Let's talk about the MK Dons game

[selby]

  Back at home where we have struggled to be consistent in games but after a good win at Barrow that has given us nine points from three wins on the trot, we play a team who have always made it hard for us, but now look to be slipping back from where they were a couple of seasons ago.
  They themselves won Tuesday night somewhat fortunately against  Harrogate 2-1 with a goal by Gilby in the 93rd minute. In the same game Newcastle United loanee White scored their first goal and will need watching.
  Tonight at Barrow I thought that we were consistent in the game, showing we were threatening throughout the game and apart from just a few moments had control in defence.
  We manged also on a heavy pitch to rotate a good number of players on a heavy pitch which with a day less recovery than the Dons could be important come the weekend, now we need to show better playing form at home, and the togetherness shown by the players at the end of the game at Barrow can only stand us in good stead.
  So since the The Hull game three league wins on the trot in a mixed bag of performances to get the results, carrying some luck in a couple of games interspersed with good play and taking chances, but a gradual improvement and confidence.
  Can we keep the run of wins going?
  What team will we field? it's getting more complicated as we find form and the changes we make in games.
   Can we win and give a performance in a home game?
   And a point of interest, how good has Olowu become?
   Lot's to discuss, lots to talk about, please have your say.

[Chris Black come back]

Not especially good away form and quite leaky. Only four sides have conceded more than them away from home in the league this season. On a poor run of form generally, only two wins in ten in the league. They’ve scored in their last eight consecutive away league games though, so we may end up conceding here.

[selby]

It is important we build on the Harrogate result and build confidence in our home form results, both on the playing side and the home crowd supporters.
  Promotion seasons and attracting young supporters are traditionally when youngsters are captured by success on the field and the atmosphere in the ground and the excitement generated by the action on the field of play.
  Its a generation thing the old fogeys in the West Stand now derided by some for lack of action and noise are in a lot of cases the ones that threw  toilet rolls, walked around the ground to be behind the goal at each end in games ran the gauntlet of abuse and fighting the oppositions fans and were escorted everywhere by police who actually dished it out and didn't quote from a woke bible. Its serving your time getting old is no fun, but we need to attract the youngsters and them serve their time.
  Winning games is the easiest way, the Black bank is getting there with a noticeable increase in numbers and noise, just what we want.
  But when on here some criticize the old fogeys on the West, think this, they served their time on the cops at grounds standing on ice on the terraces and snow out in the open rain hail or snow, giving it large, its now your turn to serve your time and make the noise and encourage others to support this great club of ours, and move over to the West as you get older, and take the grand kids  while they are old enough to progress to the Black Bank and make some noise.

[idler]

Without the old fogeys of yesteryear there wouldn’t be a club today.
We might get old but we don’t lose the passion for our club.
Clubs need a mixture of all ages to be successful and fans need to remember sometimes you are at the top and sometimes at the bottom. Enjoy the highs and ride out the lows.

[DearneValleyRover]

I thought we played at a much higher tempo than we have last night which was good to see Ennis was far more involved and Crew looked to be dictating the play, allowing Bailey to get more forward. Only changing one player to the starting lineup I believe also contributed to an improved performance. More of the same Saturday against a less physical side.

[ravenrover]

Hate to say it but through gritted teeth, well said Selby. As one of those old fogeys in the West I have to agree with your comment, we've served our time, not forgetting travelling to away games with the road networks in the 60's was something else. Motorways?, they were still thinking about most of them Let's leave it to the younger fans to make the noise while we just enjoy ( not all the time I hasten to add) watching our team now

[idler]

I well remember setting off for games at Swansea, Torquay and Gillingham form Waterdale at 11pm on a Friday night. Sleeping on the bus and being turfed off at 8am and told that the bus would be seeing off back at midnight. A long trip home after a defeat. 0-6 at Swansea, 1-3 at Gillingham, both in relegation seasons and a 0-0 at Torquay in our promotion season in 1966.

[Ian Nimmo]

Yes idler, me and my wife would travel to the likes of Exeter and Torquay for a night game and then be at work at 8 the next morning, ah good old days.
We will now be considered by some to be old fogeys in the south stand, and whilst we don’t sing to much, we always join in with the clapping.

When the black bank start with the likes of GM red white army, I often look across to the west stand and no one joins in!
So why don’t any in the west make an effort to join in for this game, never know you may enjoy it!

