Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Close season is a fascinating time when your team has just come off the back of a successful campaign. You’ve set the benchmark, your reputation is spreading and tons of lads want to play for you.
But after last year’s heroics, it was inevitable that in turn there would be sizeable local interest in some of our players. At the time of writing, a handful have been snapped up by larger clubs but the spine and guts of the red and black beast remain largely in tact. Killer’s move to Ashton United is an obvious blow but the devastating form young Sam Jones showed in both the run in and pre season suggests that it’s not all doom and gloom. The loss of right back Alex Byrne to Glossop North End is bound to have an impact too but going into the new season with four fifths of last year’s superb defensive unit has to be seen to be a bonus.
It’s testament to the club that so many of the Barry Walker-crafted side want to stick around and work with ambitious new boss Luke Gibson in the Premier League. If all goes to plan, the departed may look back midway through the season secretly wishing they were still part of this great set up. Whatever happens we wish them well.
Enough to make yer Nantwich
The friendly at Crewe FC at the start of the month proved to be a splendid little afternoon out, but only one nephew joined me for it. The younger one wanted to go to the cinema instead. On a Saturday afternoon.
He’ll learn. As injured goalkeeper Jonny Mac rightly pointed out on the sidelines, there were more than likely to have been girls involved.
Similar opportunities weren’t available at Reaseheath College, Nantwich. What we got though was a good first hand look at some of Gibbo’s hopefuls for 2013/14 with second half handbags involving a cannonball shaped goalkeeper thrown in for good measure (pictures available on the website). Not bad for free admission.
Flame-haired Maltese frontman Richard Chetcuti, who has represented his country at under-21 level, opened his Abbey account with a well taken brace and is definitely one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.
Revenge is a dish West served cold
Close season is a fascinating time when your team has just come off the back of a successful campaign. You’ve set the benchmark, your reputation is spreading and tons of lads want to play for you.
But after last year’s heroics, it was inevitable that in turn there would be sizeable local interest in some of our players. At the time of writing, a handful have been snapped up by larger clubs but the spine and guts of the red and black beast remain largely in tact. Killer’s move to Ashton United is an obvious blow but the devastating form young Sam Jones showed in both the run in and pre season suggests that it’s not all doom and gloom. The loss of right back Alex Byrne to Glossop North End is bound to have an impact too but going into the new season with four fifths of last year’s superb defensive unit has to be seen to be a bonus.
It’s testament to the club that so many of the Barry Walker-crafted side want to stick around and work with ambitious new boss Luke Gibson in the Premier League. If all goes to plan, the departed may look back midway through the season secretly wishing they were still part of this great set up. Whatever happens we wish them well.
Enough to make yer Nantwich
The friendly at Crewe FC at the start of the month proved to be a splendid little afternoon out, but only one nephew joined me for it. The younger one wanted to go to the cinema instead. On a Saturday afternoon.
He’ll learn. As injured goalkeeper Jonny Mac rightly pointed out on the sidelines, there were more than likely to have been girls involved.
Similar opportunities weren’t available at Reaseheath College, Nantwich. What we got though was a good first hand look at some of Gibbo’s hopefuls for 2013/14 with second half handbags involving a cannonball shaped goalkeeper thrown in for good measure (pictures available on the website). Not bad for free admission.
Flame-haired Maltese frontman Richard Chetcuti, who has represented his country at under-21 level, opened his Abbey account with a well taken brace and is definitely one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.
Revenge is a dish West served cold
How
good was the FA Cup draw? If those three battles with West Didsbury and
Chorlton last season were anything to go by we should be in for a real treat on
August 17. In the first encounter at leafy Brookburn Road Killer’s second half
thunderbolt should have been enough to bag the three points but unfortunately it
was bettered by resilient well-organised Didsbury comeback and two late goals. Killer
was sidelined with an acute case of man-flu for the return leg which produced a
solid home win played out at a snowy Abbey Stad. Our cup final defeat in
neutral Runcorn we know about all too well. How the Reds didn’t score in that
second half I’ll never know. Credit to West though for another resilient
display but that makes it two victories to our one now. This needs addressing
and what on what better platform is there to do it on than in the FA Cup. Bring
them on.
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