I go away for a few days and what happens - goals from Simon Walton (it was a penalty), Jason De Vos and Dean Bowditch and a superb win. I've got the video to watch later in the week. A victory over QPR is a rare event for the tractor boys. Perhaps this the start of a push up the league - we live in hope.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
I go away for a few days and what happens - goals from Simon Walton (it was a penalty), Jason De Vos and Dean Bowditch and a superb win. I've got the video to watch later in the week. A victory over QPR is a rare event for the tractor boys. Perhaps this the start of a push up the league - we live in hope.

And all this AFTER I get back from my hol

So sorry, ROTF, things are becoming clear - I need to stay and home more and you need to stay away...

James

Jim Magilton has said he has money to spend and intends to continue adding to his squad with the right players at the right time. So far Jim has brought in Dan Harding, Alex Bruce, Martin Brittain and Sylvain Legwinski on permanent deals with Mark Noble, Simon Walton and Jon Macken on loan until January.

Jim said: It's certainly not an end to the new arrivals. I still think we lack a little depth in the squad and I have money to spend to bring more players in. We also have some very good young players here who are pushing hard to be involved. Billy Clarke was given a chance at QPR and did well, Danny Haynes is progressing and hopefully that goal at Loftus Road will help Dean Bowditch get back to where we want him to be. There are 16,17-year-olds here who are making great strides as well. Yes, they are only boys but we have great belief in them and will continue to help them develop and see how far we can take them.

Bob Malcolm, former Rangers defender, was scheduled to join on trial this week but has now joined Derby - no accounting for taste, he deserves a good RAMming.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
I go away for a few days and what happens - goals from Simon Walton (it was a penalty), Jason De Vos and Dean Bowditch and a superb win. I've got the video to watch later in the week. A victory over QPR is a rare event for the tractor boys. Perhaps this the start of a push up the league - we live in hope.

ROTF

Sadly, this may not be a rare event for any team playing QPR this season

Mark

Mark

Rangers played well for the first hour - both teams did. Football on the ground and end-to-end stuff. It was the best we've played under Jim amd I think if we'd played like that all season we'd be near the top.

I think if Rangers play the way they did in the first half then they will win games and, hopefully, join us in a climb up the table.

Rotf

2-1 to the Tractor Boys ....

What a great game. Is this the same lot I saw struggle against Hull. After Hull, I wondered if a 400 mile round trip was worth the effort, after this match I’ve no doubts at all.

With George Burley, Kelvin Davis, Jermaine Wright and Chris Makin around it was like playing the Town old boys. Saints are a very good side and certainly contributed full value to the match. They hit the woodwork twice and one off the line, so things went our way.

What Southampton hadn’t bargained for was young Billy Clarke. He is an exceptional talent. The winning goal was class. Billy Clarke with a far post header from Noble's free-kick - I thought for a moment I was back to watching Viljoen and Whymark. Not sure why Jim didn’t start with Clarke, but perhaps he wants to bring him gradually.

I didn’t think there was much doubt about the penalty: Wright brought down Alan Lee. I’d have given it if I’d have been ref :-). Good pen by Simon Walton: I’m beginning to like him, I had admit I had doubts when I first saw him, but he is now looking the part.

Lewis Price’s save near the end was superb, he’s got to be our first choice keeper.

Let’s hope this form keeps up for Coventry’s visit on Tuesday - have to leave work early for that one.

Thanks for the encouraging write-up, ROTF!

All I caught of the match on the way home from King's Lynn was Radio Norfolk post-match moan about Norwich's lamentable performance today - the only way they could make sense of Ipswich was by saying 'Norwich were still only 3 points from top, but Ipswich were only 3 points behind' - made me smile

So with a good run...

James

rotf,
so are you pleased with our young hammer mark noble then ? is he playing well ?
i know he made a goal but overall whats your assessment of him.
good result by the way.
regards, scotty

Was unable to get to tonight's match (the big downside of living in the Cotswolds), but just been 'phoned by my father who said that Noble was outstanding once again - he was excellent on Saturday and by all accounts even better tonight. We are starting the climb up the table.

Of course, when there are 10 minutes to go and you need the winning goal then Jim knows exactly what to do now - bring on young Billy Clark.

I wish I'd seen the match, but news of the victory was the second best thing.

Come on you Blues!

