Preview: Cheltenham V Southend

THE MATCHES

Oh just a perfect day, drank sangria in the park, and later, when it gets dark, we go home.

Well, not quite, until Colly's cricket boys trust a spinner and work out a plan B for slow pitches we will lose more one dayers than we win. However, I will settle for a glorious rugby win in Paris, both the Farmers and Borient losing at home, putting us above Ling's losers for the first time since, er, the season began, and a 3-0 away win at Yeovil. As perfect as it gets.

Part 1 of the six point away trip mission completed, now for part 2. It has been noted that even if we had lost both these games or the one on Friday we are not out of the play offs. Of course. Not mathameticly. However I stand by my forecast last time out. One word, momentum. We have been woefully inconsistant all season, no 8 wins in a row this time out, with a weaker defence, the business end of the season has not been our strongest, the fixture list looked scarier in March than February even with four at home, April has two succesive away weekends at Carlisle and Tranmere, fancy having to win both of them?

No, I truly felt, with only 12 games remaining from March 8, 14 points from February and an unbeaten month was necessary. Millwall away, a truly horrendus performance, blew that and we still looked nervous in patches against Yeovil who have no confidence in front of goal at the moment. Still, with a positive result at the weekend we can reach 11 or 13 points from the month and with other clubs, outside South Wales, showing equal inconsistancy, we may be able to wing it. I will still get nervous when a ball is hit with pace and power into our penalty area but we do have an advantage over a few clubs around us, a midfield with heart and no little skill who can score goals, well done Marky, and a poaching goalscorer in Barnard who is starting to look like another Tilly bargin. Walker may turn out to be a big plus as well.

Bring it on then, I fancy a 2-1 win, and with a daughter living in the Spa town of Cheltenham I've got somewhere to lay my hat, so expect a report on TLG sometime on Saturday for those struggling to get to the game on a Friday evening. Hopefully we will see a Blues side picking up confidence after Yeovil against a Cheltenham side that last won at home on Feb. 9, 2-1 v Brighton, with two last minute goals, so no five minutes injury time please if we are one up!

THE OPPOSITION

The Robins presently find themselves in deep trouble in 19th place on 36 points, only one point out of the bottom four and another club very grateful for the 10 point deductions given to Luton and Bournemouth. Only 2 wins now out of the last 9, but this was after a golden period in January when they won four on the trot without conceding a goal including a 1-0 win at home over Carlisle where they have also beaten Leeds.

Apart from the point earned by a stirring comeback in a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth and Steve Brooker's late equaliser, (2 from 2 for Brooker now, who along with Gillespie, a scorer at Roots Hall, are the main forward threats), the other plus to come out of Cheltenham Town's match on Saturday was the return to action of Shane Duff. It was the 25-year-old centre-back's first start since the home defeat against Huddersfield Town on December 22, after which he finally succumbed to an ongoing Achilles tendon injury. While Duff found his comeback game tough, especially the opening 45 minutes when Cheltenham were outclassed and fell two goals behind, he at least survived to the end and suffered no reaction to the injury.

With the club's other pivotal central defender Gavin Caines going into hospital for a knee operation that will force him out for the rest of the season, where he joins skipper John Finnegan, Duff's return has become even more important to Cheltenham's chances of surviving in League One.

"It was nice to be back out there in action even though it was a very hard, tough game for me," said Duff. "It has been a couple of months now for me and I was itching to get back involved. I will get a bit sharper after a game or two. I thought my brain was sharp but perhaps at times I was a little bit heavy-legged.

I have come through OK and the Achilles tendon was fine. I was pretty tired afterwards as at the end the game was really stretched and we had gone to three at the back and had to cover a lot more ground than normal. It was probably as big a test as I am ever going to get and my Achilles was fine."

Games are what Duff needs now, and he will get plenty of those as the season reaches its climax - starting with Friday night's visit of Southend United. With so much riding on Cheltenham's home form, manager Keith Downing will want the defence to start keeping some clean sheers, as they did with a number of 1-0 wins at the start of the year. Duff was a spectator then, but if he can rediscover the form he showed at the start of the season, first alongside Andy Gallinagh and then Michael Townsend before his illness, then he could play a big part in the relegation battle.

Duff added: "We have 12 games left and if I can perform to the best of my ability and we can start keeping some clean sheets again then hopefully we will give ourselves a chance of staying up." Duff also had a message for midfielder Scott Brown, who is making his way back after breaking his leg but will miss the next three games through his sending-off at Bournemouth. "It will be tough for Scott as it will be like starting all over again after a three-match ban, but he has to get himself right as he is an important player for us," said Duff. "I thought he showed that in the second half when he came on and he was really bright."

