Blue Attack!

After the euphoria of a ‘Blue Moon’ derby match with Manchester City, United return on Thursday to the ‘bread and butter’ of the C.I.S. cup. Portadown are the visitors to the old Showgrounds tomorrow night and for the home team it’s quite simple, nothing but a win will do. Having said that it’s not going to be simple for United to succeed where they have failed miserably in the last couple of seasons, by getting a victory over the Ports. United manager Tommy Wright has been quoted as saying that ‘we all can learn something’ from last night’s fixture. The one thing that he must surely have learned is that his defensive starting line-up should be the one that served him so well last night. Gordon Simms and Gary Haveron were a magnificent central defensive formation, ably backed up on the flanks by Albert Watson and Boydie. The rest of the team should consist of Kevin Kelbie, Austin Friel, Aiden Watson, Darren Murphy and two others from, Patrick, Picking, Rosbotham, Scates and Melly. If they can muster half as much enthusiasm tomorrow night as they did last night, there’s no reason why they can’t get the win they need and then anything will be possible. So let’s come out fighting tomorrow night lads, as Corporal Jones used to say in ‘Dad’s Army’, ‘they don’t like it up ‘em’, so let’s put it up ‘em, in short let’s shag those ‘love children’!

Darren Dilemma!

Will he, won’t he? That is the question uppermost in our minds tonight as we look forward with anticipation to our trip to Limavady for tomorrow night’s game. Will United manager Tommy Wright give Darren Murphy an instant debut or put him on the bench, as his wont, normally. Murphy, who has built a reputation as a hard tackling midfield dynamo, has just signed a two year deal with the Sky Blues. Maybe if we had, had someone of ‘his ilk’ last Saturday we could have came away from Shamrock Park with a more pleasing result. But, as they say, ‘that’s all water under the bridge’ and if United can treat their next four games as ‘do or die’ matches, they can still qualify for the C.I.S. cup knockout stages. We must say that it seems strange that our manager is ‘reportedly’ keen to sign a left-sided midfielder, when he has one of the best on his books, namely Nigel Boyd. In fact it’s been reported that Nigel will be allowed to go out on loan to other clubs now that Darren Murphy has been signed. Surely big ‘Tam’ wouldn’t be that silly, just imagine the scenario, the Sky Blues are playing their last home league game where a point will guarantee entry into the Setanta cup, when up pops the on-loan Nigel Boyd to give the visiting team victory. It’s really too stupid to contemplate isn’t it? Well we at ‘Sport, hope it is. So Tommy your aim must be true tomorrow night, a United victory to set us up for a good time next Tuesday night, when the ‘Manchester’ Sky Blues, come to town, so, ‘let’s shag, those Roesiders’!

Fitz Attack!

After the poor showing by United last week, we at ‘Sport believe it’s time for the United management to be bold. In short we would like to see big Tam and the boys opt for a 3, 4, 3 formation, rather than the favoured 4, 4, 2 which we usually play. With Paul Brown missing through suspension, the United manager could give both the fit again Fitzy and new signing Austin Friel a run up front alongside Kevin Kelbie. This would pave the way for a midfield of, Melly, Aiden Watson, Lee Patrick and Craig McClean and a defensive three of Callaghan, Albert Watson and Gary Haveron. After losing our way somewhat last week at home to Crusaders, it’s time to take the game to Portadown and see if we can unsettle them, if not we will at least have tried. As the old saying goes, ‘It’s much better to have tried and lost, than not to have tried at all'. So come on Sky Blues, let’s get into those ‘boys from the county Armagh’, and let’s take those Portadowners!

Crue Cutting!

Here we go! Here we go! Here we go! Such a simple song, but it means so much, to so many people. As we embark on yet another Sky Blue campaign, we wonder if our search for the ‘holy grail’, a trophy (any trophy), will be successful this season, or will it be yet another disappointment. Let’s face it, United, who had been impressive in our three friendlies against Scottish opposition, let themselves down badly in their next three games, with defeats against Ballyclare and Bangor, while our 3-1 win against local Intermediate side, Raceview Rangers, was less then impressive. But as they say, ‘hope springs eternal’ and we fervently hope that these were just minor ‘blimps’ and not signs of anything more sinister. After manager Wright’s raid on his former club, bringing in Lee Patrick, Aaron Callaghan and Austin Friel, we will be looking for a vast improvement on last season. So there’s no better place to start than with tomorrow’s game at home to the newly promoted, Crusaders. Admittedly the ‘hatchet men’, will be no pushover, but if United are to be a team to be reckoned with this season, nothing less than a convincing win will suffice tomorrow. So no pressure on you from the start Tommy, it’s quite simple, the time for talking is over, it’s time to stand up and be counted. Let’s send those so called ‘Tigers’ home with their tails between their legs, in short, ‘let’s shag those townie love children’!