New Era!

With the breaking news that Glenn 'Spike' Ferguson has been named as the new manager, we wonder is this the start of a new era or just one more dot in our history books? Spike was a great player and a great competitor and if he can instil these traits into our team, he might just be the messiah we've been looking for. It's not known who his back-room staff might be but one name that's been mentioned is Lee Docherty. So let's recap, we've appointed a manager who had a record second to none as a striker in our league, his first appointment is man who was a midfield genius and is held in awe in our league circles, all he needs now is to appoint Noel Baile and maybe he can get our slip shod defence sorted out.

In an ironic twist of fate his first official match in charge will be against his former masters, Linfield (the I.F.A.) and the next game is away to his last employers, Lisburn Distillery, in the Irish cup. It doesn't get any easier after that, if United or Glens don't have to replay their Irish cup games, then there's a match on Tuesday January 17 at the Showgrounds followed by a visit to the hatchet men on the Saturday, then maybe he'll have time to catch his breath. We fervently hope he has seen us play recently and if he is the stand tomorrow, he'll maybe get an idea of our strengths (we haven't seen too many this year) and our weaknesses (too countless to mention). We're not hoping for a quick fix but maybe some fresh ideas and basic defending would be good.

Tomorrow's match is Joe's last game in charge and no doubt the D.C. boys will be up for that as a win will take them 8 points clear of us and practically free from the threat of relegation (35 pts to be mathematically safe), a rare win for us would delay that for a week or two. When we were travelling to Coleraine last Monday we heard the news of Gavin Taggart being in the team and not Ally Teggert, our spirits went down we can tell you. It seems Ally picked a bit of a knee injury and we wish well and a speedy recovery. We just hope that he is fit enough to start tomorrow and if Baker isn't fit, we start with Lowry up front along with Cutch.

Our defence which didn't exactly cover themselves in glory last Monday, will probably be the same but we only hope Joe has told them to get the ball out of there, don't start playing any 'namby pamby' football, for it's the road to no town. The referee tomorrow is Hugh Carville and we think he'll play the match as per rule book, not like Andy 'make the rules as you go along' Hunter, well we live in hope anyway. In an ironic way Sparky's sending off could give the three stoogies, Carson, Jenks and Downey a chance to impress the new boss, but he knows Downey's form from when they were team-mates at Windsor Park. On paper it's a match we can win, but our confidence is shot to rags, let's hope we pull out all the stops, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those Suffolk lambs!

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!

'Nuff Said!

According to Carling Premiership.com. the referee for tomorrow's night's game between the chicken shaggers and the sheep shaggers, Dungannon and Ballymena at Stangmore Park, Dungannon, is local whistler, Mark 'ham shank' Courtenay. Mister Courtenay is well known to Ballymena fans, for the 'ham shank' fiasco among other clangers and is a totally inappropriate choice for this game. As if that's not enough we still are manager-less and subject to Joe McCall's whims. The Swifts have just re-appointed Joe McAree as manager for the umpteenth time and his side-kick is none other than the man with the 'golden knee', Darren Murphy, that was miraculously cured, when five years ago he was going to have to go under the knife or hang up the boots.

You can understand why we view this match with a sense of trepidation, we got 'honest Joe McCall', Mark Ham Shank and Wounded Knee taking centre stage. We well remember the poem about 'the Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick maker, turn them out knaves all three', 'nuff said. We have no idea about the tactics, or players Joe is liable to pick, in the absence of assistant manager Terry Moore, who proved what a 'rat' he was by deserting the ship with Walker, Joe and first team coach Colin Sewell will have to come up with a team capable of getting a result. But we just hope they're aware they'll get no help from the referee and the Swifts players will be diving all over the place. United old boys, Mike Ward, Craig McClean and She(A)Campbell will no doubt have something to prove as they usually do and United will do well to keep their discipline.

It would been nice if our team could have got a game on Saturday but we do need a game under our belt before we make a trip to that dump at Coleraine to play the filthy scum. Our confidence is shot to smithereens and if we could get a result tomorrow night, it would stand us in good stead as we travel to play the gas-men on Boxing Day. Applications need to be in on Wednesday for the vacant manager's job and hopefully he'll be appointed fairly quickly, if he not in the dug-out when we play the scum, hopefully he will be, when we take on D.C. on the last day of 2011. This game had be moved forward because of a vital important stock car meeting and we were assured '18 months ago' that they were history. But we digress, United need to get something from this match and the first match the 'Sky Blue Sport' team have attended since we were wrongly accused of racial chanted by the Chicken shaggers, come on Sky Blues let's really shag those Tyronians!

