The U’sual Ramblings #32 sees the U’s face another tricky match, traveling to the North West for a game against the Class of ’92 playthings, Salford City. It must grate on the Ammies that their nouveau riche top spot has been usurped by the Hollywood Dragons, but given they are pushing for promotion to League 1 and Wrexham have yet to escape the National League, maybe not that much? However, given recent results, particularly against teams better placed than Salford City, the U’s will be full of confidence that we can get something from this game. With the four teams below us all having potentially winnable games this afternoon, and our crucial visit to Crawley up next, these next few days look like they’re going to be a defining moment in our bid to avoid relegation.
BELIEVE!
© Colchester United Football Club
The world outside U’s World
As suggested last week, the two young black Tennessee democrat representatives, expelled by the Republican majority of the state senate for a breach of ‘decorum’, have been immediately reinstated by their county commissions to temporarily occupy the vacant seats pending special elections (the US equivalent of a kind of by-election I suppose). Dates have yet to be set for the special elections, but both representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, have confirmed they intend to stand.
More of over the pond over here, President Biden made a 3-day visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement. Given the recent strain put on the agreement by both Brexit-related border/ trade disputes and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris recently announcing the MI5 terrorism threat level has been raised from substantial to severe, it is hoped President Biden’s visit will refocus attention on what the agreement has achieved in the last 25 years. President Biden has been described as the “most Irish of all presidents”, with ten of his 16 great-great-grandparents from either County Mayo or County Louth, so his trip was just as much a personal pilgrimage as a political one.
Today the nation flutters, as all 40 runners and riders line up at 5.15pm for the 175th Aintree Grand National. If you’re one of those that likes to participate, the starting price favourite is currently Corach Rambler at 6/1, with Noble Yeats and Galvin at 8/1. If you prefer a Hail Mary longshot, you could choose any of Cape Gentleman, A Wave Of The Sea, Francky Du Berlais or Born By The Sea, all listed at 100/1. Rachael Blackmore, the first woman to win the National in 2021, is 8/1 to repeat the feat on fancied Ain’t That A Shame.
Not without controversy at times, it has been estimated that a horse dies every two to three days in UK racing, and sadly an all too common outcome in the three-day Grand National meeting. Previously it was 59 horses since 2000, but now sadly 60 after Envoye Special ran loose and fell in the Randox Foxhunters’ Chase on Thursday. Animal rights campaigners such as Animal Aid have called for a jump racing ban, whilst more hard-line activists have vowed to try and physically stop the race going ahead this afternoon, with up to 500 protestors expected to attend. However, Merseyside police, working closely with the Jockey Club (who own Aintree) have reported they have a “robust policing plan in place” to manage any potential disruption to the event.
U’s World
Although billed as a Season Ticket Holder forum event, on the day the club decided to make it a live stream event, broadcasted via the clubs YouTube channel. I missed the opening ten minutes or so, but managed to watch the remainder, and actually quite enjoyed it, with Robbie and Dmitri Halajko in the hot seats and Lee Partridge as compere. Robbie was his usual blunt honest self, Dmitri far more ‘polished’ in his responses, but their passion for the club was unmistakable.
© Daily Gazette
Robbie’s frustration nearly boiled over when he was inevitably asked whether Tony Humes and Steve Ball were really in charge of the football team. Palpable nonsense obviously, and he actually refused to even dignify the question with an answer, but Dmitri picked it up and confirmed of course they’re not. The Gazette has produced a precis of the event online if you want more details (link below). On the subject of Club United, Robbie expressed dismay that it hadn’t delivered proposals that could be progressed, but didn’t address the huge question mark over how well (or not) the club had engaged with the concept. There are now plans afoot to try and get at least one proposal through the process before (as is anticipated) it is wound up and funds returned to the members.
As has already been posted on the U’sual, voting is now open for the three official player of the season awards: Official Player of the Season, Goal of the Season and Young Player of the Season. I believe (and I’m sure Noah can correct me if I’m wrong) CUSA also vote on an unofficial CUSA Player of the Year too? Just in case you’ve missed the thread with the link to the CUFC 2022/23 End of Season Awards, I’ve provided it again here:
https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2023/april/end-of-season-awards/
However, also in the mix for another award is our very own Junior Tchamadeu, who has been shortlisted for the EFL League Two Young Player of the Year award, alongside Leyton Orient’s Jayden Sweeney and Jacob Wakeling of Swindon Town. This is awarded by a panel of experts rather than a populist online vote, and the result will be announced at the EFL 2022/23 Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday 23rd April.
