Source: FOOTYMAD
The S24 Preview: Cheltenham Town v Southend United
They will both be hoping it gets played this time around, so let's get in the mood once again for the Robins of Gloucestershire in League Two; Tuesday, December 14th, kick-off 19.45. v SHRIMPERSWhere do we start? Well, wrap up warm if your going and let's hope it's third time lucky and this fixture actually gets through 90 minutes! Blues boss Paul Sturrock speaks of throwing the dices in the air and seeing who is left standing due to the injury crisis.However, while Peter Gilbert sits out the second match in his three match ban, both centre-back Bilel Moshni and midfielder Anthony Grant can play, and will be welcolmed back with open arms.The hapless Luke Prosser should be gven a long rest but in the circumstances will probably sit on the bench, while Ryan Hall should start instead of the poor Louie Soares.Up front, loanee Antonio German had a terrible game at Boston and I can see Luggy returning to his 'A' team strke force of Barry Corr and Blair Sturrock, at least these two have found the net recently. Yet another away toughie for the Blues, the fourth away trip in a row, and a game that taking another point from would be a very good result indeed.Let's just try to not give away an early penalty, they can't all keep missing, or for that matter an early strike of any kind, we must improve our defending from set pieces.Possible Southend United: Morris, Clohessy, Coughlan, Moshni, Barker, Hall, Simpson, Grant, Easton, Sturrock, Corr. Subs: Evans, Ferdinand, Prosser, Soares, Midford, Crawford, German.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 at the moment but we'll up date any news here. Latest team news:www.teamtalk.com/team/18417Torquay United 1932313104521611775292128+88Cheltenham Town 18431973341720765262727-19Crewe Alexandra 1933319103522118685402826+1210Macclesfield Town 1941512163331112748232825-5Last 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: Shrewsbury 1 Cheltenham Town 1 (played on Saturday, December 11th, 2010)Report here: www.ctfc.com/page/MatchReport/0,,10434~52238,00.htmlF.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.shtmlWEATHERCloudy and 5C's during the day, but expect that to drop once the sun goes down.Keep up to date with the latest forecast here:http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/2174REF 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 TwoTuesday, December 14th; Cheltenham v Southend, 19:45. Saturday, December 18th; (all kick-offs 15.00): Accrington Stanley v Burton Albion, Aldershot v Lincoln City, Bury v Stevenage, Cheltenham v Stockport, Crewe v Bradford, Gillingham v Chesterfield, Hereford v Macclesfield, Northampton v Morecambe, Oxford Utd v Shrewsbury, Port Vale v Barnet, Southend v Wycombe, Torquay v Rotherham.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.)
