Marsh(es) Pride!

United manager Tommy Wright is contemplating making at least 3 changes to his starting line-up. With Randal Reid back to full fitness the United manager is toying with the idea of linking him with Fitzy up front at the expense of top scorer Kevin Kelbie. He is also considering bringing in Aiden Watson and Stuart King, to replace Scatesy and Darren Murphy. Much as these changes are needed, we at ‘Sport feel that it’s our back four in general and both fullbacks in particular, that have let us down in a big way over the last couple of games. Surely a re-call for Nigel Boyd at leftback is a must and if there isn’t a suitable replacement for Aaron Callaghan in the reserves, Scatesy could fill in at the rightback position. Then we might see if that’s the reason why Gary Haveron and team Captain Albert Watson have been so poor over recent weeks. If that doesn’t cure it then the manager has a major headache and he will have to find replacements during the transfer window. Displays like that against Coleraine on Boxing Day and our previous fixture at Loughgall, cannot be tolerated and would surely lead to a termination of the manager’s contract in the long run. Two tough games loom on the horizon, away to Newry tomorrow and at home to league leaders Glentoran next Tuesday night. Nothing short of 4 points from these two fixtures will placate the Sky Blue fans, a win tomorrow would make it a somewhat easier task for Tuesday night, but at the end of the day avoiding defeat tomorrow is of tantamount importance. The players should be begging the fans for forgiveness after Monday’s capitulation, but a good result would be even better. So Tommy it’s over to you, it’s time to put up or shut up, we the fans will as always play our part, but we need something to cheer. Give us an early goal and we’ll cheer you all the way to the final whistle, in short, ‘let’s shag those border babes’!

Scrooge Time!

It’s time for a miserable Christmas, full points for the Sky Blues on Boxing Day and another year without a victory for the Coleraine ‘Scum’. Yes United need to take a leaf out of Scrooge’s book and give nothing to the team we ‘love to hate’, the ‘gasmen’ from the banks of the Bann. United manager Tommy Wright is under no illusions, the Sky Blue faithful can put up with many a thing, but a defeat or even a draw against our bankrupt rivals, would bring down our wrath upon him. On paper we should hold too many aces for them, but on paper we should’ve blown our last opponents, Loughgall, to kingdom come (wherever the hell that is). The United manager told Sky Blue Sport that he hopes to use the same starting eleven as in the Loughgall game, but hasn’t decided on the make-up of his bench as yet. Did this mean a recall to the panel for the fit again Boydie we asked, but the United manager remained tight-lipped. He did voice a concern about the 3 goals his back four leaked in their last game, but insisted he was happy enough with team to leave it unchanged. He remained non-committal on the prospects of signing players in the transfer window, saying he first needed to unload one or two players, as we were carrying a couple of passengers. So its all systems go for three points in what is, no matter what certain members of the media say, our most important game of the season. Admittedly league positions won’t change much, but the knock-on effect of a good United victory, will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season. So ‘come on Sky Blues, lets shag this bloody scum’!

P.S. Read an article in the B.B.C. television previews, that said Armagh’s Shea Campbell would be back in his favourite striking role and referred to him as an ex-Linfield star. We at ‘Sport have been wrecking our collective brains and cannot remember Shea starring for the Blues at anytime during his short spell there. But then again it just goes to prove that most of the stuff we read in the media is just pure fabrication. We suppose it’s that great Americanism, ‘never let the truth get in the way of a good story’ and our media certainly know all about that!

United's Goal(S)!

United manager Tommy Wright has been forced to make just the one change to his starting line-up for the away game at Lakeview Park, Loughgall, where the local team play. This means an instant recall for the suspended Kevin Kelbie, in place of the unfortunate Randal Reid, who was stretchered off last Saturday during the narrow one nil victory over Donegal Celtic, at Ballymena Showgrounds. Austen Friel will also get the nod to be on the bench, after scoring for the reserves in their defeat at Lisburn Distillery. United will be hoping to score their first championship goal at the County Armagh venue, as on their two previous league games they fell to one nil defeats. Another one nil victory for us, our third on the trot, would do very nicely, but we at ‘Sport feel it’s time United had a convincing win and where better to score a few goals than at Loughgall tomorrow. Not only would it give us the three points, it was also give us a real confidence boost ahead of the Boxing Day visit to Ballymena, of the Coleraine scum. Loughgall, despite their poor start to the league championship will be no pushover and only a thoroughly professional approach from the Sky Blues will see them win the day. Three points tomorrow would give us seven points in our last three away games and not 'six' as erroneously claimed in Sky Blue Sport last week. Sky Blue Sport’s Sammy Patterson has admitted this gaffe and can only plead ignorance in this instance. Let’s hope United are not rolling out excuses after tomorrow’s trip to the Orchard County. All of us at Sky Blue Sport will be there to cheer United to victory, ‘so come on United, let’s shag those apple pickers’!

Same Again!

United manager Tommy Wright has given a vote of confidence to the eleven players who battled to a first away win of the season (in fact the first away points of the season), last Friday night at Inver Park. That means no return to action for top scorer Kevin Kelbie, although the manger has said Kelbie will be on the bench. As for the remainder of the subs bench, its perm any two from three, of, Aiden Watson, Austen Friel and Stuarty King. In an exclusive interview with Sky Blue Sport, Bruce Balmer asked the manager if he was interested, as quoted in the media, in Glentoran’s Chris Morgan. Tommy said ‘ We’re always interested in quality players’, but added that he had so far not enquired about the former Linfield striker, who turned United down when he left Linfield to join their cross-town rivals. He also stated that he had held tentative talks with under-21 International Kevin Braniff, but he had since joined Portadown where he is reputedly receiving £700 a week, about three times the average Showgrounds wage. The United manager was also asked how he felt about the proposed new set-up of a ten or twelve team Premier league. ‘Anything that allows the game here to progress, in the long run will only benefit the sport’, he said, ‘But it’ll only work if the proper structures are in place’. A United official said there were no plans to make a special presentation, when west Belfast side Donegal Celtic pay their first historic visit to the Showgrounds tomorrow. He did add that an invitation had been extended to their chairman to attend the corporate dinner, which is being held prior to tomorrow’s game. Tomorrow also sees the return of former United ‘player of the year’, Kieran Donaghy and we’re sure United fans will give him a warm welcome. Let’s hope that Kieran and his new team-mates return home empty handed, as three points from this fixture are vital for the Sky Blues. ‘So come on United, let’s belt those Celts’!