CTFC v Forest Green Rovers and OTC 29th December 2018

[theidlerich]

CTFC v Forest Green Rovers and OTC 29th December 2018

5 things I leant vs MKDons [with apologies to JP].

1 – I don’t always agree with the MoM – Alex the tich Addai should have been awarded that. I do not recollect the CF standing as to a man for the sub; richly deserved.
2 – I must improve on my predictions for the NY resolutions and be less pessimistic.
3 – When our main attacking force is injured that doesn’t mean we have no attacking force.
4 – Mike Duff is learning fast.
And finally….
5 – the officials are not always complete idiots , blind, deaf and devoid of intelligent life.

So to FGR; they are riding high, although a red card helped; so I will go for a draw at 2 – 2 with anyone from eight to score so I’ll guess Addai.

[posted on the chat thread (I can’t moderate here; not allowed or banned!!) Red Duke – 0/0/0=0 and Andy 5/0/0=5 scored]

[Shade]

I'd just point out that Varney wasn't injured (or did you mean Broom?), and the ref was still far from good. He didn't give anything for pushing all afternoon, he must have decided beforehand to only give free kicks for trips, and we should have had a free kick just before they scored for one of our players being pushed under a header. MD obviously agreed as he was promptly booked before the restart.

[The Old TomCat]

Robin’s Nest Prediction League Champion 2017-18.

ps Update: Cheltenham's biggest home victory of season: Cheltenham 3-1 MK Dons
pps Seasonal Greeting to all on Robin's Nest: friend and foe

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Why have you included attendances at Stadium MK and Sincil Bank in a preview for CTFC vs FGR?

[The Old TomCat]

Why have you included attendances at Stadium MK and Sincil Bank in a preview for CTFC vs FGR?

Gamesmanship

[Lord Elpuz]

Why have you included attendances at Stadium MK and Sincil Bank in a preview for CTFC vs FGR?

It would have been a lot more meaningful if he’d said that Sincil Bank was the largest crowd to have enjoyed a FGR defeat

[The Old TomCat]

Why have you included attendances at Stadium MK and Sincil Bank in a preview for CTFC vs FGR?

It would have been a lot more meaningful if he’d said that Sincil Bank was the largest crowd to have enjoyed a FGR defeat

Seasons Greetings to you Lord E.

If you had checked above before reply you'd have noticed that I did exactly that.
Read line that ends with biggest away crowd that FGR have played this season.

Your New Year resolution should be "Must try harder"

[drgm]

The village idiot returns

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

What OTC’s home and away form tables do lay bare is just how dire our home results have been. This is very relevant to the attendances thread.

Three home wins on the bounce is obviously a transformation, but with no wins in nine at home before that this season, is it any wonder people don’t come to games.

A long home wining or unbeaten run now may help boost supporter numbers come the last few games and in to next season.

[Lord Elpuz]

Why have you included attendances at Stadium MK and Sincil Bank in a preview for CTFC vs FGR?

It would have been a lot more meaningful if he’d said that Sincil Bank was the largest crowd to have enjoyed a FGR defeat

Seasons Greetings to you Lord E.

If you had checked above before reply you'd have noticed that I did exactly that.
Read line that ends with biggest away crowd that FGR have played this season.

Your New Year resolution should be "Must try harder"

And “Grease On Seatings” to you too OTC. My New Year Resolution is to see FGR drop with a big bump; they probably won’t need to rely on the greasy seatings, either

[The Old TomCat]

The village idiot returns

Remember the GOTCHA, remember the GOTCHA.
Showed that one village idiot is brighter than all you townies.

[The Old TomCat]

What OTC’s home and away form tables do lay bare is just how dire our home results have been. This is very relevant to the attendances thread.

Three home wins on the bounce is obviously a transformation, but with no wins in nine at home before that this season, is it any wonder people don’t come to games.

A long home wining or unbeaten run now may help boost supporter numbers come the last few games and in to next season.

Where it is sad for both our clubs is that even combined our attendances would be less than others like Lincoln.

[The Old TomCat]

And “Grease On Seatings” to you too OTC. My New Year Resolution is to see FGR drop with a big bump; they probably won’t need to rely on the greasy seatings, either

That seems to be more of a Wish List rather than resolution.
Lord E, you really must 'try harder'

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

May the best team win OTC.

A big game for both sides. Although now it’s clear CTFC are not a relegation side I would say FGR need the points more; a loss could be a blow to FGR promotion hopes but a loss for CTFC will be immaterial in the end, just affecting which mid-table place we finish in.

