Source: FOOTYMAD
The S24 Preview: Cheltenham Town v Southend United
Let's get in the mood once again for the Robins of Gloucestershire in League Two, four weeks after the lights went out; Tuesday, November 30th, kick-off 19.45. v SHRIMPERSWhere do we start? Well, wrap up warm if your going! The defensive situation has already been well reported elswhere, (but you can catch up here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/luggy_looks_to_loan_as_suspensions_strike_shrimpers_low_602402/index.shtml), no Gilbert, Moshni, Barker, Phillips, and worse of all, Anthony Grant. It could be a long, cold evening. (Presuming Hall is still out as well.)Expect a defensive line-up from Luggy in the circumstances, and I see a sort of 4-4-1-1 line-up, with only German running around up front, here I'd play Sturrock behing him allowing Corr, I know he hates it, to come on late once again to strutt his stuff, don't want that dodgy back to go. I hope he'll play Herd in the vacant left back position and allow Ferdinand to start on the bench, this might come too early for him, with Zaaboub and Soares in front of the full-backs.What we must do is to try and not give away another early goal from a set piece. We'll see; at least we've had a full week off, that Saints defeat could hurt the Gloustershire club so near to the league game.Another away toughie for the Blues and a game that taking another point from would be a very good result.Possible Southend United: Morris, Clohessy, Coughlan, Prosser, Herd, Soares, Simpson, Easton, Zaaboub, Sturrock, German. Subs: Evans, Ferdinand, Zaaboub, Midford, Crawford, Corr.COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!!OPPOSITION A win could take them into the play-off zone, so they will be hoping to finish the game off this time if they go one-up!No new injury news from their cup defeat at Southampton but we'll up date any news here. Torquay United 1832313104511610774292028+97Wycombe Wanderers 183331413441138774272128+68Cheltenham Town 17431973241619755252626-19Crewe Alexandra 1833319103421815675372525+1210Macclesfield Town 1841410123331112747212425-311Stevenage 18261109333106594201524+5Last time Out:Home; Cheltenham Town 1 Morecambe 1 (played on Saturday, November 20th, 2010)Report here: www.ctfc.com/page/MatchReport/0,,10434~52934,00.htmlAway: Macclesfield Town 0 Cheltenham Town 2 (played on Saturday, November 23rd, 2010)Report here: www.ctfc.com/page/MatchReport/0,,10434~52122,00.html F.A. Cup 2nd Round: Southampton 3 Cheltenham Town 0 (played on Saturday, November 27th, 2010)Report here: www.ctfc.com/page/MatchReport/0,,10434~54855,00.html PREVIOUSLYAt Cheltenham T. (8)At Southend Utd. (11)ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%Cheltenham T.225.00Southend Utd.545.45Southend Utd.225.00Cheltenham T.545.45Draws450.00Draws19.09GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pgCheltenham T.81.00Southend Utd.141.27Southend Utd.101.25Cheltenham T.100.91On Neutral Ground (0)Overall (19 matches)ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%Cheltenham T.00.00Cheltenham T.736.84Southend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.736.84Draws00.00Draws526.32GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pgCheltenham T.00.00Cheltenham T.180.95Southend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.241.26RecordsHighest Aggregate5Southend Utd. 4 - 1Cheltenham T.2007/2008 Highest Cheltenham T. score:2Southend Utd. 0 - 2Cheltenham T.2004/2005 Highest Southend Utd. score:4Southend Utd. 4 - 1Cheltenham T.2007/2008 SeasonDateHomeScoreAwayCompetition 2009/2010Tue 11 AugCheltenham T.1 - 2Southend Utd.League Cup 2008/2009Sat 02 MaySouthend Utd.2 - 0Cheltenham T.League One Tue 25 NovCheltenham T.0 - 0Southend Utd.League One Tue 12 AugSouthend Utd.0 - 1Cheltenham T.League Cup after extra time2007/2008Fri 29 FebCheltenham T.1 - 1Southend Utd.League One Sat 17 NovSouthend Utd.2 - 2Cheltenham T.League One Tue 14 AugSouthend Utd.4 - 1Cheltenham T.League Cup after extra time, 90 minutes 1-12004/2005Sat 19 MarCheltenham T.0 - 3Southend Utd.League Two Sat 07 AugSouthend Utd.0 - 2Cheltenham T.League Two 2003/2004Fri 09 JanCheltenham T.1 - 1Southend Utd.League Division Three Sat 09 AugSouthend Utd.2 - 0Cheltenham T.League Division Three 2001/2002Tue 19 FebCheltenham T.1 - 1Southend Utd.League Division Three Fri 28 SepSouthend Utd.0 - 1Cheltenham T.League Division Three 2000/2001Sat 05 MayCheltenham T.2 - 1Southend Utd.League Division Three Tue 05 DecSouthend Utd.2 - 0Cheltenham T.(Associate Members) Sat 25 NovSouthend Utd.0 - 1Cheltenham T.League Division Three 1999/2000Sat 06 MaySouthend Utd.2 - 1Cheltenham T.League Division Three Tue 07 DecSouthend Utd.0 - 1Cheltenham T.