Sky Blue Sport News

Friday, April 25, 2014

No Preview!

With the news that our manager, Glenn Ferguson, is going to play a full reserve team on Saturday against Ards, we've decided it will be useless to try to do a preview, when we don't know more than four players in our reserves. Our advice to Sky Blue supporters is, 'that if you don't need to be there, give the game a miss' and treat it just like a friendly. Alas we have to be there to pick up our replica jerseys and seeing as we are season ticket holders, its our last chance to get in 'free'.

Our manager makes no apologies for playing a reserve team against Ards and he's concentrating on next weeks Irish cup final against Glenavon. If and its a very big 'if', we win the Irish cup next Saturday, no doubt Fergie will be vindicated and praised, as an enlightened manager, we at 'Sport only hope for this scenario. We are not going to mention the other scenario, its not something we have contemplated and we're delighted to see that the 'bookies' have made us the underdogs, as we have nothing to lose and everything to gain and we need to go 'hell for leather' next Saturday COSB

P.S. Sammy Patterson has done an 'Away View' on Warrenpoint's ground, Milltown and we think its worth a read, COSB

Monday, April 21, 2014

Rabbit Warren!

Tomorrow at 14-35 hrs, United's Easter Bunnies taken on Warrenpoint Town at their ground in Warrenpoint and it will be United's first away trip to the Point's home ground, Milltown. On the other occasion that they met the Point in an away fixture, it was at Dungannon's Stagmore Park. United are expected to give a run out to JT,Thommo and Archie, the trio returning from injury and Tony K, is expected to play having missed United's last two matches, as he served a two game suspension. There has been speculation about Captain Jenks not travelling to the game tomorrow, but maybe Spike will want to keep him match fit as we expect United to be much changed for our last league game at home to Ards next Saturday.

We expect Cookie to get a rest tomorrow, following his exertions at Ferney Park, on a rock hard surface, which resembled a concrete road. Fergie's has a big decision to make about the talisman, Cush, who is struggling for form at present, but we fully expect him to be playing, but we need the form gods to work their magic. If Archie and JT, come through tomorrow's match with no ill effects, we expect them to get the nod for May 3 at Windsor Park. Thommo and Tony, we believe are fighting for one midfield place and they may  have to have to go next Saturday as well, its that close between them.

The only three men that are certain of their place we think, are Shan, Jimer and Ally. Even Darboy, who has set the Showgrounds alight since his move from our dear friends down the A 26, is not certain of his place, because Fergie and his backroom staff, the three baldies, could have different tactics on their minds, instead of the tried and trusted 4,3,3, formation that has brought us our limited success. But enough about the Irish cup final, that's for another day, we need three points to tie up seventh place in the league table and where better to get them than the rabbit warren, that is Milltown. So come on Sky Blues, let's shag them pretend Bunnies and show them who is boss!

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Duck Shoot!

The Sky Blues travel to Fermanagh on Saturday to take on the Mallards, who are fighting to avoid the dreaded relegation play-off spot. The United team who were decimated with injuries and suspension in last weeks encounter with the Coleraine scum, should welcome back at least two players in Jimer and Darboy. The news on the injuries to Archie and JT, well we don't have any news, but we assume it will take another few days to have them ready for a return to action. But we won't be surprised if one of them, or the two of them, make a return on our bench for Saturday's game.

Steeky, who had an forgettable game against Coleraine, he was crap with a capital C, could be a causality if Jimer plays and Marky moves into central defence, therefore releasing Ruddy to take over at leftback. After his lack-lustre performance against the scum, Alan D, is yet another who will find his place in jeopardy, against the hard tackling Ducks. Much better to play Sparky and Gavin alongside Captain Jenks and keep Alan D fresh for Easter Tuesday at his adopted home town, against the Point. Our forward line should be made up with Ally, Darboy and the irresistible Cush, who has not been firing on all cylinders of late.

