v 
THE BLUES
What a good result on Saturday, not a great deal happened but it felt very tense at times and a very welcome three points.
Now it's the Carling Cup First Round and I would expect a few changes. Joyce may get a chance in goal and Sankofa maybe in the back four. Harding has been cleared by Ipswich so should get another chance to know his team-mates. In midfield I could see Grant in for Bailey to help clear his mind a touch but more likely so he doesn't get cup-tied! Betsy for Scannell or Walker wide. Up front, Revell for Furlong. Blimey, where did we get this huge squad from? Seven subs, expect Herd and O'Keefe on the bench at least though Tilly's not happy about this new rule, read his thought on the official site here.
http://www.southendunited.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10444~1363949,00.html
With the reduction of ticket prices, it took them a while but they got there, to a tenner for adults and a fiver for the rest they should be a bigger crowd than the same match up last year. Hopefully a good atmosphere and a ticket to the second round tied up a little earlier this time around. However, once again, there will be a result on the night with extra-time and penalties if needed. 2-0 Blues.
Click on the link below to read a report on that first round tie from last year, not many players still here.
Southend 4 Cheltenham 1 (1-1 after 90 mts.)
Southend: Collis, Gilbert (Hunt 105), Wilson, Clarke, Barrett, Bailey, Moussa, Hooper (MacDonald 75), Campbell-Ryce, Gower (Black 84), Bradbury.
THE OPPOSITION
Expected to struggle again as they did last year, in fact worse as they have lost talisman Stephen Gillespie. They found the new season gave them no respite as they headed to a 4-2 defeat at Northampton.
Shane Duff has experienced no ill-effects from a thigh problem after Saturday's match and should continue at the centre of defence alongside Michael Townsend. Defenders Callum Hart and Andy Nicholas may also feature along with former Newcastle trainee Liam Adkin.
A report on the game from the Cheltenham Rivals site.
The Robins got some idea of how tough this season is going to be when they went down 4-2 at Northampton Town at Sixfields on Saturday
The first half was a pretty dull affair, but Cheltenham took the lead when Bird fired in a shot and Gabor Gyepes turned the ball into his own net. But the lead only lasted seven minutes then Liam Davis sent over a cross, Mark Hughes headed the ball down and Chris Doig blasted home.
There was no holding the Cobblers back in the second half and it was no surprise when they went in front in the 64th minute when Bird brought down Kenny Jackman in the box. kinfenwa scored from the spot and there was no looking back from there for Northampton.
Four minutes later and the Cobblers had another penalty, this time Townsend fouled Guttridge and Akinfenwa did the trick from the spot once more.
Townsend made up for his mistake after 75 minutes when Cheltenham got a penalty of their own.
But there was no way back for the Robins when Northampton added a fourth two minutes later when Akinfenwa set up Constantine and he beat the keeper to wrap things up.
Cheltenham: Higgs, Jeremy Gill, Duff, Townsend, Wright, Lindegaard (Watkins 82), Bird, Russell, Armstrong (Ben Gill 82), Connor, Vincent. Subs Not Used: Scott Brown, Ridley, Gallinagh.
THE MATCHES
Played 15: WON 5 DRAWN 4 LOST 6
Our first game with Cheltenham was only nine years ago, a 1-2 away defeat on October 9 1999. Last season saw two draws, the home one a disappointment at the time but we did come back from losing 0-2 at half time to fight back to 2-2, Gower and Hammell the scorers on Nov. 17 07. Then on the leap year Friday evening of Feb. 29 this year a truly horrible display on a horrible pitch in horrible windy conditions saw Bailey rescue a 1-1 result with a neat shot into the left hand corner of the goal.
THE REF
The man in charge is Andy Woolmer (from Northamptonshire) who is making his fifth visit to Roots Hall in five seasons!
Assistants are Marvin Thompson from Middlesex and Ian Bentley from Kent. Fourth official is Ray Lee.
THE HISTORY
Cheltenham Town has a long history of football prior to The Robins. In 1849, the first use of three official referees in a match, two in field and one in tribune was recorded in the town. However, the modern club was founded in 1887 by Albert Close White. Cheltenham joined the Southern League in 1935 and won promotion to the Alliance Premier League (now the Conference National) in 1985, but were relegated seven years later. They won promotion to the Conference in his first season as manager despite not actually winning the then Dr Martens league (commonly known as the Southern Football League and currently known as the British Gas Business Football League) and two years later gained promotion to the Football League. After two mid-table finishes in Division Three (now League Two) they won via the playoffs and were promoted to Division Two.
