Npower League One Teams 2012-13 Season: Twitter Accounts

Here is a list of football clubs in League One, their nicknames, official Twitter accounts and the hashtags I can see being commonly used.

If any of the information listed here is incorrect or incomplete please do let me know, I'm @PompeyChicken on Twitter. 

AFC BOURNEMOUTH (The Cherries)
@AFCBOURNEMOUTH
#AFCB

BRENTFORD (The Bees)
@BRENTFORDFC
#BRENTFORDFC

BURY (The Shakers)
@BURYOFFICIAL
#BURYFC

CARLISLE UNITED (The Cumbrians or The Blues)
@OFFICIALCUFC
#CUFC

COLCHESTER UNITED (The U's)
@COLU_OFFICIAL
#COLU

COVENTRY CITY (The Sky Blues)
@COVENTRY_CITY
#SKYBLUES

CRAWLEY TOWN (The Red Devils)
@CRAWLEYTOWN
#CRAWLEYTOWN

CREWE ALEXANDRA (The Railwaymen)
@CREWEALEXFC
#CREWEALEX

DONCASTER ROVERS (The Rovers)
@DRFC_OFFICIAL
#DRFC

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (Monkey Hangers or Pools)
@OFFICIAL_HUFC
#POOLS #HUFC [not sure if these hashtags are correct]

LEYTON ORIENT (The O's)
@LEYTONORIENTFC
#LOFC

MILTON KEYNES DONS (The Dons)
@MKDONSFC
#MKDONS [not sure if this hashtag is correct]

NOTTS COUNTY (The Magpies)
@OFFICIAL_NCFC
[couldn't see a commonly used hashtag]

OLDHAM ATHLETIC (The Latics)
@OFFICIALOAFC
#OAFC

PORTSMOUTH (Pompey)
@OFFICIALPOMPEY
#POMPEY

PRESTON NORTH END (The Lilywhites)
@PNEFC
#PNE

SCUNTHORPE UNITED (The Iron)
@SUFCOFFICIAL
#IRON

SHEFFIELD UNITED (The Blades)
@SUFC_TWEETS
#TWITTERBLADES #SUFC

SHREWBURY TOWN (The Shrews or The Blues)
@SHREWSWEB
#SALOP

STEVENAGE (The Boro)
@STEVENAGEFC
#STEVENAGEFC

SWINDON TOWN (The Robins)
@OFFICIAL_STFC
#STFC

TRANMERE ROVERS (The Rovers)
@TRANMEREROVERS
#SWA ['Super White Army']

WALSALL (The Saddlers)
@WFCOFFICIAL
#WALSALLFC

YEOVIL TOWN (The Glovers)
@YTFCOFFICIAL
#YTFC

25/08/2012 Carlisle United 4-2 Portsmouth: Pictures Of Brunton Park

Here are some pictures I took of Brunton Park Stadium home of Carlisle United Football Club before the League One match against Portsmouth.

The rather grand looking facade of the Story Home Stand which houses home and away fans. This picture was taken from the top of the grass bank that overlooks the stand in one direction and the stadium car parking in the other. I parked at the stadium which cost £2.50, very reasonable and very convenient.

The turnstyle entrances for visiting supporters, programme seller ready to sell his wares [I bought my programme titled 'Back Of The Net' from this chap, cost £3, some interesting articles]. 

 Entrances to the Petterill End terrace [not in use for this match].

The Eddie Stobart lorry positioned behind the Petterill End open terrace with a big screen on top.

View along the back of the Petterill End.

The view along the back of the Main Stand.

 The EWM Stand logo.

Foxy's Restaurant situated in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) Stand within the Main Stand. I originally thought there was an EWM shop in the ground, but having looked at this picture again I don't think there is.

The Main Reception.

 The Main Stand Ticket Office.

Another view further along the Main Stand. I think one of the signs on the side of this small building shown here are for the 'Golden Gamble' which is the same name given to the 'raffle' at The Rose [Ageus] Bowl home of Hampshire CCC. 

A picture of one of the four floodlight pylons, I like their design, I've not seen pylons like these before, there is one positioned at each corner of the ground.

The plaque at the foot of the Hugh McIlmoyle statue which is at one of the entrances to the ground outside the club shop.

Hugh McIlmoyle statue I/II
 

Hugh McIlmoyle statue II/II

The Carlisle United Blues Store [the aforementioned 'club shop'] and two walls of memorial bricks.

The view of the floodlight pylon at the Warwick Road End entrance to the ground [for home fans]. As you can tell from the picture it was raining.

Pictures From Inside Brunton Park

 The open terrace at the Peterill End.

 The EWM Stand.

 The Paddock, open terracing. This reminded me so much of the old North Terrace at Fratton Park.

The Cumberland Community Stand.

The Warwick Road End which is covered terracing for home fans.   

Odds And Ends

 Stagecoach Footyrider advert.

 Upcoming matches at Brunton Park - love this!

I think I've got most of the names correct in these pictures, if I haven't do please let me know (I'm @PompeyChicken at Twitter.com).

BlueThruAndThru

25/08/2012 Carlisle United 4-2 Portsmouth: Long Trip, Long Off, Long Winter Ahead?

