ejected everywhere) which let us down. But the other 252 were a credit to the club. The (positive) "noise" that we made reminded me of away at Crystal Palace where we probably had ten fold these numbers.
On 85 minutes, despite the margin being only a single goal, the Home stands were emptying fast, which I thought surprising given that they had previously witnessed two 3-0 wins including a remarkable cup victory. We would have roared on our team to (hopefully) snatch a last gasp draw, albeit expecting disappointment. I think MB and our team respect this, and MB's post match celebration to the 200+ that remained long after 6,000 + had departed reflected that empathy. As a U's fan that has only seen decline (we were in the Championship when I arrived in Essex), I left with a positivity I have not experienced since those early days. MB, we salute you, and Grimsby, well done on our seaside day out.
[Post edited 12 Feb 2023 9:58]
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 11:12 - Feb 12 with 1334 views | Madeira163 |
I’ll be there although terrified I’ll jinx this fabulous run |  | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 12:36 - Feb 12 with 1309 views | durham_exile |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 11:12 - Feb 12 by Madeira163 |
I’ll be there although terrified I’ll jinx this fabulous run |
On the contrary you will be witnessing history as the Super U's achieve 6 consecutive Away victories.
MB is building a special team.
Safe journey.
Up the U's | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 12:44 - Feb 12 with 1308 views | noah4x4 |
I've just had a ogle at the Grimsby Forum at https://forum.thefishy.co.uk/Blah.pl?m-1676136419/s-40/
The consensus is that Colchester United now have a "huge physical team", and are "masters of skulduggery" and that the referee was oblivious to our antics. How good is that?!
We have observed for some years that success in Division Two seems to require such characteristics, and, to be fair, the titan that is Fiacre Kelleher has transformed our physical presence, whilst Akinde or Tovide offer an intimidating spearhead. However, as regards the team being a "gang of brutes" and "masters of the dark arts", I wouldn't agree, but isn't it great if that's how we are now perceived? It at least shows passion, commitment and fight!
Up the "bully boy" U's! | | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 15:32 - Feb 12 with 1281 views | burnsieespana |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 12:44 - Feb 12 by noah4x4 |
I've just had a ogle at the Grimsby Forum at https://forum.thefishy.co.uk/Blah.pl?m-1676136419/s-40/
The consensus is that Colchester United now have a "huge physical team", and are "masters of skulduggery" and that the referee was oblivious to our antics. How good is that?!
We have observed for some years that success in Division Two seems to require such characteristics, and, to be fair, the titan that is Fiacre Kelleher has transformed our physical presence, whilst Akinde or Tovide offer an intimidating spearhead. However, as regards the team being a "gang of brutes" and "masters of the dark arts", I wouldn't agree, but isn't it great if that's how we are now perceived? It at least shows passion, commitment and fight!
Up the "bully boy" U's! |
Some very interesting comments.
Saw somewhere else a moan about our goal and my thought was it has been several years since we either had a man capable to score from that position or even get a man in that position to try and score. |  | | |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 18:58 - Feb 12 with 1239 views | durham_exile |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 15:32 - Feb 12 by burnsieespana |
Some very interesting comments.
Saw somewhere else a moan about our goal and my thought was it has been several years since we either had a man capable to score from that position or even get a man in that position to try and score. |
It all sounds like sour grapes to me.
Any Colchester supporter will tell you that the team are playing some great passing football.
It is interesting that the opponent's were not commenting when we were losing football matches.
Let's see what the Cumbrians say after next Saturday.
Up the U's | |
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| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 19:27 - Feb 12 with 1230 views | wessex_exile |
| Mariners all at sea against the Super U's at Blundell Park on 15:32 - Feb 12 by burnsieespana |
Some very interesting comments.
Saw somewhere else a moan about our goal and my thought was it has been several years since we either had a man capable to score from that position or even get a man in that position to try and score. |
100% agree, and it shows what an astute signing Tom Hopper is. Having watched the goal on repeat, it also shows what an astute signing Fiacre is, because I think his header was going in without Tom finishing it off. | |
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