Evening all,
Well it only seems like yesterday that Yeovil defeated Brentford to close the 2012-13 League One season - well 57 days to be exact. But already the ball has started rolling for the beginning of the new 2013-14 League One season.
And as part of my build up for a new season where i will be covering as many of the Gillingham games as I physically can, I have recruited fans from all 24 clubs from League One and get their options for their clubs as the new season starts on August the 3rd.
Today we continue with looking at two sides from the east and the west midlands who had very indifferent seasons last time out in League One and both sides are looking for a better season this time around. I'm talking about Walsall and Notts County.
WALSALL
How long have you been a supporter ofWalsall and how did you start
supporting them?
Walsall to make the
playoffs and beat Wolves in the final with a goal so offside you could see it
from space.
Walsall , in itself is a
dump but there are a couple of things that you can do, depending on your
interests.
Gillingham
Sheffield United
Swindon
Peterborough .
Shrewsbury Coventry Rotherham
Mid
table – I can’t really comment because we haven’t signed anybody. But I would
be happy with a flirt with the playoffs maybe 8th – 14th
is a realistic aim.
NOTTS COUNTY
And as part of my build up for a new season where i will be covering as many of the Gillingham games as I physically can, I have recruited fans from all 24 clubs from League One and get their options for their clubs as the new season starts on August the 3rd.
Today we continue with looking at two sides from the east and the west midlands who had very indifferent seasons last time out in League One and both sides are looking for a better season this time around. I'm talking about Walsall and Notts County.
WALSALL
Name: Andy Webster
Occupation away from
supporting your club: Commercial Manager
How long have you been a supporter of
I have been a ‘proper’ supporter for about 10 years now,
although my first game was a birthday ‘present’ from my dad in ’97(We lost 4-1
at home to Barnsley ) I first started going regularly 2003/2004 season when I was
brought my first season ticket, and I’ve never looked back since.
Let’s get this ball rolling:
What would be your Dream
season?
And what will make it a
Nightmare season for you?
Obviously being relegated, however I think if we were to
lose our best player in Paterson and not
replace them it puts us in the same boat as previous season and apathy ensues
amongst our fans.
What is worrying we have now sold Paterson ,
I hope we can replace him adequately.
Our own fans think our team
is…
One set of Supporters: Well run a great club where people can make
great fans.
Another set of supporters: Just a way for the chairman to line his pockets.
Other teams’ fans think our
team is…
Tinpot.
That club you can see from the M6.
Similar clubs see us as a model club everyone should aim to
be run like.
The new season:
How has Pre-Season been for
you this time around?
At the time of writing we are being messed around by a
‘star’ (When I say star he had 4 good months and brought into his own hype)
Febian Brandy imminently about to join Sheff Utd even though he wants to play
in the Championship. True colours always shine through.
As for the rest, we are in better stead than previous
seasons we have a good nucleus of player which were the driving force of last
season, Adam Chambers and Andy Butler but to name two.
Have you got the right
manager and how popular is he?
He has won round 90% of fans after a terrible run during the
middle of last season. However there are the 10% of fans who think win %
actually count for something.
Are there any new signings
that you are excited about?
Milan Lalkovic, just signed on loan from Chelsea ,
looks as fast as Usain Bolt and pretty composed for a man of his years.
Name the player that you
would happily drive to his next club (and pay for the taxi as well)...
We are fortunate enough to have got rid of all the ‘dead
wood’ the back end of last season
Name an opposition player
you despise...
Jamie O’hara, arrogance > His ability – You don’t drop to
league one for any other reason than you’re cack.
Name an opposition player
you would love to have at your club?
Kevin Phillips – Okay not really an opposition player but
still would love him to come!
If I was to visit your club
on an away trip this season, name one thing I must do in your town? (Can be
anything, football-related or otherwise... from visiting a famous sight, to
making sure you don’t park your car somewhere, to find a certain drink in a pub
or a nice place to eat)
-
Visit the Leather
Museum – You can take a trip to our Leather Museum
-
Have a Curry – There are many curry houses in
and around Walsall , however Five Rivers is a
class above the rest!
-
Avoid – Goscote, Coldmore, Coalpool.
Onto other important matters:
You finished last season
very strong, and just missed out on the playoffs last season due to the goals
from Will Grigg, will it be difficult to continue the momentum into the new
season?
I believe it will be with regard to scoring goals as I
believe we will be missing Grigg et al for the start of the season. At the time
of writing we haven’t replaced him, like for like, so it will be interesting to
see who we bring in.
How important is it for
your club that Will Grigg sign new long term contracts and stays at the club
for the whole season?
Vital, however I believe he will be off to another club.
Confirmed on the 1st July.
