One Game at a Time:
Burton Albion (H) April 29th
And then there were two.
One day less than the anniversary of Schueys worst ever birthday present, which came wrapped in twine, comes the game that we have been waiting for. The chance to secure promotion with a game left to play, at the venue that has already yielded nineteen wins from twenty two fixtures, and with the caveat that if Sheffield Wednesday drop points we don’t even have to do that.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well, if you really want the answer to that then a trip to S6 last week would have given you ample evidence. In the heart of Wednesday territory was the Tuesday night from hell. Clinging like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood in the middle of the Atlantic, having realised that HMS P*** the League was in fact the sister ship of RMS Titanic, the Owls faithful that were able to bring themselves to follow the action of their rivals very quickly saw hope dribble away like Chris Waddle in his heyday. Or Joey Barton after a night in with his wife and wine cellar.
Wednesday had to hope for dropped points at Home Park or Oakwell for Ipswich to improve their diminishing prospects. Given that the first significant action was the dismissal of Evans for Rovers early in the first half, they might have been hopeful for a Rourkes Drift style rearguard action from Rovers as they reached half time whistle still goalless.
Ipswich meanwhile were facing a weakened Barnsley, ironuically given the game was rescheduled allowing Town to be at full strength, but looked like following suit until not one but two corners from Leif Davies found their way past Isted, via the head of Broadhead and the boot of Hirst. Was the first corner in fact a goal kick? Did it matter that Hirst was a former Wednesday loanee, the son of a Wednesday legend, but much derided when he failed to score whilst on loan at Blackburn before heading South for the Spring?
If the Barnsley dream was over, then at least they could cling on to the hope that Rovers would steal a point. One goal of the season contender later from Niall Enniss, and, lawks a mercy, a headed goal from a corner by Gillesphey soon put an end to that false hope.
If you think that was bad enough (Sheffield) United confirmed their return to the PL (Promised Land) the next evening as well.
Argyle’s win, well deserved as even a relatively humble and contrite Barton would concede in his post-match remarks, means that a third home win in eight days would be all that was required to secure a promotion berth, and leave the Greens on course for a 101 point total, making them the first side ever to achieve the century of points feat twice. With more wins than any other EFL side in all competitions over the season, more League one wins than any other team, and a superb home record you can see why many pundits reckon them to be almost as good as the club immediately behind them in the table.
Mayor, who literally hit the post, resulting in his being withdrawn from the second half, and Mumba who celebrated his Young Player of the Season award by leaving his marker with the all too rare injury diagnosis of twisted blood, created such chaos in the Rovers back line that a score of five or six nil might have been a better reflection.
But all that counts for naught when Burton Albion drive their brewers drey into the HP car park and set about trying to spoil the promotion party. Albion, under newish coach Dino Maamria have one of the better playing records of recent weeks and are in the comfortable position of being safe from relegation. They also feature an Ipswich Town loanee in Gassan Ahadme who having been bought by Town, was discarded back on loan after the acquisition of Hirst and Broadhead by the Tractor Boys. Whether his long-term future lies in Suffolk or elsewhere, no doubt he will want to try and do his teammates and management a favour by helping them to the title by denying Argyle the full points available one way or another.
Undoubtedly the stadium, as it did on Tuesday will play its part. Even though the goals took a while to come the crowd were raucous and supportive, which was everything the players needed. We will need the same again to ensure that come five PM the result is what we need.
Let us not kid ourselves. Argyle have history in the foot shooting contests of football leagues past. Six times runners up in the Twenties when only a single team gained promotion, it is surprising Argyle didn't get nicknamed the Flappers after the dance craze of the time. And then a gap of two seasons before finally making the step up in 1930.
Even when under Neil Warnock, Argyle made the step up out of the basement division through the play-offs, it was Chris Billy who commented that the play-offs rewarded the players with the chance to go up, overlooking the fact that had there not been play-offs Argyle would have been up automatically.
Not many clubs can, as Argyle can, point at an eight one away victory as being disappointing, as results elsewhere meant that rather than promoted Argyle once again were headed for the play-offs, and this time the three one semi-final leg at Home Park went the way of Burnley. Whatever happened to them? And the team who pipped Argyle to the result they wanted in 93/4. Port Vale. Next weeks opponents have form in upsetting the end of season apple cart for Argyle.
And yet, despite the potential for disaster there is a very real sense of optimism around Home Park. Last season was an anti climax of epic proportions. Yet without it, it seems likely that this season could not have happened. So much was learned, so much was improved and corrected.
The reputation of the club is now such that far from being a footballing backwater, the club is seen as a place to develop talent, where good young players want to come and improve. Where local talent can thrive and expect to see first team action. All this in a sustainable financial model that is so far removed from the other “big” clubs that were we to be promoted, you do not fear that lack of financial firepower would be a gating factor for consolidation or even more. And there will probably be a few teams struggling to avoid the points deduction unrestricted financial incompetence can bring.
“It is always the first and last step that are hardest to take” wrote Dinaw Mengestu, author of The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears.
We have one more step to take. Two games to take it.
As Churchill said “To win by one is enough”.
COYG!!!!! The Championship is waiting......
