Following yesterday’s start to pre-season, in which we looked at all 24 League 2 clubs, our intensive schedule continues as we move on to League 1. Tomorrow, attention will turn to the Championship. Bradford City Fairytale Bradford City have added a little sheen to their well built squad as they look to attack League 1 at a canter – Rochdale’s Jason Kennedy and experienced winger Mark Yeates join the standout performers James Hanson, Carl McHugh and the quicksilver Nahki Wells in Phil Parkinson’s promotion winning squad. Much will be expected of Wells’ second shot at this level after a failed…
All posts tagged Colchester
Pompey’s Revival is Likely to be in Vain
On the qualified basis of the League One table alone, Portsmouth Football Club are upwardly mobile enough to consider survival a possibility as the season enters its final months. On Good Friday, I had the pleasure of witnessing the new Pompey in the flesh on a skin-chafing afternoon at Deepdale. Gone of course are the bonanza boys of yore, those cocky displayers of the FA Cup, mugs staring outward from the pages of the programme – Crouch, Defoe, Diarra. The aftermath of that period of excess is one of the most chequered squads this level will have seen – bargain…
Colchester United Look to Chelsea for a Few Favours
I was on a training course last week and amid the strains of FreeLove Freeway, one nugget of wisdom stood out – apparently, it’s unfashionable these days to recruit an expensive new CEO from elsewhere as empirical evidence shows promoting from within often bears better results. I’m in no position to refute this thinking and this season’s Football League skirmishes have been characterized by a recruitment policy that is fully in keeping with these straitened times. Witness how Barnsley turned to David Flitcroft on the ousting of Keith Hill, the way Doncaster chose to promote veteran campaigner Brian Flynn when…
TTU Awards 2011-12: Loan of the season
In January, Lloyd conducted a thorough overview of the loan system calling for a 5 point plan to lead to fairer competition. In 2010-11, Craig Bellamy’s spell at Cardiff seemed grotesque given the way Manchester City continued to pay his wages and that was just one example of a number of transformative deals carried out in recent times. But despite our reservations, a cannily chosen temp can make all the difference and Michail Antonio gets our vote for the most important of 2011-12. In truth, his appearances for Reading since Brendan Rodgers plucked him from Tooting and Mitcham in 2008…
Unexpected Rivalries 1: Wycombe, Slough and Colchester
Three years ago, this site was established on the premise that its founders were as interested, in an impartial way, in the goings on at on all Football League clubs rather than just their own. Yet without club rivalries, both longstanding and flash in the pan, football would undoutedly be poorer. Many of these can be tawdry affairs for those unattached to either team, however. This new series, then, seeks to refresh by uncovering some of the lesser known rivalries, pointing readers to their origins and the level of feeling surrounding different clashes. Wycombe fan Kerry Andrew is first up….
Lloyd: Really great assessment. Although heads might be slightly down after g...
Lanterne Rouge: Good question - perhaps Accrington and Dagenham for me....
Matthew Eldred: Who are the two unfortunates this season ?...
