FC United of Manchester are a well-known non league club formed as a result of the sale of Manchester United to the Glazier family which was deeply unpopular with the traditional supporters. So there is a great deal of respect for them from the old-fashioned home-town football fans, like us. Unlike Wimbledon, whose origins were similar, they have not progressed into the Football League - yet.
If we did lose, the outside world would focus on the winners and soon forget about us. So, in a sense, aside from our own embarrassment, there will be general celebration.
Often the non-league side pile on the early pressure, but that is our style too, so two teams with that same strategy equals an exciting spectacle.
We could be without Sims whose loan does not currently extend beyond 2020 I believe, but Matt Smith is at the club for the whole season, as are the rest of the loanees I believe.
I can’t remember any cup losses against non league sides in recent years, but unlike this one, our matches have been largely fought out away from any major publicity. The BBC will focus on and be rooting for our opponents, consistent with their policy on these occasions, so we will not enjoy the commentary.
Darren Moore is self isolating, so Andy Butler will be taking his place in training and on the touch line, but you would assume there will be consultation.
It goes without saying that we ought to win based on the quality of our team. I’ll say 1-4 and Anderson with the first goal.
Incidentally Brian Stock is now the manager of Weymouth FC; I wish him well.
DPL v FC United of Manchester
posted on 7/11/20
Mancs 0-4 Rovers
Okenabirhie to score.
TV reserved 👍
posted on 7/11/20
Some banana skins have happen so far although by teams that have played in the league, with some more possible in games playing extra time. Hope we do not add to it! Interesting starting line-up with Jones being given a game before Bursik goes with the England team.
Donaldo, Terry Paine was one of my favorites - even have a photo of him I took during a game. They certainly havre had some good players - I'd forgotten about Mick Channon. Their academy has produced many that have reached stardom elsewhere as well.
posted on 7/11/20
2-0 to the rovers - sims with first
posted on 7/11/20
Job done👍
posted on 8/11/20
A job well done to avoid a banana-skin. Some surprises in the results such as Sunderland!
I see Liam Ravenhill's Dad (Copps age) is still playing in the Northern League Premier Division. Amazing for Copps to be replaced by someone whose father played with Copps! Talk about handing down the torch - I love it!
On a completely different subject - VAR. Did any of you see on highlights Bamford's disallowed goal for offside for Leeds? According to the Beeb analysis the fact the top of his arm was "offside" and it is not hand ball if the ball hits it, so it is a "scoring part of your body", and so the decision was correct. How crazy can "o jogo bonito" get?
posted on 8/11/20
Sims did not have his best ever game by any means, but his dynamism was the main key to the 1st half performance. Copps passing accuracy was around 20%, but at least the set-up was better with Wright just defending.
2 well-respected Sky Sports pundits were incredulous over the Bamford “goal”.
Technology may suit tennis and cricket and it’s a pity that the advocates of its use in football did not conduct a better analysis of its consequences. When rules require interpretation, marginal decisions arise and some will rightly appear perverse. How you say in Portuguese???
posted on 8/11/20
Not the hardest of tests for Rovers. Its the first full match Ive watched this season. A few things stood out. The back four is a sound unit but susceptable to being caught in possession when playing it across the back. I like both James and Halliday as wing backs but Halliday needs cover and James needs to calm things down a bit. Sims and Whiteman a class above this level. Williams needs more time to fit it. Not quite sharp enough at the moment. Copps definately not a first choice anymore. Smith hard worker and some good passes. Oke is OK but should score more than he does. Id worry if Jones was first pick goalie. Then what do I know. Great experience for Butler.
posted on 9/11/20
Donaldo, I spent 7 years travelling to South America, and so to me I was using Brasilian Portuguese! (down there it is Brasil, not Brazil). I went to a few games at the Maracana Stadium - way before it was modernised for the World Cup (I think it is somewhat derelict now for lack of money). Back then it was supposed to hold 200,000 and one game I attended with a few other Europeans from my hotel the official crowd was 172,000+. I just do not know where they would put the other 28,000. Some people had taken our reserved seats, and a local said "just take someone else's! It was a great experience - a moat and a barbed wire fence between crowd and the pitch, and plenty of fireworks and flares. It was the semi-final of their Cup, and the football was quite good as well!
posted on 12/11/20
The loss to Wolves U21s was directly attributable to Cameron John’s failure to control a long ball which he foolishly tried to bring down with a high boot on his favoured left foot when he should have headed it or used the more logical right foot.
It reminded me of James’s failure as the last defender vs FC United.
Neither was excusable. They just can’t be relied on as the last line of defence and a someone more competent is needed in future.
Butler, who saw the same thing happen in Manchester, should have recognised the potential problem.
posted on 20/11/20
I read somewhere that Okenabirhie's shooting accuracy was very high and although some (including me) have lost a little faith in him, 3 of our number were rewarded. We all predicted a win, but underestimated the margin, perhaps failing to recognise the considerable gulf in abilities.
FC United of Manchester 1 : Rovers 5 (Okenabirhie)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result > Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 20 >>>>>> 23
PDXMickey> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 7 >>>>> 16 >>>>>> 23
Yorks Lad>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>>> 0
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 13 >>>>>> 13
Crazy>>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>> 15 >>>>> 22
Uthred>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Mooligan>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 7 >>>>> 14 >>>>>> 21
King Chmprr 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Small Azza> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Azza>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Cheltenham 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>> 16 >>>>> 19
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 10 >>>>> 13
Lanza>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 12 >>>>> 0 >>>> 18 >>>> 0 >>>> 30 >>> 104 >>>> 134