Fixture release & Cup draws thread

Tomorrow our League 2 fixtures will be released at 9am.
I can't remember the last time we were home for the first game of the season so I reckon we will be away yet again. Wouldn't be surprised if we face Hartlepool or Sutton and get embarrassed

Also, the Carabao Cup draw will be made tomorrow.
We will be ball number 5. Usually this tournament is seeded vs unseeded but this time there is no seeding involved but will still have the Northern and Southern sections.

And the Micky mouse cup (Papa John's Trophy) draw will be completed tomorrow.
We have already been put with Exeter and Cheltenham in a group and we will find out tomorrow which invited U21 team will join us.

 

The Carabao Cup will be drawn live on Sky Sports tomorrow at 3.40pm.

The ball numbers for the Southern section...

1. Bournemouth
2. Wimbledon
3. Birmingham
4. Bristol City
5. Bristol Rovers
6. Burton
7. Cambridge
8. Cardiff
9. Charlton
10. Cheltenham
11. Colchester
12. Coventry
13. Crawley
14. Exeter
15. Forest Green
16. Gillingham
17. Ipswich
18. Leyton Orient
19. Luton
20. Millwall
21. MK Dons
22. Newport
23. Northampton
24. Oxford
25. Peterborough
26. Plymouth
27. Portsmouth
28. QPR
29. Reading
30. Stevenage
31. Sutton
32. Swansea
33. Swindon
34. Wycombe

 

The Micky mouse cup will also be shown live at 4.30pm on Sky Sports. Our group with Exeter and Cheltenham will be joined by one of these invited teams....

Arsenal U21
Aston Villa U21
Brighton U21
Chelsea U21
Crystal Palace U21
Southampton U21
Tottenham U21
West Ham U21

 

Lost interest in the mickey mouse cup when they put the under 21s in from the premier teams, if it was cancelled permanently I wouldn't be bothered

 

So, yet again, we start the season away from home! At least time, we finish the season at home.

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About 6 weeks to the season start hope my season ticket has turned by then

 

I'd give Barton until the end of October - Harrogate away - if we're struggling then get rid.

 

Im not happy with him having as many as 15 games if things are not going well. However, there is a 2 week gap following that Harrogate game, until the next league game and that will be 2 home games in a row for a new manager. So that fits in well, providing we get in a manager in that time.

 

Carabao Cup draw has been made.

Rovers vs Cheltenham (have to play them in the Micky mouse cup too)

FGR vs City so both games are pretty local derbies!

 

Papa John's groups have been completed. Chelsea U21 is in the group with Rovers, Exeter and Cheltenham.

 

I've got absolutely no idea how we're going to get on next season. My guess would be bottom half of the table and Barton gone by Christmas. I hope I'm wrong about the bottom half of the table anyway.

 

3 home friendlies announced today Plymouth 17th July KO 1pm gate covid restricted 2000 gate, Swansea City 3pm KO 4000 gate, Oxford United 31st, full capacity gate. Ticketing arrangements to be announced. Home supporters only

The club left today for Bisham Abbey for a week instead of a pre season tour

 

1 - 1 draw against Melksham not quite he start I hoped for but what I expected, I think it is going to be a long season

 

1st half 11...

Jed Ward; Luca Hoole, Connor Taylor, Mark Hughes, Nick Anderton, Ryan Jones; Tom Mehew, Cam Hargreaves, Lucas Tomlinson; Aaron Collins, Jonah Ayunga.


2nd half 11:

Trialist, Sam Heal, Alfie Kilgour, Pablo Martinez, Joe Budd, Zain Walker, Tom Mehew, Zain Westbrooke, Ollie Hulbert, Brandon Hanlan, Harvey Saunders. (Tom Mehew the only survivor from the first half)

 

Missing players were:

Paul Coutts isolating due to covid.
Sam Finley isolating due to covid.
Jack Baldwin is injured.
Josh Barrett is injured.
Cian Harries is injured.
Josh Grant is injured.
Alex Rodman is injured.
Jaakkola is still away from the club following being away at the Euro's.
Nicholson is near recovery of his surgery.

 

Not much chance of us getting rid of Baldwin, Barrett, Harries if they are injured. Barrett seems to be permanently injured since he has been at the club. Don't know about the first two Coutts and Finley not knowingly seen them play, but Grant, Rodman, Jaakkola, and Nicholson will need to be up and running for us as soon as possible if we are to make a serious attempt to get out of this division at the first attempt

Nicholson and Rodman are now training on grass Nicholson is expected to miss the first couple of weeks of the new season, Grant has been at Bisham Abbey but is not being rushed back i to action

 

Behind closed doors friendly Barnet 3 - 0 Rovers