Final Countdown!

Here we are, we started the season so full of optimism, but as is usual we have flattered to deceive. We promise so much, but deliver so little, so much so that it's a wonder we have any fans left. The will he wont he saga about Kevin Kelbie refuses to go away and it will be interesting to see if United manager Roy Walker, selects United's leading goalscorer for tomorrow's game away to Glenavon at Mourneview Park, Lurgan. It would be understandable if our manager omitted King Kevin from his starting line-up, but maybe he will select him in a bid to secure a win and therefore the 3 points which could vault us back up to eight position.

Even if by a late reconciliation, Kevin decided to tie himself to United for another season, I believe a reliable striker is a must find for the wily Walker, while a tough central defender would also be a great asset, in fact we actually need to recruit a new spine for the team as central midfield also needs strengthening. If perchance a new keeper was available, he would be a mug not to snap him up also and release one or even both his current charges. I have no words of wisdom to impart to Roy, either for the future or for tomorrow, all I can do is issue the rallying call, so for the final time this season, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those Lurgan boys!

Last Homer!

As United approach their last home game, free from the threat of relegation, we wonder if there is any motivation in them to deliver a win against the Whites. There should be plenty as a win would at worst keep them in touch with the team in 8th place, Glenavon and a victory against them in the final league match next Saturday would see us replacing them in eighth place. It would be hard for them to produce as lack lustre a performance as they did against Newry last Tuesday night, but stranger things have happened.

We must assume that we are committed to bringing Gary Muir over for games as on his present form he's not worth his place in the team and definitely not worth his air fare either. United manager Roy Walker does seem to be struck by him, or does he feel obliged to play him also, given the fact that we have flown him in specially. For whatever reason Muir appears to be a fixture of the team, while Cushley and McConnell, have no chance of getting a start. Obviously they don't figure in Roy's plans for next season and we think he may live to regret releasing them to be picked up by someone who can bring the best out of them.

With Sparky serving an automatic one game ban following his sending off at Newry, there should be a place for McConnell alongside Kelbie, with Andy Smith still missing with a gashed shin, or will Roy opt for his favourite ploy of playing with a 4, 5, 1 formation, which in turn delivers sweet fanny Adams. One things for sure, changes will have to be made, as we cannot continue with this devil-may-care attitude as it tends to drive fans away and doesn't reward the die-hard supporters with any due thanks. Hopefully the boys will be fully focused for what may prove to be the last home game for some of our panel. So for them for the last time all we gotta say is, 'come on sky blues, let's shag those lily whites'!

Travelling Light!

After having four players removed from the team due to injury on Saturday and at least one other soldering on while not 100% fit, we imagine the Sky Blues may be a little light on players tomorrow night. Added to that is the fact that reserve striker Mackers, has begun a two match suspension and United may be down to the bare bones tomorrow night. With doubts hanging over our two Scottish players, re-transport, just what sort of line-up United will have is hard to estimate. Things are so bad that Omar is threatening to resurrect his rowing boat in an attempt to get Kelbie and Muir over for tomorrow night's game.

While we don't quite think that will be really necessary, as, if flights are still grounded, ferry transport would be possible, it nevertheless is a grave situation we find ourselves in. Thankfully we gathered 3 points on Saturday past and that just might give us some breathing space. If we can somehow scrape together a team for tomorrow night's game and sneak a win, then that will be like the great escape and our last two games will be even more meaningless. The benefit of our large panel of players should give us the ability to field a decent team, just not our first choice eleven players.

Newry are in a bit of a tight spot and will no doubt see us as a stepping stone to get them clear of the relegation trap-door and for that reason we'll need to be prepared for a battle. Hopefully referee Burns will not be in as lenient a mood as last Saturday's official, Crangle, was. At least two of the injuries affecting our players on Saturday were as a result of Crangle's leniency and another horror story at the Marshes would leave us in 'dire straits' for our last two games. So come on Sky Blues, let's shag those Carlingford Loughers!

Biggest Game!

United play their biggest game of the season tomorrow when they entertain the 'Stute at the Showgrounds. A win would go a long way to securing Premiership football for next season, a draw would keep us well within the mix, whereas a defeat would start the alarm bells ringing. We'd do well to remember that Glenavon are safe and although pride is at stake in their game at home to Distillery tomorrow, a defeat would not be viewed as a disaster. Then there's United's trip to Newry on Tuesday night, where points have been hard to come by, before entertaining the Whites next Saturday.

So nothing easy on the horizon, but the time has come for the players who are 'really' committed to the cause, to lead by example tomorrow. On paper we should blow the 'Stute away tomorrow, we have too much fire-power for them, but then again games aren't won on paper, they're won on the pitch. And we haven't been doing that lately, so now would be a good time to get our act together. With no new suspensions this week, it'll just be a case of checking on the walking wounded, before selecting the team tomorrow.

Gary Muir should return after being ineligible for the cup last week and Kelbie should partner Andy Smith once more. But it's in midfield and defence where United have the problems and it's where this game will be won and lost tomorrow. Noel Anderson surely deserves a start tomorrow, as he came on as a sub last week and volunteered for the penalty duty also, a player with the right attitude. Otherwise the manager has quite a few permutations at his disposal and hopefully he'll come up with the right one on the day. So come on Sky Blue, let's shag those drummers from the Hoe!

