If you are having trouble viewing this email, please visit the copy held on our official site
   
  megacabin FCUM PINK fcumradio.co.uk  
Davies Consultancy

Thursday 21st October 2010
HISTORY AWAITS?

FC take on Barrow of the Blue Square Premier this Sunday afternoon at Gigg Lane in a 3.00 pm. kick off as the FA Cup once again takes centre stage and the giddyometer goes off the dial. A large travelling away support is expected as both teams go head to head for the possibility of a mouth watering first round proper tie against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton or Charlton Athletic on November 6th.

After three wins in a row including the 5-0 defeat of Newcastle Town in the FA Trophy last Saturday Margy is cautiously optimistic. "We had a great result against Newcastle last Saturday but for me the performance was the main thing. I was overjoyed really with the way it went. It’s always great to progress to the next round in a knockout competition but the appetite and endeavour that the players showed was fantastic. I’d been urging them to put that level of effort in and it’s good to see the lads responding. Even when we were four goals up our forwards were still closing defenders down and players were running fifty and sixty yards to put a tackle in. Footballers are always going to be out of form from time to time but if they put the work in like ours did on Saturday then you can never have any complaints. And when that effort comes with a performance to match then a team will always take some stopping."

"The response since the Mickleover defeat has been immense. We let the support down that day but since then the players have shown their mettle and the results have come. For the Ossett game they were on the front foot from the start, whilst the FA Cup game against Norton was a really tricky tie but despite going behind we still came away with a positive result. There was a change of luck with our equaliser and I said at the time that could be a turning point for us. You need the rub of the green at times and with results comes confidence. We’ve seen that in training and it’s something we’ll be working hard to keep going."

"We’re in for a very tough game against Barrow on Sunday. They might be struggling a little bit in the league but they’re the FA Trophy holders after beating the Conference champions Stevenage in the final back in May and they’ve reached the FA Cup Third Round for the last two years so will be looking to keep that run going. Obviously I used to play for Barrow and I think I’m on record as saying it’s the best club and best support that I played for but you’d have to go some way to beat the following we’ve got here. Our club is unique and I think Barrow will discover that on Sunday."

"Playing against a Conference side we can never say that we expect to win but if we’re up for it like we were last week then we’ll have a good chance. It’s not a game to be fearful of or apprehensive about. It’s a day we’ve got to embrace and go and enjoy - the First Round will look after itself. We all know what reaching that stage could mean for this club but that’s not something to burden the players with – it’s a big enough test for them already. I believe some of them could play in the Conference or even higher and I’ll be looking for them to show me that capability against Barrow.” “Jerome was magnificent last week and Norton continued his scoring run but I was delighted to see Deegan grab his hat-trick. If he could finish he’d be playing in the Premier League! He could’ve had about six and it was him who set the tone after about five minutes when he went and won a tackle in midfield. The effort he’s shown in training has been first rate after seeing his position under threat with the likes of Norton, Hurst and Little coming in. Hopefully he’ll build on that last week and go on to cement a place in the team, starting Sunday."

"I’d imagine Barrow will bring the biggest following we’ve seen at Gigg Lane and hopefully they’ll be shown that it’s a fruitless exercise trying to outsing our support. With your backing, a bit of luck and a lot of effort, hopefully the lads will have given us something to celebrate come 5pm on Sunday."

"Ben Degan - hat trick hero"
MINITHON MARVELS

Thank you to everybody who turned out for the Manchester FC Minithon last Sunday – which proved to be a great day out, and the best event yet with 150 FC, Rochdale Hornets, Mancunians RL supporters and players swarming through Chorlton Meadows. Over £10,000 has been raised or pledged by the participants to the Frost Foundation and FC United – a fantastic total.

A Big Thanks also goes to our Foreign Legions who participated in London, Brighton, Dubai, Los Angeles, Boston and Sidney.

In Manchester, coach, Roy Soule, put the participants through a warm up exercise before the start of the Minithon. Afterwards, manager, Margy, awarded the Best Dressed Branch prize to Trafford, whilst the Stockport Scousers won the Best Headgear award. Amy Winehouse won Best Dressed Female and Best Dressed Male was Mustapha Ground.

