Sky Blue Sport News

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Here's Hoping!

It may sound like a strange title for the most important game for United for more than six years, but Sky Blue Sport, due to no fault of our own, has chosen this moment to go off the air. Omar got an e/mail on Friday morning to say that our 'host' had seen fit to move us to a new and better host and assured us that it had not interfered with our site, since then we haven't been able to access our site on line. In spite of incessant e/mails, we are still in limbo. But we took the decision to carry on as normal, hoping against hope that we could still be back to normal before the final, but we feel less than optimistic about the prospect. But hold on, there's a text message coming through, we believe we are saved and its all thanks to super Sammy Patterson, we had every confidence in him, sure we know he's Sky Blue through and through, is that an omen or what?

There's a star shining bright in the East (East Belfast), tomorrow night and the three wise men, Glenn Spike Ferguson, Lee Docherty and Norman Kelly are going to go there and they'll crown United King of Kings, in other words we'll beat the pants off the IFA/Linfield. Past history between the two sides this season means nothing, they played each other 3 times this season the IFA came out on top on two of these occasions, but they really lived up to their nickname of 'lucky Linfield on Saturday past when they got a penalty that never was. The IFA will rightly be favourites for this final, giving their history and their 'never say die' attitude, they have a winning mentality. But the Sky Blues have 'right' on their side, we are an honest club, no underhand dealing, no brown envelopes under the table like some we could mention, just plain good honest men trying to do what's right and the players know it and they never have to wait for their pay.

Tomorrow night the players will be asked to play the game to the best of their ability and to enjoy themselves and give their long suffering fans a night to remember. If the players give their all and we fall short, we have to live with that but we at 'Sport are going to stick our necks out and say that United will win by two clear goals. Whoever gets the nod from Spike he'll be on threshold of greatness and we at 'Sport will be hoping for the much maligned Elvis 'Susan Bap' Costello to have a hand in our victory. In the absence of Sparky last Saturday, Spike started Alan D and Thommo in midfield, we don't think he can do that tomorrow night, but if Gavin hasn't recovered from injury, maybe he will have to. He could start Rodgers at rightback and move Kane into midfield alongside Sparky, Alan D, Thommo and Cush, but that would leave no place for King Billy Bingham and he is our secret weapon.

If injured Captain Jenks reports no ill effects from his reserve outing on Saturday then he could claim a place on the bench, but again he's too like Alan D and Thommo for Spike to consider starting, in our opinion. But Spike has shown he is his own man and will have no hesitation in starting the 'young guns' if feels they can do the job. According to reports we'll have a sizeable crowd descending on East Belfast and lets hope the great unwashed are having a night in watching telly or playing bingo, we don't want any fraternisation among the natives, our boys have only one thing on their collective minds tomorrow, to cheer United on as they win the County Antrim Shield. After the match, it'll be lock up your daughters (and your sons), time as the 'sheep shaggers' will be in a party mood. We know its not going to be easy, it never is against the IFA, but come on Sky Blues you can do it, let's really shag those villagers, COSB!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Davey Again!

When we read on the official site (IFA.premiership.com),that the referee for tomorrows game was A. Davey we jumped to the wrong conclusions. We started cursing our luck of having the most incompetent ref this side of John Ferry (and that's saying something), two matches running. Davy Malcolm has been missing from the Irish league scene for a couple of years but he needed no introduction to United fans who had seen his biased refereeing tactics many, many, times before last Saturday's inept performance. Davy seems to be of the opinion that the ends justify the means, so what if you kick lumps out the opposition, if you score more goals than them it will be justified. But no we got it wrong thankfully, but on the minus side the 4th official is he of the spindly legs, none other than Colin Burns, he'll no doubt sanction our bench and at the same time let the 'fat controller' and the IFA bench away with murder. Sure that's only to be expected so to speak, we are in the lions den and we can expect no mercy.

Team news: as usual we don't have a baldies (and we're not talking about Spike's backroom staff here), opinion among Sky Blue fans seems to dictate, we will rest a few players tomorrow, but we at 'Sport would rather see Glenn pick the nucleus of the side he's going use in the final and see if we can come up with a plan to frustrate the champions. Sparky is completing the last match of his ban and Spike may have hopes of adding him to his squad or his starting eleven on Tuesday night. On top of that, our Captain Jenks, is to be given 45 minutes with the reserves tomorrow and if he doesn't suffer adverse reactions from that outing, we wouldn't be surprised to see him in the panel at least. As for tomorrow line-up we at 'Sport see no future in playing Thommo and Alan D in the same team and with of return of Gavin and the expected promotion of Kane to midfield, one of them will undoubtedly have to stand down. Tomorrow's three points will not make or break our season, but will go along way to discover if we have real character in our team.

