Stevenage Thread (part two)
 

Hello all
Apologies for my lack of updates this week - it's a touch busy as you might expect!!!

Here are a couple of things to get you built up for tonight's BIG game:

Preview - ASFC News Story > 4098

Alex Cisak - ASFC News Story > 4101

Ian Craney - ASFC News Story > 4102

Perhaps more later!

Dan

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For those of you who want a sneak peak at tonight's (shiny and exciting) programme... ASFC News Story > 4103

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We really need to get out of this division! Look at the Div.2 newcomers for next season. Plymouth, Crawley, Dagenham, Bristol Rovers, Swindon, and either Wimbledon FC or Luton, plus at least 8 other Southern clubs from the current season.

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C'mon stanleyyyyyyyyyyyy

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After 15, and there's only one team in it.. :)

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Really don't know why we haven't started with Kevin Long after all the problems we had at the back in the first leg. At least DJ is on the bench.

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Hı folks Turkey calling - on Stanley on ...

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Chimer!! were going good, just no goals-YET

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Why do we keep 'lobbing' short balls into the box-we ain't wining them. On the deck would be better, or attack from out wide..

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Dam..I have to go to my kids footy..Relying on SPARKIE updates. GO STANLEY. I BELIEVE.

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On t´ınternet on and off durıng last dınner of holıday - Mrs Chimer not entırely approving ...

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Same over here.....got a laptop on standby for problems but no help

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ian craney off chris turner on

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the bbc website ... text ...

62:52
The ball is sent over by Dean Winnard, Lawrie Wilson manages to make a clearance.

61:17 Substitution Chris Turner joins the action as a substitute, replacing Ian Brady.

:p:p:p

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İve been womdering where Craney was. havıng seen the Beeb team lists ....

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joe jacobsen got a red card .....

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mcconville a red card ....

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Don't blame the lads, stay with it John. We will be back.

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sean mcconvilles red card for violent conduct so dan has been told .. he doing the commentary on radio lancs

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That will make thıngs a bıt more dıffıcult ......

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The guy is a leg iron

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torquay is through in the other play off ....

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beardsley has just scored for stevenage ...

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4 mins of added time

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What a shame. I would have liked to see Chris Turner getting some more time on the pitch tbh. Theres always next year.

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Well that was stıll one hell of a good season ...

I belıeve - on Stanley on !!

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the ref and assistants made a quick exit ... the players didnt know what was going on ...

next year ... there will always be next year ...

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Shameful display, the only credit tonight goes to the fans. I was embarrassed by the attitude and behaviour of some of our players and the pitch looked like some kind of Somme re-enactment. We don't deserve to go anywhere based on that performance. I will now be concentrating my efforts on A.C.C, and if anyone wants to watch proper sportsmanship on a pitch rather than a cabbage patch you are free to join me. ( Well done to D Lloyd for finding some positives from that mess):eek:

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Worst set of officials ever.

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Professional footballers really shouldn't act like daft adolescents and give back chat. End of. The ref didn't have much choice from where I was sitting, our players were diving, over acting and chirping more than an Aussie test team. No excuses.:(

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Like Fulham game. Another big build up. Even bigger crowd. One or more players get sent off with a lot of the match to go. Thereafter no hope of retrieving anything. Just anti climax. Knew the writing was on the wall when we didn't win at Shrewsbury and got stuck in the play offs.

Typical play offs. The teams that finished higher ie us and Shrewsbury miss out:(:(:(

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Don't care how a ref plays the game as long as he is consistent. It was one rule for them and another for us. He legged it off the pitch for christ's sake he knew what he'd done.

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hard luck folks. Really wanted you to do it but still a great effort this season. I 1st red was a definate but the second was a bit of a joke and their player got the man sent off. Also the way Ryan Lowe was talking after the gane on sky he seems to think Coleman will be on his way.

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"Don't care how a ref plays the game as long as he is consistent. It was one rule for them and another for us. He legged it off the pitch for christ's sake he knew what he'd done. "


Not from where I was sitting, in the comfort of my home watching the whole sorry tale unfold on Sky. You cannot defend either of those red cards, both stupid, and in the end Stevenage defended well and we didn't take advantage of playing on our home turf. No way around unfortunately, we were outplayed and outclassed in both legs and showed a real immature streak tonight.

