rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Jan 22, 2009 21:35:17 GMT
With an unprecedented four wins in this competiton, a pile of cash in the bank and a sell out crowd for Saturday, it really is a win win situation for everyone involved with the club. I can't think of any better FA cup run off the top of my head!  Also, with players injured, sold or out suspended, Coventry are certainly not at full strength and with shades of the Blackpool situation, there is a sniff of a chance of getting some sort of result. A good performance could even impact on crowd numbers for the rest of the season!  I don't expect any surprises in the team selection and hopefully a well established XI will have an advantage. Most eagerly anticipated game of the season by far and really looking forward to this one, whatever the result. |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jan 22, 2009 21:47:40 GMT
Pete there is no pressure on the players and as you say Coventry fans may well think they will just roll us over, I do not think the Coventry players and managers will have the same thoughts. We played good football against Blackpool and deserved to win by a higher score, so I see no reason why we can't come out on Saturday and play the same sort of football.
The team will give everything it has to make history and get into the 5th round and while I don't want to be accused of being a dreamer again ;D how great would it be to win and get the reward it deserved, a dream tie against Man U at their place.
This game can't come quick enough for me and praise really has to be given to the club for the backing they have given Paul Buckle and we must not forget to give Bucks plenty of praise as well. It was not that long ago some where calling for his head, he turned things around himself and this game is as much a reward for all his hard work, as it is for the players who have got the results out on the pitch.
There are plenty of clubs who would love to still even be in the FA cup and no matter what the result, we can and should feel so proud of our team for even getting this far. How great to win and bag that 100 grand prize money that would really make up for the poor gates and lost sponsorship and give the club a nice little pot of money, to be able to strengthen the team when we go back up, to the football league.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Jan 22, 2009 22:58:21 GMT
Think I read that Mackenzie is unavailable for Saturday.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jan 22, 2009 23:03:55 GMT
Think I read that Mackenzie is unavailable for Saturday. Yes I'm sure I read that in the Herald Express in the first part of this week, while it will help not having him playing, they have many other good players who we will need to try and keep quite. Both Woods and Hodges run the rick of getting out paced and stretched to much, so they really need to keep working as hard as they have in all the other games they have played in this season for us. |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jan 23, 2009 18:47:14 GMT
What a great piece done on the ITV local news about our cup game, what was really special was the talk done with Toddy and the news he is in the squad for the game. While he would not be picked in the starting eleven, he will be on the bench and what a great lift that will be for all his fellow players.
lets hope our team will go that extra mile and get the win that would make the day even more special for Toddy.
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 23, 2009 19:52:50 GMT
With an unprecedented four wins in this competiton...... Not unprecedended. We won four ties in 1910/11. We won five ties in 1921/22, 1923/24 and 1925/26. In 1921/22 we actually won six games if you count the abandoned match with Spencer Moulton. |
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jamie
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Post by jamie on Jan 23, 2009 21:18:57 GMT
Was vinny on the tv?he rang yesterday to say he was interviewed at boots on thurs pm. Just a thought Vinny..............What were doing in the pub on a thursday lunchtime??  |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jan 24, 2009 5:58:19 GMT
 .................and so the big day is here and I'll soon be getting the Merse Mobile warmed and ready to go winging down to Sunny (?) Devon and let's hope, a day of high excitement. It's my turn to drive today, and so a full compliment of seven of us will have a library of around seventy CDs to select our music from  with artists as varied as Dean Martin to Macey Gray to entertain us and I've got the first quiz question ready to programme all those disparate minds ........................"what do Coventry City and the Torbay area have in common?" ???and the answer lays in the history of the football club and the heritage of the area. A bit of a convoluted start to today's sojourn with pick ups at New Southgate for TB1  , Ealing for Ilych  Shepperton for Miss Jones  and Ross the "secret journo"  and Windsor where Fully and his neighbour  will all be ready and on time (?)  Enjoy the day everyone!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2009 9:45:00 GMT
I've got the first quiz question ready to programme all those disparate minds ........................"what do Coventry City and the Torbay area have in common?" ???and the answer lays in the history of the football club and the heritage of the area. I'll rise to the challenge but I don't think I've got the answer. Coventry City was founded by Singer factory workers in 1883 by which time the Singer family had built Oldway and old Isaac Merritt Singer - not the inventor of the sewing machine but the man who ensured its mass production - had arrived at his final resting place in Torquay cemetery. In Coventry, however, it was Singer cycles - founded by George Singer - and I can see nothing to suggest the two families (or businesses) were linked. Mind you, Isaac had many, many children - born in and out of wedlock - so perhaps there's a possiblity. Singer in Coventry later made cars and motorcycles and was eventually taken over by Rootes which, in turn, became part of Chrysler. Then Peugeot-Talbot came on the Coventry motor industry scene and - as part of a sponsorship deal - Coventry City chairman Jimmy Hill was even in favour of the club being renamed Coventry Talbot. In the small print of Coventry City's history - back in 1909-10 -there's a manager named H R Buckle... Coventry's big game against Torquay United was in 1936 when they needed to beat us in the final game of the season to win Division 3 (South) - in the days when only the champions were promoted. They duly did so in front of 30,614. Well, I'm looking forward to this afternoon and trying to grasp the significance of a 4th round tie at Plainmoor - it's the first one I've seen! Back in 1983, at the time of the Sheffield Wednesday game, I was living in Lancashire and - according to the programme box - I was at the 4th round game between Burnley and Swindon at Turf Moor (of which I have absolutely no recall) followed by Everton v Shrewsbury on the Sunday (with Steve Ogrizovic in goal for Shrewsbury). Made it to Blackpool in 1990 and was on the train to the game at Leicester in 1971 when it was called off. Appreciate it! |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 24, 2009 12:01:41 GMT
Surprisingly, our first encounter with Coventry City was as far back as 1913 - when they were in the Southern League and we were in the Plymouth and District League.