Where better for the Cush to show all his doubters what he is made of and he'll have a Ballymena legend in the crowd to cheer him on, as Norman Clarke, 'The Ballymena Boy', will be among the travelling faithful. Cush, our talisman, has scored  15 goals from 38 starts, a definite bonus for someone who used to be  seen as a winger. But under the tutelage of the three baldies and United manager Spike, the Cush has blossomed into a striker supreme and long may that continue to be so. Mark Kelly, who stood in for Darboy last week will have to be content with a space on the bench. So Come on Sky Blues, lets bag (or shag), some Ducks!

Friday, April 11, 2014

Scrubbing Brush!

If you want to remove scum, you need a scrubbing brush and United need to be a scrubbing brush tomorrow when they take on the Coleraine scum at their Ballycastle Road dump. This may be harder to achieve than normal for suspensions and injuries mean we will only have half of the panel of players that started last Saturday's game at the Oval, in our squad for this game. That's not to say they will get playing, our manager Spike has shown us that he's not been afraid to wield the big axe, if he wants to. But with his defence decimated by injuries and suspensions, we at 'Sport think he will not want to make wholesale changes.

He knows how much this game means to the 'rank and file' fan and we think he will make as few changes as is humanely possible. Does he rest keeper Shan and give Macauley Cairns his third appearance in Sky Blue colours in a United/scum derby match? Might the occasion be too much for the lad, or is he champing at the bit to be playing, only Spike can judge that. Its come to our notice that Cookie, if he gets the nod, will play his 100 game in a United jersey. Will Spike make him Captain for the day or have we got our facts wrong? We'll probably get our answers come 3 O'clock tomorrow but don't bank on it.

There's been a lot of speculation this week about who should come in, in the absence, of Tony and Jimer suspended, Darboy left out for that ridiculous agreement between diving bird and Spike and the injuries to JT and Archie. Not knowing anything ourselves we will take a guess at, Sparky, Marky, Cookie, Gavin and Kelly. We have been informed that Thommo is not yet up to full fitness, but we expect the remainder of our selection last Saturday to be on tomorrow. We know there's nothing really to play for but pride, but we are proud supporters and we hate the Coleraine scum, surely that ought to be enough to be getting on with. So come Sky Blues, lets shag them ewes from Windy Hall!

Friday, April 04, 2014

Sky Blues!

There's only one thing on our mind tonight, looking forward to tomorrow's Irish cup semi-final, when our beloved Sky Blues are going into battle against Queens. We have been told time and time again that Queens are  at this stage of the competition on merit, never mind who they beat to get there, getting there is an achievement in itself. We will show them respect tomorrow, but and we emphasis the word 'but', our team won't show any fear. Our manager, Glenn Ferguson and his backroom staff have worked for this achievement from the day and the hour they took up their posts and we fervently believe they will get their just rewards come 16-50hrs tomorrow.

When we qualify for the Irish cup final, that will be enough to be going on with, we will worry about the final when it comes. We will need everybody committed to the cause tomorrow and as far as we know there's only one player who has an injury that will maybe keep him sidelined tomorrow. That player is midfielder Gary Thompson, who limped off at Seaview with a groin strain. If Thommo is unfit, we at 'Sport would like to see Sparky get the vote instead, but Spike may opt for Alan D, who seems to be in favour at the moment. In fact Fergie and his assistants could name the team that played and triumphed 2-1 against Glenavon on the last Saturday of March.

Despite their not doing enough in our last game to get a start tomorrow, we expect MM and Mark Kelly to be on the bench, along with Gavin and either Alan D or Sparky and one other, maybe one of the two Neal's, Gawley or Lowry. We had hoped to get a strong referee, but will have to settle for Carrick man, Ross Dunlop and with Colin Burns as 4th official, we have to hope Dunlop doesn't get injured and biased Burns has to take over, for that could spell curtains for us. We should take a big crowd tomorrow to the Oval, which used to be a happy 'hunting ground' for us, lets make it so again. So come on Sky Blues, let's shag those students and old boys, let's win this game and get to the Irish cup final COSB!!!!!