GrangeParkCobbler
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« on: November 18, 2021, 19:44:09 pm » |
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A tough looking trip to the best supported club in League 2 and the biggest ground in the Division.....The Cobblers visit Bradford City.
The Bantams currently sit in 11th place in the league, seven places and five points behind the Cobblers. They have won five games and lost just four, its the seven draws which is holding them down in mid table. Home form has seen them pick up two wins early in the season against Oldham and Stevenage, followed up by a further success against Rochdale in the first week of October....but since then they have not won at Valley Parade. Hartlepool though are the only visiting team to leave with the three points so far. After four consecutive draws Bradford lost their FA Cup replay in midweek at Exeter but have been handed a reprieve as the game will have to be replayed due to the fact Exeter used six substitutes in the game!
Derek Adams guided Morecambe to playoff glory and a first ever promotion to League 1 last season, and then promptly left the club to join the Bantams. Those five wins in 22 games so far is perhaps not the haul that the club were looking for when they made the appointment...early days yet though! Bradford have been trying to get back to enjoying the glory days of higher league football having been in the Premier League just 20 years ago. By 2007 they were in the basement division, securing promotion back out of League 2 when they beat us in that playoff final at Wembley in 2013. Six seasons in League One followed before relegation again in 2019, meaning this is their third season back in League 2.
The victory over us at Wembley that season followed an amazing EFL Cup run which saw them become the first fourth tier side to reach the final, alas they were trounced 5-0 by Swansea in the showpiece.
They don't seem to have a big squad, in fact they have only used 20 players in their league games thus far, 31 year old marksman Andy Cook is their top scorer with seven goals to his name, the prolific lower league marksman has bagged over 150 league goals in his career...the good news for Cobblers fans is that he's ruled out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury. Charles Vernam is next in the charts with three goals. Returning from injury though are the likes of Caolan Lavery and Abo Eisa.
Cobblers connections in their ranks currently......goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell is an ever present this season, assuming he plays on Saturday it will be his 135th appearance since his short spell with us in 2018.
It would be fair to say that Bradford hold the upper hand over us in the head to head. 34 games over the years with us winning just seven compared to 21 City wins. Our first ever meeting took place in 1972, a 2-1 defeat at Valley Parade, and overall our record at their place (The Utilita Energy Stadium this season) is 4 wins, three draws and ten defeats. We lost on our last visit there, September 2019, two late goals condemning us to a 2-1 defeat (Charlie Goode with our goal), however we did win there on the previous visit, a 2-1 scoreline in our favour thanks to goals from Chris Long and John-Joe O'Toole in January 2018.
Making the short trip from East Yorkshire to West Yorkshire to referee the game (a Yorkshire ref for a Yorkshire home team? ? ? ?) is the vastly experienced Carl Boyeson. He's now in his 20th year on the League list, 28 yellow cards and no reds in his eleven games this season is a below average card count. We last saw him in December 2020 when he was in charge of our 3-1 win over Gillingham, this will be his first Bradford game since April, an away day at Stevenage and his first trip to Bradford for one of their home games since a Trophy game against Wolves U-21's last October.
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« Last Edit: November 20, 2021, 15:31:21 pm by GrangeParkCobbler »
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The Hotel End GTA Champion 2006/7, 2007/8, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2018/19
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Deepcut Cobbler
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« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2021, 19:49:16 pm » |
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Angol will be suspended following his red card in the Tuesday non-game at Exeter.
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“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.” Laurence Binyon
The Hotelend Grand National Sweepstake Champion 2009
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WadeyCobbler
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« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2021, 21:37:13 pm » |
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A rare away game for me this week. Never been to Valley Parade before and wanted to tick it off. Will be a tough game and we will have to get back to our defensive best to get anything from this game.
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Manwork04
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« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2021, 07:56:24 am » |
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You’ll enjoy it, Bradford fans are a decent bunch in the main and we’ve had a bit of a love in with them recently. Bradford should not be in League Two.
