Seeing Red!

No this isn't a description of the embarrassment felt at Windsor Avenue following the news that Raymond 'I put my foot in my mouth every time I open it', Kennedy, has decided to not resign after all. Neither is it that United fans will be seeing red at being herded into the Spion Kop stand at Windsor for tomorrow's opening league encounter against league champions Linfield. It will be because United will be donning their new away red strip, instead of their customary Sky Blue. We at 'Sport will still refer to them as the Sky Blues, we are after all 'dyed in the wool' United fans.

What the make-up of tomorrow's team will be is anybody's guess as at least four first team players seem set to be missing. Sparky is definitely missing as he serves a two game suspension, while local boy Mo McDowell (pronounced Mac Doughall), is still carrying a groin injury. Defensive stalwart Albert Watson is struggling with a facial injury and striker Andy Smith is extremely doubtful too. This may mean a version of little and large leading our forward line aka Gibson and McCutcheon. Also making their competitive débuts tomorrow will be goalkeeper Robert Brown and midfielders Ryan Berry and Eamon Murray.

Local boy Denver Gage could also get the call-up if manager Walker is averse to having three principally left-footed players in defence, namely Gazza, Archie and Colly. Would the manager be bold enough we wonder, to give a start to Mike Smith mark 2 on the left, in the absence of the versatile 'I can play anywhere' Sparky. Tomorrow will probably be a damage limitation exercise and Walker would probably settle for a narrow defeat 2-1, 3-1 or be over the moon with a hard fought draw.
We on the other hand see things a lot differently, Linfield are expected to brush us aside and for that reason there is a just a little bit of extra pressure on them.

Also it'll either be Alan Blaney or 'Alice' Addis in goals for them and we have first hand experience of both their shortcomings. On the downside the referee appointed is Richard Crangle and we have good reason to remember his biased nature at work and a strong character like the bigoted David Jeffrey could surely sway Crangle into making decisions in the home team's favour. But let's not get paranoid, it's the first game of the new season, hopefully fair play isn't just a pipe dream, so come on Sky Blues (Reds), let's shag those village idiots!