Our dismal record at the headquarters of the IFA/Linfield, speaks for itself, we usually get tanked or lose by a scrappy goal that could have been avoided, Tomorrow needs to be a turning point for our team, we can't afford to let the IFA dictate the pace and we need to fight 'fire with fire' and try to shake their confidence going into the County Antrim Shield final at the Oval next Tuesday, in short, we need players to stand up and be counted. If we can play as a team with everybody working their socks off and a 'never say die' attitude, maybe, but we emphasis the word 'maybe', we will have something to show for it come ten to five tomorrow. But if on the other hand we go out with the same attitude as last week and the slip shod defending, we can expect no mercy from the champions. It's over to you Spike and your backroom staff, if you have prepared for this and it comes unstuck, you may get another chance Tuesday night, we only can hope, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those villagers!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Sage Stuffing!

We know its not Christmas yet but United have to think that way when the Chickenville come to town and stuff them. This match comes at a crucial time for United and their young management team. They just had a drumming for the champions (the IFA) 12 days ago and they now meet the team that's aspiring to follow in the IFA's footsteps and win the league this season, Chickenville. Standing in their way is United and their unbeaten home record in the Dankse Premier league, a record which has stood since February 4, when Chickenville ironically beat them. United go into this match with a mounting injury crisis, latest casualty is Mike Ruddy who has a broken bone in his foot, added to was the news that Johnny Taylor will miss the rest of the season from his recent impact injury, coming in contact with the stock car track, only one winner there and it was not Johnny. The stock car track has long been an issue which the United board has sought largely to ignore, passing the 'buck' onto the council and the council in turn promising that were going to do something about it and doing nothing.

But for tomorrows match United must also do without services of the player of the season so far, Gavin Taggart, suspended for one game. Gavin and his combatant style its true to say, rankles referees, its not that he a vicious player, he just can't see why somebody can flaunt the rules and get away with it and this invariably gets him into trouble with referees, when he takes the law into his own hands. We at 'Sport think he's a definite candidate for team Captain, he'll not ask anyone to do what he thinks he'll not do himself and his hearts in the right place. But his obvious replacement, Sparky, also misses tomorrow's game through suspension and the game against the IFA next Saturday, at IFA headquarters, Windsor Park, but he'll be available for the County Antrim Shield final as will Gavin probably. As for team news, we don't have a clue, Cush limped out of last Saturday's encounter from the aptly named 'hatchet men', but we expect him to be fit. who fills in at Gavin's position is a matter for conjecture. Tony Kane looks the obvious choice and Chris Rodgers filling in at fullback.

Failing that Spike could move Archie to that holding position or spring a surprise and include some hitherto unknown from the reserves. Is there a case for playing the 4,4,1,1 formation he used so effectively against the Crues or do we revert to a more orthodox 4,4,2 or the more attack minded 4,3,3 which our management team seems to favour. It was obvious to the 'Sports team last week how adaptable our players were when they switched to the new formation without question. They showed the right attitude and they will need to show that attitude tomorrow again if they are to get anything from the form team in the IPL this season. They can be beaten, they already have been beaten and if our attitude is right we can take all three points, but if our attitude is wrong, we must expect to come unstuck. We know it will be tough, but when the going gets tough...., we all know the saying, but it still rings true, so come on Sky Blues, lets shag those chickens!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Clean Slate!

United, after their mauling at the hands of Linfield on Monday night, return to IPL action with a match against the 'Hatchet men'. This fixture is usually quite lively in itself for it usually brings out the best and the worst in the shore road men and in the Sky Blues. But it has added spice tomorrow in that former United striker, Gary McCutcheon, plays his first match at Warden Street, since he walked away at the end of last season. I'm sure he'll come in for a bit of extra attention from United players and supporters alike and we hope he's not too disappointed at the end of game. On second thoughts we hope he'll be distraught and have to suffer on the boat journey back getting slagged by his friend and ex-team-mate, Alan Jenkins. United manager Spike has some decisions to make as regards the make-up of his team. Our defence was a porous as a sieve on Monday night and we had no leaders on the field. Nobody was imploring people to get the finger out and we need somebody like that.

We at 'Sport think Spike will treat Monday night's reverse as a just a bad day at the office and not make wholesale changes. As intimated in Bruce Balmer' match report on Tuesday, we reckon Mike Ruddy will get the nod in place of Ross Black. We expect Cush to return at the expense of anyone from the three of Ally, Jamie and Jimmy Mac. Then there is a case for changing the midfield three or should we say the midfield two, for Gavin we feel sure will start, but as for Thommo and Alan D, we're not sure. But Spike being Spike, could say same again and give them another chance to redeem their collective selves. But it would be a huge risk to take and could spell disaster and undo all the promising work Spike and the boys have wrought up to now. The Crues for their part will want to try to dominate us and we need to be prepared for a barrage of high balls and for this reason we would like to see Sparky getting a start. The Broughshane man prowess in the air is well known and he would not let the side down.

We have lost our unbeaten run of games at home, but on the plus side, we have not lost a IPL game at home since February and if we could continue on in that vein, that would be a huge confidence boost for the next few games taking us up to the County Antrim Shield final at the end of this month. Spike is very much his own man and he has proved this by going out on the limb and continuing to play the likes of Tony Kane, Cookie and Ross Black and getting the best out of them. He surprised us all by dropping young Jamie at Dung and promoting young McCabe, it worked in that match but alas it didn't work against Linfield. Monday night's game is now history, it will go down on the record books as a defeat, whether we learn from this defeat remains to be seen. We have a chance to prove it was only a glitch, but it's not going to be easy, it never is against the Crues, but we need to get out there and do it, come on Sky Blues, let's shag those pet tigers!

