The Season Starts! – Interview with a Woking FC fan
August 8, 2012 by billthered
Wrexham vs Woking – Saturday 11th August
It’s snuck up on us (well me anyway), but the 2012/13 season is already upon us. With the Euro’s not long finished, and the Olympic football still on, for once football seems to have been on our screens all summer. But after just 3 months of waiting, we finally return to the Racecourse for our first game against Woking FC.
Match Preview
I want to preface this preview with a confession. This year I have completely avoided all preseason hype. I’ve barely read the main forum of Red Passion, not gone to a single friendly game and been on holiday for weeks at the end of July, which plugged the usual football gap.
The main thing I have been looking forward to is the return of the 3 Adidas stripes to our kit, which says a lot considering I’m usually tearing my hair out with anticipation at this point. I don’t know whether it was the disappointment of the end of last season that has cause my apathy, or the aforementioned international tournaments, but perhaps an opening league clash against Woking FC will remedy that for me!
Prediction and Attendance
Woking FC, last years winners of the Blue Square Bet South, will be a tough test. They will be more than up for it and the opening game of the season is always a bit of a wildcard. Form hasn’t been found yet, new signings may not have gelled yet and surprise results often happen.
Every team wants to get off to a good start, but it’s easy to argue that the season is never won or lost in those first few weeks.
As we’ve seen over recent years though, we always fare alright on the first game of the season so I’m hoping for a 2-0 victory on the day.
With nothing clashing with the opening day this year, I can see there being at least 4,000-4,400 reds at the match. I honestly couldn’t say how much Woking will bring so I’m going to hazard a guess at 4,572.
Likely Starting XI
Mayebi
Walker —– Riley ————- Creighton—– Ashton
Clarke
Keates ——————— Harris
Ormerod ————————————————— Wright
Ogleby
In all honesty, I’m not really basing this on anything. Like I said I’ve not been to any of the pre-season friendlies so don’t really know how it will go. There seems to be a lot of good comments about Ogleby’s form so he will most likely start. Ormerod and Wright are really our only other two senior strikers (apart from Morrell who I think will try to take a back seat from playing this year) so they have to start.
In midfield, I think Morrell will want to go with a solid midfield to start with. He has previously said Glen Little brings an imbalance to the midfield, and although I’m sure we’ll see him at some point in the game I think that will be off the bench. This midfield set up would allow for Walker to play at right back and play a more attacking role, similarly to how we used Obeng last year.
As for the Riley/Westwood argument- who knows? Perhaps Morrell has brought Riley in and signed Stephen Wright as a centre back with a view to play Westwood as a DM. He played this role effectively a few times towards the end of last year so it’s always an option. As it stands, Riley and Creighton know each other so I can see Andy and Billy wanting them to form a partnership again for the season.
Interview with a Woking Fan
We asked Woking FC fan Adam Lead to give us a quick run down on his club ahead of our opening clash. Here’s what he had to say!
1. Some of our fans may not be familiar with your recent history, could you give us a quick run down of the last couple of seasons?
In our first season in the Blue Square South (after being relegated from the BSP in 2009), we made the Fa Cup first round and play-off final losing 1-0 to Bath. Losing, may or may not have been for the better, many have different views. In 2010-11 we took Brighton and Hove Albion to an Fa Cup replay in the first round, losing on penalties and again failed at securing a play off win, being knocked out by Farnborough in the Semi-finals. On the third time of asking, we won the Blue Square South division narrowly pipping Dartford.
2. It’s been a couple of years since you’ve played in the conference now, how does it feel to be back?
Three to be precise and it’s three years too long! It’s been fantastic going to smaller, closer grounds and enjoying the comfort of non segregation, but playing at huge grounds like the Racecourse, Edgeley Park and Field Mill is something a smaller club like ourselves will always relish. Being a ‘big fish in a small pond’ in the Blue Square South, smaller teams always have a tendency to smash and grab, and I’m sure on many occasion we will look to do that this season.
3. You went down during our first year here, did you manage to come to the racecourse that year? Are you coming up for the opening game?
Yes and yes. Been looking forward to it since the beginning of July, lets hope it won’t be a wasted journey!
4. How do you think you will do this Saturday? Do you fancy your chances?
Seeing your squad and the great season you had last season, I get the feeling it’ll be a very tough match. Garry Hill will send our lot out very disciplined and hard to break down. I’ll be optimistic and go for a 1-1 draw like our last visit.
5. What would you say is your club’s aim this season and do you think you can achieve it?
To quite simply avoid relegation. Anything more is a bonus. I think we can. It’s nice to be able to rely on a good management team and squad, unlike the last time we were up here. A few supporters on our forum seem to think we’ll get in the play-offs, but we shall see!
6. Who do you think will be your key player(s)?
3 key players for us IMO.
Mark Ricketts (DM) – our captain. Loves a tackle and a well respected leader within our team.
Adam Newton(RB) – Vice Captain. An experienced Blue Square Premier defender, which will stand us in good stead this season.
Kevin Betsy (RM) – One to look out for. Another experienced player and will relish playing against better opponents this season. Great Dribbler of the ball and loves running at players.
7. If you could have any one player from another team, who will it be?
Suppose I would have to go with Jon Shaw of Luton as he’s last seasons top goalscorer!
8. Who do you think will be promoted this year? And if you don’t think Wrexham, how do you reckon we will fare?
You guys exceeded my expectations last season after various money troubles I had seen a few seasons back. I think you will have another good season, but it will be very hard to stop Luton Town from winning the division. Grimsby Town will be up there also.
Thanks again to Adam for the interview, you can follow him on twitter at @Lumpymash. Let’s just hope his 1-1 predicition is wrong and we can get off to a winning start at the Racecourse this Saturday.
COYR!!
BillTheRed – @billycoch