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Nice to see most Stanley fans staying behind to applaud the team at the end. The team deserve that for the season they've had. Disappointing tonight of course, but to reach the playoffs is an achievement they can be proud of.

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Bit ironic who should have scored the decisive second for Stevenage in the first leg.

Joel Byrom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of our old boys - I remember he was a successful triallist back in 2006.

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So proud to be a red. Shame the Coppice End never took off with some vocals, they also left early. Excellent display by the Ultras...

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An Ossy lad. His grandparents own Rays Garage supplies on Bold St. We released him not thinking he strong enough. Managed to pay £15k for him did Stevenage.

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i was listening to radio lancs and they were talking about the fans and how good the fans were and that they were still there waving the flags after everyone had left .. and the players came out to say thanks to the ultras ....

think what everyone is forgetting accy stanley were favourites at the bookies and everywhere else for that matter ... for relegation at the start of the season ... they've done well ... so whats it going to be like next season ..... thats what we got to look forward to ....

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best place fer yeh, yer unable to see all thats going on off the ball, :rolleyes:

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Exactly.

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When a player goes down 30 seconds after the start of the game feigning cramp you get an idea whats coming up.

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Dont think any true red has forgotten this. We all know how close we was to closing 18 months ago.

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Its worth remembering that Stanley finished 5th in the league.At the start of the season, as you say they were favourites for relegation. I still think for what they've achieved over the season they deserve a lot of credit

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You can also see the ridiculous dives when no contact was made.... and sadly I am referring to Stanley there.

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In fact I have the whole thing on Sky saved, I'll have a look back who it was but it was a Stanley player in the first half, went to ground clutching his head and on the Sky replay he hadn't been touched.

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Neither was half the Stevenage team who did exactly the same, especially the goalkeeper in the first half, Terry Gornells boot went nowhere near him, ref did not blow for a foul, liner did not flag, goalie went down like a sack of spuds, ref felt sorry and gave a free kick???? This is one example of the indecisiveness of the officials. it should have been a drop ball at best, not a free kick. Still trying to work that one out, sorry Lindsay, Those at the match saw the antics that you cannot see on a TV set at home.:confused:

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I've watched Stanley a few times this season and the 2 games against Stevenage were by far the worst performances I've seen. Problem is when you are a footballing side you need to have a plan B to play teams who have no interest in playing football.

Just think if stevenage keep getting promoted the fixture list one day will read Stoke v stevenage. I wouldn't want to be at that game if you paid me a million pounds. The end of football as we know it.

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well i sure hope they beat torquay in the final, sure as hell have no wish to play them again.:eek:

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I'll second that.

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I agree that you may see more at the match than you might on Sky but for those close call "tackles" and a Sky replay that confirms no contact?? Both teams were guilty of some seriously over the top diving and theatrics but our hot-headedness was well out of order.

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The lads played poor football of that there can be little doubt; something went wrong before or after the last league game and Coleys body language says it all; even before both games he was distant and closed off to my eyes, not the same man, he looks drawn and disillusioned what worries me more is I don't think it’s the boys or their performance. The team were never in the playoff's. Not one goal, not even a good chance in two games; that's not the Accrington Stanley we have come to know.

What I would like to see is the fan's and the club to get 100% behind the team and John and Jimmy and build for next season; keeping as much of this seasons team together and training to win the league outright next season; with commitment and investment it can be done. Forget the last two weeks; what a bloody fantastic season we've had. On, Stanley On!

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wrong doug there was a gift fer McConville in first game,

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Gift; but unaccepted.

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Your 1st paragraph pretty much sums up what i have said in another thread. I have been labled a"sad loser" for saying it. I have never seen John Coleman stand their with such a look of indignation on his face. He looked like the game was up after 15 minutes.

Sadly, (in my view) these have been a couple of games too far in what has been a terrific season. One that will be a very hard act to follow.

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Just seen some bloke is predicting end of world tonight,he has said it before though so he's probally wrong again.;)
so its not the end of the world folks,always next season.

