Accrington Stanley vs Ipswich Town Preview & Matchday Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 9:14 pm
Accrington Stanley v Ipswich Town
Sunday 20th October 2019 – 15:00
Crown Ground
Pre Match Thoughts - Mike
Back To Business....
Town return to action following another International break which we chose to enforce ourselves, we are probably all aware of the stats relating to our first game back following a break and it isn't great reading, in fact if we are at all superstitious we have zero chance of winning this one, this alarming stat was posted a few days ago which makes glum reading, "Over the last 10 seasons the club's record after international breaks is very poor to say the least.
Since then they have P19 W 0 D 9 L 10" add to that we have Sky cameras in attendance which is normally another jinx on us, I genuinely cannot remember when, if ever, we played well in front of the cameras, and that is probably why I hate us being on the TV. Thankfully I am not a believer in jinx's or superstition and I am expecting Town to go out to grab another away win and with it Three more very welcome points.
Our last action seems ages ago now but it was in the Leasing.Com Trophy group game at home to Gillingham where our second string put in a thoroughly impressive display to comfortably see off the Gillingham reserve side and in doing so book our place in the second Round of the competition where it becomes knockout. On the night there were so good individual performances with Emyr Huws cruising through the game and showing his undoubted class, ok the opposition wasn't exactly strong but much of what Emyr did was very good and caught the eye of many in attendance, Idris El Mizouni also did his reputation no harm at all with some lovely touches in Midfield, we also managed to get a full game out of Toto Nsiala who is returning from his long term injury and he was another that found it comfortable all evening so all in all the workout was productive and shows the benefits of this competition, it may not capture the imagination of the public but it certainly has it plus points which the first team will hopefully benefit from in the coming weeks. So we have qualified with a game away to Colchester to come and no doubt Paul Lambert will once again utilise several young players and those returning from knocks for that one.
It Better Be An Improvement On Last Time.....
Last seasons visit to the Crown Ground, Accrington for a FA Cup Third round tie was embarrassing to say the least as we turned in a very sloppy, unacceptable performance which resulted in us being dumped out of the cup at the first hurdle yet again, this time it is on League business but for me is One Hundred times more important this time around, we need to maintain our lofty position and the little gap that we have created between us and the rest, the hosts have found the going a bit tough so far and are just above the drop zone in the current standings but as is always the case we will have that big old target on our backs and they will be out to turn us over again. Accrington may only be sitting in Twentieth place but they have only lost One of the last Five outings, they have had some notable draws against Wycombe, Bristol Rovers & Oxford Utd all who have started the season well so they are not a pushover by any means, Striker Colby Bishop has had a very good start to the season and has hit the net Five times already so will be one to watch. Town go into the game with a few concerns, James Norwood, Flynn Downes & Kane Vincent-Young all doubtful with knocks etc but it opens the way for others to stake a claim for a place in the team, we are also without James Wilson following his Red card at Fleetwood meaning there is the possibility of Toto Nsiala making his first League Start of the season. We never seem to be able to play well for Two halves and put teams to bed so I am expecting much of the same this time around however I think Town will have enough in the locker to grab another Three points and in doing so keep the unbeaten start to the season going. International Breaks & Sky Cameras !!!! Don't make me laugh. COYB'S
The Opposition – Accrington Stanley
The original town club, Accrington, was amongst the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888, before resigning from the league after just five years. A team called Stanley Villa already existed at the time, named as such because they were based at the Stanley W.M.C. on Stanley Street in Accrington. With the demise of Accrington, Stanley Villa took the town name to become Accrington Stanley.
Accrington had been without a football team following the collapse of the original Accrington Stanley in 1966. The original team had been formed in 1891 and played in the Football League from 1921 to March 1962, but had spent its final four seasons in the Lancashire Combination. At a meeting at Bold Street Working Men's Club in 1968 the revival was initiated, and in August 1970 the new club played at a new ground, the Crown Ground. Eric Whalley, a local businessman, took control of the club in 1995 and began the development of the club's ground. After the club was relegated in 1999, Whalley appointed John Coleman as manager.
The club's rise to the Football League is attributed in part to the windfall of hundreds of thousands of pounds reaped by the sell-on clause in the December 2001 transfer of former Stanley star Brett Ormerod to Southampton, which paid Blackpool over a million pounds for his contract. Stanley had taken £50,000 from Blackpool in 1997, with the agreement that Blackpool would pay Accrington a quarter of what it might have received if it in turn transferred Ormerod to another team. The 2002–03 championship of the Northern Premier League followed quickly on Accrington's getting the cash.
