Tag Archives: Edgar Davids

Looking After Number One

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

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Saturday 16th November 2013 ko 17.30

Conference Premier

BARNET 2 (Villa 38 Weston 45)

CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2 (Appiah 29 32)

Att 2,853 (Ground Record)

Entry £21

Programme £3

Tea £1.50

Pie £3

I like Barnet, I always did, right the way back in the early 90’s when, as a student I used to catch the Northern Line to its terminus at High Barnet, then counter-intuitively walk down to Underhill.

The place reminded me of my club Oxford United’s spiritual home, The Manor, with the sloping pitch, and the hotpotch of stands and bits of terrace. It was magical, but unsuitable for the rigours of League football so a move was inevitable, however painful. I paid my my farewells last season, but the move has not been without controversy, Continue reading →

Nights of Mystery

18 Monday Mar 2013

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Tuesday 12th March 2013 ko 19.45

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Raynes 90)

BARNET 0

Att 5,027 (165 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Oxford Mail)

1,400 or so grounds in, and I dread to think how many games, this game is still a complete mystery to me. Why was Scotland manager Gordon Strachan watching this? There are only 3 Scots in the two squads, Peter Leven for Oxford, Craig Beattie and George Sykes for Barnet. With Leven injured long term the most likely candidate was Sykes as he’s a member of Ricky Sbragia’s Scotland U19 squad. Trouble is none of the 3 Scots actually made an appearance.

What parallel universe do I live in when Dutch legend Edgar Davids plays for a struggling League 2 outfit? For many the second most noteworthy incident of the game was journeyman pro Andy Whing’s crunching tackle on him. The song from behind the goal, ” All we want is a team of Andy Whings,” was as erudite as it was heartfelt. And while I’m thinking of it why did Barnet play in a frankly ugly shade of lilac? With Oxford playing in all yellow this season, amber and black is no great clash.

Why oh why do a series of Oxford United managers reject good strikers and sign mediocre ones? Both Alfie Potter and James Constable smashed enough shots over the bar to convince me to stop parking my car in the car park at the open end of the ground. Just when you thought the striking options couldn’t get worse, Oxford United introduced Deane Smalley (44 appearances, 4 goals). He worked hard, as he always does, but does anyone think he’ll get you a goal?

Speaking of goals when will Firoka employ stadium staff that can purchase a half-decent set of goals, and get them to last for the duration of a football match? Watching the goal at the western end of the ground collapse twice is embarrassing, even if the added time gave enough time for United to score.

Did anyone visiting the stadium bookie put a pound on centre half Michael Raynes to score the only goal? His screaming header from all of an inch was just reward for a solid display in defence, but the headed ball back to the box from Scott Davies free kick came from Tom Craddock. When I watched Oxford United’s FA Cup tie at Barnet he was extremely conspicious by his absence. Now he looks destined to depart at the end of the campaign, lost and unloved by management, but why?

From a Barnet perspective what was goalkeeper Graham Stack doing collecting a booking for a foul on his opposite number? Yes, there were seconds left, but it was pointless, and silly bookings often have a habit of punishing struggling teams later on. I have connections to Barner and have no desire to see them back in the Conference.

Still a win is welcome even if it is against a struggling team, Davids or not. Where you place it in the season’s context? Don’t ask me I’ve no idea, it was another night of mystery!

Conference Days Revisited

07 Wednesday Nov 2012

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Tuesday 6th November 2012 ko 19.45

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Craddock 60 65)

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 3 (Williams 36 Howell 54 Wilkinson 62) Maher sent off 70 (2nd booking)

Att 5,074 (77 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (including Oxford Mail)

For Oxford United’s season it’s very much a case of one step forward, then another back. After heartening wins at Wycombe, and Barnet this should have been a routine home win against a side debating whether to play a semi-fit goalkeeper Chris Lewington, or risk his 18-year-old understudy Jordan Seabright. John Still opted for Lewington, and it speaks volumes for Oxford United’s attacking presence that you didn’t realise there was a potential problem.

Where I sit, we have an in-joke that Oxford never score from a corner. Leaving aside James Constable’s goal at Barnet on Saturday (away goals don’t count we decided!) United have developed a real issue with defending set plays, and on this evening in particular, corners. Sam Williams headed home unopposed from the Daggers second corner, and the winner came in a similar fashion, this time it was Luke Wilkinson supplying the header. Add to that Luke Howell’s beating a leaden-footed Michael Raynes to a rebound from the crossbar after the excellent Dwight Gayle’s shot, and you are analysing a game that could, and should have been won. Did Oxford United look any more likely to win when Kevin Maher was sent off for collecting the only two cards issued to the Daggers’ team?

The dichotomy of it all that, is that the best OUFC player Sean Rigg got no goals, but the worst forward, Tom Craddock got two! Still if Craddock can play badly and score twice, I for one will have no issue. It reminds me of a lad at school who used to tell me an Oxford United forward was rubbish because, “All he does is tap the ball in from 2 yards out.” I used to reply, “Yes, around 30 times a season!” The forward’s name? John Aldridge! Those days are long gone, sadly.

On Saturday I watched United dispatch a side in Barnet I thought destined for relegation. Tonight they beat a side, Torquay who have real ambitions for promotion with Gulls manager complaining that player-coach Edgar Davids is getting special treatment! Not a division to stake money on is League 2!

Back in Oxford, this was a Conference game in all but name, and did remind me of OUFC’s stint a divison below. Frantic, and oddly watchable, in a car-crash kind of a way.

You wonder what sort of performance we’ll see when United take on, yes Torquay at Grenoble Road. Either way, this was a highly disappointing night against a club who admit to struggle with the financial and footballing necessities of League football. Oxford United are better than that, aren’t they?

The last train from High Barnet

04 Sunday Nov 2012

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Saturday 3rd November 2012 ko 15.00

FA Cup First Round

BARNET 0

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Constable 56 Rigg 80)

Att 2,246 (834 away)

Entry £21

Programme £3

Tea £1.50

Teamsheet FREE

I have connections with this part of North London, my grandfather grew up in Sebright Road, just a stone’s throw from Underhill. Back then Barnet was a village in Hertfordshire, set on the lip of the artesian basin that London itself sits in, and was connected to the metropolis by the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway. Nowadays Barnet is part of Greater London, swallowed up by the big city and the railway is a terminus of the Northern Underground line. As games are played at the local football ground the trains rumble in and out of High Barnet station above the pitch. Seeing an underground train from below is rather counter-intuitive, but does make a trip to Underhill unique. Continue reading →