THE MATCHES

Played 14: WON 5 DRAWN 3 LOST 6.

Games against the Gloucester club started in their very first football league season with a 1-2 defeat on Oct. 9 '99, Carruthers the Blues goal. We did win the home return on May 6 2000 2-0, the two Jones boys, S. and N., grabbing a goal each.

We are now unbeaten against Cheltenham since an opening day 0-2 home defeat on Aug. 7 2004. The Blues kick started the road to the Championship with a wonderful 3-0 win at Whaddon Road on Mar. 19 2005, a double from Gray and a Freddie special sealing the points in the first half hour. A very rare Bradbury hat-trick, along with Adam, got the goals when we beat them 4-1 after extra time in the Coke Cup on Aug. 14 last year. While the very last match on Nov. 17 07 saw us two down at half time to the then bottom of the league side before a second half rally allowed Gower and Hammell to grab a point.

THE GROUND

At one end of the ground is the newest addition to the stadium. The Carlsberg Stand was opened in December 2005 and has a capacity of 1,100 fans. This stand is given to away supporters and is particularly steep in its design. It has a perspex windshield to one side and perspex panels incorporated into its roof, to allow more light to reach the pitch. The stand is unusual in the respect that it has a couple of more rows of seats on one side of it. There is also a small electric scoreboard on its roof. As would be expected from a new stand, the view of the playing area and the facilities are good, plus the bonus is that it also has good leg room. Just over 1,100 supporters can be accommodated in this area. If demand requires it, then up to 1,500 seats can be allocated in the In2Print Stand at one side of the pitch. This is another relatively new stand which was opened in November 2001.

This stand sits proudly at one side of the pitch and houses 2,034 supporters. It is a covered, all seated, single tiered stand, part of which is sometimes given to away supporters. The ground is now enclosed in one corner where the two new stands meet, although it is not used for spectators. On the other side of the pitch is the Stagecoach Main Stand, which has seating to the rear and terracing at the front. Straddling the half way line, it does not extend the full length of the pitch, having open spaces to either side. At one end is the small, covered, Cheltenham & Gloucester Terrace, which is the home end of the ground.

THE CAR

Leave the M5 at Junction 11 turning right towards Cheltenham. Go across 1st roundabout - GCHQ is on your left. Turn left at the next roundabout, into Princess Elizabeth Way. Go straight over the next roundabout, (the exit is over at about "1 o'clock"). Keep on up this road, and you will come to a big roundabout, where you will see a McDonalds on the corner. Go straight across this roundabout and continue up this road going over a double mini roundabout. Keep going for about 300 yards and then turn right into Swindon Lane. Go over the level crossing and straight over the next roundabout (signposted Prestbury) passing the race course on your left. Turn right into Albert Road (signposted Gloucestershire University) and at the bottom at the roundabout turn left into Prestbury Road, (the ground is signposted from here), and then further down Prestbury Road, turn right into Whaddon Road. The ground is down on the left.

There is no usable car park at the ground and nearby street parking is limited. T he Parklands Social Club does allow some parking at £4 per car. Otherwise there is a free 'Park & Ride' service to the ground operating from Cheltenham Racecourse, which is well signposted around the town. Journey time on the 'Park & Ride' service is obviously dependant on traffic, but is around ten minutes on average.

THE PUB

Odd place Cheltenham (Spa). Parts of it are very VERY posh indeed; other areas pretty grim. Suppose the cleaners and gardeners of the rich folks have to live somewhere. Whaddon Road is in one of the less er, refined areas of town. The pubs tend to reflect their locations. (Thanks to Ciderspace for that, couldn't put it better myself, I've been going there regularly for over 10 years and it's a real scitzo place.)

There is a club bar at the ground called the Robins Nest which allows in small numbers of away fans for a small admittance fee. Two relatively close pubs found to the ground are the Fox & Hounds & The Greyhound, but they both have more of a home feel about them. Away fans are probably better heading to the 'Sudeley Arms' or 'The Conservatory' on Prestbury Road on the outskirts of town. There is even a decent fish & chip shop situated in-between the two. To find these pubs, turn right out of the club car park, and then turn left at the end of the road. Go straight over the roundabout, and The Sudeley Arms is on your left and the Conservatory is further up on your right. It is no more than a ten minute walk from the ground.

