After a fantastic and unexpected away result in the week, Shrewsbury return to the Meadow and host Gillingham. The Gills are riding high in second place in the league and will be expecting to get some points out of us, although the result against Sheffield might make them a tad more cautious. Gillingham have a GD of +14 and have only let in three goals less than us, so our obvious lack of shots on target and the resulting goals are what is missing from our game. Dack, their no. 23, who's classed as a midfield is their top scorer with 10 league goals, with striker Donnelly, no. 17 in second with 6 goals. Dack also has received 7 yellows, might be restricted in play if Black and co can rile him enough. Gillingham have W-L-W in the last three games, being shafted 4-1 by Cov, but beat Bury and Rochdale each by two goals. So Town need to continue to press at the top of the pitch for every opportunity to shoot at goal. It looks like Whitbread is out for this game, Sadler should be available, NKP is a possible so he might be on the bench. I'm guessing Vernon might get a start alongside Collins again. Let's hope that town continue the positive approach that they had in the last game, but as we have already witnessed this season it doesn't always work that way! Come on you blues, give a decent game a win to give us some Christmas cheer!
Looking forward to this one as it seems ages since the last game I saw. I hope the Gillingham fans exhibit a bit more class than they did at the Play-off final several years ago. Whitbread will be a miss but our new-found positive approach can help us towards a 2-1 victory with Collins and Kaikai the scorers.
Very glad to take a point from a bizarre game. We were outclassed for large periods by a classy, pacy and very cynical Gillingham side and only Man of the Match Leutwiler stood between us and a pasting at times. We had very few decent attempts on goal but were the beneficiaries of a stylish diving header from one of their defenders for the own goal. Cue absolute mayhem in and around our box for what seemed a lifetime until they equalised. The heavens opened even wider at the start of the second half with the corner flags pretty flat to the ground all pointing in different directions. No surprise playing into that wind when we could hardly get out of our half and no surprise either to see their second goal fly in. We had a bit more of the ball after that but were not really threatening until Grandison broke through and some very good passing resulted in a cool finish from Collins. We still needed plenty of last ditch defending to hang on but both teams (with no substitutes for either side) seemed glad to hear the final whistle. We must try to give our full backs more cover if we are to take anything off Walsall but with luck like we had today who knows?
greenhousmeadowman Thank you for your post ( No.3 ). The weather did indeed make it difficult for both teams - I'm fairly sure that your left back doesn't normally kick the ball off the pitch so often. I felt that we lost an opportunity to kill off the game when we went 2-1 up. Your equaliser was well taken, if frustrating to deny us a win - along with the performance of your keeper. ps - what's with the nonsense of the lack of class at the play-off final ? It was hardly our fault that we were given a fortunate corner from which we scored . We were always going to celebrate. If you're referring to a chant of '7-0 and you f'd it up', - it was banter - we had to endureit for a whole season because every fan of teams we played in the year after our play off v Man City, remembered that we were 2-0 up and lost it .............. and talking of messing things up - it might have only been 1-0 at Wembley - but it definitely wiped out the misery I sustained in the previous September at your place. edit " Where's your caravan gone ? " - I suppose that's what you call 'class ! '
The general concensus after the Wembley final was that your supporters were much more agressive in attitude. Whereas 2 years previously Bristol Rovers supporters were much more friendly both pre and post match.
'GENERAL' consensus ? among who ? If it was among your supporters at Wembley ( the venue of the 'alleged' consensus that you have stated ), then I would have to disagree with you - because we took double the number of fans that Shrewsbury took - and I'm fairly sure that the overwhelming consensus on the day, gives no support to your suggestion. If you're going to make this type of accusation, you really need to have hard evidence - our ticket sales on the day proves the level of our support - and I've not heard of one Gillingham fan admitting to being aggressive in attitude. Your 'figures' simply cannot stack up.
Quantity is not the issue. Obviously you were not at Wembley Central tube station (or were you) after the match where many were threatened unlike 2 years previously and by the way your ground is still the most inhospitable for away supporters in the whole of League 1.
