Reserves

"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists his Reserves play the kind of football that deserves to be seen by a wider audience."

Having watched the Reserves play at Bury the other week, I can only agree. The quality of football is excellent - a fast passing game. However they play in Northwich, about 26 miles from Old Trafford. The stadium looks good in the photos and Northwich Victoria need the revenue. But it must be half an hour by car, or the train journey to Lostock Grahlam is 50 minutes from Manchester, plus a walk. All for a weekday night with a 1900h kick-off. Previously they used to play at Bury, then Altrincham and then Hyde. They used to get crowds of a few thousand now it's apparently 200-300.

I'm going to try and get to see another Reserves game this year but it'll be an away tie. Possibly the match against Manchester City in October. At least it will actually be in Manchester at the athletic stadium next to City's ground.
OGS Rallies Fans for the Reserves at ManUnitedYouth.Com

Reserves overcome Bury

Bury Reserves 0-2 United Reserves
Manchester Senior Cup 2008/9: attendance est.150

It turned out to be a very wet trip to Gigg Lane to watch the reserves in action. By the time I got there I was soaked. Got another soaking on the way home. The players got wet too, and Ole Solskjaer the manager was in a good waterproof outfit. I was sat a few rows behind him during the second half, listening to the encouragement he was shouting across to the players. A bit different from the usual get in position rants from many coaches. The team played well in the United style. Keep the ball, pass even if you have to pass backwards, work the play across the pitch. The first goal came after about 15 minutes from a direct free kick by Magnus Eikrem. The other one was in the second half with Tom Cleverley smacking it into the net with the Bury defence caught out of position. There are no annoucements at these games, so your not always sure who's scored or how long injury time will be.

Other interesting note - Fabio DaSilva, well it looked like him, came and stood behind me near the end of the game, chatting away in very fast Brazilian dialect.

Game 35: Admission £3, tram fare £2.70, bus fares £2.80, cup of tea 1.60, confectionary £1.09, no programme available but a free teamsheet.

Manchester United: Ben Foster, Rafael Da Silva, Richard Eckersley, David Gray, James Chester, Cameron Stewart, Magnus Eikrem, Sam Hewson, Danny Welbeck, James Derbyshire, Tom Cleverley.
Subs: Reece Brown, Ben Amos, Christpher Curran, Evandro Brandao, Antonio Bryan

Reserves win Lancashire Cup

Liverpool Reserves 2-3 Manchester United Reserves
Lancashire Senior Cup Final, at Leyland, Lancashire Att: 606

Well another trophy for 2008, and the new manager Ole Gunner must be pleased with the result though it was Brian McClair who got them to the final. Not on Tv, didn't expect it on the radio and not there either. What I usually do is to see who can bring the result the quickest. This merely involves refreshing various websites in various tabs - oh the joys of Firefox browser. The clear winner was the Liverpool FC website soon after the game finished - here with CUP FINAL HEARTACHE FOR RESERVES by Paul Hassall. So top marks to them.

One day a new gadget vidiprinter will arrive. It spews out endless sports results. If you spot one for sale I'd buy it. For the record these were the teams. Look back in two years time to see who made it to the big time Premiership.


Liverpool Reserves: Bouzanis, Scott, Irwin, San Jose, Huth, Kelly, Lindfield, Eccleston (Amoo 83), Brouwer, Simon, Bruna (Kacaniklic 70). Unused subs: Hansen, Metcalf, Pepper.

Manchester United: Zieler, Gray, R. Eckersley, Cathcart, Chester, Simpson, Possebon (Drinkwater 46), Gibson, Campbell, Cleverley, Hewson (Evans 88). Unused subs: Derbyshire, Amos, Eikrem.

Crowd trouble at Ressies friendly

Today I discovered that the friendly between Altrincham and Manchester United reserves was abandoned in the 86th minute. Pitch invasion, smoke bombs, no arrests, police involved. It made the local BBC Tv news tonight which blamed United fans. The Altrincham FC website says it was a small section of visiting supporters. Reads like drink was involved - causing trouble at a Reserves game not something to brag about.

"unsavoury scenes that ultimately led to the abandonment of the game." - Altrincham FC
Scroll down for Club Statement 20 July 2008.

"A sad end to what should have been an enjoyable afternoon"- United Reserves website.
- which is a good source of news & reports. United were winning 0-3 with the goals from Federico Macheda (2) and Rodrigo Possebon

I was hoping to get to the FC United of Manchester friendly there this Tuesday - if the game is still on that is.

Reserves win Manchester Cup

I was planning to go to tonight's Manchester Senior Cup final tonight at Old Trafford. But got home late, and it wouldn't have gone down too well with the Biffa herself who is off to that Londonshire tomorrow....oh well, it was only a fiver admission but it would have been full of kids smacked up on Haribo sweets.

Anyway it was United 2-0 Bolton Wanderers. Top marks to the official Man Utd site for getting the result published before 2200h. I usually make a note of the team playing - just in case anyone makes it to the first team.

Zieler; Gray, Chester, Eckersley, Cleverley; Barnes, Hewson, Possebon, S Evans; Welbeck, Eagles.
Subs not used: Amos, Fagan, Macheda, James, Drinkwater.
Goals from Danny Welbeck (79), and Rodrigo Possebon (90)

Trivia notes : won this trophy 28 times; when they won it in 1999 the first team won on the treble but back then Teddy Sheringham played in one of the early ties; the cup is quite small by modern standards and is usually on display in the museum.

The Reds other Cup Finals

I usually check out the Reserves section at the official Manchester United web site. It's habit. They've had a pretty good season and have now reached two cup finals. The Manchester Senior Cup (the first trophy won by Newton Heath in 1888, and beaten finalists by City in 2007) and the Lancashire Senior Cup which they last won back in 1969.

Not so sure of the value of Reserve team football anymore, but it keeps Brian McClair in a job. The best players step up into the squad system, others are loaned out to other clubs to obtain more competitive matches. Also the matches are played at Northwich Victoria with a 1900h kick off - not exactly Manchester.

There is Reserves match coming up against a United States u-2o's side. It's on Thursday afternoon at the Carrington training ground. I emailed United to see if it was possible to attend. Lot of holidays to use up before June, so why not waste it at footie match not far from home. So far I've not had a reply. Do you think I'll get one? Do you think they care?

Previous entries :
Lancashire Senior Cup
Manchester Senior Cup

Reserves Play at Northwich

Reserve team football might serve a purpose but it's hard to see what it is these days. The better prospects usually get loaned out to get first team football elsewhere. Gone are the days of playing on a Saturday afternoon. A 10 team league of mid-week evening games - k.o. at 1900h - don't want the young lads out too late.

Manchester United Reserves are to play their home games at the modern Victoria Stadium, home of Northwich Victoria - it's about 25 miles from Old Trafford. Previous seasons have been at Bury, Altrincham, and last year at Hyde United. Fixture list - but this will change like the weather. One day I'll go to Northwich, plus the other very old salt towns Middlewich and Nantwich in Cheshire - but not for an evening match.