Windy Hall!

We at Sky Blue Sport are the most optimistic supporters, but 'we have' even to face facts. Ballymena United go head to head with their derby rivals the 'Coleraine' scum, on a hiding to nothing. We had hoped against hope, that caretaker manager, Joe McCall (not our choice by a long chalk, there are more dyed in the wool United men on the staff than Joe), would show some initiative in his one game in charge against Dungannon Swifts, but it was like Roy Walker all over again. Despite the Christmas optimism which seems to come at this time of year, we feel we have to face two facts.

The first fact is we have no 'lead by example' men in the team. You know one of those men like Sammy Frickleton or Paul Malone or dare we say it, Gazza. One of those men who knows what this fixture means to the rank and file United supporter, who follow their team through thick and thin. Win, draw or lose this fixture and it will mean nothing to the overall statistics at the end of the day, but to the supporters, of both teams, even the Coleraine scum (do they have feelings?), it will assume mammoth proportions. Roy Walker, never quite grasped that, he would always referred to the rivalry between Cliftonville and Crusaders, but that is as nothing compared to the rivalry between 'us' and the Coleraine scum.

The second fact is we are not good enough, Cutch has been our true spark in this season and where we would be without his scoring exploits, we shudder to think. As for the rest of the team, Ally Teggart is worthy of his place and in defence Sparky and Cookie Munster, the rest of them are sub-standard, but Roy in his wisdom thought they were good enough. The new manager, when we eventually get round to appointing one (there really is no excuse for this delay, the manager has been walking on eggs for six weeks now), is going to be hampered by the staff at his disposal. The only player that's willing to come to us over the January transfer window is Linfield's Kris Lysnday, but that's not definite as Glenavon is also interested.

So let's recap, we need a goalie, at least two back four players, three midfield players, one of whom must be a leader and a striker to take some of the pressure off Cutch, that's only seven players on the plus side. On the minus side we have got to unload three back four players, Archie, Kane and Woods (Vauls will come good we think), three midfield players, Gavin Taggart, Rory and Jenkins, up front we need to get rid of Baker and Boyd and we have a month to do that, starting the first of January. Meanwhile we have two matches between now and then and if we could conjure up a win tomorrow by some miracle, it would give us hope. Joe McCall could yet go down in history as the man who filled United supporters with a sense of pride, after all, it is the season of goodwill. We live in eternal hope, come on United, let's shag those ewes from Windy Hall!