With the first game of the season the mere matter of forty eight hours away, we thought it best to find something out about Saturday's opponents, Carlisle United. So we decided to have a chat with Cumbrian David Jackson, otherwise knows as bigfatdavecufc, about their chances this season, Karl Hawley's prolonged goal drought and, of course, get a prediction for the match.
1. So Dave, how has the summer been at Brunton Park? Positive or negative?
A mixed bag is the best way of saying it, we have seen some things that give you hope of a better season and other things which make you think it'll be worse. On the positive side we have wingers now so can change our formation, the team seemed to click well and gel quickly and look very fit and energetic. Our new signings have looked positive and that is always a good sign. On the other side of the coin, similarly I suppose to Notts, we have real problems up front. Last season our forward line was dire, we also lost our top goalscorer and everyone... every single person from the negative fans to the positive knew we needed a forward and we have not signed one. Abbott is bringing up the usual speil you get about how we have to give others a chance and need to only bring one in when he is certain he's better etc. but it's been a major blow to thinking we can push on.
2. Are there any new signings to get excited about, or have key players moved on?
No one really has left, the only one who is a major problem who left from our team near end of season was Ben Marshall who we had on loan from Stoke, the guy is Championship quality but he'll probably end up back in this league this season due to getting his leg smashed in 5 places in the JPT final (and has come back just three months later showing what desire and effort the lad has) but it won't be with us, other than that we kept our side and added to it. Of the new signings McGovern has settled in the best so far in the attacking midfield role he's been given.
3. Greg Abbott isn't a big name, what do Carlisle fans make of him? Is he right man for the job?
Haha I am probably not the best to ask as I don't sit on the fence but I don't think many do with Abbott he really is a bit like Marmite, you either love him or hate him, and if you hate him you put up with him for a while then will always go on a rant or two about him at odd times in the season. Some fans think he's worked well on tight budget restrictions and really is doing the best he could considering we spend little money, are a selling club and have seen progress since he joined, others think he is a clueless, tactical clump who makes numerous mistakes and that his purchases have been awful wasting money and he has slowed down our progress. Both sides are quite extreme with a limited middle ground, he's a manager who if you go on our forums or speak to carlisle fans will lead to arguments over whether he's a good manager doing well or a bad manager who coudl do better. Is he right for our job at present? I'd say yes, we wouldn't find at the moment much more to do a lot better, but I am in that group who has called for his head a few times over the past two and a half years, it's very harsh, but he does make some frustrating decisions at times. He'll certainly be who gets the most bickering going on our forum over the season.
4. Who's the danger man for you on Saturday? Who should we be looking out for or, alternatively, getting Ricky Ravenhill to kick?
Zoko I suppose is our dangerman because he is the only guy in our entire team who will start on saturday with any creativity and if you blot him out, we won't create much. On his day Zoko is the best player in L1, the problem last season is that 'on his day' was only about 12 games out of 46. If Abbott could just get this to 30 games out of 46 we'd have a chance of top six, it's one of his challenges this season. When on form Zoko has a great burst of pace, superb ball control and a few tricks and skills so he can run rings around a defence as he's able to suddenly burst past them or trap a ball and have it twisted and truned past the defender, you get that type of game. Yeah, he's the one you kick.
5. Karl Hawley played for you once, there's a rumour going around that he even scored a few goals. Do you think he'll ever score again?
Hawley was a superb player for us, and remember this - he was a superb player for us also in League One, it wasn't just all done in the lower leagues, he got 12 goals in 30 games in L1 in his last season with us, nearly 1 in 2. That is a good record and he got 48 goals in 3 seasons for us, plus can also play perfectly the support player role. I'm not sure what has gone fully wrong with him, my view is it's his ego, he got very big headed towards the last month or two of his time with us, treated the fans like crap and strutted around like owned the place, but with his effort and energy being why he did so well it's maybe why he's struggled, that or maybe people like Derek Holmes were just good partners for him.
6. What do you make of Notts' side and our chances of doing a little bit better this year?
Scouring through your squad it's pretty much like alot of teams in L1 this season, solid but unspectacular. If you had a worry it's that you look like you're more reliant on Allen getting more out of players who failed last season to progress rather than you've brought in better because your new signings don't seem to be standing out as vast improvements, so to me your season is going to depend on Allen and also a bit of stability because having 3 managers in one season must have also helped in you nearly returning to L2 last season. I think most people expected you to fare better last season though which should mean that Allen should have room from improvement in players that really on paper didn't fufil their potential, but at the same time you're relying mostly on players who failed last year, have added a couple from teams which went down last year and as i've said I think it's going to rely on Allen being able to generate more from this set-up. I think he'd probably be happy with comfortable midtable then build on next season, I think you may struggle a bit then end up safe, I don't see a challenge from you though as you've not improved enough.
7. Is there anyone on our side you're particularly wary of facing?
We have to say Hawley because you say he hasn't scored yet, he's at his old club where he used to score goals and you always have that worry of former players scoring goals against their old teams, it would be typical that his first comes against Carlisle this week. The other aspect is actually your manager, I know you guys are claiming he's some sort of changed man and gone with a free-flowing passing game, but he does that and you'll lose, his best approach to this game is his usual tactics as our team has struggled for two years against more direct, tough-tackling sides. We are slow at the back, direct balls over the top do damage, if you win the midfield battle we lose our best aspect of our team. The big worry with your team is Allen playing his normal tactics because it is those sides we struggle against.
8. What advice do you have for Notts fans travelling up on Saturday? Anywhere particular to visit or things to do? There is not much to do in carlisle with just a morning, the selling point of the Carlisle area is the lakes being close, but you won't have time for that. I suppose if you would like to be cursed you could head towards our castle and in the walking subway underneath is the cursed stone. If you'd like to see the coach break down on way home or train be delayed or get a speeding ticket whilst driving back! We do have that, or else if you're lucky you may get the drama which seems to be the 'suicide threat jumpers' we have been getting this week en masse. Otherwise, well your best places to head are The Rugby Club, just behind the football club, for away fans who drink (maybe watch Wimbledon/Rovers) or The Beehive if your also wanting craic with the home fans and if you're after food there is a Toby Carvery 15 minutes walk away.
9. Thanks Dave, finally, a score prediction for the game?
I have this down as a 1-0 defeat for us... so it's a 1-0 win for you. With a lack of forwards for either of us I think both sets of fans expect this to be a tight game, so it'll end up 3-3 probably.