Friendlies - 2021-22

[SF_]

As it stands:

Bamber Bridge (A), Saturday 10th July, 3pm.
St Johnstone (A), Tuesday 13th July, 7pm.
Celtic (A), Saturday 17th July, 5.30pm.
Bolton Wanderers (County Ground, Leyland), Tuesday 20th July, 7pm.
Wigan Athletic (A), Friday 30th July, 7.30pm.

No home games yet, Man City will do.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Ours is:
Hitchin (A) - 3rd July
Rochdale (Neutral) - 10th July
Bedford (A) - 14th July
Borehamwood (A) - 17th July
Portsmouth (H) - 24th July

One more to come more than likely, seems there is another Home game in the works for the weekend of 30th July but not sure against whom yet.

Nothing but gut to base this on but seems to be slighlty higher standard of opposition than in recent years assuming the game to be announced is a decent league/Premier League side which would make it a decent Non League side plus 3 decent games against league/premier league oppo. I remember our first season back at this level and we seemed to not really play anyone decent until the last pre season game where we got spanked by Norwich. Not that they mean a huge deal obviously.

Looking forward to the Hitchin game. Decent little club are Hitchin, Top Field is a nice little non league ground and having missed out on being able to make a game last season it will be my first live football since Feb '20.

 

[BelizeHatter]

My semi home Town, Hitchin. My team before i was allowed to go see Luton as a teen. Bet the ground hasnt changed in those 45 yrs

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

My semi home Town, Hitchin. My team before i was allowed to go see Luton as a teen. Bet the ground hasnt changed in those 45 yrs

Yep would be very surprised if it has!

They recently did a crowdfunder to do some ground improvements as the place was really beginning to fall into a state of disrepair. They received massive support from the town and smashed through the target within a few days. Not huge money by wider football standards but hopefully be able to remove some of the weeds from the old terrace and keep the old wooden stands up to standard.

I guess those wooden stands are a bit like triggers broom at this point!

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Beat Hitchin 7-0. Good afternoon out few drinks and the rain held off.

Jordan Clark the star man with 4 first half goals. First 30 minutes actually thought Hitchin gave a good account of themselves and had a goal chalked off for offside that might have been tight.

Not much to be learned but thought Clark was lively as was Campbell so that’s good to see from a new man. Second half team didn’t score as many but put together some nice well worked goals, especially Lee and Bree goals. Adebayo is an absolute mountain of a man, first time seeing him in the flesh.

 

[Craig]

We’re letting the Wendies come to Oakwell and play us on the practice pitch.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Luton are playing Rochdale at a neutral venue today, likely to be in the York area after their training camp this week. Luton requesting the venue remains a secret... your guess is as good as mine.

 

[SF_]

Looks like our last friendly will be Man Utd at home.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I see we have a trialist listed in the second half 11 today. Wonder if we are taking a look at the Leicester player we got linked with earlier in the week

 

[SF_]

Our game with Bamber Bridge is off due to a waterlogged pitch. Buzzing to be coming back from the 34 degrees of Portugal tonight.

 

[Fedora Dale]

I see we have a trialist listed in the second half 11 today. Wonder if we are taking a look at the Leicester player we got linked with earlier in the week

We had a Trialist centre back in the first half. Same player getting 45 minutes for each team would be amusing, albeit unlikely. 2-0 to Luton at H-T...

 

[Kenneth E End]

Luton 4-0 Rochdale - not bad even though the opposition have no players…

 

[Fedora Dale]

Luton 4-0 Rochdale - not bad even though the opposition have no players…

Looking at the team we played, it included one defender with FL experience for us in the first half, and none in the second!

Did Osho get to play for Luton?

 

[SF_]

Game moved to our training ground.

Club has made a donation to Brig for their lost revenue today, nice touch.

4-1 at half time. Lewis Leigh, Brad Potts, Tom Barkhuizen & Noah Mawene with the goals. 2 assists for Mawene too. Hope he gets a chance this season.

 

[SF_]

8-3 full time.

Maguire (2), Riis & Harrop with the 2nd half goals.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Looking at the team we played, it included one defender with FL experience for us in the first half, and none in the second!

Did Osho get to play for Luton?

Yep, was in the second half 11

 

[Kenneth E End]

So Peterborough beat Bedford 8-0 earlier; we play the Eagles on Wednesday and I get to go to my first match of 2021!

We also still have the July 31 slot available - I wondered if Leicester would fill that, but they are at QPR that day.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Remember we went to Bedford and won 9-0 with Jack Marriott scoring something like a 5 minute hat trick after having been subbed on then being immediately subbed off! I assume to try and keep the veneer of competitiveness.

Jones interview after the game is well worth a watch as well, some funny typical NJ quotes from him - seems like they had a good week.

 

[SF_]

Man Utd confirmed as our final friendly.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Man Utd confirmed as our final friendly.

Suspect they were waiting for step 4 of the Covid restrictions to be announced so they can guarantee a big crowd. I suspect it will be the same for us on the same day v a PL team.

 

[SF_]

All our friendly games are available to watch through to the Ifollow audio pass for some reason.

Might as well...

Olosunde making his first start against St Johnstone tonight in a very experimental team.

 

[SF_]

First stream game of the season and Ifollow have completely fucked it up to the point where they've had to cancel it completely.... Standard.

 

[SF_]

1-1 with St Johnstone, Whiteman with a 25 yarder.

 

[SF_]

Also playing Man City at their academy stadium on the 27th, imagine it will be the development team with a handful of first teamers who weren't playing in a tournament this summer.

 

[oakroader]

Also playing Man City at their academy stadium on the 27th, imagine it will be the development team with a handful of first teamers who weren't playing in a tournament this summer.

cant imagine many of their first teamers who aren't involved in the copa america,euros or olympics...

 

[SF_]

cant imagine many of their first teamers who aren't involved in the copa america,euros or olympics...

Yep, imagine it will be a second string from us too with us playing United on the Saturday.

Still wouldn't mind attending this one, if allowed, Manchester beers and a new, all-be-it non-league ground.

 

[Craig]

Beat Rochdale 2-1 behind closed doors. Apparently Schopp plays it on the floor so no more hoofball shithousing. Lump on us to go down.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Beat Bedford 5-0. Didnt go so cant comment too much on performances etc, but Joe Morrell played in the second half I see which is somewhat of note I guess given his situation.

Harry Cornick also managed to finish a 1v1 apparently so it must be our year

 

[Kenneth E End]

The final 30 minute team could well be close to our starting XI on August 7th. Defensively the first 60m team was a bit suspect at times but Mendes-Gomes looked very impressive going forward.

Craig Mackail-Smith started up front for Bedford - he's still got some ability but clearly his fitness faded. He's better than a Step 4 team surely? He was alongside probably the "largest" non league player I've ever seen - it turned out to be Rene Howe, with former Luton striker Dan Walker on the wing. Howe was nicknamed "the roundabout" by someone not too far from me.

To be honest, I know it's all about fitness, but I really don't see what we gain from playing this game - a team six divisions below us.

Barry Fry was also a few seats along from myself, spying on the opposition.

Its clear our style of play will change this season to a more front foot side.

 

[SF_]

13k home fans, 3k away fans allowed in the United game, £15 a ticket.