This actually makes Coventry our third-oldest rivals amongst current professional teams - or fourth if you count the Accrington Stanleys as one club.
The fixture sticks out like a sore thumb amongst games against the likes of 4th Middlesex Regiment and Royal Scots Regiment.
I think the reason behind the game was that one of our players Frank Evans had a brother in the Coventry team.
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 24, 2009 12:05:01 GMT
Reading in the Herald that the Conference may re-introduce Approved Player Budgets next season, you cannot understate the importance of this Cup run in the bigger long-term picture and the ability of our Board to keep OUR club moving in the right direction.
But for us fans today is about football not money.
Let's make history.
COME ON YOU YELLOWS!
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petef
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Post by petef on Jan 24, 2009 12:39:11 GMT
I hope tha football pundits on todyas Football Focus havent put a jinx on our peformance or the result today.
All fancy us to posibly upset the odds today.
We will see.
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Post by Swanny on Jan 24, 2009 17:40:25 GMT
I felt really gutted losing that one today. Torquay clearly did enough in the second half to win the game and a replay was the very least Torquay deserved. Still plenty of positives to take from today's performance and we can now concentrate on the league and FA Trophy. Crowd 6,018 (I'm not sure why it wasn't 6,300), sponsors MOTM Mansell.
Great atmosphere at the match and it is the sort of day to savour. Before entering the ground Boots and Laces was overflowing with many supporters from both teams drinking outside all in good humour. I entered the Family Stand at 2.15pm and already the ground was mostly full. I had to settle for a seat near a corner flag. Torquay's fans did their bit vocally throughout the match from all 3 sides. In fact I've never heard supporters from the old Grandstand chanting so loudly.
Onto the match and Coventry's best spell of the match was the first 20 minutes. A dodgy goal-kick from Bevan put Coventry in the clear. However Beven was postitive coming off his line and Coventry put it wide. For the rest of the half Nicholson took the goal-kicks. The best chance of the half beat Bevan but Nicholson was there to clear off the goal line. At this stage I feared Coventry might win comfortably. However the game became quite end-to-end for the rest of the first half. Torquay's main threat were putting balls through to use Green's pace and from set-pieces including Nicholson's long throws. As usual Sills was winning his share of headers.
The second half was quite a different matter. Torquay took the game to Coventry and dominated for long periods. Torquay used the wings to good effect and in contrast Coventry looked well short of ideas. Decent chances came for Torquay but sadly went. Green got one decent chance with 3 defenders around him on target that brought a good save from the keeper. There must have been at least half a dozen other decent chances Torquay missed both from on the deck and from headers that missed the target. And these were clear chances. Sills and Woods headed over, Carlisle with the keeper out of position could not hit the target from about 30 yards out. In fact that was the story of the second half, good clear chances for Torquay but hit off target.
Towards the end Coventry had a few corners but had hardly looked dangerous. Then in the 87th. minute a Coventry corner, a free header - 1-0. Daylight robbery but that's football.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jan 24, 2009 18:36:52 GMT
As I walked out of the ground, all I could hear were fans asking why we did not win todays match, but I already know the answer, we did not take one of so many chances that we worked so hard for. You would expect when your team was playing one from three divisions higher, to be under pressure for most of the match and just hope you might take one of maybe two chances you would get.
As the turned out it was Coventry who found themselves under pressure and who only got a few chances and they took one and are now in round five of the draw. They really did not deserve to win today, but for me as the game got near the end I knew we were going to get robbed, it has happened so many times before.
