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A Barrow-load of laughs - Division 4 2020/21

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    Originally posted by E10 Rifle View Post
    So, has anyone here been to any of the spectator-test games?
    I was one of the 1,000 at Carlisle v Southend. Everything went ok, largely because there wasn't much scope for things to go wrong - in our stand there were 250 of us in a stand that holds nearly 6,000. No catering open so everyone walked straight in and to their seats, with no need to mill around. 1pm kick off so assume most people were like us and skipped the usual pre-game pub visit, so low demand at the toilets. There was a big deal made of balls going into the crowd - if you caught one you had to make sure it went to a ballboy who would disinfect it before it went back into use (there were multiple balls all round pitch so that the game wasn't delayed). There was also what seemed like a quaintly old fashioned note of the players running out and going straight to their positions without the line up and hand-shaking (which might explain why the game kicked off two minutes early actually).

    The crowd announcement was a light moment, and we noted on the way out that firstly it was our lowest ever crowd for a League match, but secondly it was the first League game for many years that we sold out.

    Our next home League game is the "derby" against Barrow, there's no announcement yet on whether we will be letting fans in.

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      A someone who follows Southend were we any good or are we really quite hopeless?

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        Originally posted by Paul S View Post
        A someone who follows Southend were we any good or are we really quite hopeless?
        I'll politely turn that round and point out that our three previous competitive matches this season ended 1-3, 0-3, 0-3 but yesterday we looked both comfortable at the back and regularly threatening going forward, so we'd have to assume the opposition was a lot poorer yesterday - sorry. I wouldn't say they were entirely hopeless and they tried to play (which sounds like faint praise but the number of teams I saw in the division last year who came to spoil the game was remarkable) and actually held the majority of possession, and your goalie pulled off a couple of top class saves. Seemed like quite a tall team but they struggled with some of our set pieces (we are evidently going to be employing the long throw a lot this season). And up front four shots, with one on target, tells its own story.

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          Uh-oh. Os players covid tested after Saturday’s game and a number positive. Ground closed and all staff in isolation (2 weeks, I assume). Could have a knock on effect to our recent opponents.

          Tests were paid for by Spurs, who we were due to play in the EFL Cup tomorrow. Bound to be off. Possibly forfeited. The Sky money would have been handy too...

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            Can't they rustle up a reserve/youth side?

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              Originally posted by Walt Flanagans Dog View Post

              I was one of the 1,000 at Carlisle v Southend. Everything went ok, largely because there wasn't much scope for things to go wrong - in our stand there were 250 of us in a stand that holds nearly 6,000. No catering open so everyone walked straight in and to their seats, with no need to mill around. 1pm kick off so assume most people were like us and skipped the usual pre-game pub visit, so low demand at the toilets. There was a big deal made of balls going into the crowd - if you caught one you had to make sure it went to a ballboy who would disinfect it before it went back into use (there were multiple balls all round pitch so that the game wasn't delayed). There was also what seemed like a quaintly old fashioned note of the players running out and going straight to their positions without the line up and hand-shaking (which might explain why the game kicked off two minutes early actually).

              The crowd announcement was a light moment, and we noted on the way out that firstly it was our lowest ever crowd for a League match, but secondly it was the first League game for many years that we sold out.

              Our next home League game is the "derby" against Barrow, there's no announcement yet on whether we will be letting fans in.
              Was this accompanied by any air-headers?

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                Couple of covid postponements today. O’s at Walsall (17 players tested positive in the week) and Grimsby at Cheltenham (only 1 player positive, I believe).

                There will no doubt be more to come over the next months, and disruption to the League programme could be huge. My guess is that we won’t finish the full season again because of the virus and related financial difficulties, and supporters won’t be in grounds again any time soon. The same will apply across lower & National Leagues.

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                  I have no idea what is going on a Blundell Park. Training ground shut for 14 days, 1 player with COVID symptoms who is on loan at another club. 3 games called off in anticipation.

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                    He's on loan but was still training with the Grimsby squad.

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                      Somewhat copying Barrow's own trick from a couple of weeks back but fair play anyway:

                      https://twitter.com/officialcufc/status/1311678082600914945?s=20

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                        Some twitter talk from a reliable source about major turmoil behind the scenes at Bolton so early in Evatt's tenure. Probably wished he'd stayed at Barrow.

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                          Originally posted by Tony C View Post
                          Some twitter talk from a reliable source about major turmoil behind the scenes at Bolton so early in Evatt's tenure. Probably wished he'd stayed at Barrow.
                          Ooh do tell.

                          Evatt came across very well, right up until the point the football started. It's hard for any manager though to tell a convincing tale when defeat follows defeat and there's, so far, no signs of improvement.

