A bit harsh from the ET.....

 

3G or not 3G. That is the question. By Graham James

I never thought that I would come round to what now sounds inevitable in that we will have, at some point, a 3G pitch. The owner said in replies to questions recently that it will be happening though I could not remember that being announced before. 

 My only personal experience in watching a game on a 3G pitch was many years ago when they were first tried and that was at QPR when they were near the top of the old First Division. I would like to think that they have improved since then. Strangely what has brought me round to thinking that this step is both inevitable and probably beneficial are the recent pre-season friendlies. 

 Whilst we are currently in the situation whereby we are putting an unreasonably amount of pressure on the hope that a 19 year old loanee centre half still wants to come back, Kidderminster are playing games against young teams from Liverpool and Manchester United in front of over 2,500 fans. This year’s hard pitches even lead to Stevenage sending someone up to Peterborough Sports to check on their pitch before committing to play there. The week before Southend apparently chose not to play many of their first team because of the now famous state of our pitch. 

Not long ago Northampton refused to play at Latimer Park and it was only a Maunsell Cup game, I believe. So, none of these issues would have affected us if we had a very unenvironmentally friendly artificial pitch. We could also potentially attract big league teams again as used to happen at Rockingham Road. Probably fewer games would be postponed which would mean we wouldn’t have to put up with the original programme with a wrap-around, though it is sometimes interesting to see where we were in the league table 2 months prior to the rearranged game. 

The pitch could be available for hire and I know that some league teams use 3g pitches to train on in St Neots to break up long journeys, so it is another revenue stream. I would assume that our infamous pitch might well put some players off signing for us as well but if any managers just assume that our pitch is always hard will be in for a shock if they come here after a wet spell in Winter. Now I just need to find out if my old mobile phone will work better next to a 3g pitch.

At least it will stay green....

You never see a poor Bookie. Not yet anyway......

Bet365 have nailed their colours to the mast for the forthcoming National North season.  And it would be fair to say their suggested final league finishing positions have been the cheered length and breadth of Kettering.  Seemingly based solely on our final finishing position last season, Bet365 have predicted
a 10th place finish for the Poppies in the 2022-23 season.

That's right.  Lee Glover's hastily assembled team of unknowns and nobodies, spearheaded by a striker who hasn't scored on English soil for over 4-years are tipped by the tipsters to finish well above the relegations scrap.

Every single Poppies fan has gladly offered to accept this and cancel the season here and now.  Take our season ticket money.  We don't care.  We'll buy a stack of Klondikes and even pop by Latimer Park to have a few drinks and a burger every now and again.  The Town are staying up!  KTFC Chat has already clubbed together to buy a Player of the (non) Season Award and announced Gary Stohrer as the winner.  Poppies fans will celebrate long and hard after such a successful season.

And yet......

After pondering the situation for a moment more it suddenly strikes us that a 10th place finish is good, but.....you know.....a couple of more wins might have seen us snatch the last play-off spot.  C'mon Poppies!  More effort needed!  Bottled it again!  Bloody Hell Ritchie, get your chequebook out!  Glover Out!  Glover Out!  Boo!  Boo!

WHO ARE YER?!

 

No.10 Takes Swipe at PATGOD!

"Sound of wooden container being frantically and thoroughly emptied"

Literally anyone, and we mean ANYONE will do to fill a role....

Except you Hollobone.

 

 

Still left on the bench

 

Possibly the last sign of the Prime Minister's failing political good sense - despite running out of MP's to promote he still can't quite bring himself to touch Bone and Hollobone with a shitty stick.

And this from a man who has made Nadine Dorries a Minister of State.