05/06 fixture list August
Sat 06 15:00 A MK Dons FL1
Tue 09 19:45 H Hartlepool FL1
Sat 13 15:00 H Bristol City FL1
Sat 20 15:00 A Gillingham FL1
Sat 27 15:00 A Bradford City FL1
Mon 29 15:00 H Walsall FL1
September
Sat 03 15:00 H Tranmere FL1
Sat 10 15:00 A Chesterfield FL1
Sat 17 15:00 H Swindon Town FL1
Sat 24 15:00 A Oldham FL1
Tue 27 19:45 H Swansea City FL1
October
Sat 01 15:00 A Huddersfield FL1
Sat 08 15:00 H Doncaster FL1
Sat 15 15:00 A Colchester FL1
Sat 22 15:00 H Port Vale FL1
Sat 29 15:00 A Brentford FL1
November
Sat 12 15:00 H Nottm Forest FL1
Sat 19 15:00 A Doncaster FL1
Sat 26 15:00 H MK Dons FL1
December
Tue 06 19:45 A Blackpool FL1
Sat 10 15:00 A Hartlepool FL1
Sat 17 15:00 H Gillingham FL1
Mon 26 15:00 A Yeovil Town FL1
Wed 28 19:45 H Barnsley FL1
Sat 31 15:00 A Southend FL1
January
Mon 02 15:00 H Scunthorpe FL1
Sat 07 15:00 A Tranmere FL1
Sat 14 15:00 H Rotherham FL1
Sat 21 15:00 A Swindon Town FL1
Sat 28 15:00 H Chesterfield FL1
February
Sat 04 15:00 A Swansea City FL1
Sat 11 15:00 H Oldham FL1
Tue 14 19:45 A Rotherham FL1
Sat 18 15:00 H Blackpool FL1
Sat 25 15:00 A Bristol City FL1
March
Sat 04 15:00 A Walsall FL1
Sat 11 15:00 H Bradford City FL1
Sat 18 15:00 H Yeovil Town FL1
Sat 25 15:00 A Barnsley FL1
April
Sat 01 15:00 H Southend FL1
Sat 08 15:00 A Scunthorpe FL1
Sat 15 15:00 H Huddersfield FL1
Mon 17 15:00 A Port Vale FL1
Sat 22 15:00 H Colchester FL1
Sat 29 15:00 A Nottm Forest FL1
May
Sat 06 15:00 H Brentford FL1  ¶ 12:34 PM 24 comments

Monday, May 16, 2005

Elliot and O'Connor move on Wade Elliot and Garreth O'Connor have both moved to Burnley, and sections of the Bournemouth fans have reacted with precitable hysteria.

Seriously, we must have the most negative fans in the league, as every last incident means we are doomed and we must find someone to blame. In truth, it is not quite as bad as all that. That it happened at the same time was a bit of a shock, but really it's been obvious for a while that O'Connor was going to leave, while Elliot has been treading water for a couple of years. Yes, we'll miss them, but we'll also replace them. We always do; it's the way football works.

In fact this mini-clearout may be exactly what is needed, as it means the team will be fundamentally different next season to the one which failed to be promoted this. It's the perfect opportunity to go three at the back, and introduce a proper ball winner into midfield; or bring in a proper left winger, which we haven't had for who knows how long; or maybe stick Stock out on the right and get him ot play a Beckham style crossing role.

I'm sure that O'Driscoll and co. have plenty of replacements lined up, the available wages may even allow us to bring in more than two players to strengthen the squad further. Who knows?

One thing is for certain it is far too early to write off next season before this one has even ended. Sure, we may face a relegation battle; or we may win the league. Or we might have to settle for mid table obscurity. Whichever way it goes I wouldn't miss it for anything.  ¶ 7:29 PM 0 comments

Sunday, May 08, 2005

AFC Bournemouth 2-2 Hartlepool The season comes to an end three games earlier than we had hoped, and in the customary style. For the third time in seven years we miss out on the playoffs by failing to get the result we needed in the last game of the season.

It had all been going rather well for the first 70 minutes, but when the second Pools goal went in the players dropped their heads and ran out of ideas, much as they had been doing during the last five home games when we failed to pick up a point. And that was the real reason we missed out - you can't go on a losing run like that without paying for it in the end.

So where from here?

It's probably best to let the dust settle before specualting too much. Inevitably there are a handful of morons on the Rivals messageboard calling for SOD to go. Yes he can be frustrating, and he certainly should have made his substitutions earlier yesterday, but I truly suspect it won't be until he does leave that people realise exactly what a good job he has done. I hope he stays; although a mini-clear out of some sort could be what is needed.

What is undeniably needed is someone to add a bit of steel to the side. when we look back on the season in the next few weeks the most telling statistic may be not those five home defeats in a row, but but 35 bookings from 46 games. How many times have opposition managers said we play nice football but are too lightweight? This is the one thing we really need to change.  ¶ 2:32 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 05, 2005

So it all comes down to this

We always knew that the Hartlepool game would be the crucial one, and
so it is. There's no other games to take into consideration - if we
win, we're through; if we don't, we're not.

Five home defeats in a row, and no goals in the last four is hardly
the best preparation, but these runs do often seem to come to an end
in style. Which means it will either be 0-1 or 4-0.

  ¶ 1:07 PM 0 comments

Monday, April 25, 2005

Warren Cummings in League One Team of the Year http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=6399&type=1  ¶ 11:16 AM 2 comments

Sunday, April 24, 2005

This is either the best play-off race ever... or the worst. We're doing our best to throw it away, but the other teams just won't take the hint. Seems nobody wants to go up. This does at least mean that it's going down to the last game of the season whether we like it or not, although 5 home defeats in a row and no goals in four of them means we probably shouldn't hold our breath.  ¶ 12:43 PM 0 comments

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Six in a row Six away wins in a row, for the first time ever. Three games left; it's in our own hands.  ¶ 12:59 PM 0 comments