The appointment of Steve Cotterill as manager during the 1996-97 was the start of a revolution at the club. He is Cheltenham Town's most successful manager. Four months after taking charge he guided the club to runners-up spot in the Dr Martens Premier League (Southern Football League Premier Division), but they won promotion to the Conference because Dr Martens Premier League champions Gresley Rovers were unable to meet the required ground capacity for Conference membership. In 1997-98, Cheltenham surprised all the observers by finishing runners-up in the Conference and giving champions Halifax Town a run for their money right up until the end of April, and securing a place at Wembley in the FA Trophy final, beating Southport 1-0 in front of a crowd of some 27,000 of which 19,000 were from Cheltenham. In 1998-99 Cheltenham went one better and secured the Conference title - their passport to the football league.
After two mid-table finishes in Division Three, Cheltenham finally won promotion to Division Two (via the Division Three playoffs) at the end of the 2001-02 season. Shortly after winning promotion, Steve Cotterill left Cheltenham to pursue his career by joining Stoke City as manager. He remained there for just four months before quitting to become Sunderland's assistant manager, a role which he held for just five months. Cotterill returned to football management in June 2004 with Burnley.
Meanwhile, Cheltenham replaced Cotterill with first-team coach Graham Allner who had won the Conference championship with Kidderminster Harriers in 1994. But he was sacked in January 2003, after just six months in the job, with Cheltenham hovering near the foot of Division Two. Cheltenham turned to Bobby Gould, one of the most experienced managers in English football whose exploits include an FA Cup victory with Wimbledon in 1988. Cheltenham continued to struggle and defeat in their final game of the season condemned the club to relegation back to Division Three after just one season.
Gould resigned as Cheltenham Town manager in November 2003 and was replaced by the experienced John Ward, who has been an assistant manager with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Watford, and a manager with Bristol City, Bristol Rovers and York City.
During the 2005-06 season, a new stand for visiting fans was added (The Carlsberg Stand) and a small electronic scoreboard was installed. The club punched above its weight and finished the season in 5th, earning a place in the play-offs. In the semi-final Cheltenham beat Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 away and drew 0-0 in the second leg at Whaddon Road. In the play-off final, Cheltenham beat Grimsby Town 1-0, securing a place in League One for 2006-07. The match at the Millennium Stadium on May 28 2006 was attended by 29,196 people, making it the club's largest ever stadium audience. However despite promotion, attendances have not increased as the club hoped, though they increased to 4359. The club were knocked out of the various cup competitions in early stages and were finding it difficult to muster up the funds to invest in additional players. However, with the prudent guidance of chairman Paul Baker and the rest of the board of directors the club is in a stable financial position, preferring not to risk this stability by taking gambles on expensive signings.
Cheltenham have brought in Andy Lindegaard from Yeovil Town on a free transfer, left back Lee Ridley signing from 2006-2007 League 1 Champions Scunthorpe United, Aaron Ledgister on a free transfer from Bristol City, Tommy Manship on non-contract terms he had formerly been with Grantham Town and Jennison Myrie-Williams on a months loan from Bristol City. Cheltenham have also signed Guy Madjo from Crawley Town on a month loan with a permanent move set for the future. Michael D'Agostino has also signed a loan contract which will keep him at Cheltenham until January. He signed from Blackpool and is said to be a pacey, lively and a tricky player who likes to get the ball into the box and beat players with his skill.
By the beginning of October 2007, Cheltenham had failed to win at home since the opening day of the season. Results took a turn for the worst with the club going four games without a win.
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 3rd October 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 has promised that Downing is set to make a number of quality signings. However only time will tell if this is in fact true, as previous promises have led to nothing. Martin Allen was linked with the club, as many fans believed that Downing was the wrong choice due to his close links to Ward.
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.
After draws in three home games against Crewe Alexandra and Yeovil Town, in which Cheltenham salvaged points with very late goals. They were then on the receiving end of one in the FA cup in a 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Then again they faced Brighton four days later in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and were beaten 4-1, in a good performance in which they were unlucky not to force a penalty shoot-out before losing two late goals on the break. They later lost again in the FA Cup 1st Round 2-1 at the Withdean Stadium. In the league they again drew 2-2 with The Blues, throwing away a first-half 2-0 lead.
On 25th November, 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.
In January, Cheltenham won 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.
After a run of bad results, Cheltenham had a five match unbeaten run in March/April. This started with a stunning 2-1 victory over Leeds at Elland Road, as Cheltenham became the only team to complete the double over them this season. Then followed a 1-0 victory over West Country rivals Bristol Rovers, with another win against Leyton Orient and draws against Luton Town and Northampton Town.
Cheltenham's survival was secured on the final day of the season as they beat Doncaster Rovers 2-1 at Whaddon Road, denying their opposition automatic promotion.
(Thanks to the usual suspect in their help with this article.)