Good luck on your quest and journey which increasingly looks more and more like that of Rushden & Diamonds. Be good to have a Shire side in L1 next season - even if you are just keeping the seat warm until Duff’s Robins establish themselves at that level.

Hope the travelling fans enjoy it, assuming they can actually get hold their tickets they have bought. This thread on the FGR forum suggesting the ticket sale and delivery procedure has been comical. Guess that’s what happens when you close the ticket office and get energy supplier call centre staff to do it: http://forum.fgrfc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 753fcc37ad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Lord Elpuz]

OTC - if you really were that smart, and wanted any credibility, you’d have changed your Power supplier to Exotricity by now. Your endless sucking up to Dale Vince is rather like your puerile postings on our Forum, just a complete sham.

Now, run along old boy. And don’t forget to collect your Zimmer on the way out.

[Chris FGR]

Both teams in good form, so hopefully this game will be a bit better then the last few. Also hopefully no more dickheadedness from either teams set of 12 year old green street wannabes been some cringeworthy stuff these last couple of times. This isn't a heated rivalry, it's a local game worthy of a bit of banter nothing more lets not pretend different.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Both teams in good form, so hopefully this game will be a bit better then the last few. Also hopefully no more dickheadedness from either teams set of 12 year old green street wannabes been some cringeworthy stuff these last couple of times. This isn't a heated rivalry, it's a local game worthy of a bit of banter nothing more lets not pretend different.

Hopefully Glos Constabulary are proactive and stop your muppets from travelling down the A46.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

May the best team win OTC.

A big game for both sides. Although now it’s clear CTFC are not a relegation side I would say FGR need the points more; a loss could be a blow to FGR promotion hopes but a loss for CTFC will be immaterial in the end, just affecting which mid-table place we finish in.

Good luck on your quest and journey which increasingly looks more and more like that of Rushden & Diamonds. Be good to have a Shire side in L1 next season - even if you are just keeping the seat warm until Duff’s Robins establish themselves at that level.

Hope the travelling fans enjoy it, assuming they can actually get hold their tickets they have bought. This thread on the FGR forum suggesting the ticket sale and delivery procedure has been comical. Guess that’s what happens when you close the ticket office and get energy supplier call centre staff to do it: http://forum.fgrfc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 753fcc37ad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some more tales of woe below from FGR supporters struggling to get hold of tickets they have paid for. I said when it happened that closing the ticket office and selling tickets from Ecotricity offices would be a mess: a mess they are now trying to shift to WR carpark.

“I've phoned to earlier to ask what the tracking number was for the order that I'd paid for and was told it was a website mistake and delivery was never an option!!!! Tickets will be collect on the day from CTFC. I was then told I'd be reimbursed the postage costs! I wonder if that would have been done had I not phoned up!
Rubbish service, they should have contacted me and everyone else who bought tickets expecting delivery once they realised their error!
Very poor Forest Green.”

———

“I’m not sure why it is all ticketed (unless the police insisted?) but given that they want maximum support as Mark Cooper keeps asking for, why have they made it so difficult to get tickets? The ticket office at New Lawn now only opens on match day and the Stroud town ticket office at EcoTricity has been closed since last Friday until after the New Year. So how are fans supposed to get tickets in advance (even having ordered them online?) . The receipts say collect from Ecotricity (even though they are closed) The ticket line eventually answered and said that was a mistake and they had put that message out ... but where.... not on the website or SNJ ... or this forum. I can only imagine the queues and chaos at the CTFC box office on Saturday.”

———

My favourite:

“Wake up FGR, we are making another terrible mistake with this one, ordered tickets on 10th Dec, paid for Royal Mail delivery, heard nothing, asked for advise, heard nothing, when i contacted them today told that had to pick up tickets from CT ticket office and postage option never on cards, where was, and why was this information not posted in media? Terrible!! Rang FGR to ask if we could collect tickets from reception, told they were with Cheltenham already, so rang CT ticket office to ask if we could collect tickets from them today, they told us FGR had not sent tickets yet!!!

What the hell is going on? Now we are told we have to run the gauntlet of pee taking Chelt fans, who will already know of this shambles! to collect tickets from their ticket office on day? Thats really sensible considering the history we have, do police know? Joke!!

FGR should send staff to away entrance to hand out tickets in person to those expected to collect on day as punishment for poor communications, poor forethought and total footballing ignorance!!”

[Chris FGR]

Utter shambles. Maybe closing our ticket office wasn't such a good idea afterall. Who knew?

Not sure why this is all ticket btw

[Southstander]

Really dumb decision to make this all ticket, I would guess what with this and our ticketing fiasco it will knock around 150 off our following. As for our muppets RCS maybe you should walk past the welcoming committee outside the Sudeley Arms anytime between 2-2.45 or be at the away exit after the game to see real moronic behaviour.

