Tonight we welcome Middlesbrough Under-21s to Meadow Park in the National League Cup. May I wish their directors, manager, players and supporters a pleasant stay with us and a safe journey home. Please note, this evening’s game kicks off at 7pm and is not segregated.
This evenings result has a very simple equation, a win will guarantee our progress to the quarter-finals, whilst also giving players, including those returning from injury, more game time and the chance to perform to a level that might give Luke a selection headache moving forward.
After Saturday’s topsy-turvy 3-2 FA Cup win over Woking, which included Lewis Richardson’s glorious and quite amazing late overhead-kick winner, we were once again reminded of the magic of the FA Cup. We will, of course after Monday nights draw, already know who our First Round Proper opponents are by the time we kick off this evening.
Come Saturday, we then entertain a very good Fylde side here in the league and I say, perhaps a tad cautiously, that for the first time this season Luke could have the whole squad at his disposal. If that is the case, then he has a very difficult job on his hands when it comes to sorting out his match-day squad moving forward.
Why? Because we now have 22 quality players fit and all will be chomping at the bit, it also means with the players we’ve signed, that we have options in every position. As such games like tonight, are hugely important in giving players competitive game time, as they can also help showcase the range of talent we have within our dressing room.
On behalf of myself and our football club, can I now congratulate Callum Reynolds and his beautiful wife on the birth of their third daughter. I’m told both mother and daughter are doing fine. May God bless them all, and we wish them nothing but health, love, happiness and long life.
As a gentle reminder to everyone, as we begin to look forward to the weekend, we will be meeting one of our big promotion rivals in Fylde here on Saturday. That game also coincides with the first of this season’s ‘Ladies Days’.
If you’re thinking of coming, please help us promote the whole day and feel free to bring your grannies, mothers, aunts, sisters, daughters or friends along. Remember it’s free entry for all our lovely ladies and girls. There’s also a free glass of Prosecco, a cocktail or mocktail before the game.
After the game, for all those attending the match, there’s a free karaoke in the Glass House for the ladies and our supporters. The club sing song will also be attended by club staff, our manager, his backroom staff and the players.
So please make an effort to be there, and let’s see if we can get another healthy crowd on the day, which in turn leads to a partisan atmosphere, as It’s the numbers on the North Bank that really create the noise, and it’s that noise, that improves the atmosphere and it’s that atmosphere that gives the players and Luke a lift.
Anyway, let’s get back to this evening, a win means we book ourselves a place in the quarter-finals of the National League Cup. As holders, it’s a competition we really enjoy and one in which we’ve never been beaten in.
As I’ve said, it also gives some of our players the chance to get good game time, test themselves against good opposition and gives them the chance to stake a claim for a start on Saturday. For the club the benefits commercially of playing in this competition in truth far outweigh competing in the Herts Senior Cup.
Finally, whoever you support, let’s hope for an open, attacking game and may the best team win.
Take care,
Danny
