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Post by hatter_in_macc on Oct 30, 2017 11:18:20 GMT
Our first mid-weeker in over four weeks - and a third away one running... albeit, for many of us, a nice, short trip.
Also, despite many meetings between County and Cheadle over recent years, the two sides' first competitive encounter. Could be an interesting evening - and a chance, perhaps, for some fringe players to enjoy game-time.
Post your thoughts and theories here...
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Post by hermannsays on Oct 30, 2017 12:43:01 GMT
After losing on Saturday (to boos *sigh*) and with FCUM coming to us again at the weekend, a Wednesday game in the CSC feels almost entirely irrelevant at the moment. However, I liked that JG challenged the bench to step up to the plate for the CSC game. It's obvious that any manager needs to look at his bench options and think 'Yes, you'll impact this game' and when that's not the case they need to be showing more.
In the expectation that goalscorers will be rested along with some other key players, I'll go for win but a tight scoreline.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Oct 30, 2017 13:49:07 GMT
My 'Take Five' piece on our hosts for Wednesday:
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TAKE FIVE… Cheadle Town
By Hatter in Macc
1. Our third midweek match in a row away from home - but not very far to trek this time!
Less than two miles along the B5645 and A560, in fact - albeit with a postcode-change from SK3 to SK8 along the way - which will make this Cheshire Cup-tie County’s shortest-ever trip for a competitive fixture.
2. Wait! You mean, we have never played each other competitively before?
No - our near-neighbours have, of course, been regular opponents since changing their name from Grasmere Rovers to Cheadle Town 34 years ago, but the dozen or so meetings we have had, all at the Park Road Stadium, were pre-season friendlies. The Hatters have won the majority of these - on one occasion, in 1994, racking up 11 without reply in front of a 1,700 crowd - but were held twice (1988 and 1990) and beaten in 1984, following Cheadle’s completion of a first season in the North West Counties League, where the club continues to ply its trade today.
3. How did the club fare in its earlier Grasmere Rovers guise?
From small beginnings in 1961, when teenagers Barrie Dean (14) and Chris Davies (15) formed a team - named after their street, Grasmere Avenue - to play in the Under-16s Division of the Manchester and District Sunday League, Rovers gravitated up to Saturday football 11 years later. They achieved a ‘double’ of the Manchester Football League title and the Manchester Amateur Cup in 1980, before proceeding to lift both the Manchester Challenge and Derbyshire Association Cups a year later.
Grasmere - sporting the green kit that has been revived for use by Cheadle Town since the club’s 50th anniversary celebrations during 2011 - also began a schedule, which the re-titled outfit has continued, of legendary foreign tours. These have seen teams travelling under the ‘Manchester AFC’ name take part in more than 100 games with national and club sides from over 30 different countries, as well as clocking up well in excess of 200,000 air-miles. Rovers were the first, and remain the only, English team to play in and against Cuba (in 1975), while the tourists have also graced the turf of Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium and paid a visit to the Maracanã in Brazil.
4. Some impressive international connections there!
You want more?! Portugal’s 1966 World Cup squad trained at Park Road - originally the home of Cheadle Rovers - and a winner from the Jules Rimet era, Brazil’s Jairzinho, hosted a soccer school for Cheadle Town in 1993. The Brazilian winger also turned up at Edgeley Park to watch a County fixture during his stay in the area, but rather carelessly forgot to bring his boots with him!
On the other hand, it is probably best not to dredge up too many memories from three years ago, when Cheadle entertained Russia’s Under-19 team, ahead of the Russians’ European Championship match against Northern Ireland. The visitors, on that occasion, won 22-0 - but, in fairness, a number of Town’s youth players who featured against them already had a game at Knutsford from the morning under their belts!
5. Given our proximity, there must be players who have turned out for both clubs?
There are - although perhaps not as many as you may have thought. And the two that immediately spring to mind are both full-backs! Most recently, Matthew Todd, who left EP in 2016, has played at Park Road - while, rather further back in time, Ian Ledgard, following four full and four substitute appearances as a Hatter during 1968/69, also wore the green of Grasmere.
Another connection that cannot go unmentioned is that of Chris Davies, who, having been present at Grasmere’s birth, took on the role of the club’s first manager in its Sunday League days, and, for over four decades now, has served as chairman. Chris combines his Cheadle Town responsibilities with those of County’s Match Officials Host - a function he has performed at home matches in SK3 for 28 years. If you see him at Park Road, just don’t ask him for a prediction…!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Oct 31, 2017 9:36:29 GMT
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Nov 1, 2017 9:16:54 GMT
No wonder I couldn't find a report, twitterfeed and updates on this game.
IT'S TONIGHT, IDIOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Nov 1, 2017 14:51:19 GMT
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Nov 1, 2017 16:28:36 GMT
I thought you had gone awol on us Macca. And then thought it strange no one else was concerned about you. Relief all round when I checked this morning.
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Nov 1, 2017 19:27:57 GMT
one day we might 'disappear' him lennie. but not until after cheadle town (a) at least...
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Post by hermannsays on Nov 1, 2017 21:20:37 GMT
I'll go for win but a tight scoreline. Looks like I'll have to re-evaluate... my... whole... life.
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Post by marketharborough on Nov 1, 2017 21:46:38 GMT
Not sure that anyone could have predicted that scoreline!!!
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Nov 1, 2017 22:33:26 GMT
almost certainly means a 0-1 reverse on saturday though...
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