The Opposition View

[ColUDave]

Hello all,

Not sure if this is in the right place or not. Anyway, I am writing a blog on the U's this season mainly comprising of reports and previews.

As part of my previews I like to get the opinion of the opposition fans. I would be extremely grateful if someone could answer the following:

1. Are you a fan of the FA Cup and is it a positive or negative distraction from the league?

2. Who would you like to play in the 3rd Round should you progress?

3. What were your hopes and expectations for the season and have they changed?

4. Who should we look out for in your present squad?

5. How would you describe your current style of football, and are you happy with it?

6. What do you think of your Manager and Chairman/ how the club is run?

7. What players from Col U are you aware of?

8. What is your perception of Colchester United as a club?

9. Have you visited the Weston Homes before and what is your opinion/experiences of the stadium?

10. What do you think the score will be, and scorers (if any)?

Thanks in advance, I'll post the link up when I have finished.

Dave

[tans]

Can i answer question 7.

Michael Rose. Total fucking shite who couldnt wait to do one when we were relegated.

[Samdy Gray]

9. Yes. Boring identi-kit stadium in the middle of nowhere. Stupid admittance system where you have to queue once for tickets and then again to get through the turnstile.

[Miles Mayhem]

4. milan misun. If you see him please tell us as we are all very worried

[Gethimout]

3. Probably one of the big teams left in the tournament. AFC Totton or Tamworth would be delightful

[Barry Scott]

1. Are you a fan of the FA Cup and is it a positive or negative distraction from the league?

- Not really, I'd like to do well, but it's become a bit dull.

2. Who would you like to play in the 3rd Round should you progress?

- Either an easy team or a large team away to swell the coffers.

3. What were your hopes and expectations for the season and have they changed?

- Champions, and no.

4. Who should we look out for in your present squad?

- Paul Caddis, Simon Ferry, Matt Richie and Mehdi Kerrouche

5. How would you describe your current style of football, and are you happy with it?

- Open, attacking and with the ball of the deck. Very happy.

6. What do you think of your Manager and Chairman/ how the club is run?

- Happy with all the above. Di Canio has a bright future.

7. What players from Col U are you aware of?

- Michael Rose, hateful shit cunt waste of skin. Kayode Odejayi and Ashley Vincent from Cheltenham.

8. What is your perception of Colchester United as a club?

- Lower league family club.

9. Have you visited the Weston Homes before and what is your opinion/experiences of the stadium?

- Yes and I'm one of the few (going by the comments I've often read) that liked it.

10. What do you think the score will be, and scorers (if any)?

- I think we'll win 3-0 and it'll be revenge for my last visit there when Hoofroyd's team spent the whole match bullying us and we deserved at least a point and lost 3-0.

[Bathtime]

As I have got fuck all to do today -

1. Like to FA Cup as it provides much needed cash for the smaller clubs
2. Tottenham Hotspurs
3. Promotion by whatever means possible
4. Too many to mention
5. Should be playing as we did in last round of FA Cup however our style has been dragged down to League 2 level
6. Mad manager who is seemingly enjoying his first season in football management. Ego size of a house. Chairman who has decided we are in a shit or bust situation.
7. Michael Rose - you are quite welcome to him
8. Small
9. No intention of visting.
10. 1-0 to you.

[iffy]

"Champions, and no"

Great answer. Should be our stock answer to everything.

[nevillew]

9. Stupid admittance system where you have to queue once for tickets and then again to get through the turnstile.

So, like ours then ?

[Samdy Gray]

It's the only place I've had to do it as an away supporter. Normally you'd expect to buy tickets in advance or pay cash on the turnstile.

[slinky]

7.  Just to confirm others opinion, Rose is a bottling shit cunt and we were glad to see the back of him.

What are your opinions of him?  There was a post on here not long ago that he had been found out for the waste of space he is.  Is this true?

[Processed Beats]

1. Are you a fan of the FA Cup and is it a positive or negative distraction from the league?

Loved it when I was younger but nowadays with even the big sides rarely taking it seriously, I've fallen out of love with it and it's lost a lot of its magic. In all honesty, it's got to the point where I'm not fussed about the result this weekend as I would take promotion over an FA Cup run any day of the week.

2. Who would you like to play in the 3rd Round should you progress?

Should we win, a north west Premiership team would be perfect. Currently exiled up here for uni so the chance to see my team play somewhere nearby would be great.

3. What were your hopes and expectations for the season and have they changed?

Don't think any of us knew what to expect following Paolo Di Canio's appointment. To be honest, anything better than last year's debacle would have been nice.

4. Who should we look out for in your present squad?

Matt Ritchie has attracted attention and quite rightly after some impressive displays and goals to boot. Paul Caddis, Simon Ferry and Wes Foderingham make up the spine of our team and have been equally, if not more, impressive in recent weeks.

5. How would you describe your current style of football, and are you happy with it?

Free-flowing in attack, composed and strong at the back.