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Well sky missed what rest of us saw, u had to be there to see the off camera antics, least wasn't as bad as Sunday's play, boro's creeping to the ref all the little winks liner that did one got, something dodgy going on, but Stanley weren't allowed to play & wasn't without trying! Ref debarcle will be one for question of sport what happens next? & footy gaffs shows :rolleyes:

We won something - trended on twitter, most of em now know Accrington Stanley now ;) even if it were to also disgust at officials runner, we can't have it all. We did well to get where we were, we lost it basically on 1st leg more than tonite, we really played better with 9 men a bit more willing.

Also re slating of our facilities - excuse me this is the proper football pitches are, not bowling greens or plastic/astro false turf style, the winter damaged it nothing we can do unless all the people slating it puts money in a jar for it then !!

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Let's not forget our achievement because of tonight and last Sunday; this as been the best season Accrington Stanley 1968 have ever had. We finished fifth in the league; League two. John had no money; very little pitch and a team from out of nothing.

Accrington Stanley are a first class outfit and a force to be reckoned with. On, Stanley On!

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Yeah, disappointed we didn't give ourselves 90 before pressing the self destruct button - a bridge too far as it turned out - but,hey, at one stage we would have welcomed having a Stanley, even if back in the conf. What we have got is a boardroom we can trust and the basis of a side we can have high hopes for next season. Clouds on the horizon are probably the potential loss of John 'n Jimmy + maybe one or two players. Being south coast based I bow to the wiser heads who have watched Stanley far more often than I, but have always thought we lacked a serious threat from what was known as an inside forward in my day. My hope is that we can unearth from the conference the quality which Peterboro' did with the likes of Mikail-Smith, Boyd & Aaron McLean.Well done to all the players for a great season and best wishes to all my fellow messageboarders for a great summer ( or winter downunder, eh Kiwi ! ).

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What silly postings Lindsay Ormerod, not even interested as to why you weren't at the match. As others have said, the off the ball thuggery was ridiculous, you had to be there - they are an absolute disgrace & so were the officials! Agree, we were posibly guilty of being naive and even John Coleman said they had done a number on us - lets hope they get hammered in the final.

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Couldn't get there tonight as working, but feel gutted for the whole team at the crown. That said, I also feel immensley proud of the team for the way they managed to get into the play offs, we were after all expected to be further down the league at the start of the season lol.

This summer could be an interesting and possibly trying one for us fans, will the dynamic duo still be with us........I hope so, but you never know.

No matter what tho, thanks to the generosity of the town, fellow football supporters and two very special gentlemen one thing is for sure, we will be back next season!

Thanks asfc for a tremendous effort, its been fun!

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Of course if we had won the play offs we would not have had renewing our rivalries with Steve Evans to look forward to - or at least it would have been deferred for another season.:):):)

And Wimbledon could be in the League with us.

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This is a variant on some of the other coverage:

Accrington 0 Stevenage 1 (Agg 0-3): Visitors Set Sights on Successive Promotions - FanHouse UK

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Well we can talk about poor officials all day long.

But the fact of the matter is we where beaten by a better side over the 2 games.

The pitch yet again was an absolute disgrace as was Mark Roberts in getting Mcconville sent off. I really do detest that man.

We Will Be Back.

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Westley's post match comment looks innocent enough, but hides a cynicism about their play such as I have never before witnessed on a football field.
" It was important not to let them allow their game to develop."

They suckered Stanley into losing their heads trying to fight fire with fire, but I don't want our players "to learn from that" as he suggests. I am stuck between hoping Torquay give them a stuffing, but at the same time never wanting to be subjected to their ugly ploys again. Wonderful support from the Stanley faithful last night, especially at the end, which I thought was quite moving, but then I'm a sentimental old get. I am grateful for an astonishing season with some wonderful performances, but I have a nagging feeling that, if Coley had fully used the squad he is always going on about, we would easily have been in the automatic play-off positions.

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Agree with most of the posts,and stevenages game plan worked home and away.The key was the second balls,and again they won that battle.
But whats happened to the pitch?,they have had 3 weeks at least to prepare it,and the sight of a wheelbarrow filling up holes with topsoil takes the biscuit.
Talk about playing into there hands,unbelievable!!!.
Someone must be accountable for it,thats all the neutrals talked about.
Its impossible to play fast one and two touch footie in the middle,even Barca would struggle,so how was we going to beat them?,no wonder Coleman seemed deep in thought all the time,he must have been so frustrated.

