Three Months!

We can hardly believe it, it's only been three months since the season ended and it's only one week until it begins again in earnest. So much has happened in that time, Cutch has gone, Rory has gone and we signed three new players and blooded some youngsters in a so far unbeaten friendly run and if that's not enough to whet your appetite, we have signed Alan D on a year's contract. Things are looking up for the Sky Blues, but there's a concern being voiced in a few circles we are told, about Spike's failure to land a top class striker to replace Cutch. We at 'Sport aren't worried and we'll tell you why, the solution is within our midst.

Back in the sixties (Omar says), United had a prolific striker named Arthur Thomas, a Birkenhead schoolteacher. After two seasons of knocking goals in for fun, with a 'real' ball made of real leather (Omar's words), Linfield came knocking and Thomas duly moved to Windsor Park. There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth we can tell you, a prominent United fan, dare we say an institution, even was so incensed that he went to a few Linfield matches, before returning to the fold. There was no way United could replace Thomas, they had to promote from within. As luck would have it, they had a stocky left-winger, named Mal McDonnell and he stepped into the breech. To say he was a revelation is to make a gross understatement and though he didn't last long, Omar says it was privilege to witness Mal's skill.

Now we find ourselves having two left-wingers, Cush and Ally, little and large so to speak. Of these two we think Ally is the preferred option. He's quick, has superb dribbling skills and he can strike with either foot. Cush is no slouch either, but we at 'Sport think Cush is best suited to a midfield role, where he can set up attacks and surprise keepers who have strayed off their line. He also is a dead ball expert, or so we are told, but we have heard that before. With the signing of Alan D, it looks likely that new signing Gary Thompson will find himself pushed out to right-wing and if Spike decides to go with a 4,4,2 system, on the bench. Anyway we think we're in for a new exciting chapter as United embark on another season. Come on United, get those shagging boots on (thigh waders for uninitiated)!