[Archived] Accrington Stanley 0 Blackburn Rovers 3

[Wolverine]

It's football time again folks, and here's the first preview of the season. Thought it would be best to go first as there is no act to follow..!

Pre Amble and History (aka: the obligatory boring bit)

There are genuinely few footballing teams as widely known as Accrington Stanley, as I am sure anyone living in Accrington will tell you. It doesn’t matter where in the world I go, whoever I inform that I am from Accrington, their reply is predictably ‘Accrington Stanley???…Who are they?’. While this can get a little annoying, you have to reflect on the fact that this makes Stanley perhaps the most famous team in their league.

Accy Stanley have also managed the unthinkable, with numerous Rovers and Dingle fans alike listing them as their ‘second team’. I think it’s safe to say that Accrington Stanley have at the very least got a national reputation for being the plucky underdogs.

How fitting, then, that the club regained their league status over Easter with a 1-0 win against Woking. The win signalled the end of a 44-year wait for league football at Stanley. It wasn’t an easy journey, though…

It was only in 1995 that Eric Whalley took control of the club, redeveloping the ground. Relegation in 1999 to the Northern Division One was a low point, but resulted in the appointment of John Coleman as club manager.

Under Coleman, the club were promoted back into the Northern Premier League in 2000, and more good news came when Southampton signed Brett Ormerod from Blackpool in December 2001. Thanks to a sell on clause, Stanley received a cash injection, vastly helping their bid for promotion to the conference, which they achieved in 2003.

The fans' sights were then set on a return to the league, though many critics questioned if a tem that had been promoted twice in three years could ‘cut it’ in the conference. The team responded by managing a very respectable 10th place for two years running. In their third season, they finished in first place – a third promotion in just six years! The town was ecstatic and even the media finally managed to find time to praise their efforts.

Here and Now

All this recent success has left the town with a general feeling of confidence. In fact, a quick check at Ladbrokes shows that Stanley are 7/2 for promotion again, and 16/1 for winning the Coca Cola League Two!

I won’t lie, I like Accrington Stanley. Had they managed to beat the dingle’s (which they came close to), I would even love them! But what of their current team and line up?

Andrew Todd finalised his move to Stanley after impressing on loan last season. Ivory Coast Under 21s defender Julien N'Da could be one to watch this season, as is former Fulham midfielder Sean Doherty.

Left winger Gary Roberts’ future is in doubt, with Coleman admitting on Radio Lancs that the player doesn’t want to stay. He has been linked with a move to Yeovil. Worryingly for the club, there seems to be a gaping hole in the nets as they are struggling to sign a goalkeeper. They may have to rely on Robert Elliot who is currently on loan from Charlton, or Aaron Ratchford who does not seem up to the job.

I would expect Stanley to line up with a similar team that started with the dingles, which was: Rob Elliot, Danny Ventre, Phil Edwards (who signed from Wigan in the January transfer window), Michael Welch, Julien N'Da, Simieon Howell, Chris Sargeant, David Brown, Andy Mangan, Jason Walker, Gary Roberts

They then changed line ups for the second half: Aaron Ratchford, Peter Cavanagh, Robbie Williams, Ashley Foyle, Leam Richardson, Andy Todd, Ian Craney, Andy Procter, Sean Doherty, Romuald Boco, Neil Smith

The Match (with scientific predictive analysis)

This is a game I have been looking forward to for a long time, and I am expecting Accy to give us a good game, and prove they are up for the challenge of promotion. I am also looking for Rovers to give a clear indication of intent. This is a chance for the likes of Jeffers and Emerton to knuckle down and play. I can but hope…

Now, according to my scientific predictive analysis (Football Manager 2006), you can expect to see Rovers win 3-1 (Kuqi, Jeffers and J Roberts for Rovers, Walker for Stanley), yellow cards for Savage, Todd, Jeffers, N’Da and G Roberts, a red for Neill, resulting in a three month injury for G Roberts, and Peter to be Man of the Match. (Added colours to avoid name confusion!).

The Location and Stuff

Directions to the ground can be found at http://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/index.php/club/ground.

The nearest drinking hole is the Crown Pub, which I can vouch as being a fine establishment. In fact I will likely be in there with my dad prior to the game (taking him for his birthday). Another decent place is the Greyhound (at the crossroads of Whalley Rd and Church lane).

Remember it is all ticket, costing £10 per adult and £5 juniors, students and senior citizens, from either Rovers ticket office, or Stanley ticket office.

NOTE: There have been a couple of rumblings on this site that dingle fans will be looking to cause trouble with Rovers fans, but remember:

1: It is a night game so most of the dingle fans will be in bed by then.

2: A dingle can easily be confused when encountered, through the use of a rubiks cube (pretty colours) or a hand held radio (a magic talking box).

3: All dingles are allergic to soap, and melt on contact with water. Fact.

4: If all else fails, wear a badge saying ‘incapacity benefit inspector’ and they will run a mile.