[Ben3]

I think we insisted on making it all ticket because, according to OTC's attendance stats, we will be getting 17,000 fans through the gate due to FGRs amazing following

Seriously - I expect about 400 FGR fans to make the journey from Bristol, topped up by 250 Ecotricity employees who will be sacked if they don't attend. They'll probably be sacked anyway, to allow Vince to spend in the January window.

I think we'll stick 4 past them. They are a poor side, any team with Winnie in will NOT be promoted, I guess he'll be dropped to right back soon as per. He's a lower-league two player and will take FGR there if they insist on keep picking him. My money is on him being a "fans favourite" at FGR...he wouldn't get in our first 14 would he?

What is more interesting is whether FGR will finish above us this season. I doubt it, but current form suggests they will. They will have their annual combustion (they managed to lose the conference about 25 years in a row ) but even with that we have a lot of distance to make up. Especuially as Vince will try to buy his way up in January. If I was a betting man I'd say we are slight favourites to finish higher, but this year it is an interesting race

[Ben3]

Hahahahaha the normal nonsense from the circus on the hill. Their big day out is confusing a lot of them (I love the bit about electronic tickets, bearing in mind when we visited them I was given a wrist band after all the electronic nonsense )

They really are a treat aren't they? Where did our entertainment come from before Dale took this shower on?

http://forum.fgrfc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 3e9d87a998" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ben3]

Oooooh - they are getting angry now! Hahahahahahahaha http://forum.fgrfc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 3e9d87a998" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(BTW I think Phil Mitchell is the bald baby-looking bloke who accidentally fell on our pitch. It was a simple matter of science - once his belly had entered the field of play momentum took hold and he, his bottle and his nappy came tumbling after. Despite losing it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen, I do hope he attends again. He is SUCH FUN!)

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

I think we insisted on making it all ticket because, according to OTC's attendance stats, we will be getting 17,000 fans through the gate due to FGRs amazing following

Seriously - I expect about 400 FGR fans to make the journey from Bristol, topped up by 250 Ecotricity employees who will be sacked if they don't attend. They'll probably be sacked anyway, to allow Vince to spend in the January window.

I think we'll stick 4 past them. They are a poor side, any team with Winnie in will NOT be promoted, I guess he'll be dropped to right back soon as per. He's a lower-league two player and will take FGR there if they insist on keep picking him. My money is on him being a "fans favourite" at FGR...he wouldn't get in our first 14 would he?

What is more interesting is whether FGR will finish above us this season. I doubt it, but current form suggests they will. They will have their annual combustion (they managed to lose the conference about 25 years in a row ) but even with that we have a lot of distance to make up. Especuially as Vince will try to buy his way up in January. If I was a betting man I'd say we are slight favourites to finish higher, but this year it is an interesting race

If Winnie is at RB facing up to Addai!!

Could be the first time we see an opponent break down in tears and ask to be substituted.

[King giraffe iii]

Oooooh - they are getting angry now! Hahahahahahahaha http://forum.fgrfc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 3e9d87a998" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(BTW I think Phil Mitchell is the bald baby-looking bloke who accidentally fell on our pitch. It was a simple matter of science - once his belly had entered the field of play momentum took hold and he, his bottle and his nappy came tumbling after. Despite losing it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen, I do hope he attends again. He is SUCH FUN!)

Nah, that's not PM. P started watching FGR as a kid and has always been at matches since the mid-1990s.

As for Winchester, he's very much in midfield. Our biggest problem will be that we're missing Digby in one of the defensive midfield berths.

[asl]

Oooooh - they are getting angry now! Hahahahahahahaha http://forum.fgrfc.net/viewtopic.php?f= ... 3e9d87a998" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[shrug] Looks very similar to a lot of threads on the Nest, if you ask me...

[The Old TomCat]

Nesters,

I must give you credit: This is a far more interesting and passionate ElGlosico thread than on FGR forum.
It's fun to read. A lot to disagree with but 'what the heck!'

I made my 2-1 FGR away win forecast in first post but obviously with Cheltenham's recent run of very good form a drawn game is not unlikely. More draws between our two clubs than any other result.

Now here's a few more of my forecasts:
[*] Both sets of fans will be singing same song: 'F#CK, FOREST GREEN ROVERS' which has become part of our local derby game tradition. I expect, as usual, the FGR fans will be singing it louder with more passion than Cheltenham fans.
[*] FGR do not have a designated team captain and Mark Cooper chooses best player suited for that position on day. I expect Carl Winchester to lead out the FGR team.
[*] Someone in the FGR crowd will chant: 'STAND UP IF YOU HATE CHELTENHAM TOWN, STAND UP' to get all the FGR supporters on their feet and cheer at least once during game.
[*] The Johnny Rock Stadium will be noisy, very noisy.