Monday, November 05, 2012

No Quarter!

The fat controller, David Jeffrey, comes up against four former Linfield players tomorrow night, Spike, Lee, Norman and big Wes. Normally this would be a chance to catch up and see how they're are doing, but it's not a normal situation tomorrow night. This is a knock-out match, played to a finish and the victor has a semi-final to look forward to and the loser has to pick himself and his team up for the other two meetings that lie ahead on 24 & 27 November or end up with egg on his face. Naturally we, the Sky Blue Sport's team, hope it's the fat Davey who's going away dejected and Spike, our leader, who has emerged triumphant. United are playing well at the moment, but we sure Spike and the boys will not underestimate the task that lies ahead of us when we take on the league champions. It would have been nice to have a fully fit squad, but we expect to be missing at least three of our stars, Cush who is suspended, Johnny Taylor injured and Captain Jenks who is nearing fitness, but will miss all the games against the IFA.

Sky Blue Sport is going to try and second-guess Spike and forecast which team he will start tomorrow night. We will miss Cush, for he is our outlet when we have to resort to the high ball and for this reason we think that Alan D wont start and Sparky will and Jamie will get the nod to replace Cush on the left. We will lose Alan D's undoubted skill, but we reckon it will be a midfield battle tomorrow night and better to have Sparky, Gavin and Thommo all complemented each other, all different styles, than to have two of the same. Jamie looked good when he came on in the 2nd half and we expect him to start, but Elvis also looked good and we won't be surprised if he gets the nod in place of Jimmy Mac or the under-performing Ally. Ally had four clear-cut chances on Friday night at Stangmore Park and he also hit a weak penalty, but if he could've converted the penalty, there might be no axe hanging over his head.

The back four seems to pick itself but Archie needs to assert himself early on, he can't get away with letting the Linfield forwards have easy headers, as he did at Dung on Friday. Ross Black, who has come in for some criticism over the past number of games, not through ourselves you understand, needs to continue in the same vein as he did on Friday night. Tony Kane, who is beginning to look like a player, needs to keep a tight rein on his temper for the IFA players will be out to try and get him riled, a perfectly legitimate ploy to our mind and Cookie needs to do what he does best, clear his lines. Was it Rudyard Kipling who said or was reported to have said, 'if you can keep your head my son, when all round are losing theirs, then you will have become a man', for United players and their management team this should be the watchword. It's promises to be a mammoth encounter, let's hope we have the strength and skill to pull through, so come on Sky Blues, let's shag those villagers and you will become men in the progress!

Thursday, November 01, 2012

Road Wars!

We are on the road again and we're prepared to go to war to get the three points and no mistake about it. Colin Burns is the ref appointed for this match which is usually a feisty encounter and United needn't expect any sympathy from the 4th official, Dung native, Brian Courtney. As for team news as usual we haven't got any but the word on grapevine (rumours in the Fountain bar), is that Cookie should be fit and raring to go, but we take that with a pinch of salt because we were told in good faith that Taylor and Cookie would both be fit for Tuesday night and it was only 50% right. Sparky, harshly sent off on Saturday, should be available for selection, but if Spike hasn't any injuries, we expect him to say same again. That would mean Jimmy Mac starting on the bench and the much criticised Ross Black keeping his place at leftback.

Another player coming in for some criticism is joint leading scorer Ally, who it is fair to say, has not been firing on all cylinders this term. On Tuesday night he was a virtual passenger but Omar says he will a word with him before the start of Fridays match and that should do the trick. Omar says he had a word with an unnamed United player before a certain match away to Omagh town and he scored four goals that day, the player, not Omar, it's too long ago for the rest of us to remember. Ally, unlike last season, has started slow this season, but we need to him to start performing soon, as rumours persist about Cush being suspended for Monday night's match at home to Linfield. Ally has boundless talent, but he's not getting involved in the play and we need to find the reason behind his loss of form. Is he unhappy with the system Spike's playing, 4,3,3 compared to last year's 4,4,2, whatever the reason he needs to get it sorted and sorted fast or he could find himself playing with his mates in the reserve league.

Elvis got a rare outing on the bench on Tuesday, but whether that was because we were down to bare bones, or whether he's knocking on the door of fitness remains to be seen. He didn't exactly exert himself in the halftime kick-about on Tuesday night, standing with his hands thrust deep into his pockets, talking to Stuart Addis, but as we said, maybe he was just making up the numbers. No news of his striking partner Jordan Baker either and it looks like we seen the last of him in a United shirt, but what do we know. Ex-player, Darren Murphy, who sportingly missed that penalty last season which could of cost his side dearly, has been installed as manager at Dungannon and though we wish Darren well, we hope he's not too despondent of being on the losing side tomorrow night. It'll be a tough encounter, but we console ourselves with the old saying, 'when the going gets tough the tough get going', come on Sky Blues, let's shag those chicken lovers!