Marking Time!

After the 'Roy Walker' era, United find themselves 'marking time' till a new manager is appointed. The board, in their wisdom, have appointed Joe McCall, who was Kenny Shiels assistant-manager and before that reserve manager. We'll not go into detail about Joe's shortcomings, it's not important and anyway our board tend to see things with 'rose coloured' spectacles, in short they have trouble remembering the facts. But enough said, Joe is in charge of our team until further notice, realistically the next four matches, which could make or break our season.

We feel sure Joe will not tinker with the team too much, they were decidedly unlucky not to get something for their efforts on Tuesday night. They were undone by a bad refereeing decision and a clanger from a keeper low in confidence. Joe's hand could be forced if Dicky Vauls is injured, then he'd have to make a decision on whether he plays Woods and Kane, or calls up Rodgers and moves Archie to leftback. Of course Joe has experience of the versatile Sparky and may play him at rightback or in midfield. Based on Tuesday night's performance, he could keep Jenks on the bench and continue with Sparky and Downey in centre midfield. One of the undoubted successes on Tuesday was the form showing by teenager Neil Lowry. Sky blue Sport's Bruce Balmer, came within a whisker of naming him 'man of the match', so we hope Joe remembers him in his plans, a place on the bench at least.

Glentoran come to the Showgrounds tomorrow a depleted team, like ourselves they blow hot and cold, but they usually do well away from home and they usually triumph at the Showgrounds. Gary Hamilton, still the best striker around is absent from their line-out, having 'bought' his contract (he was rumoured to be on £1,500 a week, we reckon the Glens were only too happy to tear it up) and our old friend Richard Gibson we feel sure will try to step up to mark. It will be the job of the United midfield to try and stop the supply to Gibbo and to try to get a telling a ball to the 'goal machine', Cutch, in order for him to add to his 22 goals this season, 17 in the league. We wonder how the team feel about the manager resigning, they should take some of the blame, but it would be a fitting tribute if they come and win tomorrow's game, come Sky Blues, let's show a United front,only believe one more time!

Tight Noose!

The noose is tightening on Roy Walker's neck and only a win will save from from the chop, when United take on the hatchet men in the Irn Bru semi-final at the Showgrounds tomorrow night, kick-off 19-45. The match which will be played to a finish is not a matter of life and death, it's more important than that, it's die dog or shite the licence time. In a match like this it's crucial to get a fair referee, but our luck is right out, Raymond Crangle is the man appointed to officiate, a man born close to the environs of Seaview itself and another who makes up the rules as he goes along. The news is not good about our injury list, with Baker and Boyd still doubtful and Denver hoping for a place on the panel.

Surely Sparky has to be recalled, its obvious Roy doesn't like him, but for the good of the club he has to come into the reckoning. We cannot continue with Kane and Archie, they are fish out of water, we got have a solid back-four that we can rely on. Vauls put on a good show on Saturday, but he was strangely substituted at halftime, replaced by Elvis. It was obvious that we needed to make changes, but surely Archie should have been the one to make way for Elvis, you don't withdraw the best defender you have, in order to keep one on whose form has dipped disastrously. If Baker or Boyd don't make it, we have no choice but to send on Elvis, if just for nuisance value. Just a glimpse of the form he showed us in his first match, would be heaven.

Neil McCaffery, who was on-loan from Portadown last season, is badly missed in the United engine room, where Alan Jenks has singularly failed to live up to his billing. Our plight is, we have nobody to step up to the mark, for Roy in his infinite wisdom, farmed them out to junior clubs, when we are crying out for them. If by some miracle the Crues don't destroy us tomorrow night, it'll be left to our two match winners, Cutch and Ally, to try and steer us through. It will be a mammoth task, we'll need a lot of luck, but we're due some, we think, so come Sky Blues. let's shag those tame tigers!

Different Tactics!

Does United manager Roy Walker, have a plan for our team, that includes tomorrow's match at Mourneview Park against bottom of the table Glenavon and the Irn Bru semi-final, at home to Crusaders on Tuesday night. Not wanting to underestimate tomorrow's opponents, maybe Roy would think of playing something like 4,5,1 formation and try to instil a bit of confidence in our side. But maybe the match will not take place tomorrow, as it's freezing hard as we speak, but better for United if it does. So what does Roy do with his team selection, he can't go on with two fullbacks (2 from 3 actually), we have at present, their shortcomings were cruelly exposed last Saturday.

