Stanley showing just who they are
THE people behind one of League One’s upwardly mobile clubs will probably never quite shrug off the words of the television advert for milk in the 1980s: ‘Accrington Stanley, who are they?’
Certainly the response of supporters of some of the bigger clubs in the division hasn’t progressed too far – although having lost 2-0 at home to Stanley last weekend, Charlton fans were no more enamoured by the 4-4 midweek draw with Rochdale.
But there is a lot to love about the way Stanley go about their business, and the style of play they have developed over so many years under John Coleman’s management.
It can be no surprise Coleman has stamped his identity on the club given that – apart from a two-and-a-half year spell where he held three other jobs – he has been Stanley manager for 21 years.
After Colby Bishop’s double at the Valley brought sixth-place Accrington wider attention, with the game played in front of the Sky television cameras, Coleman was happy to play along with suggestions about it having been ‘a good time to play Charlton’ – empty stadium and all that.
What he has been less forthcoming about is when it’s a good time to play Accy – not including Tuesday night in the Papa John’s Trophy when a much-changed side lost 4-0 at League One leaders Lincoln.
They have kept nine clean sheets in their last 17 league
games and lost just once in 11. And if you consider last season was decided on points-pergame – and the increasing feeling football’s splendid isolation from the real world may not be permanent – it is worth pointing out that on that basis only the big-spending Imps now have a better record.
Should Accy make it to the Championship Coleman would even surpass Burton’s meteoric rise to that level – having found the club in the Northern Premier League First Division.
At the very least, Stanley should not have to wait so long to be in front of the cameras again, so they become known for more than ‘who are they?’