Nearest pub to the ground is the Cat & Fiddle Inn, (63 Whaddon Road, GL52 5NE), about a minute or so walk but obviously very busy with home fans. Fair size with open-plan lounge, pool, and a small garden for good weather. The real ale is Arkell's and there are various ciders. Stella and Carlsberg are the lagers. Doesn't do food.

However if you do get to town early there is one of the better Weatherspoons which is very big and usually employs more than two bar staff. At 1.80 a pint of something very good it's worth a visit with under a 20 minute walk to the ground to follow. The Moon Under Water is at the top of the high street at 16-28 Bath Road, GL53 7HA. It takes 20 minutes from the rail station, just follow the signs into town or catch a bus to the high street, there's a stop right outside the station. You could get bus 'A' from the high street which takes you to Whaddon Road.

THE TRAIN

Well, some of you may be getting a train from London after work and scrounging a lift back or if you live in London this is just about on but for Southenders forget it, you will will not see the pier until Saturday morning! The last trains you can catch from London Paddington are the 16.15 and 16.45, it take 90 minutes if your lucky. Cheltenham Station is over two miles from the ground, so best to jump in a taxi. Certainly on the way back where the last London bound train is 22.00 with a change at Swindon, so even here you will have to leave before the end.

If you are going to embark on the 35-40 minute walk. Turn right out of station car park and follow Queens Road for around half a mile. At end of Queens Road and turn left into Lansdown Road. At the next (Montpellier) roundabout, turn left into Montpellier Walk (which later becomes the Promenade). At the end of the Promenade, turn right into the High Street. Go along High Street for around 100 yards and then turn left into Winchcombe Street (by a branch of the Cheltenham &Gloucester Building Society). Continue straight along Winchcombe Street and into Prestbury Road. Straight across the next roundabout and then first right into Whaddon Road. The entrance to the away end is down on the left.

THE HISTORY

The Robins were founded in 1887 by Albert Close White. They joined the Southern League in 1935 but the true revolution at the club started with the appointment of Steve Cotterill as manager during the 1996-97 season. Cheltenham won promotion to the then Conference in his first season and two years later gained promotion to the football league where they even beat us, thanks guys. You can even throw in the FA Trophy Final in 1998 when they beat Southport 1-0 in front of 27,000 at Wembley, 19,000 from the town. After a couple of mid table finishes in the old Division Three Cotterill gained them promotion to Division Two (now League One).

It was only a matter of time before Cotterill moved on, he finally choose Stoke City, while his replacement Graham Allner lasted just seven months as relegation back to League Two threatened. His successor Bobby Gould was unable to starve off relegation and the following season was replaced by John Ward, who guided Cheltenham to glory in the 2005-06 play-offs, beating Grimsby Town in the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Following Cheltenham's 3-0 defeat to Port Vale, John Ward announced he had agreed a four year contract with League One side Carlisle United and would begin his tenure the following day on October 3rd, 2007. Ward said he couldn't turn down the possibility of managing a team who could soon be playing in the English Championship. He left the club lying 23rd in the league, above only one team and are now expected to struggle to avoid relegation. Keith Downing was appointed caretaker manager until the position could be filled.

After a scathing attack on the fans and Ward on a radio interview on BBC Radio Gloucestershire, chairman Paul Baker Downing was made permanent. Cheltenham's results after Downing took charge were mixed having drawn 1-1 with Oldham Athletic, a 3-1 win in the Johnstones Paint Trophy against rivals Swindon Town and then a bad 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, which left many fans disgruntled with Downings tactics, which appeared as one dimensional as Wards were, not surprising due to their close links together.

On November 25 2007, a sell-out Whaddon Road enjoyed a brave performance against Leeds United, which, after riding their luck, the Robins won 1-0 thanks to an 86th minute winner by in-form striker Steven Gillespie. This result gave them their first win in over two months, and it is now one of the most famous in the clubs recent history, and they hoped it would be the spring-board for a good run and rise up the table.

In January 2008, Cheltenham did win four games in a row, the first time the club had achieved this feat since joining the Football League in 1999. During these games they didn't even concede. After the 1-0 loss to Millwall at the end of January, manager Keith Downing was pipped to the Manager of the Month award by Swansea City manager Roberto Martinez. Steven Gillespie was nominated for Player of the Month, but he too was pipped to the post by Edrissa Sonko of Walsall. Unfortunately, recent results have seen the Robins once again hovering just over the relegation zone.

(Thanks to all the usual suspects in their help with this article.)