Following the 2002–03 win of the Northern Premier League, the club was promoted for the first time in its history to the Football Conference. The club's first-ever game in the league was away to another re-formed club, Aldershot Town, on Sunday 10 August 2003. The game was shown live on Sky Sports and resulted in a 1–2 loss. The season was a success, with a final league position of 10th being achieved. The highlight of that first season in the 5th tier was a sensational run to the FA Cup 3rd round, only losing in a replay away to League One side Colchester United.
The following season saw the club become a full time professional outfit. The 2004–05 also resulted in a 10th-place finish.
The 2005–06 season saw the return of Stanley to the Football League. Finishing on 91 points, the club went on a 19-game unbeaten run stretching from October to March, leaving the club an easy passage to League Two after 46 years away.
The club was involved in a relegation battle throughout its first season in the 4th tier. A run of 5 wins in the last 9 games of the season led to a 20th-place finish and was enough to save the club from relegation in its first season back in the Football League.
The 2007–08 season produced more of the same, with the club involved in another relegation battle.5 wins in the final 12 games were enough to secure a 17th-place finish and another season in the 4th tier of English Football.
Performance during the 2008–09 season improved, with the club achieving a modest 16th-place finish in League Two.
The 2009–10 season was far better, with the club pushing for a playoff place at the turn of the year. A run of 9 wins in 10 League games saw the club with a chance of making the playoffs, only for this to fade in March/April.
The club reached the Football League Two play-offs during the 2010–11 season, one of the most successful in its history. A run of 1 loss in 19 games, from February till May, saw the club finish in a best-ever 5th position, eventually losing to League Two newcomers Stevenage in the Playoff Semi-finals.
2011–12 was a season of transition for the club. The loss of no less than six of the playoff-chasing side of the previous season was a tough act to follow. Following a shaky start to the season the arrival of Bryan Hughes in October transformed the club's fortunes. A run of 6 wins in 7 games over the Christmas period saw the club briefly enter the play-offs. However, following the sale of club captain Andrew Procter to Preston North End in the January 2012 transfer window, the third-longest serving management team of John Coleman and Jimmy Bell departed for Rochdale.
Former Burnley and club favourite Paul Cook was brought in as manager, along with the promotion of Leam Richardson from caretaker manager to full-time assistant. Only 3 wins in the final 17 games of the season was a pretty poor finish the season. However, this meant the club achieved a solid mid-table finish in 14th position.
On 18 September 2014, Coleman was confirmed as manager of Accrington Stanley for his second spell with the club.
On 17 April 2018, they were promoted to League One following a 2-0 win over Yeovil Town.
Last season Stanley finished in a credible 14th place.
The Manager – John Coleman
Form Guide
Accrington Stanley Last 5 Matches – Currently in 20th place with 11 points
17 Sep Wycombe 1 - 1 Accrington
21 Sep Accrington 1 - 1 Blackpool
28 Sep Southend Utd 0 - 1 Accrington
5 Oct Accrington 2 - 2 Oxford Utd
12 Oct Rochdale 2 - 1 Accrington
Ipswich Last 5 Matches – Currently in 1st place with 27 points
14 Sep Ipswich Town 0 - 0 Doncaster
17 Sep Milton Keynes 0 - 1 Ipswich Town
21 Sep Gillingham 0 - 1 Ipswich Town
28 Sep Ipswich Town 4 - 1 Tranmere
5 Oct Fleetwood 0 - 1 Ipswich Town
Marko's Caption Contest – THE DON CUP
Fleetwood scores:
Bluemike (cap 1) 5pts
AylesburyBlue (cap 2) , Blueblood (cap 2) , johnny B & Number 9 (cap 2) 4pts
AylesburyBlue (cap 1) , Blueblood (cap 1) & Tangfastic 3pts
Bluewilf (cap 2) & DerickIpsw (cap 2) 2pts
LEAGUE TABLE
AylesburyBlue 36
Bluemike 35
Blue Wilf 24
DerickIpsw 23
Number 9 22
Tangfastic 19
Ando 16
Blueblood 16
Shed on Tour 15
Johnny B 15
Frosty 11
Kerry Blue 11
Quasar 10
Barmy Billy 7
Watership Down 6
Todd66 6
Nicscreamer 4
Charnwood 3
IpswichTownNO1 2
AshfordBlue 1
Lucy 1
MasseyFerguson 1
Stanley:
Match Referee – Sebastian Stockbridge
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 1 IPSWICH TOWN 2
