Atkins used the kind of psychological warfare the Manchester United manager is famed for
Posted in General on 09. Aug, 2010
Atkins used the kind of psychological warfare the Manchester United manager is famed for when he claimed his side are “massive underdogs” going into the match against Grimsby Town. This is despite the fact that Northampton finished fourth in the table, just one place and one point below the Mariners.
Atkins feels Northampton have upset the odds to reach Wembley again just 12 months after they won promotion by beating Swansea in the Third Division play-off final. He maintains the Cobblers are small fry compared to Alan Buckley’s Grimsby team, who have already won at Wembley this season in the Auto Windscreens Shield final.”It’s brilliant to be back at Wembley, but we’re massive underdogs,” Atkins said. “We’ve been viewed as underdogs all season even though we’ve been in the top six for most of the time.”Everyone expected us to be relegated straight back to the Third Division after coming up last season. David Gregory stepped up to put Colchester ahead from the spot, the ball cannoning in off Gregg’s right-hand post.Just after the half-hour, Neil Gregory – making history along with David as the first pair of brothers in a play-off final – was handed an open invitation by the Torquay defence to double the score.
Unmarked in the penalty area, he skewed his shot just wide.With half-time beckoning, the Gulls defence – all in the Colchester penalty area – had a chance to make amends. Alex Watson’s shot rebounded off Jamie Robinson and Gittens, stationed on the far post, could only scoop the ball over the bar.Colchester started the second half the brighter, and Gregg’s inexperience soon showed when he inexplicably failed to gather a tame shot from Simon Betts, which slipped under his body and just wide of the post.On the hour, Paul Gibbs brought down David Gregory in the area, but referee Mick Fletcher waved away a strong claim for a penalty.Torquay refused to buckle, Gibbs’ 30-yard drive was just turned over by Carl Emberson, who then did well five minutes later to keep out Andy Gurney’s low shot. With 12 minutes left Mark Sale might have put the game beyond Torquay, but headed straight at the keeper.Colchester United (4-3-3): Emberson; Dunne, Greene, Wilkins, Betts; Skelton (Duguid, 83), Buckle, D Gregory (Lock, 70); Forbes, N Gregory, Sale. Substitute not used: Abrahams.Torquay United (3-5-2): Gregg; Gittens, Watson, Robinson; Gurney, McCall (Bedeau, 72), Clayton, Leadbitter, Gibbs; Jack, McFarlane (Thomas, 84) Substitute not used: Hill.Referee: M Fletcher (Warley).. FOR Peter Varney, Charlton Athletic season ticket holder since 1960, the darkest hour came one snowy midweek night in 1974. Rochdale were the visitors, Charlton were in what was then the Third Division, and 3,000 wretched souls were scattered around the crumbling, desolate expanses of The Valley.
Back in 1938, a record 75,031 had filled the old place for a game, but spiritually and physically, the club that grew from the bowels of south-east London to be home to footballing gods like Sam Bartram, Jimmy Seed and Eddie Firmani, was dying. A decade later Charlton went bankrupt, and almost out of existence In 1985 they left the Valley. The ground turned into an archeological site, a sporting Pompeii a stone’s throw from the Woolwich Ferry, lost beneath a jungle of weeds. Long years of exile followed, first at Selhurst Park and then at Upton Park. A generation of supporters were lost, without even the guarantee the club would ever return to SE7, as Greenwich Council rejected the redevelopment plan put forward by the club’s new owners.
Today Varney is Charlton’s managing director. And if his club defeat Sunderland in the First Division play-off final on Monday, the Addicks – a nickname said to derive from a local fishmonger’s habit of giving the players free haddock and chips when they won – could be in the Premiership.