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A Review from Blackpool
The following is from the Blackpool Rivals Site:
A load of Bull! Hereford Preview - "One Game too far?"
By The Editor
Date: 29/11/2004
A challenge for you - prioritise the next three games: 1. An LDV game in front of about 2,000 fans with little prize money and three more games before a 'lucrative' final. 2. An FA Cup game at home with the prize of a 'big name' draw. 3. A home league game which is a 'six pointer' against Torquay.
I'd be surprised if once you've put those matches in terms of imporance, you don't get a Ted Rodgers (ie 3-2-1!). The league has always got to come first, the FA Cup undoubtedly second and I'm afraid despite our success in it, the LDV Vans Trophy is still a poor third. I was talking to a 'big footie fan' the other day - season ticket holder at Highbury, follows England across the world and had a fairly decent knowledge of lower league football. When I was telling him about Blackpool and the LDV Vans Trophy he had to ask 'What's that for' - amazingly (or maybe not!) he'd never heard of the LDV Vans Trophy. Just as I couldn't tell you who won last year's FA Umbro Trophy or FA Vase, I think you'll find that few Premiership or even Championship fans will know who won last season's LDV Vans Trophy (if they know what it is at all!).
Not that this detracts in anyway what we have achieved in this competition over the last three years. However on this occasion, more than at any other time over the last few years, this game is probably one too many. Before anyone accuses me of being a kiljoy or 'not a fan' (that seems the en vogue criticism at the moment!), I'll still be making the pilgramage to Edgar Street tonight and hope that we win. However if Colin Hendry sends out the Bloomfield Road ball boys and the tea lady I wouldn't blame him. With so many injuries in the squad and Saturday's game against Port Vale on the horizon, I wouldn't risk anyone who is either not entirely fully fit or crucial to Saturday's game. So I'm hoping Clarke, Wellens and Taylor all get left behind and some of the kids find their way on to the coach.
Final Suspension
So who does that leave and who'll be left? Well we can rule out Murphy, Bullock and Clare, probably Edwards and Evans and of course Danny Coid is suspended. So in will come Doughty at the back, probably Wiles on the right wing and Blinkhorn and Parker will have to start up front. The likes of Mangan, Whittaker, Paterson and Lawlor will probably find themselves on the bench unless Hendry decides to do as he did against Huddersfield and put some of his experienced pros like Wellens and Taylor on the bench just in case he feels he could use them later on in the game.
So to Hereford and other than carting a bull around Edgar Street before the start of matches, I have to confess I don't know that much about their team - let alone what they're doing in the Northern section of the LDV Vans Trophy! Hereford are a club who are prime for a Football League return but seem incapable of taking that extra step and progressing up to League Two. This season they were in touch with the top two until they went on a run of results that saw them fail to win in six matches. However a couple of wins against Canvey Island and Tamworth has put them back in fourth place in the Conference.
Hereford have already taken the scalps of Scunthorpe and Doncaster in this competition (both at home, both ended up 1-1 and they won both games on penalties!) and will be looking for their third tonight. Less than 1,400 turned up to those games so anywhere near 2,000 would be considered a good crowd at Edgar Street. The experienced Lee Mills leads the line for the Bulls and along with Adam Stansfield they've scored 18 goals already between them this season. Other than those two, none of the Hereford squad will be that familiar for 'Pool fans.
I'll be disappointed if we don't win (well let's face it you don't travel through Birmingham at 6pm on a weeknight if you're going to lose) but I'll confess if our names isn't in the hat for the next round I can't say it would ruin my week!