Crunch Time!

Since qualifying for the Irish cup semi-final, it's fair to say that United haven't been at their best. In the opinion of most fans, they had one eye on tomorrow's semi-final against Portadown. Now the big day has arrived and there's no more room for excuses, it's time to stand up and deliver. The record between the two clubs, this season tells us nothing. Portadown adherents may point out that they had two victories to our one, but believe it or not, past victories mean sweet Fanny Adams when the 'crunch' comes. It will be down to whoever performs on the day and even though the Ports have the experience, we hope that the hunger of our players will win the day.

People like Mike Smith, Lee Colligan and Archie Stewart, playing in their first Irish cup semi-final at such a tender age, could shape the rest of their careers in the years ahead. While the veterans like Locky, Andy Smith and Kevin 'the king' Kelbie can write their names in our sparse history books. As we don't know the make-up of the team it's hard to say if all of these six players will be on the team, but one man who 'is' a United veteran and still in his early twenties and 'is' certain to start, is Albert Watson. Albert, with over 260 appearances for the club, is the rock on which our team is built and the one thing that you can count on from Albert is 100% commitment to the cause.

Just who will partner Albert in defence is unknown, but if Sparky (Surgenor),is fit we at 'Sport expect him to get the nod, but then again Roy may have other ideas. If Sparky isn't fit the United manager can opt for two or three players in Archie, Gazza and Kit Ramsay. Another man who looks like an automatic choice given his form of late is midfielder Aiden Watson (no relation to Albert), whose tough tackling and defence splitting passes will be vital in tomorrow's game. Will the manager be bold and pick the Cush tomorrow in left-midfield? If we had to guess we'd say no and he's more likely to go with Archie at leftback and Colligan in the wide left position.

That was the surprise selection he used at Glenavon in the previous round of the cup and it worked, but will it work tomorrow? That as they say is the $64,000 question. Noel Anderson also played a vital role in those two games against Glenavon and he may get the nod tomorrow and in fact the team could only show one change from those two games, Albert instead of Gazza. Dwayne Nelson has the keeper's job tied down and he will be vital to us tomorrow and his leadership qualities will stand us in good stead, while Gavin Taggart looks set to return after serving his one match ban. The time for talking is over, it's time to stand up and be counted, so come on United, let's shag those apple pickers!

Walkers Dilemma!

United manager Roy Walker is faced with a major dilemma for tomorrow night's derby at home to the Coleraine scum. Dare he pick his strongest side and risk the chance of some of them picking up injuries which would rule them out of Saturdays Irish cup semi-final? Or should he field a weakened team and risk the wrath of the Sky Blue following, who would find capitulation to the Coleraine scum hard to stomach. It is a decision only he can make and it's one we don't envy him, a real Hobson's choice. Is their any point in flying Gary Muir over for tomorrow's game also, as he is ineligible for the cup match?

Our manager may argue that at least he hasn't to worry about him getting injured and he's the sort of player needed for this type of game. On the plus side United's fringe players could get a rare start and one who will want to play is team Captain Gazza, who's out of favour at the moment. If Roy does go with a weaker selection, we'd expect Ogers to don the keeper's jersey, while Nathan McConnell could get a belated call-up to first team action. If Mackers is still about this would be an ideal start for him and Locky too could at last grace a Derby fixture, or is Roy holding him back for the semi? Kevin Kelbie, who came off injured last Saturday, should get a well earned rest as he's vital to our plans for next Saturday.

Maybe of course Roy will want to give his intended semi selection a run out tomorrow, but we at 'Sport believe it to be a risk too far, as these games tend to be real humdingers. In other words no quarter is asked or given and there should be a wee bit of atmosphere with both sets of fans in the one stand and in a holiday mood to boot. Another minus believe it or not is that 'fat' O'Hare is serving a suspension and we'll miss him as he's usually good for one or two gaffes against us. But as far as we fans are concerned, it's all systems go, so come on Sky Blues, let's shag those Coleraine lambs!

White Knight 2

We have no news, for as far as we know the same team as that selected for duty last Tuesday night, will take the field in the rearranged game tomorrow, weather permitting. The weather is a very big factor, as the cup replay between Newry & Loughgal, scheduled for tonight was cancelled once more, so our game at Ballyskeagh might be in doubt also. As if the fixture headache wasn't bad enough, we now have a Setanta cup semi-final involving Linfield tomorrow, which along with the Scum/Ports game and the cup replay, means only one current league game being played.

As Omar said in his column this is 'organised confusion'. If, as looks likely, we have no match on Easter Tuesday, we will have three weeks to play our 5 remaining league games, before the official end of the season. This of course is an accident waiting to happen and if tomorrow's game falls foul of the weather, the situation will be exacerbated even further. So we are hoping for a dry night and knowing our weather is at best unpredictable, all we can hope for tomorrow is light April showers.

The three points on offer are more vital to the Whites, but as this is possibly our last game before the cup semi-final against the Ports in 8 days time, a good display is called for, to get us out of the rut we are in at present. Tomorrow is Easter Saturday, but surely all true Sky Blue fans will make the trip to Lambeg and cheer the wee team on. It's not the best venue by any means for watching a match, too wide open for one thing, but at least we can get close to the action, if it's not raining. So come on Sky Blues, let's shag those Lambeggars!