We had thought he could drop Ally back as an emergency leftback, but with the rumour, unconfirmed, that Eamon Murray has left the club, it does limit our attacking options somewhat. Surely Sparky has to come into the reckoning as he is the best club-man we have, in fact dare we say it, the only man who's playing for the shirt alone. We seem to have been saying for this for weeks now, it's time Jordan Baker and Jenks started showing their worth and we're saying it again. The keeper silenced our criticism last week with a near faultless display and if he had had any defenders worth their salt in front of him, we might've got a different result at Windsor. The 'Sport team feel that he needs to be on his toes tomorrow again, as our best combination at central defence, Chris Rodgers and Cookie Munster, need time to gel.

No doubt Roy will start tinkering with his line-up (please spare us Gavin Taggart), just to prove he's the boss, but he needs to consolidate, not make wholesale changes. If he tried Archie at leftback and picked Sparky at rightback, that would be enough, but trying to second guess him is a hard task, one beyond us. The one bright spark is Cutch (who 'scotched' rumours that he wasn't going to retire at the end of the season), if he could get a couple of chances tomorrow, maybe we can sneak the points and we'll just to have to hope for a miracle against the Crues on Tuesday. Did we say a miracle? It's a well known fact that miracles happen everyday, whereas the 'impossible', takes a little bit longer, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those Mourneviewers!

Windy Windsor!

United go to the home of the I.F.A. (Linfield), to take on the League leaders and all you can do when your up against the might of the I.F.A., is pray for a good surface (well that's a laugh for a start) and a calm day (the forecast is for strong wind). But that's to be expected, sure the 'fat controller' blows a hurricane we're told himself. We would usually say a 'fair' referee, but when our team play the I.F.A. we know that's not possible, but you just hope for one that has a basic understanding of the rules and not making them up as he goes along, aka Andy Hunter. We are down to get one of the best around (the rest are pathetic), Brian Turkington, who at least keeps up with the play, but tends to see no evil when the elbows are flying from the I.F.A. players.

United manager Roy Walker has intimated in the papers that he tends changing the team around. We sincerely hope he doesn't go for the line-up he selected for the Portadown match, Archie in midfield and if you include Sparky, that gave us a team of six, out and out defenders and no outlet. Portadown, for their part took a while to settle down and if we had been sharper and not give away two atrocious goals, things could be different. We joke about the 'fat controller', but he has seen it all and will react to what line-up Roy picks anyway, so there's no way to second guess him. We at 'Sport are of the opinion that goalkeeper Wayne Drummond is not fulfilling the promise he showed on his first lot of matches, but maybe he's lost confidence in the defence, we know we have.

One player who's not available to manager Walker tomorrow, is centre-half Liam Watson, who has been suspended for a breach of club discipline. The rumour has it, he confessed to being out drinking on the night before the Cliftonville game. At least he has an excuse and if he volunteered this information he is be commended not vilified, if on the other hand he was 'shopped' by one of his mates (and we use the word 'mates' in it's loosest terms), then he deserves everything he gets, including a hangover and in future he should pick his mates more carefully. We welcomed Dicky Vauls with open arms, mainly because he had been released by the scum and we were wanting to see them end with egg on their face, but alas it hasn't worked out and Archie, is looking a viable option, but his lack of pace is a worry.

Ally Teggart showed a welcome return to form and his fellow recruit from Ports, Jordan Baker, is starting to show glimpses of his early season form also. Aaron Boyd looks likely to lose his place for tomorrow's game, he scored a goal last week, but his all round play leaves much to be desired, but in the absence of the hopeless Elvis, he is our only other option up front. United must look to it's two Scotsmen, Cutch and Jenks, for inspiration. Cutch can do more than he is doing, knocking the goals in right ,left and centre, but Jenks needs to do more and assert his authority on the game. Who will partner him, is anybody's guess, the 'Sports team prefer Sparky, but manager Walker seems to prefer Downey and he's getting fitter every game, but we need him fit now.

We expect Roy to keep his two central defenders Rodgers and Cookie Munster, but whether it's Woods at rightback or Kane we don't have the foggiest. Of course Roy might spring a surprise and play both of them, deploying Kane in right-midfield or could bring our secret weapon to bear, the fit again Rory Carson, but like Downey he needs to be really fit. So there you have it, will it be a relatively attack minded formation, or one with the emphasis on defence, considering how bad we are at the latter, we hope not. Whatever team selection Roy and his back-room staff come up with they better know one thing, we need everybody playing their hearts out tomorrow, not some lack-lustre performance which has been seen all too frequently of late, but eleven guys playing as their life depended on it. Give your all boys, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those I.F.A. sheep in their backyard!