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Rule Britannia
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guest2995
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« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2021, 07:57:09 am » |
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JB said that the fringe players haven’t performed but excluded Harriman and Rose from that criticism . That means he is talking about Connolly , Flores and Kabamba along with those that don’t even get on the pitch . He is right - the first eleven are decent at this level but the rest really struggle . Let’s hope Sowerby is fit soon and McGowan holds out . If not , Lewis has to play the holding role with Pollock or Rose behind Etete .
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Madrid Cobbler
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« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2021, 08:48:13 am » |
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JB said that the fringe players haven’t performed but excluded Harriman and Rose from that criticism . That means he is talking about Connolly , Flores and Kabamba along with those that don’t even get on the pitch . He is right - the first eleven are decent at this level but the rest really struggle . Let’s hope Sowerby is fit soon and McGowan holds out . If not , Lewis has to play the holding role with Pollock or Rose behind Etete .
I wouldn't include Pollock in the "not good enough" list. He's clearly out of favour as he never gets in the team despite injuries to others, and IMO hasn't had enough minutes on the pitch this season to properly evaluate where he is after a long layoff through injury. No player can be properly assessed based on a couple of appearances in the Mickey Mouse Cup.
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Bingers
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« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2021, 08:49:02 am » |
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Myself and Boy Bingers are going to have a wander down for this one.
In addition to the iconic Corn Dolly on Bolton Road, can I recommend The Exchange Craft Beer House on Market Street, a cellar bar near the bus stops.
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The Hotelend Grand National Sweepstake Champion 2015
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everbrite
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« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2021, 09:03:02 am » |
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Myself and Boy Bingers are going to have a wander down for this one.
In addition to the iconic Corn Dolly on Bolton Road, can I recommend The Exchange Craft Beer House on Market Street, a cellar bar near the bus stops.
At the moment I am not going as three away games in 7 days is bit too expensive. Surprised that so many went to Cans all but one short of 700! So it’s armchair viewing for me!
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2020 Grand National S/S 3rd Place
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Coolcat
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« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2021, 09:39:33 am » |
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Was travelling up there on HS2, but that's bye the way after yesterday...so it's the Mini 1.5!
Stayover as usual for Bradford - underrated city to be fair. Feel a bit of injustice for them, having to travel back down to Devon for a 2nd replay due to incompetence on the part of Exeter City! Only around 30 odd hardy souls made the long trek from West Yorkshire, Tuesday night - the loyal fans being punished in reality!
Despite the incompetence on Exeter City's part, seems Angol will still serve a suspension.
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Deepcut Cobbler
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« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2021, 09:53:36 am » |
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Was travelling up there on HS2, but that's bye the way after yesterday...so it's the Mini 1.5!
Stayover as usual for Bradford - underrated city to be fair. Feel a bit of injustice for them, having to travel back down to Devon for a 2nd replay due to incompetence on the part of Exeter City! Only around 30 odd hardy souls made the long trek from West Yorkshire, Tuesday night - the loyal fans being punished in reality!
Despite the incompetence on Exeter City's part, seems Angol will still serve a suspension.
To be honest and fair, it was incompetence from all three teams, with the team in black having the most culpability in allowing it to happen.
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“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.” Laurence Binyon
The Hotelend Grand National Sweepstake Champion 2009
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Manwork04
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« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2021, 10:40:55 am » |
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To be honest and fair, it was incompetence from all three teams, with the team in black having the most culpability in allowing it to happen.
You need to explain to me how this was Bradfords fault? Incompetence from Exeter but nearly all the blame lies at the “officials” door!
