FL2: Cheltenham v Torquay 22 February 2011

We might moan about having to pay £16 to watch Torquay United play, but the adult price Cheltenham are charging is £20. But children under the age of seventeen are free and I would imagine that is a one off for this match to get in a bigger crowd on a Tuesday night.

So if you were planning to go with your partner and take along two under seventeen years old, it would cost you £4 less than getting into Plainmoor. Only take the one child and you end up paying £2 more even with the child getting in for free.

Some of our players looked knackered at the end of the match against Southend and they would have hardly had any real recovery time by Kick-off time tomorrow night. Its just been the case there has been so many game that have had to be played since Christmas, due to a number of games being called off because of the bad weather.


When you think about today’s modern footballers, you always see them as super fit human beings who could probably run around the world and back again. They sure are a lot fitter and faster these days than players from even ten years a go.

I’m sure there are many park football players who might feel that as they can play a good number of games in a short time, then professional players should have no problem at all. But the facts are local park players don’t run in three games let alone one the distant that a professional player will in just one game. Nor will they ever burn anywhere as much energy a professional player will in one match. I have often wondered if it could be worked out how many games a local park player would have to play, just to equal what gets taken out of a professional player in one game.

I think our players can expect another very heavy pitch to play on in this game and it’s going to be another leg tiring game to get through. So I think at least one or two changes may be required in our starting line-up.

It does look to me that young Mr O’Kane badly needs a rest; I’m not saying he has been played in too many games, but such young players are often not used as much as he has been and he is clearly showing signs it’s getting a bit too much for him. His game has gone off the boil, those clever passes are not coming off for him and a short while on the bench won’t do him any harm. Who should take his place? Well Gilligan would be favourite I would think, but I might give Makin the first half and see how he got on.

Hard to say what to do about who should start at left back. Do we try and make a flying start to the game and attack them as much as possible? If so then let’s start Nico who offers so much more going forward. Or do we start Rowe-Turner who will be that bit better defensively if we are looking to play 4-4-1-1.

I can see Bucks sticking with Danny Potter in goal, while he had a few easy saves to make in my view in the game against Southend, he still has not been tested fully and maybe for that reason alone, Bucks will give him the shirt.

Bucks has said he believes Billy Kee could get as many as 20 goals before the end of the season, he is on seven and there is only seventeen games left to play, but I bet he will get very close to Bucks expectations. I had expected to see a goal or two more from Jake Robinson, maybe it’s because he is playing out wide on the left and acting more of a provider that he has not added to the goal he scored in his first game for us. But he has to start as his running at defenders will scare them half to death and he always plays a good pass and not afraid too cut inside and shoot himself.

Zebs almost picks himself as will the rest of the players who started against Southend. With Cheltenham only winning one game in their last six, they will be looking to get a winning run going and being at home may feel this could be the game that gets that run started.

If we work hard and play the football we can then I can see us winning this game, it won’t be easy and our players are going to have to fight hard for the whole ninety minutes.

All I hope is that if we do take the lead, we don’t go into our defensive shell that has invited other teams to then come and attack us, get an equaliser or even a winning goal.

Come on you yellows

Sorry I meant Gilligan, I was on here very late last night and up at 4.30 am for work this morning, so thats my excuse bloody hell is that the time? must go to bed up early in the morning again.

I once knew a man called Ryan Gilligan
He grew whiskers on his Chinagan
The wind came out and blew them Innagan
Poor old Ryan Gina Gina Ginagan
Couldn't help myself ;D

The same person that has Halpern in the squad sometimes?

I'll be at this game.Looking froward to it already.Just can't work Cheltenham out at the moment so who knows whats going to happen but it all adds to the excitement!

On Sunday Billy couldn`t find his ankle for swelling and Lee`s knee looked quite badly swollen, lets hope Damian can do his magic again! Oh and a bit of ice would probably help!

There all on the bus mate so they must be fit! There having a twitter war at the moment and apparently the potato is winning! Taking some stick but winning!