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Reply | Match Previews In Honour Of Durham
at 10:27 2 Dec 2025
Could be the game that get's us into the autos as well, if everything else goes to plan - that would be fitting for Danny's century. Happy to give it a go, but will defer to anyone else if they have a burning desire? |
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Reply | Durham Exile AKA Peter Nicholls Sad News
at 11:27 1 Dec 2025
Thanks for sharing that Noah, and it is sad to hear how things were back when Paul Wright passed. As you say, I would like to think the relationship between the club and supporters is in a much better place these days, no doubt strongly influenced by Danny and Nicky on the club side and supporters like the BWA. |
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Reply | The Robins to be plucked by Danny's banditos
at 20:43 29 Nov 2025
Yeah, Read hit it well, but it was always a good height for the keeper if he went the right way, which he did, and pulled off a good save. Benefit of hindsight and all that, but maybe his trademark straight down the middle next time? |
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Reply | The Robins to be plucked by Danny's banditos
at 17:15 29 Nov 2025
Regulation 2-0 win for the U's, but slightly disappointed it should have been at least three to match my prediction. We're up to tenth, two points outside the play-offs.
Looking forward to Cotterill's sour grapery.
Up the U's! |
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Reply | The Robins to be plucked by Danny's banditos
at 15:55 29 Nov 2025
1-0 lead at halftime, and Anderson very close to making it two late on. Still look comfortable though, with Cheltenham enjoying midfield triangles, but really not doing much with it. |
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Reply | Durham Exile AKA Peter Nicholls Sad News
at 09:44 29 Nov 2025
D’oh 
I read Cheltenham Programme and in a somewhat enfeebled state assumed it was theirs. Even nicer that our club was responsible  |
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Reply | Match Previews In Honour Of Durham
at 23:09 28 Nov 2025
Evening TOOT, I've been up in London village all day on a team event and have tried several times to send you a PM, but for whatever reason I have no control over, it hasn't worked.
I get that you are not comfortable with criticism of others content, and lord knows some of my content over the years (BLM for instance) has ruffled a fair few feathers, but that is the beauty of what we have here - an open an honest community where we all have a voice and are entitled to use it.
Cards on the table, I admit I've found much of what Sparkfilms posts on his very personal "Tigers" thread irrelevant, to the point that I blocked him for a while because I just couldn't be arsed with reading it.
Criticism of content is fine, please don't leave for that! |
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Reply | The Robins to be plucked by Danny's banditos
at 00:01 28 Nov 2025
Good call, you may be right on Hunt and Tucker, unless we go 5-4-1 with both of them in the back line, with Mbick dropping deep perhaps?
No news on Bishop that I'm aware of, and unless I missed it, no mention from Danny in his pre-match interview. Of course, that could be Danny's gamesmanship, in which case all bets are off in terms of line-up and formation?
RIP PWK and Burnsie [Post edited 28 Nov 0:02]
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Thread | The Robins to be plucked by Danny's banditos
at 18:10 27 Nov 2025
So, before I get into the match preview, and I suppose appropriately considering the context of why we’re doing this, two more sad pieces of information to share. After a bit of investigative work and online research, I am sorry to let you know that we believe both pwrightsknees and burnsieespana are sadly no longer with us.
It would appear PWK (real name Bob Olley), one of our more senior members, passed away in July last year, and there is a link to his obituary below. I never met PWK, but we shared a passion for history (military history in particular in his case), and liaised via e-mail on a couple of projects. Many of you will no doubt recall his contributions to several of my matchday blogs. I will share one memory with you though – he was always amused that the only match his mother attended was part of the record attendance against Reading, called off at half time for fog. She never gave it another go.
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/notice/30628632.robert-patrick-olley-bob-olley/
Burnsieespana’s passing (real name Tony Burns) is much more recent I’m afraid. mfb_cufc last received a message from him on the 11th October relating to being in hospital, and a short while later there was an announcement in the Essex County Standard that a Tony Burns passed away on the 14th October after a short battle with cancer. I think I met Tony once, up at Cheltenham, when he was on a rare trip back to England, but he was always a regular contributor to the U’sual, and avid Prediction Leaguer. His tribute page includes a photo of Tony captioned “Enjoying life in Spain”. There is a donations link on the tribute, with proceeds going to Sarcoma UK, the bone and soft tissue cancer charity, if people wish to make a donation.
https://www.gwinnell.co.uk/tributes/funeral-details/?tribute=anthony-derrick-bur
So, back to the matter in hand, TooT talked of whether the Walsall win could be the start of something special – well I guess after a dominant performance against a good Notts County side on Saturday, I’m going to ask the same question.
I must admit, after losing out on my trip to Walsall thanks to Storm Claudia, as much as I enjoyed watching on line, I thought “there goes my dream away day for this season”. I couldn’t have been more wrong. An uneventful journey brought me promptly to Nottingham, in time to get to Meadow Lane for a pre-match pint, forgoing the dubious ‘delights’ of Hooters en route. It was also great to bump into Gerry in the stand, amongst a vociferous crowd of 600 faithful, loud and proud throughout, so we enjoyed the game and chatted fondly about Durham together.