I got to the ground at 1.15pm and lined up behind about 30 other fans waiting to get in, I was soon letting a steward know what I thought about him, as it was now 1.45pm and I was in my spot on the halfway line.Firstly Barton and then chelstongull stopped for a quick word and both were soon being told to move on. Hardly any other fans walking by and plenty of room, seems you can't even have a quick chat with your mates these days.A little later romfordkev and Merse also stopped for a quick chat.
My first meeting with merse and there will a photo on the forum some time soon when romfordkev gets it put up on the forum. Just like to say sorry to merse for not stopping after the game for a drink, but was feeling cold and I phoned Carol who did not sound too well, we will sure get to do it another time and I look forward to it.
I had the pleasure of having Timbo next to me at the match, sadly at 2.56pm some big, loud and rude guy came under the rail and forced himself in behind us, we were treated to some real nice chosen words.What he shouted out at Carlisle when he lost the ball once in the second half, shows that we really do have a few poor fans, who need to look at the whole game and not just the odd mistake.
We started well and got at them from the off, but it was clear we needed to watch the pace that Coventry had up from and Nico saved an early goal on the 10 min mark as he made a great goal line clearance.Green and Sills worked so hard up front and Greens running and pace was causing the Coventry defenders so many problems. Chances to shoot fell to Dsane and also Wroe, balls there to hit first time, but both players wanted to take a touch and they did not have the time to do that.
At half time I think all fans should have been pleased with our first half display, we had the better of things and on the balance of play could have gone in winning by one goal at least. The second half we put Coventry under even more pressure and the question has to be asked, just why we did not score.
Green was winning so many battle and his running found him on the end of so many good balls played up by Mansell, balls played into the box were kicked or headed over the bar. From one throw in the ball was flicked on and fell to Dsane who was in the middle of the goal, you felt he had to score, but blasted it well over. Woods had a good header that went over and Sills did the same with his best chance. Green beat a few players and got away a good shot that was saved well, the ball was pushed out by the keeper, but we had no one near enough to put it in.
One ball aimed toward the corner saw the Coventry keeper in a race with Green to get to the ball, Green did well and the ball fell to Carlisle who was 25 yards out, the keeper was nowhere near his goal, but Carlisle could not guide the ball into the empty goal and put it well wide of the left hand post.
Sills gave away a needless corner and this was so followed by a second with time running out, the ball came over and the Coventry player had a clear header and scored, breaking the hearts of the fans and the players.I would point out the goal came after Green was taken of for Benyon again and I have to question why. Green was our best outlet upfront and while Benyon did head the ball back across the goal in our last home game, for Dsane to score, we lose our edge when Green goes off. It happened in the Kiddy game, as soon as Green was taken off, we get a goal put past us and no longer have the right player up front to get a goal back.
Woods and Hodges played so well today, Woods winning so many headers and Nico up against a very Pacey winger, got in so many important tackles, I can't fault one player out on the pitch today, we deserved to win this game and it hurt our players when the goal went in and heads did drop a little.
Does anyone know why we had a Min's silence? and when the subs were read out I was waiting for the last one and was expecting a big cheer to go up as I thought Toddy would have been on the bench, sadly we wasn't and I feel it would have been fitting to have put in on the bench. A good atmosphere, some good noise from our fans and no problems that I saw, a great game and day out, just gutted we got robbed in the end.
One note about Sills, how people can say he is lazy is beyond me, he worked and chased every player down and he is now working so well with Green.
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Jan 24, 2009 19:07:36 GMT
I got to the ground at 1.15pm and lined up behind about 30 other fans waiting to get in, I was soon letting a steward know what I thought about him, as it was now 1.45pm and I was in my spot on the halfway line.Firstly Barton and then chelstongull stopped for a quick word and both were soon being told to move on. Hardly any other fans walking by and plenty of room, seems you can't even have a quick chat with your mates these days.A little later romfordkev and Merse also stopped for a quick chat. My first meeting with merse and there will a photo on the forum some time soon when romfordkev gets it put up on the forum. That was the same steward who despite the warnings over the tannoy not to stand on the yellow hatched areas let our area be packed with fans who forgot or couldn't be bothered to turn up early. Jon and I saw the historic meeting from behind your left shoulder (and up a bit). Merse certainly cuts a figure with that coat. Agree with your comments about Green, he was causing all sorts of problems - we thought replacing Carlisle with Mustapha would have been the best call but...Was Plummer cup-tied? We certainly bossed that second half with Dsane missing an 'easy' chance by blasting one over the bar, followed by Carlisle's miss and Woodsy and Sills both had good headers over the bar. It was the same against Kiddi and Cambridge where we dominated the match but failed to put the ball in the net. By not winning todays match , has cost us £100k for not winning plus I'm sure as the only non-league team in round 5 we would have been on TV plus the chance of one of the big boys - £500K? |
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