Joshia Lowe was first home in a world record FC 5k Minithon time of 17 minutes and 56 seconds, whilst Carlos Roca (20:42) in 5th, was the fastest player. Young Michael Burtonwood (22:09) in 6th, won the fastest male junior for the 2nd year running, Brigid Corrigan (27:02) won the fastest female and Rebecca Wolfenden (29:39) was fastest female junior. Nick Wolfenden and dog, Ole, scorched the course to secure a Minithon record (24.40) for fastest dog and owner.

In Morden, AFC Wimbledon had 80 supporters and playing staff on their Minithon. They read out a cheeky message from Margy and sent their thanks to FC United for getting them involved.

Pictures of the afternoon can be found here.

Get yourself to that football ground, FC United V Barrow, FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round, Gigg Lane, SUNDAY, 24th October, kick off 3.00 pm.


BARROW KIDD

FC United’s FA Cup clash with Barrow on Sunday brings to mind the current Assistant Manager of Manchester City. Brian Kidd, hero of both Reds and Blues in his time, cut his managerial teeth at the Cumbrian Club for six months in the 1984-85 season.

Kidd enjoyed his finest moment in the game soon after it started, playing and scoring in the 1968 European Cup Final success against Benfica, on his 19th Birthday. In 1970 Sir Alf Ramsey capped him twice for England, the young Mancunian scoring against Ecuador. . But the decline of Manchester United in the early 1970’s hampered his development, and when United were relegated in 1974 the Collyhurst-born striker moved to Arsenal.

The Gunners were a club in transition at that time, and Kidd gladly agreed to a move to Manchester City in 1976, scoring more than 50 goals for the Blues, just as he had done for the Reds. Derby matches were always big occasions for him. In a famous FA Cup 4th Round tie at Old Trafford in January 1970, Kidd scored twice in a 3-0 victory, racing half the half of the pitch to lob keeper Ken Mulhearn in front of a pulsating Stretford End for his first goal. In September 1977, the boot was on the other foot as he netted twice for City against United at Maine Road.

Kidd never got to win an FA Cup Winners medal, reaching the Semi-Finals with United in 1970 and Everton. However as Assistant manager to Alex Ferguson he won the trophy at Wembley in 1994 and 1996, both of these ‘Double’ seasons for United.

His coaching career has included being England Assistant manager when Sven-Goran Eriksson was in charge, but his era working his Ferguson between 1991 and 1998 will be remembered most. Brian’s current role assisting Roberto Mancini at Manchester City squares the circle for the man who has played for and coached both Youth Team and Seniors at both powerhouses of Manchester football.

The Most Important Cup Tie?

In our short 5 and a half year history we have had some exciting and important cup ties along the way. Who can forget the North West Counties Football League Cup Final at the end of our second season as we came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 against Curzon Ashton on their home ground to do the Double?

Earlier that same season we played our first match in an FA competition – The FA Vase – at Brodsworth Miners Welfare, running out 3-1 winners. Subsequent games against Salford at the Willows, winning 3-2, and finally losing at home to Quorn after going down to nine men are already part of our rich history to be retold around a blazing fire on a cold winters night.

The following season we played our first ever FA Cup tie, away to Trafford, winning 5-2 at Altincham’s Moss Lane ground and last season we had the drama of a 3-3 draw in the FA Cup 3rd qualifying round at home to Stalybridge before beating them 1-0 on their own ground with a stunning strike from Jerome Wright. That win set up a 4th Round Qualifying tie away to Northwich Victoria with the winners already knowing that they would be at home to Charlton Athletic in the first round proper.

Despite a passionate crowd urging the players on FC lost the tie 3-0, a scoreline that flattered Northwich, from which the victors went on to beat Charlton before narrowly losing to Lincoln City in the next round.

FC now prepare to meet Barrow in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round at home on Sunday with a prize of the first round proper awaiting the winners. Barrow are the highest ranked club that FC have played in a competitive match and are the current FA Trophy holders. They are one of Margy’s former clubs and they will be bringing probably the largest travelling support to Gigg Lane for an FC game.

Is it our biggest ever cup tie? I’ll tell you after Sunday.

SUNDAY 24TH OCTOBER KICK-OFF 3pm - ADULTS £8, UNDER 18s £2, OVER 60s £5