Since its inception in 2006, the U’s have been successful three times to date at the Awards ceremony: the 2007 Programme of the Year award (well done Matt Hudson!), the 2015 Family Club of the Year (again, well done Matt Hudson, who played a major part in that), and of course Junior Tchamadeu just last year, as the 2022 League Two Apprentice of the Year winner. Yes, recognition in the awards ceremony will no doubt make Junior’s departure at some point to a bigger club even more likely, but at the end of the day it’s going to happen anyway. If even being shortlisted can add a few thousand onto his price tag, and/or earn the young man a better move for the next stage in his football career, then I’ll be happy.
Good luck Junior!
Stat attack
Obviously when it comes to a stat attack where Salford City are concerned, it’s a fairly barren source of data, with only seven fixtures between the two sides since the Ammies (so nicknamed from their former club name of Salford Amateurs) joined the Football League in 2019. As bogey teams go, we very well may be considered Salford City’s at the moment, with the U’s winning four of those games, drawing two and losing only one, even if the latter was 2-0 at the JobServe during Hayden Mullins’ second managerial tenure.
Incidentally, we’ve only played away on Saturday the 15th of April on five previous occasions, winning once 2-0 at Barry under Ted Davis in 1939, losing once 3-0 at Wycombe in 2000 under Steve Whitton, and drawing the remaining three at Exeter City (1972 under Dick Graham), Lincoln City (1989 under Jock Wallace) and Chesterfield (2006 under Parky). Make of that what you will, but I’ll be happy with another point today.
Match of the Day
Cheltenham Town v Colchester United
11th October 2008
Coca-Cola Football League One (Tier 3)
Attendance 3,580
Returning to the memorabilia random match selector, Match of the Day for this blog goes back to the very last game for Kit Symons in his spell as Caretaker Manager. Paul Lambert had been appointed, but like Ben Garner earlier this season, elected to sit this one out as a spectator in the stand and leave Symons in charge for the U’s game against Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road.
The U’s were back in League 1 again, after relegation from the Championship, and under then manager Geraint Williams, had struggled to readjust to football at a lower level. Just five points from the first six league matches had dropped the U’s into the relegation zone, before Robbie Cowling acted, letting Geraint go after the MK Dons 3-0 home defeat. Taking his time finding a replacement, Robbie left Kit Symons in charge for technically five games (including this one) before Lambert took over, and with two victories in the first four matches, Symons had lifted the U’s back out of the relegation zone.
With Em’s parents living just north of Cheltenham, games at Whaddon Road were always an opportunity to double up with a visit to the in-laws. Em’s Dad Chris was a passionate football supporter (proper born and bred Man United fan), and therefore was always happy to accompany me to watch the U’s if they were in town.
For his last game in charge, Kit Symons’ U’s lined up that afternoon:
1….Dean Gerken
2….John White
16..Matt Heath
6….Paul Reid
19..Gary Borrowdale
11..Mark Yeates
8….Dean Hammond
4….Johnnie Jackson
17..David Perkins
27..Anthony Wordsworth
9….Clive Platt
The Robins had, if anything, an even worse start to the season, and sacked their own manager Keith Downing in September as well. Downing’s role was handed to Martin Allen, son of former Robins manager Dennis Allen. His squad that afternoon included a few familiar names in the football world, including much-travelled striker Lloyd Owusu. His line-up also included Ashley Vincent, who would come on loan to the U’s later in this season. This was also a first trip back to Whaddon Road for Steven Gillespie, after the U’s signed Gilly for £400k in the summer.
Despite the league positions of the two teams involved, this was actually a decent game of football to watch. Both teams preferred a fast-paced passing game, and the immaculate Whaddon Road playing surface certainly helped in that regard. It was the U’s who’d eventually break the deadlock on 20 minutes, albeit thanks to a defensive howler. Under very little pressure, centre back Michael Townsend sliced wildly at a John White cross, catching goalkeeper Scott Brown flat-footed. All the ‘keeper could do was parry the effort away, right into the path of Anthony Wordsworth, who made no mistake burying the opportunity in the back of the net. After finishing top scorer in the pre-season friendlies, this was his first professional league goal for the U’s.