[Metalmicky]

I see that they lost a recent signing to injury against Harrogate - Nathan Thompson - who could be out for a long spell.  They are looking to sign a chap from St Johnstone - Jack Sanders - but unknown if he will be signed in time or available.

[Usher wide.]

Yes idler, me and my wife would travel to the likes of Exeter and Torquay for a night game and then be at work at 8 the next morning, ah good old days.
We will now be considered by some to be old fogeys in the south stand, and whilst we don’t sing to much, we always join in with the clapping.

When the black bank start with the likes of GM red white army, I often look across to the west stand and no one joins in!
So why don’t any in the west make an effort to join in for this game, never know you may enjoy it!

‘Some’ of us in the West Stand still manage an odd chant or two IN even though we know we’re not going to ‘compete’ ever with the ‘joint noise’ coming out of the Black Back in full voice & my spoons will never compete with that drum!

[idler]

I also join in occasionally. My voice and stamina aren’t what they were though.

[Owl in peace]

Got my ticket for the west stand, first game this season at the eco.

Really looking forward to it

[Bentley Bullet]

I tend to make very little noise these days other than the odd bit of chuntering to myself when I see missed headers that Laurie Sheffield would have buried and wayward shots that Alick Jeffrey would have put away with ease, busting the net in the process back in the day.

I even clap with my gloves on.

Welcome to the West stand!

[philsky]

At what I age do I apply to transfer from the south stand ?

[Bentley Bullet]

It's not so much a matter of age, but more one's football knowledge as to whether they will be welcomed to the West Stand fold.

[richtherover]

Anyone remember "We follow them all over on a Yorkshire Traction bus"?
The next line dates it - "We follow them to Torquay, Bournemouth Brighton too"....
Not that Yorkshire Traction doesn't date it!
RTID

[Bentley Bullet]

"Wherever you're playing Ro-o-vers we'll always follow you!"

Yes, I remember, Scawsby Steve taught me the words back in the days when he used to push me to games in my pram after he'd been to the over-60's club.

[selby]

 Philski, stay where you are as long as you can, your a long time an old man, enjoy thinking your young as long as you can.
  Keep the noise coming and leave the grumbling to us old fogeys, bur bear in mind, we really do know better (Ahem), or like to think so, it's part of what keeps us going, going home and the old lady used to over fifty years of heart ache saying what was it like today? have you enjoyed it ?   " No rubbish what's for tea"?

[tommy toes]

Ah the good old days eh? I remember the late great Johnny Barker having a go at me for going a bit too crazy when we scored at Barnsley.
Nowadays I sit quietly (apart from the odd ‘Come on Rovers’) in the East stand, and stir myself to applaud a good pass, might get up if we score.

[drfchound]

Anyone remember "We follow them all over on a Yorkshire Traction bus"?
The next line dates it - "We follow them to Torquay, Bournemouth Brighton too"....
Not that Yorkshire Traction doesn't date it!
RTID

I also remember that song Rich.
As a 14/15 year old lad in the sixties, me and mate began hitch hiking to away games and twice when thumbing it, (in our Rovers scarves), we were picked up by YT buses on the way to the same place as we were aiming for.
Another time, we had hitched all the way to Torquay, no M5 back then of course, and finally arrived there after 11 lifts.
We had set off on the Thursday from Thorne and arrived in Torquay at 11ish on the Friday morning, a day and a few hours before the match.
Saturday came and we saw two YT coaches coming along the sea front road.
We knew many of the lads who turned up and one of the bus drivers came to the match with us.
He asked how we were getting home and after we told him we were going to hitch hike he offered us a ride all the way home on his bus, as long as no one objected.
No one objected so we all set off and I got home at 9am on Sunday.
To cap off a great few days I played Sunday League football for Thorne Youth Club at half past ten and scored two goals in a 3-0 win.
Happy days, never to be forgotten.

[WarwickRover]

This is turning into a "The Four Yorkshiremen' sketch ..... "In my day..."

https://youtu.be/VKHFZBUTA4k

[Bentley Bullet]

Who'd a' thought 40 years ago we'd be sitting here talking football to a bloody machine in our living rooms?

[Chris Black come back]

Not especially good away form and quite leaky. Only four sides have conceded more than them away from home in the league this season. On a poor run of form generally, only two wins in ten in the league. They’ve scored in their last eight consecutive away league games though, so we may end up conceding here.

