FAN ZONE
TUST's Chair and TUFC board member, Nick Brodrick's column in this week's Herald Express - updated for the latest news.
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THREE POINTS AT HOME AND ONE AWAY IS PROMOTION FORM
MUSSA MAGIC TURNS UNITED’S FORTUNES AROUND IN A 2-1 WIN
APPOINTMENT OF NEW ENGLAND MANAGER PROMOTES LIVELY DEBATE
What a relief as United returned to league action on Saturday with an overnight trip to East Sussex and a seaside visit to Eastbourne Borough.
It was a top seven clash between two sides going toe to toe for promotion and so the match drew a sizeable crowd of 1,483 with a good few hundred following the Gulls. Credit here to all those who travelled a long way and especially to Mark Shephard and Harry Lovering who run the away travel. With the team producing displays worthy of support, the travel club coach is increasing in popularity.
And it is good that they have the backing of the club. In an interview Neil Warnock highlights the importance of fans supporting the team in big numbers praising home and away attendances especially bearing in mind the level of football we are currently playing in.
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As to the game it was two evenly matched teams and with Finley Craske scoring his first goal for the club it turned into a hard fought draw. A point on the road is always a good result if it’s followed with three points at home and United had that chance on Tuesday night against Worthing and grabbed the opportunity.
Manager Paul Wotton had done his homework by watching the opponents recently in an FA Cup tie at Plymouth Parkway. Monday’s training had the extra help of Neil Warnock working alongside Wotton.
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With a first home game at Plainmoor for a month there was a huge attendance - evening matches under lights are always something special - an amazing 3,701. It was a pulsating match which turned in United’s favour with two half-time substitutions and a change in shape.
Fans’ favourite Omar Mussa turned on the magic with a glorious equaliser before delivering the corner for the winning header.
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Last Saturday was 61 years since Robin Stubbs set a new club record with five goals in a 8-3 win over Newport County in October 1963.
Squad-wise, with Roddy Collins parting company to seek regular football at AFC Totton and Jadyn Crosbie out on loan at Gloucester City, scoring in his second appearance but lasting only seven minutes on Saturday, it means more chances for those who are on the subs bench.
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Non-League Crowd Watch: York v Ebbsfleet 5,716, Sutton United v Oldham 3,429, Chester v Scunthorpe 3,227, Dulwich Hamlet v Billericay Town 3,085, Aldershot v Eastleigh 3,037, Macclesfield v Warrington 3,032.
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United’s Women’s side, on a good run, had their Sunday match postponed due to the weather.
The FA Youth Cup journey for the club’s younger players continues with an away tie at Eastleigh.
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It was all change last week at Southern League Premier South Tiverton as Asa Hall stepped up as interim manager along with another ex-Gull Niall Thompson. With the side struggling after seven league defeats and sitting in the relegation zone they had a creditable 3-3 draw against Sholing on Saturday. Good luck to them.
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One of the big talking points at the moment is the FA’s choice of Thomas Tuchel as the next England manager. His appointment has split opinion. There’s no doubting his credentials with an impressive managerial cv: league titles with Paris Saint-Germain, Champions League winner with Chelsea, being named FIFA coach of the year and the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich.
But there are those who feel the job should have gone to an English manager, maybe Graham Potter or Eddie Howe. What’s your view? Send to: fanszone.tu@gmail.com.
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In last week’s column I announced that TUST had been nominated for a Torbay Community Champion Award with the ceremony at the Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton this Thursday. We have subsequently learnt that we are in the final three in the Volunteer Team of the Year along with Phoenix Rising and HM coastguard volunteer team, two worthy rivals.
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Work on Paint Up Plainmoor has continued whilst there’s been no football and those there on Tuesday will have noticed further changes in The Cove restaurant and the members’ bar in the Devonshire Suite. Work has begun on redecorating inside Boots. The away end turnstiles have also undergone a makeover.
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On the lookout for football stories, how about this one? Goalkeeper saves four penalties then scored one of his own. Step forward Steven Cann goalie for Morriston Town in their Welsh Cup tie against Llantwit Major for this quirky fact. The match ended 0-0 but Morriston won the penalty shoot-out 5-3 to take them into Round 2.
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Now that the Community Share Issue has come to an end TUST work has turned to providing some of the benefits for gold and platinum investors, the first being the names on the forthcoming third shirt to be followed by the investor board.
Part of the process has been to contact all 534 investors to double check the exact names required on the shirt and board, this has taken time to achieve but our co-opted board member Matt Gorman has worked wonders in ensuring all investors have been contacted. The shirt should be in production soon.
Saturday sees another long road trip to Hornchurch; safe travels to all those going.
COYY
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