Accrington Stanley (A) - Mon 1st January

[tangerinedream]

Salford City make their first ever trip to Accrington Stanley's Crown Ground looking to start the new year better than they finished it. Currently managerless following the sacking of Neil Woods caretaker boss Simon Wiles has the unenviable task of looking to secure a first win in 10 league games which has seen us slip to 21st place just six points ahead of next to bottom Sutton United and seven ahead of bottom placed Forest Green Rovers. It's now seven games since leading scorer Matt Smith last found the back of the net (with precious little assistance from elsewhere) which coupled with our propensity for leaking goals is precisely why we are in the position that we are. And while opponents Accrington presently sit just three points outside the play off places just one solitary win from their last seven league fixtures has seen them lose ground on the teams above them. The opening game of the season saw Stanley leave Moor Lane with a 2-1 win back on the 26th August and although the odds will be stacked in favour of a home win who's to say that we can't turn some of the positivity shown in SW's post match interview against Grimsby into a much needed win! See you there.

[tangerinedream]

Another club that doesn't produce printed matchday programmes, only digital. Pathetic!

[Chris P. Bacon]

I spent about a third of the last game in the bar, staying warm. I’ve got no appetite at all for watching them. I only went to the Grimsby game because I was intrigued about how they would set up. I’d hoped to see an improvement even if not a win. I saw neither.

So I’m taking a break for a while. It’s the only action I can reasonably take to send a clear message to our owners on how I think they’re running the club. They don’t take any notice of what we put on social media, so this is what’s left for me. Yes, I’m depriving our players of some support, perhaps when they need it most. 

[je85]

All I hope for today is something less scatty than the performance against Grimsby. The swift turn around between the two games doesn’t fill me with much hope, but just crossing all fingers and toes we can nick a goal or two. Saturday feels more of a priority than today against FGR. UTA!

[chipbarm]

What was it U2 sang? Nothing changes on New Years Day? We are a dreadful team, National League here we come unless we go bust before then.

[salfordwalshy]

That was poor to watch today, and shown we need a striker and a different style of play!
299 away fans which wax decent but again we have a few young lads who think it's ok to slate the players over and over which is what i'm guessing led to the slanging match with a player at the end!!

[tangerinedream]

Not a lot to say about today that hasn't been said in previous games. We're simply not good enough as a unit and we need a decent strengthening of the squad together with an experienced manager as soon as possible. The players tried their best and while chasing a three goal deficit after the break we at least made an effort to claw our way back into the game but unfortunately it was a case of us not being able to hit a barn door again with Matt Smith missing a couple of half decent opportunities. As for the derogatory chanting and throwing insults at the players come the final whistle (and throughout the game itself), I just don't get, or indeed condone it. Yes we are performing poorly but what good does it actually do in the long run. It's a sad reflection of todays society where many people feel they are entitled to hurl dogs abuse at people when they are down. I can understand the frustration surrounding our present form but would people yell insults at 10,000 metre runners who finish low down the finishing order like 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' or 'you're effin' sh*t'. I don't think so. Just hope we can bring in 2 or 3 decent individuals (at least) and turn the situation around.

[je85]

Another day another skip full of questions on the back of another poor performance. What’s evident is Wiles is very much a continuation of Wood’s rationale and managerial acumen… or lack of. The changes he mentioned before and after Grimsby have made zero impact in raising the spirits amongst the players who simply seem lost when they get near the halfway line let alone crossing it. Body language dictates that confidence is shot, but there seems to be no patterns of play or insight for the lads to lean on.

I have never known a sacking be so universally agreed with, if not applauded. For me the malaise is clearly towards the whole coaching staff from the players. Whoever comes in needs to bring a full staff with them because it all looks a bit amateurish currently. Been saying it all season but I think everything is too lax from the warm up to the start of the game.

I am concerned that by not wielding the axe sooner our transfer window could be as short as 2 weeks when we really need around 4 maybe 5 additions to bolster the squad now. I think taking a page out of Gillingham’s book last year is the approach we need in terms of a new manager and recruitment to ultimately getting ourselves away from the bottom two. I think Butt needs to come out and communicate with the support because the idea of waiting for other 12 months til the next 3 episodes of the doc comes out to understand what’s going on isn’t good enough. By doing that I hope he will mute the ‘not for to wear the shirt’ crowd which personally don’t agree with but appreciate the sentiment and peoples choice to vocalise their irritation.

[tangerinedream]

Simon Wiles post match .......

[saleford]

Although I have no intention of returning to Moor Lane anytime soon, so perhaps don’t deserve the right to comment, I do feel strongly about what I read…

To say supporters who pay good money to watch games shouldn’t chat criticism at the players is woke snowflake bs.
The team isn’t fit to wear the shirt, so they have every right to chat so.

What IS disgusting, is players who are not fit to wear the shirt thinking they have the right of reply!
The only way they should be replying is by running through brick walls for the cause and winning a few games to bring some pride back, but perhaps that’s too much to ask from overpaid hasbeens and prima Donna’s?

I have supported several teams through very hard times and back to back relegations, but never witnessed player petulance at deserved criticism, just contrition and hard work.
So Salford players need to get real, for me and dig a bit deeper, or ship out.

