Moving On!

As a new season dawns, just nine days to go until we entertain Warrenpoint Town, hereafter known as the 'Point', on Saturday 9 August, but before that we have a charity shield match against Chickenville at Solitude this Saturday 2 August. I was told (not officially), that Glenavon as the cup winners had pulled out of the tie because Chickenville won the toss and it was to be played at their ground. In stepped Ballymena, but for the life of me, I cannot see why. There's no financial inducement, as all monies minus expenses go to charity, so we get nothing out. Its a horrible ground to watch a game as visiting supporters are stuck behind one goal in a small stand with little or no elevation.

But our board agreed to us taking part, by a stroke of luck we haven't to play on a Sunday, but that's the only thing going for us. Chickenville, will be out to impress, they'll not want to lose in front of their own supporters and I'm expecting a hard bruising battle and its the last thing we need with seven days to go before the real action starts. Sky Blue Sport will not be there, we will be in Dublin for the weekend, a last hurrah before getting down to the real thing. There's been a lot of talk about us signing, Kyle McVey, ex-Coleraine/Linfield central defender. As far as I know, he would be our second signing, having signed Tipton, but I saw him at the Welders and he is a slow as a carthorse and we have enough slow defenders, we definitely don't need anymore.

On another point I was amazed to see we didn't ask for Saturdays match against the Point to be brought forward, as it clashes with the Apprentice Boys parade in Derry. Maybe the United board, in its wisdom, thinks the attraction of a parade through the madden city, will not detract from it's 'gate' against the Point. Or maybe the NIFL, doesn't allow games to brought forward at such short notice. It just seems strange to me, if we want the most spectators to witness the start of the season, why would we not cater for the fans, who are duty bound to follow their culture and will not be at the Showgrounds next Saturday, but would surely come on the Friday night.

But I think logically and that would never do with the powers that be, that run our club, as a case in point I refer to us changing our kit suppliers from last season. We, (the club), had known about this change of suppliers at least six weeks before last season ended, so there was ample time to get new kits organised. Alas and alack, we haven't any new kits for the start of season, due to circumstances out of our control. Whether its a problem with the suppliers, or somebody in our organisation has thrown a spanner in the works, I don't honestly know, but the upshot is we will not have a new kit for the start of season and will have to wait until September, at least we hope its September.

My headline entitled 'moving on', was meant to be an optimistic view of our club and I've just crucified the board for agreeing to the charity shield game (I assume Spike was asked for his opinion) and in some way responsible for the lack of new kits for the start of the season. I'm putting on a brave face and saying we will move on and get better. We have two strikers who will find the net if they get the service, our defence looks solid enough, but we really need McVey, if we sign him, to be the goods. It's the midfield we have not strengthened and if we are intent of playing 4,4,2, we haven't got the players to play four across the middle, we need new blood, but time is running short, COSB!