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Rule Britannia
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west stand oap
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« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2021, 11:44:58 am » |
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Manny - this is why I started the thread about referees as so many basic mistakes seem to occur now. Anyway back to Bradford managed by Derek Adams who I have always considered to be the lower leagues version of Alex Ferguson. Whenever beaten his team did not deserve to lose, were the better team and all of the referee's decisions went against them. I recall when CW's team deservedly won at Plymouth he claimed Plymouth were the better team. He does not appear to be the most popular man in Bradford at the moment. They have O'Donnell in goal who I do not consider to be one of the better 'keepers we have had. Like KVV he considered himself too good for division 2 and jumped ship when we got relegated and like KVV got relegated to division 2 the next season. As GPC says Bradford have only 5 wins from all competitions and only 2 from their last 17 games. They have though recently won at Swindon (unbeaten away but with a poor home record) and drawn with FGR, Exeter and Port Vale. At home they have won 3, drawn 4 and lost 1 scoring 14 goals and conceding 10. They have scored in all 8 games and on 4 occasions more than once but they have only once kept a clean sheet. With Cook injured and Angol suspended they will probably recall Theo Robinson to lead the attack and may also include Caolan Lavery. Having seen their game against Port Vale I think it could be a good ploy to target their right back Threlkeld who should have been sent off in that game. We are going to need a much improved performance to come away with any points and tighten up again at the back as we have recently conceded too many soft goals and several from crosses to the far post.
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Coolcat
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« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2021, 12:00:20 pm » |
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To be honest and fair, it was incompetence from all three teams, with the team in black having the most culpability in allowing it to happen.
Sorry Deepcut, that is just plain utter ridiculous! So the onus was on Bradford to not let Exeter cheat? The ref should of course have had a handle on proceedings, but very much the main responsibility lies with the perpetrator. Try using your logic in crime...girl's fault for being attacked because of how she was dressed? Knife victim's fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Exeter were the perpetrators...but they get another crack at the cherry whilst Bradford (every club has its Lee Gearys) fans are penalised with another ridiculous long midweek haul. At the very least, make Exeter play again at Valley Parade...as it should always be known!
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Deepcut Cobbler
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« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2021, 13:24:28 pm » |
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You need to explain to me how this was Bradfords fault? Incompetence from Exeter but nearly all the blame lies at the “officials” door!
All three teams had access to the Rules of the FA Cup competition, which they should have made themselves familiar with, all three teams confirmed (incorrectly) that they were allowed a sixth substitute in extra time prior to the game. One or all of them should have challenged that. Exeter did execute the sixth substitution, Bradford attempted to as well but, for an unknown reason, were prevented by the 4th official from doing so. They were all complicit.
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“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.” Laurence Binyon
The Hotelend Grand National Sweepstake Champion 2009
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Coolcat
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« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2021, 14:09:26 pm » |
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All three teams had access to the Rules of the FA Cup competition, which they should have made themselves familiar with, all three teams confirmed (incorrectly) that they were allowed a sixth substitute in extra time prior to the game. One or all of them should have challenged that. Exeter did execute the sixth substitution, Bradford attempted to as well but, for an unknown reason, were prevented by the 4th official from doing so. They were all complicit.
That's horrific and going too far in every sense!
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southofthecounty
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« Reply #15 on: November 19, 2021, 14:33:48 pm » |
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That's horrific and going too far in every sense! He's likely to be out for at least six months I'd say.
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Carton Lid
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« Reply #16 on: November 19, 2021, 15:32:38 pm » |
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He's likely to be out for at least six months I'd say.
Sounds like the sort of player we sign !
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Coolcat
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« Reply #17 on: November 19, 2021, 16:03:54 pm » |
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Sounds like the sort of player we sign ! Who run around like headless chickens!
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guest3338
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« Reply #18 on: November 19, 2021, 16:28:17 pm » |
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He's likely to be out for at least six months I'd say.
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guest3086
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« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2021, 19:38:20 pm » |
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All three teams had access to the Rules of the FA Cup competition, which they should have made themselves familiar with, all three teams confirmed (incorrectly) that they were allowed a sixth substitute in extra time prior to the game. One or all of them should have challenged that. Exeter did execute the sixth substitution, Bradford attempted to as well but, for an unknown reason, were prevented by the 4th official from doing so. They were all complicit.
No, no, no, no no. The officials are there to enforce the rules. If my midfield maestro (think Martin Smith, not Alistair Slowe) were to place the ball 3 metres in advance of the foul then el homme de noir should sort it out. Likewise if I attempt to force a twelfth man on to the field of play, who ya gonna call?
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