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Date: 28th July 1999 19:45pm

Venue: Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent..

Price: £10 - to sit behind the goal in the Signal Radio (South) Stand. Wafer thin programme for a quid.

Conditions: Warm, with a hint of a breeze.

Kit: Normal home, with another forced return to black socks.

Crowd: 6,742 (around 1,000 of the loyal / daft.)

Teams:

SCFC: Ward, Robinson, Small, Mohan, Jacobsen, Keen, Kavanagh G, Edwards, Taaffe, Crowe, Connor Subs: Sigurdsson for Mohan 50 mins, Pearce for Jacobsen 59 mins Lightbourne for Connor 65 mins, Kavanagh J for Keen 71 mins, Subs n/u: Muggleton, MacKenzie, O'Connor, Oldfield, Petty.

NUFC: Ziegler, Hamilton, Marcelino, Hughes, Barton, Solano, McClen, Dumas, Shearer, Maric, Serrant. Subs: Gullit for Hamilton 38mins, Kerr for Dumas 46 mins, Robinson for Marcelino 62 mins, Beharall for Solano 62 mins, Subs n/u: Perez, Coppinger.

Referee: Paul Rejer (Leamington Spa)

Who ? For Stoke: Gary Megson - former Newcastle midfielder and now Stoke manager, succeeding Brian Little, who is alleged to have deaprted rather rapidly, having planting his seed in an unamed (female) employee….. Brian Clough famously said of Megson "He couldn't trap a medicine ball." Anders Jacobsen - Large Norwegian defender borrowed from Sheffield United, who bought him for a small fee from the daftly-named IK Start. Anders becomes the first player with a degree in Political Science from Oslo University to score against United, probably.

Goals: 41 mins. What the "Stoke Evening Sentinel" deservedly called "a quality long range strike. Your reporter was in the act of calling Dumas a ponce for not hitting an inviting ball first time, when the recently acquired Frenchman took a step sideways and buried a 25 yarder in the top left hand corner of the net. 1-0.
44 mins. A free kick deservedly award between the United area and touchline looked to have been overhit by Graham Cavanagh. However youngster Dean Crowe was lurking beyond the far post and swung his foot at the oncoming ball, presumably to shoot, but only managed to divert it to the waiting Jacobsen (left) to stoop and nod home from close range on his Stoke debut. 1-1.
67 mins. That man Robinson again, for his fifth pre-season goal. Element of fortune as his shot was deflected in, but that old adage about buying tickets for the raffle or whatever still holds true - if you don't shoot you won't score, Silvio. Probably the best move of the game Robinson, Kerr and Serrant all involved in getting the ball into the area and the pace of Robinson making the difference.

Waffle: With my positive hat on, despite the fact I was half asleep after a post-Celtic drinking session and ridiculously early departure from Glasgow, there were a small number of plus points to be taken from this game, and the new ground is certainly better than their old midden….

Ziegler: one excellent stop from close range and an odd but effective kneed clearance. Can also kick straight, unique at United.
Hamilton: was possibly our best player before injury required his replacement, and got in a couple of well-timed challenges. However it is believed that Arthur Cox was here tonight to check on Shearer for the upcoming England games, not Des.
Marcelino: evaded injury.
Hughes: improved when in a full back role rather than central defence.
Barton: erm…..nice hair.
Solano: second game in 24 hours as he gets back into the old routine. Perhaps a go on the left wing might lead to a reprise of the style he showed recently in this position for Peru ?
McClen: had a couple of decent shots, confidence improving. Dumas: good goal and no great opponents to steamroller.
Shearer: unlucky not to get a goal, and building up fitness.
Maric: an inspirational performance, taking the game by the scruff of the neck - in my dreams unfortunately. As soft and fitful a contribution as one might expect.
Serrant: Not Premiership class, but his pre-season contribution could tempt someone into paying money for him. Hopefully.
Gullit: Not quite as inspirational as last Saturday, probably began to remember why he packed in after an hour of running around. At least his team took some shots tonight - 12 to be precise, 5 of which were on target, but Rudi has to take the Maric Miss award for an effort that was about thirty feet high and wide, and required the replacement of ball for the match to restart.
Kerr: Not robust enough for the big team, but has gained experience and will hopefully do well in the reserves this season.
Robinson: Played alongside Shearer and scored. With a soft Swede and a crocked Scot as competition, should get the chance to do it again in the Premiership.
Beharall: No Reading-style cockups at least…
Perez: Didn't play, Hooray.
Coppinger: No sense in tiring him out - he's only got little legs….

Thoughts: While some professional football watchers shake their heads and mutter under their breath, I've been caught before about rash pre-season-based predictions. The defence have got to improve with time, especially when they build up a rapport with a regular goalkeeper, and Shearer is apparently injury-free and ready to go. more work on the buildup and set piece defending is certainly a priority and in the continued absence of Glass, it looks like money will have to be spent on a wide man. The form and promise of Robinson (and his young pal Coppinger) will certainly make for an interesting start to the season if Duncan Ferguson is still sidelined.

PS - after lions at Livi, Dundee and Reading, Stoke at least displayed some originality with their mascot - a blue hippo. However, unless the crowds return in their thousands to fill all those new seats, a white elephant might be more appropriate….

Biffa

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