No, I wasn't at Wembley Central -nor were 99.9999% of the rest of our fans ! - so whilst I cannot disprove your allegation - and whilst I find it sad that any football fan wants to engage in acts of violence - let's not blow things out of proportion by suggesting that, because a handful of Gillingham fans wanted to act like thugs - somehow that is a reflection of all our fans - in the same way that there were only a handful of stupid Shrewqsbury fans among the 4959 attendance on Saturday who sang "Where's your caravan gone?" ( I am not suggesting that stupid chanting is as bad as physical violence - but at the same time, I am not condemning all your fans for the behaviour of just a few.) You say that quantity isn't the issue - but I beg to differ - I would say that with double the number of fans than Shrewsbury, a much greater number of Gills fans showed that we can behave decently - unlike the disgusting verbal vitriol directed at our fans when we got off the coaches on our previous visit. There was a truly inhospitable welcome - but it was only a few of your fans - so I'm not going to include your good self in that number ( I hope you can see where I'm going with this line of argument. ) And whilst I can accept that the away end of our ground is not the most hospitable, I fail to see the significance of the introduction of this subject into a discussion involving the 'alleged' misbehaviour of a few fans 50-60 miles from our ground. How does that relate to the 'state' of our ground ? Our ticket and matchday costs, ( amongst the lowest in L1 for away fans ), reflect the 'standard' on offer. Ideally we'd like to move into a new stadium . Yes our away end is not good - but we're definitely not alone in that department. These things cost money etc etc.
If quantity did matter as you say, Bristol Rovers brought more than Gillingham (and the total crowd is still a record for a League 2 play off attendance) and they certainly behaved much better than your lot. Although I was at the other side of the ground, I would assume that the caravan chant was directed at Dack. Anybody with long hair is stereotyped whoever they play for. If Dack wasn't playing for Gillingham he probably would have got the same from your support. I don't condone it but just stating fact.
Now you're making assumptions and 'Stereotyping' ! - nice - and the same stereotyping has been used to tar all our fans for the actions of a few ( which I am willing to accept despite lack of evidence ) - the mere fact that you have made such admission makes me realise that you seem happy to convict all Gillingham fans. ps - you really should steer away from making a claim as 'fact' - when it is only your sole 'guess.'
Perhaps you would care to suggest at who the caravan chant was directed at, then? Don't recall your name but do wonder what has happened to the more thick skinned Gillingham fans who were humorous and not so willing to take umbrage. I am even going back to the notorious Major from BBC 606 days, for instance, who was hilarious and that is not to mention all your other supporters from Not 606.
Gills fans tend to get called Pikeys - hence the mention of caravans - which has nothing to do with any of our players. We accept that it's all part of football banter. I can assure you that, as fans of a Division 3 club, we indeed possess a sense of humour - so no umbrage has been taken just because a few people mention caravans - even if it isn't hilarious stuff. .
Strange one that but the only person who has ever taken umbrage over caravans on this thread is you!!!
If you care to read my posts (properly) - you'll see that, in the first instance, I merely replied to a post by one of your forum's member. I did comment on the subject of 'class' - I didn't raise this issue - but in view of the unfounded (unquantified) allegations of thuggery, I responded by suggesting that you seem not to understand irony if you come out with slightly immature chants - but I have also added that we accept these chants as harmless and part of football banter - and certainly not worthy of being dignified. Of course, the idea of banter is two dimensional - give and take, without umbrage coming into the equation - so - don't flatter yourself - we're much more thick skinned than to be upset over an infantile chant by other fans - not to say that we haven't got equally infantile chants of our own - and of course, that will not be an invitation by our fans for you to take umbrage - but I doubt if I'd worry if you did.
You have got an apt name. I should really have realised that you cannot possibly be incorrect....just sanctimonious. So good night.
I seem to have inadvertently started an interesting dispute. My original post referred to a rather ugly situation when I was trapped in a tube train on the way to the game with my son (who was seven at the time) and despite merely trying to mind our own business we were both roundly ridiculed, abused and threatened by a sizeable number of Gillingham fans. That certainly to me seemed to indicate a lack of class on the part of some of the Gillingham fans though to be fair a few others did apologise to us after the miscreants had got off. I did not of course mean to imply that the majority of Gillingham fans were like that - in fact one told me he had never seen any of the offenders at the normal home games.
I am sad that you and your son had to endure some moronic behaviour at the hands of a few mindless idiots. Unfortunately, in this world there will always be a few nutters - everywhere ( I guess, even in Shrewsbury )- who will inflict misery on others - but that is no reason to infer that the majority of people behave in such fashion. -- but I am grateful that you understand this point - which I make as somebody who is neither always right or sanctimonious. I can accept when I am proven to be wrong - without sulking. If I disagree with anyone, I will attempt to quantify my argument, and thereby avoid too many occasions when I might be wrong. Being sanctimonious is different to being right - which can be achieved whilst retaining humility - although such ability can attract envy in others. Good luck for the rest of the season - I certainly hope you win tomorrow night.
