The fixtures for next season were revealed today, and while most of you will be looking for the Premier League (ed: suck it Barclays) dates and some of you the Colaship. Two League One teams mean a lot to two of us here at UF Headquarters. The Premier League and Colaship dates will feature on this site in the coming hours and days. But who do Norwich and Exeter play and more importantly...When?
Any of you who read the shite I plonk onto this site regularly will know that I am now fully recovered from the devastating havoc that surrounded Norwich City last season and relegated us to a division housing Brentford and Swindon. The tears have dried and the signings have started to walk through the door. Today's fixtures brought reality to the situation and also excitement. As for Exeter. Their exploits are the focus of Spectator and this season we may fall out a couple of times. We haven't yet, even though we stole their best midfielder last week.
Exeter have done superbly to find themselves where they are. Back to back promotions will see them face the following sides in there first 10 games.
Leeds v Exeter
Exeter v QPR (Carling Cup)
Exeter v Norwich
Exeter v Yeovil
Carlisle v Exeter
Exeter v MK Dons
Gillingham v Exeter
Leyton Orient v Exeter,
Exeter v Tranmere
Charlton v Exeter
As you can see, a very tough start for the League One new boys. Away to Leeds, followed by the Colaship's QPR at St. James and the visit of the mighty Norwich City. Note to self, avoid Spectator at Maison UF on Saturday 15th of August. A local game with Yeovil follows and then a trip to Carlisle. John Barnes' Tranmere visit Exeter on the 19th of September before the Grecians head to the Valley to face Charlton. All in all, Exeter can't grumble. There are a few tough ones in there but if they are to set their stall out this season, then wins at home to Yeovil and Tranmere, and a point a piece vs MK Dons, Leyton Orient and Carlisle need to be on the cards.
On to Norwich.
From the PinkUn messageboard.
Destort: Millwall on Boxing Day, doesn't get anymore festive than that.
SherringhamCanary: Finally we know the real meaning of Boxing Day
Norwich v Colchester
Yeovil V Norwich (Carling Cup)
Exeter v Norwich
Brentford v Norwich
Norwich v Wycombe
Hartlepool v Norwich
Norwich v Walsall
MK Dons v Norwich
Norwich v Charlton
Gillingham v Norwich
Norwich v Leyton Orient
I have to be relatively happy with the first 10 games. The first week is a bitch with two 500-mile round trips after beating Colchester, I mean playing Colchester at fortress Carrow Road on the first day. A trip in the cup to Yeovil is followed by another epic trip to Exeter. If the club has any sense, they will stay down there for four days and avoid the schlep. After Exeter, we head to London to play the Bees of Brentford before returning to Carrow Road to hammer, er... play Peter Taylor's Wycombe. While we have 3 away games back to back and 4 in our first six, we are looking to get off to a flier. We should have a much stronger side than most of our opponents and I will be unhappy if we are not in the top 6 after the first 6 league games after collecting between 10 and 12 points. This season we should be a Juggernaut at home and 3 points in front of a 25,000 strong crowd ought to be a given. Especially when the visitors are used to playing in front of 4-6,000. That said, the visitors will also treat those games as a cup final!
So far City have made two signings and I like them a lot. We have been linked to some very good players and I am confident our squad will be strong for this division. Matt Gill arrived from Exeter after back to back promotions and back to back 'player of the year' awards. He scored 9 goals from midfield last season and being from Norwich he is fired up to finally be coming home to the club he loved but never played for. Yesterday we signed Owain Tudor-Jones. While OTJ has had a horrible time with injuries, including a serious knee operation, his comeback has been successful and a spell at Swindon last season had the Robins hungry to sign him. Swansea were also keen to re-sign him but he has decided to drop a division to play at the heart of our midfield. OTJ is a full Welsh international and currently in John Toshack's plans. He is 6'4" and will add some much needed height to our midfield.
City are also rumored to be after Hartlepool's captain Michael Nelson along with some other League One players. Acquiring League One's best seems to be our plan, a sensible one.
Other fixtures of note, if you want to avoid Norwich City center, Millwall hit town on Boxing Day. Norwich play Leeds at Elland Road on the 17th of September and at home on March the 27th.
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2 comments:
Since we're hanging out in League 1 together, (assuming we remain in business, that is) would you mind including Saints in your League One focus for the year? I'll be pulling for a direct rebound for Norwich, and a respectable showing for Saints, seeing how we're going to start at least 10 points down.
Cheers!
You got it mate.
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