Exciting times at our club... if only the fans could be there to share it
FAN’S VIEW
IS this the point where we start to panic? In my years watching Stanley it’s around this time that we realise the team we have is actually very good. Is this week that moment? It’s very scary. It’s very exciting.
The midfield of Conneely, Russell and Butcher is looking like a trio perfect for each other.
The holding and ticking over of the captain as well as his experience.
Butcher and Russell full of youthful energy and with something to prove. Who wouldn’t want to be an Accrington Stanley fan at the minute? It’s just the biggest travesty that we’re unable to go into the games as fans. Let’s hope after Christmas that changes.
This team deserve the backing of the faithful, after this year we deserve to enjoy watching them.
I witter on every week about the importance of staying grounded as a football fan. Look around you in the Football League and fans are being hurt on all fronts.
From the EFL, the clubs, their owners, management, the team.
We are very lucky to be living in a time where watching Accrington Stanley is so much fun and at such a high level you almost have to pinch yourself to check if you’re dreaming. I dreamt of having the respect of my ‘bigger team’ supporting friends when I was growing up. Now, half of them just want to be Stanley fans.
I will not, however, let this deter from my ongoing stance as a Stanley pessimist.
Yes, we’ve not trained or played for four weeks, come back four games behind everyone else and beaten two teams desperate to fight for results. That sounds fantastic. However, we’ve come back fresher than everyone after four weeks off, four games less in the legs and beaten two struggling teams who can’t buy a win. That doesn’t sound as good.
I’ll reserve complete abandonment of my doubting ways if I’m writing to you next week and we still haven’t lost a game since coming back!
On Saturday night I couldn’t stop smiling after beating Northampton. All the doubt, all the unknown that surrounded this first league game quashed with the dominance of a team brimming with confidence and looking on top of the world.
You know me, I’m the doubter. I’m your mate who brings you back down to earth and helps you remember that we’re only Accrington Stanley. We can’t push those top teams and go into the top half of this division. I tell you to have another drink and don’t get ideas above your station.
Well, you know what, next time I say that. Tell me to get the beers in and shut my mouth, because is dreaming not what football is all about?
We’ve just made a long trip to a team with a point to prove after they crashed out of the FA Cup against a non-league side. I spoke on a podcast last week and trust me, their fans were targeting this game to get their confidence back up. And we didn’t just beat them, we outplayed, out thought and out fought them in every department.
Jonny Russell gave a coming of age performance in that midfield to make us stop and think just how good this lad could actually be. We’ve seen young talent before: Dan Barlaser, Matt Crooks, Josh Windass. This lad looks like he might have it all. He strolled around that pitch like Yaya Toure. The sky’s the limit, forget me. Forget my negativity. We’ve got a damn good side this year, and if we carry on with this confidence, who knows what we could do?