Less like Lincoln, More like Portsmouth. That’s going to be the gist of Mark Bonner’s team talk tomorrow morning, but the big question is how is he going to set up the side? A return to two up top, to appease the home fans, or a more conservative, controlling formation that has served us so well this season so far?
The Portsmouth game saw a number of excellent performances across the park, so Bonner has a tough decision to make – on top of that, Sam Smith gave him added food for thought with another midweek goal in the EFL Trophy. Injury-wise, it sounds like Wes Hoolahan is still carrying a knock, the obvious replacement being Jack Lankester, but we have our suspicions Adam May might force his way into a middle three, with Tracey and Brophy out wide. Other than that, Greg Taylor is the only long term injury doubt.
We spoke to Cods Vlogs in the latest UTAS Podcast to get his thoughts on how the game might go.
Expected U’s Line-Up: Mitov, Williams, Jones, Masterson, Iredale, O’Neil, Digby, May, Brophy, Tracey, Ironside
Who’s Their Player To Watch? A poundshop Wessi in every sense of the word, Anthony Pilkington played for Norwich in the Premier League and represented Republic of Ireland nine times. He’s a few years younger and nowhere near as good though.
Who’s In The Dugout? Simon Grayson. Becoming a bit of a journeyman manager around the north, Grayson has had spells at Blackpool (twice), Leeds, Huddersfield, Preston, Sunderland, Bradford and Kendal Town before Fleetwood.
What’s Their Recent Form Like? Lost their first three games, but unbeaten in their last four.
Any Ex-United Players? Two. Popular right back Brad Halliday spent three years at the Abbey, clocking up 123 appearances. Left back Max Clark made 35 appearances over two short loan spells here, before heading to Vitesse in the Eredivise, where by virtue of being English and a left back, was linked with a number of big clubs including Liverpool.
Last Time Out: United 1-0 Fleetwood, November 8 2014
This is our first meeting with Fleetwood since we’ve been back in the League other than this FA Cup game from a few years back, Kwesi Appiah gave the U’s a 1-0 victory, which sent us on the way on a cup run that would end at Old Trafford in front of 74,000 spectators. Sadly the video creator has blocked us from showing it here, but click on the link below and watch it on YouTube.
From The Archive: Fleetwood 1-0 United, February 18 2012
Some short ‘highlights’ of a defeat for United here, it’s been a wild past ten years hasn’t it?
Under The Abbey Stand 
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