The other fact worth noting is that since they stole their club we have played them eight times at home and we are yet to lose - four wins and four draws. They’ve never actually managed to score more than one goal in any home game against us.

[ravenrover]

Anyone remember "We follow them all over on a Yorkshire Traction bus"?
The next line dates it - "We follow them to Torquay, Bournemouth Brighton too"....
Not that Yorkshire Traction doesn't date it!
RTID

I also remember that song Rich.
As a 14/15 year old lad in the sixties, me and mate began hitch hiking to away games and twice when thumbing it, (in our Rovers scarves), we were picked up by YT buses on the way to the same place as we were aiming for.
Another time, we had hitched all the way to Torquay, no M5 back then of course, and finally arrived there after 11 lifts.
We had set off on the Thursday from Thorne and arrived in Torquay at 11ish on the Friday morning, a day and a few hours before the match.
Saturday came and we saw two YT coaches coming along the sea front road.
We knew many of the lads who turned up and one of the bus drivers came to the match with us.
He asked how we were getting home and after we told him we were going to hitch hike he offered us a ride all the way home on his bus, as long as no one objected.
No one objected so we all set off and I got home at 9am on Sunday.
To cap off a great few days I played Sunday League football for Thorne Youth Club at half past ten and scored two goals in a 3-0 win.
Happy days, never to be forgotten.

Was that the August Bank holiday Torquay game Hound?

[Silkscarf]

I’d have slightly more respect for the Milton Keynes club if they got rid of the ‘Dons’ bit of their name. It’s meaningless to them but means a lot to the heritage of AFC Wimbledon and its fans, not to mention our own ‘Dons’ of course, and Aberdeen! I say this on here every time we play them, sorry.

[drfchound]

Anyone remember "We follow them all over on a Yorkshire Traction bus"?
The next line dates it - "We follow them to Torquay, Bournemouth Brighton too"....
Not that Yorkshire Traction doesn't date it!
RTID

I also remember that song Rich.
As a 14/15 year old lad in the sixties, me and mate began hitch hiking to away games and twice when thumbing it, (in our Rovers scarves), we were picked up by YT buses on the way to the same place as we were aiming for.
Another time, we had hitched all the way to Torquay, no M5 back then of course, and finally arrived there after 11 lifts.
We had set off on the Thursday from Thorne and arrived in Torquay at 11ish on the Friday morning, a day and a few hours before the match.
Saturday came and we saw two YT coaches coming along the sea front road.
We knew many of the lads who turned up and one of the bus drivers came to the match with us.
He asked how we were getting home and after we told him we were going to hitch hike he offered us a ride all the way home on his bus, as long as no one objected.
No one objected so we all set off and I got home at 9am on Sunday.
To cap off a great few days I played Sunday League football for Thorne Youth Club at half past ten and scored two goals in a 3-0 win.
Happy days, never to be forgotten.

Was that the August Bank holiday Torquay game Hound?

It was Raven, yes.
It was definitely during school holidays.
Were you there.

[ravenrover]

You were in our seats!!
At the drop off Arthur said pick up same place, Pick up got changed unbeknown to us me my girlfriend and her brother. Arriving at the original pick up we hung around a while and decided to walk back into Torquay , not long after along came the bus. It stopped and we got on. As you said people had been picked up and were asked by the big lads to vacate the seats seeing as we were the paying customer, was that you?
There was ar least one spare seat as The Vicar didn't make the journey back, a large bunch of bananas and the boys in blue wete involved

[andy didcott]

2-0.

[ncRover]

Ironside worked hard and was tidy on the ball against Barrow but I wonder if Rob Street’s athleticism might be useful in pressing / counterattacking against a possession based team.
We haven’t seen him play centre forward yet, despite that being his main position throughout his career.

Grant will know best though. He did the double over Scott Lindsey’s Crawley side last year. The full squad will need to be used for 6 games in the next 3 and a half weeks.

[Reg of the Rovers]

I'd go the same side as Barrow. Maybe Street in for Ennis if we want to stretch them a bit more, but didn't think Ennis did much wrong on Wednesday. Other than that I thought we looked better so I'd try and build a bit of consistency now, too much chopping and changing can't be helping - on 'the run' last year it felt like we'd found a formula and stuck to it, up til now this season I'd struggle to guess five or six of the starters every week. Got to find that core again.