(Associate Members) Sat 09 OctCheltenham T.2 - 1Southend Utd.League Division Three GROUNDAt one end of the ground is the newest addition to the stadium and where the away fans are now located.The Carlesberg Stand which was built by Barr Construction, was opened in December 2005 and now has a capacity for 1,100 fans. It is particularly steep in its design, has a perspex windshield to one side and perspex panels incorporated into it's roof, to allow more light to reach the pitch. The stand is unusual in the respect that it has a couple of more rows of seats on one side of it. There is also a small electric scoreboard on its roof.In 2009 the ground was renamed the Abbey Business Stadium, in a corporate deal with local business; Abbey Business Equipment, but the locals still refer to it as Whaddon Road!(Ground information supplied by www.footballgroundguide.com)TICKETSIt's pay on the day but half-price after the original game as abandoned on 66 minutes due to floodlight failure, prices here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw9/cheltenham_tickets_570916/index.shtmlWEATHERMinus one and light snow forecast for the evening, enjoy!REF The man in the middle is: (no changes, must be because he lives so near!), Brendan Malone from Swindon. A full interview with him here: http://refworld.com/referee/2240/3/brendan-maloneHis assistants are Neil Radford from Worcester and Mark Pottage from Dorset; The 4th official is Paul Hobday from Birmingham. FIXTURESLeague TwoSaturday, December 4th; kick-off 15.00: Accrington Stanley v Shrewsbury, Aldershot v Bradford, Bury v Chesterfield, Cheltenham v Lincoln City, Crewe v Wycombe, Gillingham v Rotherham, Hereford v Morecambe, Northampton v Stockport, Oxford Utd v Barnet, Port Vale v Stevenage, Southend v Macclesfield, Torquay v Burton Albion.BETCheltenham (to win) - 6/5, Draw - 12/5, Southend (to win) - 11/4. For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-two/TRANSPORTBy Train go here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw5/cheltenham_town_549730/index.shtmlBy Car go here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw7/cheltenham_town_570923/index.shtmlBy Coach go here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw3/cheltenham_town_570918/index.shtmlPUB AND PIESFor the best drinking around the ground and in the town go here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw8/preserve_with_the_kemble_brewery_inn_pub_crawl_in_cheltenham_603431/index.shtmlSOMEWHERE TO LAY YOUR HATFor an overnight stay: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw1/cheltenham_town_553299/index.shtmlHISTORYCheltenham has a long history of football prior to The Robins. In 1849, the first use of three official referees in a match, two in field and one in tribune was recorded in the town. However, the modern club was founded in 1887 by Albert Close White a local teacher.The club spent its first three decades in local football, notable players from those days include cricketers Gilbert Jessop and brothers Charles Barnett and Edgar Barnett. In the early 1930's the club turned professional and joined the Birmingham Combination before joining the Southern League in 1935 and won promotion to the Alliance Premier League (now the Conference National) in 1985, but were relegated seven years later. They were promoted back to the Conference in 1997 and two years later gained promotion to the Football League. After two mid-table finishes in Division Three (now League Two) they won via the playoffs and were promoted to Division Two (now League One).The appointment of Steve Cotterill, (now at Portsmouth), as manager during the 1996-97 was the start of a revolution at the club. He is Cheltenham Town's most successful manager. Four months after taking charge he guided the club to runners-up spot in the Southern Football League Premier Division, but they won promotion to the Football Conference because champions Gresley Rovers were unable to meet the required ground capacity for Conference membership.He was followed by John Ward, (now head farmer), and, on a full time basis, 'Mad Dog' Keith Allen who was put on gardening leave amid allegations he racially abused a nightclub bouncer!Kidderminster boss Mark Yates was appointed Robins manager on December 22nd, 2009. Neil Howarth, Yate's assistant at Kidderminster, also joined the League Two side as first-team coach. Cheltenham continued to struggle through the rest of the season, only managing to avoid relegation on the final day of the season, although they finished four points ahead of the relegated sides. John Schofield, who was in caretaker charge of the club while Allen was on gardening leave, returned to the post of assistant manager until the end of the season.Yates, ahead of his first full season with Cheltenham, revamped the squad - releasing eight players, including defender Shane Duff, who had just completed his tenth year with the club, and it seems to be working at the moment as the club stand seventh in League Two.(For a more comprehensive history of the club, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheltenham_Town_F.C.)