Town are running the rule over former Port Vale midfielder George O'Callaghan, who has impressed in training this week. The 27-year-old, who now plays for his hometown club Cork City in the Eircom League, has spent the past few days training with the first-team and will extend his stay into next week. O'Callaghan started his professional career with Port Vale as a teenager in the 1998/99 season and went on to make 34 League appearances for the club, scoring four goals.

Birmingham 2 Tractor Boys 2

Another superb match in the Championship and Town were very unlucky not to leave with all three points. Alan Lee's best game since first joining the club. Excellent displays from Noble and Walton in midfield.

Lee scored with a crisp and precise left shot and Simon Walton with a long range effort that took a slight deflection.

Birmingham did score a couple of goals, but I like to concentrate on highlights . Seriously, David Dunn is still a very good player.

We had lots of chances to win this game. Shots by Noble, Lee and Legwinski (who is settling in nicely) should have been decisive. John Macken did well too.

Birmingham are one of the favourites for promotion and I can see why, they an aggressive (I mean in a fair way, N'Gotty excepted,he thoroughly deserved his red card) and hard working side, with one outstanding player. Nonetheless, we more than held our own against them on their turf - so things bode well.

BTW well done Crystal Palace - good result.

Good news - and hopefully overhaul the Canaries in the coming week or so, on our way up...

Jim (James) Magilton's middle name doesn't begin with 'w' does it, James??!!!!



Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
Jim (James) Magilton's middle name doesn't begin with 'w' does it, James??!!!!



Mark

Great win for QPR you're pulling clear of trouble now.

Tractor Boys 3 Black Cats 1

Our most convincing win of the season. I can't believe this after the way we started the campaign. I'm very pleasantly surprised. We dominated the match from start to finish and were better in every department than a rather physical Sunderland team.

There's no doubting Sunderland are a good side with some class players and great supporters; they'll be in the mix at the end of the season, but our youngsters were simply fantastic. I don't know if it is going to last, so forgive me if I enjoy it while I can.

Mark Noble was the best player on the field.

De Vos own goal (a bit unlucky) put Sunderland ahead, but within two minutes Darren Currie's shot from the free kick beat the Sunderland keeper and we were all square. The free kick resulted from a foul on Mark Noble.

Soon after the break, Noble was in the action again - working some space on the wing, hitting a great cross for Alan Lee to direct in to the net with a precision header.

To cap it all, a long ball sent Alan Lee clear and he rounded the keeper to score. I take back all I said about him without reservation.

I am stil finding this hard to believe. It was our best performance for quite a while and without Simon Walton, Sylvain Legwinski or Fabian Wilnis.

Rotf

BTW - A new location specific version of Monopoly has been released in Ipswich. The people of the town were allowed to vote for the place names on the board. It is the first time that there has been a Monopoly game with no gaol (jail). The chance card reads Go to Norwich. Go directly to Norwich, do not pass go. Do not collect £200. Hope nobody takes offence, but it seemed funny when I heard it.

Having been a s/t (and a s/t for the kids) for the last four seasons and not renewed this year due to
a/ work meaning missing 30% matches
b/ worsening performances etc.
c/ kids enjoying it even less than me
I went to my first match of the season yeasterday.
Went on my own (before had one of my kids in tow), sat (stood actually) middle Lower North, and had one of the best footy days for ages - standing helps (just like the old days - remember before the big wire fence went up?), the atmosphere where I stood was brilliant, the team did really well against a team (in the first half) whose main priority was to kick the cr4p out of anybody in blue (Keane tactics?), and am really looking forward to future matches!
Well done Jim and the lads,
BLUE ARMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Us 1 Tractor Boys 1 (well it should've been - where do they get these refs from).

Good game and impressed by Colchester, I don't begrudge them the win, but if anybody who watched the match can explain what was wrong with our disallowed goal, I'd be interested to know.

Although it finished 1-0, it could have easily been 4-4. Two very good goalkeepers saw to it that it was otherwise.

Perhaps we needed this reality check - I was beginning to get carried away witn our recent run of great results and eying that automatic promotion place.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
Jim (James) Magilton's middle name doesn't begin with 'w' does it, James??!!!!



Mark

Great win for QPR you're pulling clear of trouble now.

And another one today ROTF, away at Southampton after being 1-0 down as well. At this rate we'll be challenging for a play off spot! Ah there I go again, getting carried away!

Sorry you lost last night!

Mark

Mark,
Only just saw your amusing post.

James 'not Magilton' M