[BenhallRobin]

A shame if we are still to be without both Maddox and Broom, however we haven't done too badly without them either. Good to see Dawson back in the mix but this will come too soon for him, FGR are probably favourites, i'll go for a score draw.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Nesters,

I must give you credit: This is a far more interesting and passionate ElGlosico thread than on FGR forum.
It's fun to read. A lot to disagree with but 'what the heck!'

I made my 2-1 FGR away win forecast in first post but obviously with Cheltenham's recent run of very good form a drawn game is not unlikely. More draws between our two clubs than any other result.

Now here's a few more of my forecasts:
[*] Both sets of fans will be singing same song: 'F#CK, FOREST GREEN ROVERS' which has become part of our local derby game tradition. I expect, as usual, the FGR fans will be singing it louder with more passion than Cheltenham fans.
[*] FGR do not have a designated team captain and Mark Cooper chooses best player suited for that position on day. I expect Carl Winchester to lead out the FGR team.
[*] Someone in the FGR crowd will chant: 'STAND UP IF YOU HATE CHELTENHAM TOWN, STAND UP' to get all the FGR supporters on their feet and cheer at least once during game.
[*] The Johnny Rock Stadium will be noisy, very noisy.

You are going to be in for a surprise OTC. Man for man CTFC will be too strong.

Will Reid be up top on his own or will he have one of The Non-League recruits alongside him? Either way, out back three will dominate that battle. Mullins was one of L2’s best last season but can’t get in our side such is our strength.

Addai cannot be handled by any full-back. And when Hussey overlaps him, you will struggle to see a better left side attack in the division.

Barnett is like a rich man’s Reid, thinner and faster with a more consensual touch. Your defenders will struggle.

If a sprout like Winchester is captain then Atangana and Jones will pound your midfield into quivering wrecks. Even Clements is a better midfield battler than Winchester.

And the real disparity is in the dugout. Duff has shown more management qualities in his short time at WR, adapting, learning, changing tack when required, than angry arrogant stubborn Cooper has during his whole career.

F*ck Mark Cooper
F*ck Winchester
F*ck Forest Green

[The Old TomCat]

[quote="RegencyCheltenhamSpa]
F*ck Mark Cooper
F*ck Winchester
F*ck Forest Green[/quote]

I love it, I really love it. Passion, real passion. Roll on ElGlosico.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Utter shambles. Maybe closing our ticket office wasn't such a good idea afterall. Who knew?

Not sure why this is all ticket btw

I see FGR powers that be have relented to common sense and have conceded that the best way to sell football tickets a day before a match is in a football ticket office. Their update below as they continue to work out how to coordinate drunkenness in a brewery, including a line that they have fewer than 100 tickets left!


“TICKET UPDATE

We've extended the deadline for Cheltenham tickets to 1pm!

- FGR reception is also open until 1pm today to buy or collect tickets in advance of tomorrow.
- You can also buy tickets through the normal channels of online or over the phone.
- We have less than 100 tickets remaining, so be quick.
- This game is ALL ticket – no option to buy on the day.
- Any tickets not collected at the ground by 1pm today will be taken over to Cheltenham tomorrow morning and be available to collect from their ticket office - just checking the opening times for their ticket office and will update with times later.
- We apologise for any confusion over tickets being posted, this should not have been an option and is being looked into. If you are waiting for tickets in the post, you can either collect them today from The New Lawn before 1pm or at the ground tomorrow.”

As for Phil Mitchell...he bought tickets for the game but FGR have instructed he is denied entry along with others on their banned list. So he won’t be coming. I hope we still get the cash for his ticket!

[asl]

Daft question: is it all-ticket for home fans, too? I'm suffering from a bad cold and won't be able make a decision to attend until tomorrow. I guess, if it's all-ticket for us, too, that means I won't be there.

I guess that means +1 to Robin's list of 'shameful' stay-away fans that cause our attendance figures to be 'an embarrassment' when the local catchment area suggests we should be able to fill a stadium the size of Old Trafford every week.

I'll cope...

[Robin]

It's not all ticket but seats are almost all sold apparently. Looking like 4000+ attendance.

[Chris FGR]

How many tickets would you have allocated us? Around 900? Apparently only 30 left so might even sell out.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

How many tickets would you have allocated us? Around 900?

I think so. You are close to selling out I believe so my prediction of around 900 not far off.