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i'd have been deep in thought wi NO planB thats the bottom line IMHO.

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An excerpt from an article by Paul Fletcher on the BBC site:

Back in March the Football League wrote to Stevenage asking them for their response to suggestions that players were systematically feigning injury during games so that Westley could use the stoppages to relay tactical information to his team and provide them with fluids to refuel.

"The Football League asked the club to be mindful of certain aspects of the spirit of the game," said Westley in March. "There's no specific criticism in there."

Here's the link: BBC - Paul Fletcher: Westley steering Stevenage to new heights

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Definitely noticing a difference in reaction from those who were at the game (including neutral journos) and those who watched it on Sky.

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Not sure how many games have been played on it in that time but it has been used for local cup-finals.

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We were better than Sunday but allowed Stevenage as others have said to dictate the pattern of play again last night.

I expected a big change of game plan last night but it never materialised with play being broke up or injurys being feigned on both sides putting paid to that.

We literally fell down our own trap of focussing more on what they had done rather than what we were capable of doing and then falling hook, line & sinker for it all again.

As daft as it was it seemed we created more when we went down to nine men than when we played with eleven?

It has been a wonderful journey this season with great football along the way but for it to end as it did is a hard pill to swallow.

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Over the two legs I think we failed in two key aspects. Firstly, our tactics. In the first leg we allowed Stevenage to isolate our key attacking players and give us no options through their high pressing. We should've been quicker on the ball and better in our movement off it. In the second leg we were too reliant on the hope that Terry could somehow outjump/outmuscle two goliath centre-halves and singlehandedly provide a second phase that our midfield could capitalise on. It didn't work. Obviously, the pitch halted our normal passing game, but we should've adapted and exploited the channels that Stevenage dominated in both legs. Granted, Coley tried to bring some width to our game in the likes of Chris Turner but it was too little too late (well done to Chris though, he did well with what he was given).

Secondly, our mentality was not strong. Perhaps it's down to the average age of the starting eleven being so young (apart from Grandad Hess), but we allowed Stevenage's bullying tactics to diminish our will to fight on. Stevenage had very, very simple tactics but were 100% concentrated on them over 180 minutes. We on the other hand often looked clueless. I do think that resting the majority of the first team at Burton was a massive mistake and only made the players lose their winning mentality by giving them more time off the pitch to get overwhelmed by the prospect of the play-offs.

Our weaknesses were exploited well and we got what we deserved out of the two legs: Nowt.

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"On the evidence of what I saw on Friday, Accrington should not be too disheartened because they have a lot going for them. The Crown Ground was awash with red and white flags and Stanley's fans deserve great credit for the effort they put in to making the ground as colourful and atmospheric as possible. I thought there was an intimacy about watching a game there that you rarely experience. Many of the players were on first-name terms with the fans and the local community appears to be at the very heart of the club."

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It was always going to be an uphill battle but the same "key" players that let the team down in the first leg did the same in the second. Especially McConville who with his sending off put the game to rest. Fair enough Jacobsen (who had played very well IMHO) was red carded for a bad challenge but the latter card was avoidable. Pat on the back for all the others on the pitch they battled to the end and kept the score respectable. Coley's body language wasnt good from the off and he looked like a man with a lot on his mind. Big question now who should stay and who should go. Lets hope next season brings as many highs as this one. Play offs were just that bridge too far but would settle for the same next season.

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Accrington 0-1 Stevenage - Reaction | Sky Sports | Video | Football | League Two | Accrington Stanley

coleys view

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Stevenage deserved to go through as they were the better team over the 2 games. We couldn't cope with the physical element of the game and this is a weakness we need to address if we are to push on for next season. They were first to every ball and every header and this helped them to implement their game plan. Stevenage had done their homework and knew they couldn't let us have time on the ball, so they hurried us in possession and forced us to resort to long ball tactics which meant Gornell wouldn't get a sniff. Our full backs were also pegged back to stop the link up play between the wide players.

