By The MKDSA Media Team
We spoke to our good friend and all round good guy Rich aka The Cruncher from Talking Town who we put On The Flip Side.
Are your expectations from earlier in the season being met?
When we did our pre season predictions on Talking Town I said that Town would finish in 4th position. After the previous 3 seasons of not even reaching the Play Offs this would be a massive improvement. But with a run of 5 wins in 16 games we have slipped from top of the tree on December 17th to third position, and now with a big gap to make up on both Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday, and with the games starting to run out that will be a massive ask now.
Are you still getting out of this division?
That is the million dollar question. Failure to beat teams who ‘park the bus’ combined with points being tossed away from winning positions like confetti at a wedding, mean the likely outcome will now be in the end of season play offs. Are we capable of winning them and securing promotion? Of course we are, but you know very well how a long seasons hard work can all crumble to dust in the end of season lottery
Your January transfer business. How did you do well? Made improvements?
We’ve made 4 signings in the window, Massimo Luongo, Harry Clarke, Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst.
Luongo made his second league debut for us last Saturday, he’s suffered from injuries since he has signed which had been frustrating as we have suffered injuries in the middle of the park to Evans, Ball and Camara leaving skipper Morsy and young starlet Humphreys as the only fit centre midfielders at the club. So hopefully Mass can stay fit between now and the end of the season.
Clarke was at Town as a youngster, before making the move to Arsenal. 4 loans later and he has come home, signing for fee of around 1 million pounds, a bit outlay in this division. He will nail down the right sided centre half/ Right back role in my opinion and has the ability to maybe be a future Town skipper.
Broadhead is the one for me who is going to do big things in the blue of Town. Already with 2 goals and 2 assists in his fledgling career at the blues. Another big money signing of 1.5 million from Everton after a couple of successful loans at Sunderland and Wigan.
Hirst was chased all summer by us, but opted to sign for Blackburn on a season loan, that didn’t work out well and his loan was cut short in Jan and he joined us until the end of the season. He is the son of former Owl David Hirst. One goal so fat, at Burnley in the cup so far. I’d expect him to be on the bench Saturday
You’ve stuttered for form of late. Are the natives getting restless?
As I mentioned before, it’s a run of 5 wins in 16 games that has seen us drop out of the two automatic promotion spots.
The catalyst for me was the game at Charlton in October when we threw away two two goal leads, the second being after we went 4-2 up in the 93rd minute. Psychologically I still think we have the scars from this game.
Are the natives restless? Only a few I would say are pressing the panic button, including our very own Matt Phillips on Talking Town who would be pulling the trigger on Mckenna.
If you don’t go up what happens next, It must be costing you an absolute fortune in signings and wages? Is KMc under pressure to deliver promotion?
I would say of course he is, with the money we have spent this season in the third tier. The American owners have backed the manager, its now up to him to deliver.
But on the flip side, he is still a rookie and learning, mistakes have been made. Hopefully he and the team learn from these and deliver promotion come May
Is it Wednesday and Argyle for automatic promotion now? Who will make the playoffs?
I think Wednesday will win the title, they have shown great form, Darren Moore knows what it takes to get out of this league so I see them going up as champions.
People keep saying that Plymouth will falter, I personally don’t see that. Schumacher has done an incredible good with the Pilgrims, a Wembley visit secured in the Papa John’s keeps the momentum going, I see them finishing 2nd
Play Offs, Town, Bolton, Derby, Barnsley.
All former premier league teams, its going to be some end to the season
You thought we’d make the play-offs. Where in reality we’re fighting to stay up as today we are 23rd. Surprised?
I am surprised how far you have fallen this season after, arguably, being the best football team last season under Manning.
The losses of Darling and Twine have obviously had a massive effect, any team in the division would miss players of that quality
Who do you see going down?
Teams to go down I think will be , FGR, Cambridge, Morecambe and MK
I see Accy having just enough to get themselves out of danger
What will the score be on Saturday? Do you think you’ll get five like Bolton and Wednesday?
I’m going to go for a 0-2 victory for the tractor boys. I know the pitch at Stadium MK isn’t great, and that won’t help both teams who like to get the ball down and play. But these are the type of games we need to be winning if we are to have any chance of cutting the points difference to the top 2, with Burton and Accrington at home to come, it really has to be 9 points.
Once again we are bringing just under 7k, so I’m looking foward to a decent atmosphere and 3 points for the Blue Army.
Uppa Town
Thank you Rich, really enjoyed the answers up to the point where you tipped us for the drop…in that case come on the other three for the play-offs 😆
