retired_sander

Do you know how many yellow cards were dished out in these games?

If so perhaps a yellow cards tally would be good too

crazyvols@comca

Another winner from <super>TM</super>binny brand stories - if it's a <super>TM</super>binny, it's <b>got</b> to be good.

retired_manpk1

JOS - I suppose I could go back and find it out - but I can't be bothered :eek: Sorry

spurzgrrl - Erm, thanks - I think. The tags are making my eyes go funny


10. Carrow Road, Norwich (Attendance: 23475)
18 August 2004 – English Premiership: Norwich vs Tottenham

This was to be my first taste of Premiership football in my quest, although there are those who might, cruelly in my opinion, suggest that this ground would host Championship matches again next season. That may well be so, but let’s at least give Delia and her Norwich side a chance to prove themselves at this level.

At just to prove the point that they would be no pushovers this season, the Canaries scored a wonderful goal to open the scoring after just eight minutes; Leon McKenzie scoring with a beautiful chip over Paul Robinson in the Spurs goal. From there on though, Spurs took control of the game, with Johnnie Jackson in particular showing signs of what he might be able to produce during his career. It was the young Englishman who laid on the equaliser, sending in Jermain Defoe to slot in. Spurs could, and probably should, have been ahead at half time, but for all of their neat build-up play, they couldn’t find the back of the net.

It was much the same in the second half, but it took a counter-attack for Defoe, and Spurs, to finally put the North-Londoners ahead. Norwich produced a few decent moves as they searched an equaliser, but it was at the other end where the strikers were guilty of missing chances – especially Kanouté. Spurs also made it difficult for themselves five minutes from time when Defoe saw red, but Norwich will have to improve their finishing if they want to survive at this level.

Games watched: 10
Total mileage: 3710
Total number of goals witnessed: 24 [+8] (2.40 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 6 (0.60 per game)

retired_manpk1

11. City Ground, Cambridge (Attendance: 756)
21 August 2004 – English Conference South: Cambridge City vs Dorchester

One doesn’t really tend to think of Cambridge of a particularly football-minded town, based purely on its University town status. But they do have two sides in the top six tiers of English football, and City are the second side to their neighbours United.

The quality at this level is definitely not the best, and no one would suggest otherwise. But the commitment is there, and that can often lead to much better spectacles. Both Cambridge and Dorchester produced some great, free-flowing, attacking football, although it was mostly Cambridge in the first half hour. There were no goals in that period though, so it was a relief for the home fans when Jonathon Stevenson got in to score. But just as it looked like Cambridge would go in ahead at the break, they conceded a penalty, and Spanish forward Juan Ugarte equalised from the spot. And in injury time Justin Keeler cracked in his first goal for Dorchester with a 25-yard strike to give his side the lead.

After a cracking first half, we couldn’t really expect more of the same in the second period; and that’s how it turned out for the early part of the second half. But things heated up again when the home side had Stuart Niven sent off, only for former Watford midfielder Sam Swonnell to equalise almost immediately. Dorchester didn’t seem to know how to use their numerical advantage, and eight minutes from time Stevenson won the game for Cambridge with a well-taken goal.

I spent the night on a friend’s floor in the University dorms, dreaming of seeing other games that were as exciting as the one I had seen earlier on in the afternoon.

Games watched: 11
Total mileage: 3768
Total number of goals witnessed: 29 [+8] (2.64 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 7 (0.64 per game)

retired_besheeran

Excellent read, truly enjoyed it

retired_besheeran

Forgot to add "...so far"

Keep it up man

retired_manpk1

Thanks Soup - glad you're enjoying it


12. St. Andrews, Birmingham (Attendance: 26921)
22 August 2004 – English Premiership: Birmingham vs Crystal Palace

There was a period of time when Birmingham and Palace were at loggerheads; basically it was down to Steve Bruce jumping ship from the latter to the former. But while Birmingham have cemented their place in the Premiership, Palace somehow earned promotion last time around, and were sure to struggle this season.

But Birmingham came into the match having lost their opening two fixtures, and the fans (and manager) were desperate for a decent result. And to be honest, Palace never looked like preventing them. Birmingham were all over their opponents, and it was only the heroics of Kiraly in the Palace goal that kept the scores goalless. The pressure though told ten minutes before the break when former Eagle Clinton Morrison turned in Stan Lazaridis’ cross. Palace had their one effort of goal straight after, but the freekick rebounded off the wall.