When you look back over both games we only really created 2 clear chances which just shows how well Stevenage stuck to their tasks both individually and as a team. Charles would be sort the of player we need in our squad to help give us a Plan B, which is so lacking at the minute. I can only hope that JC will learn from this and bring in some "physical" players that can help to boss a game so to speak. I think Chris seemed to offer a bit more to the game in 30 minutes than Craney did for the 140 minutes in the two legs. Ian didn't seem fit and wasn't ever really in the game, he shouldn't have played in the second leg in my opinion. I also don't understand why we didn't play Kevin Long who at least has some height that would have helped us to deal with all the set pieces and stop Charles bossing the game for them.

We can blame the referee and the Stevenage antics but at the end of the day we just weren't good enough. That said 5th place was a brilliant achievement, its just a bit disappointing that we didn't make the most of this great opportunity. We need to keep the majority of this team together with JC and JB and we may just have a chance of maintaining the high standards that have been set this season.

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Compliments from Boro fans:-

Borochat - Congratulations Luton Town

Well done to their fans too. They seemed to get quite animated at times, but I couldn't hear them at all from the middle of the Clayton End racket. Did they sing?

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2 compliments.

500+ negative.

I really do detest 99.9% of that club and its fans.

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There's one thread where they're calling Dave a retard like the rest of us when we all know he's a Dingle:
Borochat - Congratulations Luton Town :)

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First time I've been promoted to retard status, I'm honoured :D

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Boro fan in relative peace!

Do you think that your boss' attempts to create some kind of hatred between our clubs, had any effect on you getting two players sent off?

It was clear on the night, that your players were pumped up - did Coleman go too far?

My honest view of the game is that you huffed an puffed a lot and didn't create a whole lot (and the one decent effort you had was hand ball). We did what we needed to do to break your rhythm.

It wasn't pretty, but even if we wanted to play nice football that joke of a pitch would have stopped it.

I know this will provoke some vitriol about GW - but I thought he handled himself with dignity in both legs - despite Coleman's attempts to try and create issues between our clubs.

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Your manager's name & dignity do not go together well in any sentence - ask Farnborough!

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GW has - when he re-joined - mentioned that he is a changed man. He clearly has been. He's approachable, and more rational.

He's clearly also being more successful.

There's a lot of hyperbole about the Farnbrough incident - the truth is no one really knows what happened. But that doesn't stop his critics speculating.

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Not much speculation needed really is there? He conned (sorry - persuaded) Vic Searle to take on Farnboorough & legged it leaving them in considerable debt which meant they had to go into liquidation - pretty straight forward really but as long as he's now seen the error of his ways I suppose that makes him an ok bloke???? Doubt you'd be saying that if it'd been your club that had been on the wrong end of his dealings

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Here's another variant:

Accrington Stanley 0 Stevenage 1: I’ve phoned this one in » The Seventy Two

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He murdered a football club for his own personal gain.... The facts are there & any Farnborough fan will explain it in detail. He ain't hated for nothing

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Spot on, Stevenage fans would be wise to ponder if he will do similar to them if summat better comes along.:eek:

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So now he is going for the bigger fish and murdering football in general

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Had a gander on that site and disappointed at the nastiness and vitriol some of their fans spout. There may well be nicer living conditions down their way but if it makes you as virulent and sour as some of those people, I'll stay in Lancashire. Its one thing being bitter in defeat but to be bitter in victory is a new one on me. Our fans put them to shame.

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Those internet warriors are like the team Lewi, yeh can't expect owt else, ;)

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I have stopped reading it.

It really is pathetic what they come out with.

No wonder they are hated throughout football.

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From the same site, a list of the most memorable club names:
How memorable is your football club? » The Seventy Two! ;)

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Superb find Mike !!!

"ASFC a club that will ALWAYS be more famous AND have more friends in football than Satanage"

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an S.S. eleven would have more friends than Satanage smudge.:D

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Their forum makes for an interesting read - seems to be more about name calling than football. I think that hatred would have reared it's head regardless of the result. Obviously quite a few people who weren't hugged as children.

Congratulations to our fans, an absolute credit to the town / club. And congrats to Stanley for a great season - not good enough over the two games, but still an excellent achievement.

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Satanage have sold 2500 play off final tickets so far. :p

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Probably were, but by the strange Uncle from 3 doors down on queasy street. :eek:

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think thats a bit unfair,on friends n strangers.:D

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Theyve sold just under 4000 apparently and Torquay 7000! Going to be dead at all Trafford !! Especially with two of the quietest teams in the league !!! Ha