[Deleted]

The ages of the Accrington lineup... 21, 16, 22, 19, 20, 21, 21, 22, 27, 36, 23 with subs aged 34, 19, 18, 19
Average starting age 22.55
Average sub age 22.5

The ages of our lineup... 30, 20, 37, 32, 30, 24, 23, 30, 20, 34, 31 with subs aged 28, 33, 24, 20
Average starting age 28.27
Average sub age 26.25

[chipbarm]

Jan 3, 2024 12:25:14 GMT @oldmanyellsatcloud said:

The ages of the Accrington lineup... 21, 16, 22, 19, 20, 21, 21, 22, 27, 36, 23 with subs aged 34, 19, 18, 19
Average starting age 22.55
Average sub age 22.5

The ages of our lineup... 30, 20, 37, 32, 30, 24, 23, 30, 20, 34, 31 with subs aged 28, 33, 24, 20
Average starting age 28.27
Average sub age 26.25

Proper Dad's Army aren't we?

[dannyboy]

I mentioned a bit about the contrast in the average ages of the two teams in my last podcast as my nephew who used to play with some of the Accrington lads was surprised how young their squad was

[je85]

Jan 2, 2024 19:05:51 GMT saleford said:

Although I have no intention of returning to Moor Lane anytime soon, so perhaps don’t deserve the right to comment, I do feel strongly about what I read…

To say supporters who pay good money to watch games shouldn’t chat criticism at the players is woke snowflake bs.
The team isn’t fit to wear the shirt, so they have every right to chat so.

What IS disgusting, is players who are not fit to wear the shirt thinking they have the right of reply!
The only way they should be replying is by running through brick walls for the cause and winning a few games to bring some pride back, but perhaps that’s too much to ask from overpaid hasbeens and prima Donna’s?

I have supported several teams through very hard times and back to back relegations, but never witnessed player petulance at deserved criticism, just contrition and hard work.
So Salford players need to get real, for me and dig a bit deeper, or ship out.

This is a bit contradictory - having a pop at players from 15ft away to then pat yourself on the back for supporting several teams??? If anything it’s flakey following 8+ teams. The fans digging players out at the end of a game are fortunate there hasn’t been a reply - it’s not a panto they have a right of reply, which probably would include words to the effect of F**k off. Not sure if running through brick walls is your occupation, but if some random rocked into your place of work and mugged you off for your performance you would exercise your right of reply no?

We know very little in comparison to the players that are in the club day in, day out and 100% have a better idea than supporters about what’s going on. They are not showing petulance by not being baited into a heated exchange on performances, nor are supporters on here who don’t wish to partake in having a pop at the end of 90minutes. Majority of which, myself included are too frustrated by what’s happening at the club currently to scream and shout at individuals who don’t know you, me or any of the supporters from Adam. Not sure how Wokey or Snowflaky that makes me but as you were.

[tangerinedream]

Jan 3, 2024 14:00:00 GMT je85 said:

Jan 2, 2024 19:05:51 GMT saleford said:

Although I have no intention of returning to Moor Lane anytime soon, so perhaps don’t deserve the right to comment, I do feel strongly about what I read…

To say supporters who pay good money to watch games shouldn’t chat criticism at the players is woke snowflake bs.
The team isn’t fit to wear the shirt, so they have every right to chat so.

What IS disgusting, is players who are not fit to wear the shirt thinking they have the right of reply!
The only way they should be replying is by running through brick walls for the cause and winning a few games to bring some pride back, but perhaps that’s too much to ask from overpaid hasbeens and prima Donna’s?

I have supported several teams through very hard times and back to back relegations, but never witnessed player petulance at deserved criticism, just contrition and hard work.
So Salford players need to get real, for me and dig a bit deeper, or ship out.

This is a bit contradictory - having a pop at players from 15ft away to then pat yourself on the back for supporting several teams??? If anything it’s flakey following 8+ teams. The fans digging players out at the end of a game are fortunate there hasn’t been a reply - it’s not a panto they have a right of reply, which probably would include words to the effect of F**k off. Not sure if running through brick walls is your occupation, but if some random rocked into your place of work and mugged you off for your performance you would exercise your right of reply no?

We know very little in comparison to the players that are in the club day in, day out and 100% have a better idea than supporters about what’s going on. They are not showing petulance by not being baited into a heated exchange on performances, nor are supporters on here who don’t wish to partake in having a pop at the end of 90minutes. Majority of which, myself included are too frustrated by what’s happening at the club currently to scream and shout at individuals who don’t know you, me or any of the supporters from Adam. Not sure how Wokey or Snowflaky that makes me but as you were.

In total agreement with everything you've said je85. Good on you for replying to the post because I had no intention of responding to it just as I wouldn't indulge those 'supporters' who yelled obscenities and insults at the players and Luke Garbutt in particular. Before the match started Alex Cairns thanked us for coming to the game and supporting the team just as the players came over to the crowd at the final whistle with the intention of applauding us but were then met with a barrage of 'f' and 'c' words among others. I suppose to some people these days that's totally acceptable behaviour. Please don't count me as one them though. I have and will criticise players and performances but I will always treat them with common decency that I would expect to receive myself in return.