As for the game, pretty comprehensive really, not much more can be said. It was unfortunate to concede the own goal so early, but even at that point I wasn’t overly concerned, we were more than a match for Notts County. It didn’t surprise me at all when Anderson equalised, though it was amusing to see a player finally do so as soon as the crowd called “SHOOT”. Looking back at the highlights, Roos’ sudden rush of blood to his head was equally amusing, but that wasn’t quite as obvious at the time.
Halftime came and went with the U’s continuing to threaten at will, soaking up what little Notts County had to offer with ease, and breaking with pace whenever opportunity knocked. A sublime through ball from Lisbie set up Mbick for the second, and although Gerry called Goodwin’s offside immediately, there was no doubt about his second attempt to make it 3-1. Almost a perfect awayday – beer, mates, trouble-free travel – the only downer, seeing Flanagan carried off in considerable discomfort. I fear we won’t see him back for some time to come.
And so on to the visit of Cheltenham Town on Saturday under bandito hunter Steve Cotterill. The Robins have had a somewhat dodgy start to the season, but after back-to-back defeats managed to get a 1-0 win against equally dodgy Bristol Rovers last Saturday in the West Country derby. That being said, the Gas dominated possession and attempts on goal, even hit the woodwork once, so maybe Cheltenham Town haven’t quite turned the corner. Saturday will also be a chance to say hello to Ben Stevenson (what’s the betting he’ll score?) and fellow Colcestrian and son of legend Mark, Liam Kinsella.
As for my team prediction, the injury to Flanagan will probably mean we stick with the 4-4-2 that finished the Notts County game, assuming there are no other knocks or bumps to influence selection, so I’ll go with:
Macey
Vincent-Young Hunt Araujo Iandolo
Lisbie Tucker Read Anderson
Mbick Tovide
Subs: Smith, Powell, Edwards, Gordon, Goodwin, Oni, Williams
On paper, compared to the last two away games, this ought to be a piece of cake, which is exactly why I’m more nervous about this game than the previous two. If we want to mount a credible promotion challenge, we simply have to win this game. I’m reasonably confident that Danny and Nicky will have the team up for this, so I’m going for a suitably Durhamesque upbeat 3-0 to the U’s, with Samson getting us off the mark in the first half, followed by Tucker and Mbick in the second to wrap things up.
Expect it to be wet on Saturday, with a gentle breeze from the south west chilling the air to a brisk 7 degrees.
Up the U’s |
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Reply | Former U's
at 00:12 25 Nov 2025
I can completely understand why not, given the right to work investments that would have been required, but I wish we’d taken a punt on Kone at the time. Heyho. |
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Reply | Match Previews In Honour Of Durham
at 17:21 24 Nov 2025
Excellent!
I've just realised you've been doing updates to your origin message - didn't even know that was possible, I thought the option to edit messages expired fairly soon after posting. I will spare further updates then and leave it with you |
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Reply | Match Previews In Honour Of Durham
at 16:25 24 Nov 2025
Just done my sums, and assuming the EFL don't muck around with the EFLT game even more, you are correct.
Date Home/Away Opposition Previewer
Saturday 15 Nov 2025 Away Walsall - RSCOSWORTH
Saturday 22 Nov 2025 Away Notts County - TOOT
Saturday 29 Nov 2025 Home Cheltenham Town - Wessex
Saturday 06 Dec 2025 Home Gillingham - Daniel
Tuesday 09 Dec 2025 Home West Ham U21's - G.Hughes
Saturday 13 Dec 2025 Away Salford City - TOOT
Saturday 20 Dec 2025 Home Newport County - Wessex
Friday 26 Dec 2025 Away Crawley Town - RSCOSWORTH
Monday 29 Dec 2025 Away Gillingham - Wessex
Thursday 01 Jan 2026 Home MK
Sunday 04 Jan 2026 Home Accrington Stanley
Saturday 10 Jan 2026 Away Chesterfield - Gerry
Saturday 17 Jan 2026 Away Bristol Rovers
Saturday 24 Jan 2026 Home Fleetwood Town - Wessex
Tuesday 27 Jan 2026 Home Grimsby Town
Saturday 31 Jan 2026 Away Crewe Alexandra
Saturday 07 Feb 2026 Home Shrewsbury Town - Wessex
Saturday 14 Feb 2026 Away Barrow
Tuesday 17 Feb 2026 Away Cambridge United
Saturday 21 Feb 2026 Home Barnet
Saturday 28 Feb 2026 Home Salford City - Wessex
Saturday 07 Mar 2026 Away Newport County
Friday 13 Mar 2026 Home Crawley Town
Tuesday 17 Mar 2026 Away MK
Saturday 21 Mar 2026 Away Bromley
Saturday 28 Mar 2026 Home Walsall
Friday 03 Apr 2026 Home Oldham Athletic - Wessex
Monday 06 Apr 2026 Away Tranmere Rovers
Friday 10 Apr 2026 Home Swindon Town
Saturday 18 Apr 2026 Away Harrogate Town
Saturday 25 Apr 2026 Home Notts County - Wessex (possibly, but probably not if we're in with a chance of promotion)
Saturday 02 May 2026 Away Cheltenham [Post edited 24 Nov 17:18]
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Reply | The U’s to tie County’s defenders in Notts
at 15:58 24 Nov 2025
I think, from what I've read elsewhere, that the linesman didn't call it originally because he hadn't realised that Goodwin had got the final touch? Quite who told him though, I can't be certain, or maybe he just worked it out from the celebrations? |
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