6. What do you think of your Manager and Chairman/ how the club is run?

More than happy with Di Canio at this stage. People need to remember that he is still learning himself so WILL make mistakes. After hearing him talk, you can't not love him! As for the boardroom side of things, I'm chuffed. Will be forever grateful to Andrew Fitton for saving our club and now in Jeremy Wray we seem to have a chairman who understands both the business and football sides of the game.

7. What players from Col U are you aware of?

As mentioned, Michael Rose, purely for the grand job he did in endeering himself upon us in last season's relegation campaign. Other than that, Andrew Bond caught my attention last season, Anthony Wordsworth tore us apart a couple of seasons ago and Ian Henderson is a player I'd happily have here.

8. What is your perception of Colchester United as a club?

I've always seen them as a family club to be honest and in terms of footballing ability, middle of the road.

9. Have you visited the Weston Homes before and what is your opinion/experiences of the stadium?

No, and other than tick off another of the 72/92, I never do want to. Typical soul-less new stadium in the middle of nowhere.

10. What do you think the score will be, and scorers (if any)?

Think we definitely have the potential to cause an upset but will lose 2-1.

[Batch]

1. Well that depends doesn't it? If we are going out to some non-league team its shit. If we are going out away at Fulham its a great day on the piss. If we go out to someone like Col U then its very much 'concentrate on the league' time!

2. Man U away please, preferably as a replay If you're going out, you may as well take a big gate receipt home in the back pocket.

3. To get promoted. And no they have not changed.

4. Matt Ritchie. if Rose plays then Ritchie will be the one turning him inside out. Actually I think the ball boy could do that too.

5. A footballing team with a strong spine.

6. Di Canio - had me worried for a bit but ever since "clarkgate" he's stuck two fingers up at my worries and we have hit a bit of form. Acting Chairman Wray: The whole team that took the club over during our darkest hour have been largely superb. Sure they have made mistakes - wearing white instead of the red kit at Wembley for instance , and I think they recognise that. The best thing is as a an I trust them 100% with the future of the club. A stark contrast to the previous regime.

7. (googles squad) - Other than Rose...Ashley Vincent and Steve Gillespie. They've played against us a few times while with Cheltenham. I think they'll provide a good test of our defence, a step up from recent opposition. Did I mention we've conceded just 3 times in our last 9 matches (all competitions). Go on tell me they are injured/suspended now...

8. Average with not much potential to rise through the leagues (no offence).

9. Never been, but I've played on grounds that are in the middle of nowhere during my local league days. Its a bit like that.

10. I'll be honest and say I haven't a clue. I think this game will be 10 times trickier than our last FA Cup game, a 4-1 demolition with 'Uddersfield. Head says loss, heart says 1-1 and a Tuesday night replay at a damp and cold County Ground - enjoy.

[Baggins]

Are you a fan of the FA Cup and is it a positive or negative distraction from the league?

 - I still love the FA cup - the outside possibility of a cup run and a big tie or two still gets me excited.

2. Who would you like to play in the 3rd Round should you progress?

 - Big team in the North West away.  I live not too far away, so Liverpool, Everton, either Manchester would be great.

3. What were your hopes and expectations for the season and have they changed?

 - Playoffs at a minimum - so far so good.

4. Who should we look out for in your present squad?

- I don't see many games in exile, but my familial scout tells me that Paul Caddis is improving all the time, and Matt Ritchie is always a threat.

5. How would you describe your current style of football, and are you happy with it?

 - We try to play through the midfield, with Simon Ferry running the show.

6. What do you think of your Manager and Chairman/ how the club is run?

- Di Canio seems to be doing well so far.  The people running the club have been superb since taking over.

7. What players from Col U are you aware of?

Rose - see comments above.  Vincent, Gillespie and Odejayi - all three have impressed me in the past.

8. What is your perception of Colchester United as a club?

Nice lower league club, friendly enough, never going to go much further than where they are now.

9. Have you visited the Weston Homes before and what is your opinion/experiences of the stadium?

 - No I've not visited, so I can't really give an opinion.  I do hope you like it, though.

10. What do you think the score will be, and scorers (if any)?

0-1.  Come on you reds!

[ColUDave]

Cracking replies lads.

Thanks a lot. Just need to proof read and add some pics and I'll post it up.

I have the same opinon about both Rose (not quite as extreme yet though) and also about our stadium. Better news for the stadium is that there are plans afoot to regenerate all the area surrounding around it, but when that happens god only knows. Talk of a few hotels, food/fast food chains and a park and ride to provide more parking. Still no pubs and still shocking grub at the ground (which we are complaining about) but at least the new junction is in place making it easy to access the ground and also the car park has been put right and stewards that no have been trained in traffic management making sure people get away as quick as possible.

Wish it could be like Chesterfields new ground. Absolutely cracking stadium and the best atmopshere I have come across from a modern ground. Got a feeling you are going to bypass them as they come back down though.

I do miss Layer Rd a hell of a lot, despite it being an utter shithole. Purely financial reasons and the clubs survival are the only reason we left and out of all the new grounds in the country our support is the only one to have gone backwards!