First Blood!

Spike and his team, the two baldies, have hopefully come up with a plan that'll see United put one over on the 'fat' controller and the I.F.A. The talk on the forum tonight is about 4 players from other clubs at last night's training, signings we understand, will be imminent and not before time. That's for the future and Spike and the boys must go with the same basic panel we have had all season. Whether he'll have seen enough in training to make a change, or whether he sticks with the same 'motley' crew is anybody's guess, we fervently hope he's instilled a bit of confidence and pride in his first week in the job.

Sparky, having served his one game ban should be available for selection and we expect him to get the nod in midfield alongside in either Jenks or Gavin or if fit Downey. On his display last week Rory Carson looks to be the automatic choice. Neil Lowry who was disappointing last Saturday, should be in the panel and Spike might well start him and it should go down well with the United fans, we like to see youngsters given a chance, The same can be said for Jamie Davidson, subject of a lot transfer talk in the local papers and Spike has added him to the panel as well for tomorrow's game. Hopefully Ally will have shaken off the injury that was still troubling him last weekend and return to his scintillating form we have already witnessed this season.

Keeper Wayne Drummond must have a good match in front of what promises to be our biggest crowd this season, it would be a good time to impress. If he can just get an understanding with Cookie and Archie and impress upon them, if he doesn't call for a back pass, they must hit to the stands. Did Spike see see our inability to deal with set-pieces? We hope he or some of his lieutenants were taking notes last Saturday, if they weren't, the I.F.A. will find some gaps to exploit, especially at throw-ins. It's nearly impossible to predict what the I.F.A. will try to do, at Windsor Park they tried to overwhelm us and succeeded, but in the end they had to settle for a scoreline of 1-0.

If were brutally honest it wasn't as close as that, but if we had, had any belief that day, we might got a share of the points. It would've been daylight robbery we know, but we've been 'mugged' many times in matches with the I.F.A. so it was a chance to even the score. We are going make a predication now, if we can hold out for the first 20 minutes tomorrow, we have a chance of getting something from the match, if not we'll probably get beaten, although we hope not trounced. Tomorrow's match in the scheme things is not going to be a pointer for the rest of the season, but it could reveal if the team's got any spirit and that's a vital ingredient. So come Sky Blues, let's shag these village people, (Spike and the boys not included)!