However, in a game that was end to end, it unfortunately didn’t take Cheltenham long to equalise. On 36 minutes, after his first attempt was blocked, Alex Russell managed to get his second cross into the box, with Darren Kenton looping his header back over the flailing Dean Gerken to equalise for the Robins. As deflated as the U’s support was, the team on the pitch didn’t falter, and just before half-time we’d restored our lead, when Wordsworth managed to force home a cross into the six yard box from Mark Yeates to register his second goal for the U’s, and leave the support celebrating right through to the half-time whistle.
Into the second half, and things couldn’t really have started better for the U’s. Whether playing for the benefit of new manager Lambert in the stands, or one for Symons in his last game, the U’s picked up exactly where they’d left off. Barely five minutes into the second half, Johnnie Jackson picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box, and right in front of the travelling support cooly slotted home to give the U’s a 3-1 lead.
That really should have been it, and no one would have argued if the U’s had just tried to park the bus for the remainder of the game. However, even if that was the plan (and it didn’t look like it), things began to unravel almost immediately. Two minutes after taking what should have been an unassailable lead, Cheltenham were back in it again. Resulting from looked like a clear foul on Gerken as he tried to claim a lofted cross into the box, the ball bounced lose, and there was that man Owusu to slot home into an unguarded net and halve the deficit.
Now the U’s really did have to start desperately holding on, and for maybe five minutes or less we did, regaining control of the ball and passing our way out of danger, only to be undone by another poor decision by referee in charge Andy Penn. On 57 minutes, and with the ball ping-ponging around in our penalty area, Penn spotted a handball that no one else had, and awarded the softest of spot-kicks to Cheltenham Town. The fact that hardly any of the Town players appealed for the decision was testament to how soft the decision was, but Stuart Fleetwood wasn’t complaining as he converted the spot-kick to again level the scores.
Now the U’s really were under the cosh, as Cheltenham threw everything at us in an attempt to get what at one point looked like an unlikely winner. But, for next half hour or so we were resilient, and doubled down on what we were doing right in the first half. On the hour mark Cheltenham brought on veteran Barry Hayles, and just over ten minutes later Andy Gallinagh, but still the U’s held on.
In a move that some might have questioned, Symons decided to stick with his starting line-up throughout, and kept all his subs on the bench. I can’t say for certain whether or not that was a factor, but deep into added time the unthinkable happened. A free-kick from Alan Wright was flicked on by Owusu and met firmly by the head of Barry Hayles. Dean looked to have it covered, only for the effort to deflect off Matt Heath and past him into the net to give Cheltenham the victory and break our hearts in the process.
Cheltenham Town 4 (Darren Kenton 36’; Lloyd Owusu 53’; Stuart Fleetwood 57’p; Barry Hayles 90+5’) Colchester United 3 (Anthony Wordsworth 20’, 43’; Johnnie Jackson 51’)
Although it was a gut-wrenching way to finish the game, the U’s had still played pretty well considering where we were in the league. The result, temporarily, put us back in the relegation zone, but as the influence of new manager Paul Lambert began to take effect, we pulled away from the bottom, and would eventually finish in 12th place.
Despite the three points on the day, Cheltenham wouldn’t be so fortunate, and ended up relegated alongside Northampton, Crewe and Hereford United. New manager Martin Allen held onto the manager’s job for the start of the following season, but after a poor start and with Cheltenham facing relegation to non-league, rumours of an increasingly troubled dressing room atmosphere (not helped by putting the entire squad up for sale and allowing players to leave mid-season on loan or for reduced fees), and an allegation of racial abuse by Allen towards a nightclub bouncer, he was placed on gardening leave in October 2009, and had left the club by Christmas.
Up the U’s!
Blog credits:
https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2023/april/crewe-gallery/
https://www.theweek.co.uk/daily-briefing#1
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2023/04/12/joe-biden-family-tree/11640997
https://www.animalaid.org.uk/horrific-horse-death-at-first-day-of-the-grand-nati
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/23450826.colchester-united-chairman-robbie-c
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EFL_Awards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%9309_Colchester_United_F.C._season
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%9309_Football_League
https://www.coludata.co.uk/match/1022/3395?sort=sdate&order=asc&fsea=all
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/sport/3749324.us-lose-out-in-thriller/
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