Cheltenham Town (A) | Post-Match Thread

[DTKOAG]

great post and spot on .
maybe someone can help me out. i remember going to Bramhall lane (when it was a cricket ground ) and City won 3 nil.
did Doyle get all 3?

We did beat Sheff United in 67/68 season 3-0 and Doyle did score but Bell & Lee got the others.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

Just like to mention that the commentary on the match on City+ is, yet again excellent. Very nice balance between being definitely for City fans but being as objective as possible.

 

[Zabbasbeard]

Fair comment pal.

Dave Connor was the ultimate spoiler for City.

My point was that the numbers in the shirts of the City player’s was almost irrelevant.

Most on here seem to think that Mike Doyle played as a central defender. He may have done later on on his City career but not when I watched him. He was a classic wing-half always prepared to attack and score lots of goals. He ever played at number 9 for some matches but was also better at coming through on the burst. His goals were not those you would expect a central defender to score.

Alan Oakes also played as a wing-half but somewhat more defensively minded that Doyle.

Mike Summerbee played two or three seasons at number nine but was nothing like a centre-forward. He would swap positions with Francis Lee who would often wear the number 7 shirt.

How do you classify Neil Young? He started out as a winger but was moved inside under Mercer/Allison. Was he a striker, an attacking midfielder or what? He was City’s most underrated forward.

That leaves Colin Bell. Most opposing supporters saw him as a striker but if anything he was a defensive midfielder who would go forward and score loads of goal but could also tackle back with the best of them.

The point I am trying to make is that the City team of that era were so fluid with Summerbee switching with Lee and Young here are there and Bell active in attack and defence, it was hard to follow.

Thank you very much for this insight into that great team. I only saw them on Kick Off and MOTD before my first vidto Maine Rd in 1980.

 

[Whether or not]

Micah Richards was co presenting on the BBC for our match. Our PR department could have nicely contacted Micah and asked could he mention the fact Manchester City's fans had purchased virtual tickets for the game which couldn't be attended and helpfully assisted Cheltenham's coffers. A positive piece about a nice gesture from the fans and kudos for our club would not have gone amiss amidst the usual tedious gubbins about what our squad costs.

I suspect Micah is told in advance what he will be talking about and highlighting a positive gesture by City fans is not on the menu. It was a good thing to do, it wasn’t done for the publicity and let’s be honest the 1894 group could come up with a cure for COVID and the coverage would be about the unacceptable time it took them to do it.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Yeah I thought that too, was discussing on WhatsApp Group with fellow blues

Haha I also thought it'd been banned....nothing from any pundit about 'spirit of the game' during the match.

We knew this was going to be their main weapon, I'd have liked to think that someone within our expansive backroom staff would have looked at the rules prior to the game and even with the useless ref not knowing, he could have been told after the first time.

 

[Prater70]

Thank you very much for this insight into that great team. I only saw them on Kick Off and MOTD before my first vidto Maine Rd in 1980.

Dave Connor was the spoiler. A very average footballer from Wythenshawe, but he always carried out Mals'instructions. Big Mal always used to say use your least effective player to man mark their most effective player. Hence Connor always nullified Alan Ball for Everton.

 

[Lavinda Past]

Dave Connor was the spoiler. A very average footballer from Wythenshawe, but he always carried out Mals'instructions. Big Mal always used to say use your least effective player to man mark their most effective player. Hence Connor always nullified Alan Ball for Everton.

Dave Connor was the Gareth Barry or James Milner of his day - Played everywhere on the pitch and always gave 100%. A hugely underrated no-nonsense player who would walk into the first eleven of most top level clubs nowadays.
One of the great 'forgotten' Blues imo

 

[BlueMojito]

I was really impressed with Cheltenham Town's performance and their manager's attitude. Hope they get promoted as they play decent football.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

That run where he just glided past players was messi-esque

Every journalist is starting to think the same, but won't say it yet. Of the current world superstars, probably only Messi was better at the same age. Haaland is different, he focuses on goals.

 

[LongsightM13]

I was really impressed with Cheltenham Town's performance and their manager's attitude. Hope they get promoted as they play decent football.

Beat the Latics 2-0 last night, up to fourth with a game in hand over the top team. Alfie May scored again. Good luck to them