It was more one-way traffic in the second half, but the longer it stayed 1-0, the more was the possibility that Palace would nick an equaliser on the break. Birmingham didn’t look as incisive as they had in the opening period, but they got a helping hand when Tony Popovic conceded a penalty, and Robbie Savage put away the spot-kick with a venomous strike.

I travelled back down to London with some of the Palace fans, and based on that performance, they were very worried for their survival for the season.

Games watched: 12
Total mileage: 3966
Total number of goals witnessed: 31 [+8] (2.58 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 7 (0.58 per game)

retired_manpk1

13. Bescot Stadium, Walsall (Attendance: 10546)
24 August 2004 – English League Cup, First Round: Walsall vs Leeds

It wasn’t too long ago that the first two rounds of the League Cup were played over two legs; but in their wisdom, the FA decided to play the games over one game, and one game only. I guess that reduces the number of fixtures that are played, and also gives more meaning to the first ties, with an all-or-nothing attitude producing (hopefully) more attacking football.

Of course, this competition is not really known as the League Cup, but as the “Whoever-the-sponsor-is-this-season” Cup, and I believe Carling are the current incumbents.

Both Walsall and Leeds were relegated last season, and this fixture was brought forward from the rest of the first round programme for television purposes. That though didn’t stop more than ten thousand fans turning up to watch this potentially exciting match.

It was going to be interesting to see the side that Leeds put out following their well-documented financial problems and summer clear out of their squad. But they did seem to have some very good players, and they set their stall out early on, causing Walsall all sorts of problems. Michael Ricketts and Julian Joachim though were both guilty of missing good chances, and Walsall also did well to keep the scores at 0-0 by half time.

Leeds were even more determined in the second half, and their pressure told just after the hour when Ricketts fired in from a tight-ish angle. But rather than try to close the game out, Leeds seemed to be content with what they had, and that allowed Walsall to push for an equaliser. To be honest, they didn’t really look like getting it, but Clarke Carlisle conceded a penalty with five minutes left, and Spanish left-back Zigor Aranalde equalised from the spot.

Joachim missed a glorious opportunity to win the game just before the full time whistle, and the game meandered through a rather drab extra 30 minutes and into a penalty shootout. Sullivan saved Birch’s effort to give Leeds the upper hand, but Sean Gregan saw his effort also saved; had he scored, Leeds would have been through. As it was, we moved into two rounds of sudden death; and in the end it was Clarke Carlisle who was the guilty party, firing horribly high and wide as the home side edged through to Round Two.

Games watched: 13
Total mileage: 4076
Total number of goals witnessed: 33 [+19] (2.54 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 7 (0.54 per game)

mrsevans7177

Interesting idea.... hope to see this continue

kutgw

retired_manpk1

Thanks bartley


14. Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow (Attendance: 44688)
25 August 2004 – European Champions Cup, Third Qualifying Round, Second Leg: Rangers (1) vs Trabzonspor (1) (Turkey)

I had originally planned to visit both Rangers and Celtic for Old Firm matches, but I thought that I might as well take my opportunity to go to another European game; at the expense of another English League Cup tie.

Rangers had got a decent enough 1-1 draw in Turkey, but if Trabzonspor scored, it was going to be very nervy for the Ibrox faithful.

One often thinks that the atmosphere in Greece and Turkey is hostile, but you should visit Ibrox; the crowd really got behind their side and jeered Trabzonspor at every opportunity.

Not that Rangers really gave them much opportunity, as they went out with an attacking formation, and looked dangerous at every forward movement. Trabzonspor did occasionally break forward, but they showed little in terms of a real goalscoring threat, but until Dado Prso scored on 37 things were still somewhat nervous for the home fans. Prso added a second in first half injury time, and things were looking rosy.

But Scottish sides are never known for making things easy for themselves, and on the hour Kaya Bayram scored what might have turned out to be a vital away goal with a wicked 20-yard strike. Apart from that though, Trabzonspor didn’t look like getting a second goal on the night, and Rangers came close to getting a third in the last ten minutes. It was nervy, for sure, but in injury time Steven Thompson broke through to score a third, and Rangers fans could breathe a huge sigh of relief as they progressed through to the group stages 4-2 on aggregate.

Games watched: 14
Total mileage: 4749
Total number of goals witnessed: 37 [+19] (2.64 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 7 (0.50 per game)