                          Early days though and most of us were realistic enough to know this ship will take some time turning. Evatt lately criticised the 'losing mentality' around the club, which was an odd remark given it's a whole new coaching and playing staff 'performing' in front of no fans.

                          I can't imagine he's going anywhere for a while yet though.

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                            Originally posted by Foot of Astaire's View Post

                            Ooh do tell.

                            Evatt came across very well, right up until the point the football started. It's hard for any manager though to tell a convincing tale when defeat follows defeat and there's, so far, no signs of improvement.

                            Early days though and most of us were realistic enough to know this ship will take some time turning. Evatt lately criticised the 'losing mentality' around the club, which was an odd remark given it's a whole new coaching and playing staff 'performing' in front of no fans.

                            I can't imagine he's going anywhere for a while yet though.
                            Oh it's nothing secretive or scurrilous but a radio sports presenter called Jack Dearden who has worked for Radio Manchester for donkey's years mentioned on twitter that the atmosphere at the club was unhealthy and that Evatt and the players were clashing. Dearden's an old school type - a bit surprised he uses twitter to be honest - and a big Wanderers fan so I guessed it would be authentic.

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                              Curiously in the last hour or two Dearden has added some rather more placatory tweets about Evatt's situation.

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                                Battling through adversity Wanderers secure their first win of the season. Seems Evatt's 'clear the air' talks have had the desired effect.

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                                  Orient, playing again so soon after 17 positive covid tests to the squad, were unsurprisingly slow out of the blocks v Cheltenham and 2 goals down before we got our act together. They targeted our weak right back position early on, where we persist with DoF Martin’s son Sam Ling. A fair few fans suspect nepotism at play here as we have other options who are at least as good as him but, regardless of that, he’s not really up to Div 4 football. The opposition were good enough to see the game out with some ease, with only veteran Jobi McAnuff having a standout match for us.

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                                    Originally posted by Tony C View Post
                                    Battling through adversity Wanderers secure their first win of the season. Seems Evatt's 'clear the air' talks have had the desired effect.
                                    Well we rode our luck a little, Harrogate seem a decent side but on balance I think it was a deserved victory. Hopefully it's a turning point.

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                                      Cheltenham were very good I thought, easily the best team we've played this season. I thought they might struggle this season after their play-off implosion but they look like they know what they're doing.

                                      I'd accept Covid as an excuse for Orient more readily if the flaws in defending and formation that caused us to go 2-0 down weren't also the same flaws that caused us to go 0-2 down in our previous two home games as well.

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                                        Seems at least 8 first team players out for Rovers - rumours one of the physios had covid and so down to bare bones with 5 youth team subs and one youth player making his debut who has gone off by HT.

                                        Won’t comment further until the facts are known...

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                                          Great effort by Tranmere then - getting a draw having been two down at Salford after 86 minutes.

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                                            So the EFL have put out a statement that basically confirms what the club said, even though they have tried to best to spin it other way.

                                            I’m worried of becoming that club that is always first to complain about anything but it is astonishing the EFL haven’t established a clear line in the sand for when a match would be postponed. It is clear the club weren’t willing to take a chance on a points deduction because, as the statement says ‘each case is assessed on its merits’. And you just don’t know with these jokers in charge, as we have seen over the past 12-18 months, including today’s nonsense with their big club bollocks.

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                                              Graham Alexander: Salford City sack boss & put Paul Scholes in charge

                                              Further evidence of what a farcical tribute act excuse for a club they've become.

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                                                Anything that derails their season (even a little bit) is a good thing. Wonder who is lined up to take over, hopefully not Paul Cook or anyone competent.

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                                                  Originally posted by Third rate Leszno View Post
                                                  Anything that derails their season (even a little bit) is a good thing. Wonder who is lined up to take over, hopefully not Paul Cook or anyone competent.
                                                  Well, Roy Keane was at their game on Saturday ...

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                                                    Roy Keane in League 2 would be highly entertaining.

                                                    Meanwhile in Cumbria, slight nervousness over the impending Administration of shirt sponsors Edinburgh Woollen Mills. A couple of years ago they offered us a credit facility in the form of a loan secured on Brunton Park and surrounding land (also personally guaranteed by a couple of our directors).

                                                    We're now balls deep in the loan facility to the tune of 2.1 million quid, and I'm sure the Administrator will be making enquiries into whether we might wish to pay some or all of it back. At the very least it seems that any further funding from EWM will be cut short, hopefully it doesn't also mean that incoming monies from transfers and add-ons are swallowed up to pay for losses incurred elsewhere in Philip Day's flaky business empire.

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