Burton Albion (H) April 29th
And then there were two.
One day less than the anniversary of Schueys worst ever birthday present, which came wrapped in twine, comes the game that we have been waiting for. The chance to secure promotion with a game left to play, at the venue that has already yielded nineteen wins from twenty two fixtures, and with the caveat that if Sheffield Wednesday drop points we don’t even have to do that.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well, if you really want the answer to that then a trip to S6 last week would have given you ample evidence. In the heart of Wednesday territory was the Tuesday night from hell. Clinging like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood in the middle of the Atlantic, having realised that HMS P*** the League was in fact the sister ship of RMS Titanic, the Owls faithful that were able to bring themselves to follow the action of their rivals very quickly saw hope dribble away like Chris Waddle in his heyday. Or Joey Barton after a night in with his wife and wine cellar.
Wednesday had to hope for dropped points at Home Park or Oakwell for Ipswich to improve their diminishing prospects. Given that the first significant action was the dismissal of Evans for Rovers early in the first half, they might have been hopeful for a Rourkes Drift style rearguard action from Rovers as they reached half time whistle still goalless.
Ipswich meanwhile were facing a weakened Barnsley, ironuically given the game was rescheduled allowing Town to be at full strength, but looked like following suit until not one but two corners from Leif Davies found their way past Isted, via the head of Broadhead and the boot of Hirst. Was the first corner in fact a goal kick? Did it matter that Hirst was a former Wednesday loanee, the son of a Wednesday legend, but much derided when he failed to score whilst on loan at Blackburn before heading South for the Spring?
If the Barnsley dream was over, then at least they could cling on to the hope that Rovers would steal a point. One goal of the season contender later from Niall Enniss, and, lawks a mercy, a headed goal from a corner by Gillesphey soon put an end to that false hope.
If you think that was bad enough (Sheffield) United confirmed their return to the PL (Promised Land) the next evening as well.
Argyle’s win, well deserved as even a relatively humble and contrite Barton would concede in his post-match remarks, means that a third home win in eight days would be all that was required to secure a promotion berth, and leave the Greens on course for a 101 point total, making them the first side ever to achieve the century of points feat twice. With more wins than any other EFL side in all competitions over the season, more League one wins than any other team, and a superb home record you can see why many pundits reckon them to be almost as good as the club immediately behind them in the table.
Mayor, who literally hit the post, resulting in his being withdrawn from the second half, and Mumba who celebrated his Young Player of the Season award by leaving his marker with the all too rare injury diagnosis of twisted blood, created such chaos in the Rovers back line that a score of five or six nil might have been a better reflection.
But all that counts for naught when Burton Albion drive their brewers drey into the HP car park and set about trying to spoil the promotion party. Albion, under newish coach Dino Maamria have one of the better playing records of recent weeks and are in the comfortable position of being safe from relegation. They also feature an Ipswich Town loanee in Gassan Ahadme who having been bought by Town, was discarded back on loan after the acquisition of Hirst and Broadhead by the Tractor Boys. Whether his long-term future lies in Suffolk or elsewhere, no doubt he will want to try and do his teammates and management a favour by helping them to the title by denying Argyle the full points available one way or another.
Undoubtedly the stadium, as it did on Tuesday will play its part. Even though the goals took a while to come the crowd were raucous and supportive, which was everything the players needed. We will need the same again to ensure that come five PM the result is what we need.
Let us not kid ourselves. Argyle have history in the foot shooting contests of football leagues past. Six times runners up in the Twenties when only a single team gained promotion, it is surprising Argyle didn't get nicknamed the Flappers after the dance craze of the time. And then a gap of two seasons before finally making the step up in 1930.
Even when under Neil Warnock, Argyle made the step up out of the basement division through the play-offs, it was Chris Billy who commented that the play-offs rewarded the players with the chance to go up, overlooking the fact that had there not been play-offs Argyle would have been up automatically.
Not many clubs can, as Argyle can, point at an eight one away victory as being disappointing, as results elsewhere meant that rather than promoted Argyle once again were headed for the play-offs, and this time the three one semi-final leg at Home Park went the way of Burnley. Whatever happened to them? And the team who pipped Argyle to the result they wanted in 93/4. Port Vale. Next weeks opponents have form in upsetting the end of season apple cart for Argyle.
And yet, despite the potential for disaster there is a very real sense of optimism around Home Park. Last season was an anti climax of epic proportions. Yet without it, it seems likely that this season could not have happened. So much was learned, so much was improved and corrected.
The reputation of the club is now such that far from being a footballing backwater, the club is seen as a place to develop talent, where good young players want to come and improve. Where local talent can thrive and expect to see first team action. All this in a sustainable financial model that is so far removed from the other “big” clubs that were we to be promoted, you do not fear that lack of financial firepower would be a gating factor for consolidation or even more. And there will probably be a few teams struggling to avoid the points deduction unrestricted financial incompetence can bring.
“It is always the first and last step that are hardest to take” wrote Dinaw Mengestu, author of The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears.
We have one more step to take. Two games to take it.
As Churchill said “To win by one is enough”.
COYG!!!!! The Championship is waiting......