You have your local rivals Wolverhampton in the same division, how important is it
that you do well against them?
Against them I would like the bragging rights, but providing
we have a good solid season, I’m not that fussed. Wolves have embarrassed
themselves enough already.
And now onto the really important stuff:
Who do you think will be
the top 6 at the end of the season?
In no particular order;
Wolves
Brentford
Who do you think will go
down to League 2?
Port Vale
And finally, in all
honesty, where do you think you will finish this season?
NOTTS COUNTY
Name: Graham Farquharson
Occupation away from
supporting your club: Salesman
How long have you been a
supporter of Notts County and how did you start supporting them?
30 years now ever since my dad took me to my first game against Blackburn in 1981.
Let’s get this ball rolling:
What would be your Dream
season?
The dream would be automatic promotion playing attractive
football with lots of contributions from our home grown young players.
And what will make it a
Nightmare season for you?
Ending up in a relegation battle with continual moaning from
our supporters about the state of the club, the pitch, the manager etc
Our own fans think our team
is…
This depends on whether they started supporting us before or
after the Munto circus. If after, they
think we have a right to be in the top 6.
If before, they are happy for us to be solidly mid table, if (and it is
a big if), we give young players a chance.
Other teams’ fans think our
team is…
Dirty and one dimensional.
However, I think they will be in for a shock this season.
The new season:
How has Pre-Season been for
you this time around?
We’ve had a good trip to Finland which has allowed us to
integrate some of our new signings. We
played Galatasary in a glamour friendly at home and have games against Rayo Vallecano
and Ipswich to follow. All in all, some
decent games. We have also signed
Mustapha Dumbuya and Danny Haynes which has definitely
upped the level of anticipation about the coming season.
Have you got the right
manager and how popular is he?
Chris Kiwomya took over last February and received a mixed
reception with many thinking he was simply the cut price option for the
club. However, we have recruited a
strong back room in pre-season with Mick Jones and Andy Walker joining
this. They will certainly give Kiwomya
the support he did not have at the end of season. The bigger issue is whether the board will
support Kiwomya as they have been notoriously trigger happy in the past.
Are there any new signings
that you are excited about?
Mustapha Dumbuya looks a good signing from Crawley, his
ability to bomb down the right flank will certainly get the fans going. We have also signed Danny Haynes from
Charlton and he has got people excited.
To be honest, I’m not sure why.
His goal record isn’t that great and he has dodgy hamstrings but
hopefully I’ll be proved wrong.
Name the player that you
would happily drive to his next club (and pay for the taxi as well)...
No-one, it’s a new season and everyone starts with a clean
slate.
Name an opposition player
you despise...
No-one, there’s enough hate in the world without bringing it
to football as well.
Name an opposition player
you would love to have at your club?
This is a tricky one as I can’t think of anyone in League 1
who is head and shoulders above our players.
So many of the players who make a difference in League 1 are loanees
from bigger clubs and they don’t count really.
Also, we have an excellent back 5 (one of the best defensive units in
the League) so maybe a forward or a creative midfielder but as I said, I
genuinely can’t think of someone from League 1 who would definitely improve us.
If I was to visit your club
on an away trip this season, name one thing I must do in your town? (Can be
anything, football-related or otherwise... from visiting a famous sight, to
making sure you don’t park your car somewhere, to find a certain drink in a pub
or a nice place to eat)
If you’re a lad, I suggest Hooters near the station.
Onto other important matters:
Chris Kiwomya took over the
club in February last season, and despite some poor results, do you think he is
the right man for the job?
With the backroom team that has been built this summer and
the longer term aim of the club to reduce the age of the playing staff and to
bring young players through, yes.
Currently, there is an
apparent race row at club, which cost the job of 2 County coaches; do you
believe that there is a race problem at the club will this hinder the club
before the new season?
Nothing could be further from the truth. Two ex managers are black, Chris Kiwomya is
as is our Chief Scout, Matt Alexander (son of Keith). Hardly the recruitment strategy of a racist
club is it?
Recently your former
assistant manager Mick Jones return to the club after 20 years away from the
club, are you please to have him back and do you think he will help turn the
club fortunes around?
Yes I do. Mick is experienced, has roots with County
and has already injected a great deal of enthusiasm and believe back into the
club.
And now onto the really important stuff:
Who do you think will be
the top 6 at the end of the season?
1.
Wolves
2.
Brentford
3.
Peterborough
United
4.
Bristol City
5.
Sheffield
United
6.
Gillingham
Who do you think will go
down to League 2?
Walsall, Coventry, Shrewsbury, Oldham.
And finally, in all
honesty, where do you think you will finish this season?
9th.
------------Over the next few days, more fans from clubs in League One will be given their chance to speak out on the new season which begins soon.
To be continued...