There you go - enjoy the game, I know I will.

Edited July 17, 2006 by Wolverine

[Ozz]

Excellent work.

[Eddie]

Nice little preview.

You must have an odd version of FM though, you have Roberts being injured by Neill (who is then sent off) and Brown (as in our keeper?) scoring.

[Presty On Tour]

well good preview wolverine, nice one.

the dingle info toped it for me!

i have no idea what strength side hughes will pick but i can't see us losing whatever team hits the park on wednesday night.

2-0 win to rovers.

[Wolverine]

Nice little preview.

You must have an odd version of FM though, you have Roberts being injured by Neill (who is then sent off) and Brown (as in our keeper?) scoring.

Gary Roberts was injured for Stanley, but I made a mistake with Brown, I meant our Roberts!

Glad you pointed that out, will amend it!

[Eddie]

Ah ok, makes sense, don't need to really, just thought you might be using some strange tactics.

[Wolverine]

Ah ok, makes sense, don't need to really, just thought you might be using some strange tactics.

Oh don't worry - I often do use some very odd tactics

[philipl]

Its great to welcome Stanley back- I can remember them falling out of the League but never being in it. Being a Darrener, it always seemed fair dos that Accy had the same status as the Anchormen.

Anyway, I'll just be glad to see the back of this one with no trouble in the ground or the town and no injuries to the players.

Pre-season, sub 100% fitness, over-enthusiastic local clogger opposition- the odds on a Rover player being out for months after this one are distressingly high.

Probably a poor match and a meaningless result. One of the two Rovers' sides will probably muster a win.

Jeffers to be the new saviour or the most useless wearer of the shirt since McKinnon depending on how he handles the five to ten touches of the ball he gets.

[Hughesy]

5 - 1 rovers. Roberts 2, Kuqi 1, Pedersen 1, Reid 1

[SAS]

i reckon accy will be going full blood to win this, which could be risky

[mode_m]

Great preview, I wish I could attend this game. I watched Stanley play a few years back and I think watching Rovers on those grounds would be amazing as the players are pretty much within reaching distance.

[arealbrfcfan]

Is anyone from Manchester thinking driving up to this? if so let me know (PM me).

I'm assuming it should be okay to just grab a ticket on door now? .....yes?

Edited July 18, 2006 by starscascade

[bringdunnback]

hey, this may be a stupid question but what does 'all-ticket' mean?

[Rovers Air Force]

Absolutly gutted I'm going to miss this game! been stuck on night shift since last Thursday...(I'll leave you to guess why), I had leave booked and every thing!

I don't even think that the computer in work will let me log-on to rovers world!

I think we will play 2 different teams each half, so it'll be the seasons first team then the reserves...

ROVERS 3(2) - 1(1) Accrington Stanley.

Have a pint or 5 for me guys!

hey, this may be a stupid question but what does 'all-ticket' mean?

It means you can only get in if you have bought a ticket...and none will be on sale at the game...meaning you can't just pich up 5 mins before kick off and get one/in.

[1864roverite]

2-0 ROVERS

[Wolverine]

Tickets should be available up til kick off apparently... But only at Accy. Get thereearly to avoid the queues and get in the Coppice end

[Modi]

COMING SOON...

BRFCS PRESENTS:

ACCRINGTON STANLEY vs BLACKBURN ROVERS

in glorious glenn-o-vision

[RevidgeBlue]

Tickets should be available up til kick off apparently... But only at Accy. Get thereearly to avoid the queues and get in the Coppice end

I was thinking this afternoon of going along at the last minute but was told from a couple of different sources it was sold out?

[greggyk]

did lee not say yesterday, there would be RoversWorld commentary for the match?

[Modi]

did lee not say yesterday, there would be RoversWorld commentary for the match?

Why listen to roversworld when you can have me typing up texts that Glenn sends through?

If nothing else, it'll be entertaining to see how inaccurate his goalscorers are !

[greggyk]

Im guessing there will a lot of "Roberts has scored!"

"No, make that Mokoena"

In a stereotypical Motty moment

[Modi]

Im guessing there will a lot of "Roberts has scored!"

"No, make that Mokoena"

In a stereotypical Motty moment

Knowing the quality of these transcripts we've done in the past is more likely to be "Jeffers is totally unmarked in the box, he scores! " Five minutes later, "sorry it was Mokonea scoring an own goal"

[Blackpool_Rover]

agathe playing

todd captain, mickey gray, didnt catch other defender

gally, bentley, savage, pedersen

roberts jeffers

Edited July 19, 2006 by Blackpool_Rover

[greggyk]

Freidel, Agathe, Todd, Khizanishvili, Gray, Gallagher, Bentley, Savage, Pedersen, Jeffers, Roberts. Subs: Brown, Tugay, Matteo, Mokoena, Kuqi, Derbyshire, Peter, Douglas, Taylor.

[Florida Rover]

C'mon Glenn,where are those texts?they been playing for ten minutes already!