Welcome to Brunton Park, home of Carlisle United.

Pompey left Cumbria empty handed after a very disappointing performance against Carlisle United at Brunton Park; they deserved nothing from this game despite a spirited last quarter when they were urged on by the noisy band of travelling fans.

On-loan Birmingham City striker Jake Jervis, making his debut for The Cumbrians, opened the scoring for the home team inside the quarter hour.

Danny Livesey extended the lead within the first two minutes of the second half.

Following the sending off of on-loan Burnley defender Kevin Long for two yellow card offences, the match closed out with a mad, fifteen minute, goal fest. Substitutes Ashley Harris and Connor Clifford scored for Pompey and James Berrett and Danny Madden for Carlisle United.

Adam Webster came in to Pompey's starting line-up in place of Lee Williamson who picked up a slight hamstring injury at Colchester United earlier in the week. Mustapha Dumbuya played further forward on the right side of midfield where he had been very effective in that match. Midfielder Kieran Djilali was also absent from the match day squad with a back injury.

Unfortunately for Pompey Webster picked up what appeared to be a hip injury during the first half hour and was replaced by Jordan Obita. The change thwarted Pompey's ability to exploit Dumbuya's attacking abilities for much of the match as he dropped in to the right back position.

On the plus side, the change meant that Pompey had one of the outstanding talents on display during the afternoon with the presence of the lively Obita.

During the first two League One games of the season Pompey played some nice passing football using the channels and width well. On this occasion their passes were often misjudged or misplaced and the home side exploited those errors to establish themselves as the dominant team.

Carlisle had opportunities aplenty in the opening phase of the game as they looked to get on top quickly with both Jervis and Matthew Robson having efforts on goal. Pompey's best effort came through a long-range Liam Walker shot.

 Jon Harley heads away a cross fired in to the dangerzone.

 Ummm. Good job this free kick didn't hit Luke Rodgers arm!

Carlisle made their dominance pay in the 13^th minute. Jon Harley uncharacteristically lost the ball on the right hand side which was crossed in to the penalty area for Jervis to head home unchallenged past Andersen.

Pompey's best work in the first half happened down the left hand flank with Jack Compton and Harley both getting crosses in to the box, but to no avail. One Compton free-kick was mis hit over the cross bar by Livesey. Goalkeeper Adam Collin spilled one Harley cross.

Pompey's best chance of the half fell to Izale McLeod, who was put clean through in the penalty area by Luke Rodgers but just as he was about to get off his shot he slipped, kicked the air, fell to the ground and the chance had gone. That rather comical moment summed up McLeod's match and Pompey's first half performance.

Carlisle had clearly been the stronger team and they ended the half with a couple more decent efforts on Andersen's goal from James Berrett and a Peter Murphy free kick conceded by Kevin Long who significantly was booked for the foul.

HT: Carlisle United 1-0 Portsmouth

Any hopes Pompey fans had of Michael Appleton's half-time team talk producing a different level of performance were quickly thwarted.

Shortly after the restart Jervis fired off a shot which Andersen tipped around the left upright and Jon-Paul McGovern's corner fround Livesey unmarked in the penalty area to head home.

Pompey's inability to effectively deal with set-pieces has already begun to stand out as problematic; this was the third goal conceded from a cross or a corner this season all from the right hand side.

Walker, Rodgers and Obita continued to seek out McLeod up front but the moves were just not coming off. The one real opportunity he did have to shoot on goal was blazed over the cross bar on to the empty terracing behind.

With a few disgruntled murmerings heard amongst the Pompey fans it was no surprise when McLeod was eventually withdrawn as part of a double substitution, his place up front being taken by Ashley Harris.

McLeod will have much better days, he gets in to some excellent positions and will always have opportunities to score at this level. However, Pompey fans may need to adjust their expectations of him.

As the Pompey fans cranked up the volume their team started their best period of the match. Compton had a long range effort that was a long way off target and Walker struck an excellent free-kick from just outside the 'D' of the penalty area that Carlisle keeper Collin saved well. The best effort came from Obita rattled the frame of the goal with a powerfully struck, long distance shot that hit the cross bar.
 

 Pompey send in a free-kick during the second half.

Another set-piece for Carlisle to defend.

 More second half action.

Just as Pompey seemed to be making some headway they suffered a blow when Kevin Long received a second yellow card for a challenge from behind on the half way line. Mr Ilderton flashed yellow followed by red and Long traipsed off the field of play past the dugouts and in to the tunnel looking wet, bedraggled and very sorry for himself.

The play opened up as both teams tired and committed fouls; chances started to appear at both ends in what was a gung-ho final fifteen minutes with four more goals.

It was ten man Pompey who scored the first of those four, Ashley Harris found space and rose very well in the box to powerfully head home Walker's corner, not a bad effort from Harris who is not the tallest of players.

Ashley Harris [in orange, far left] gets ready to pounce and head the ball home.

With just two minutes of normal time left Pompey sensed they could escape from Brunton Park with a draw but that was dashed as Berrett added a third Carlisle goal in the 91^st minute. In the 93^rd minute Connor Clifford passed the ball in to an unguarded net to add Pompey's second.

Surely the impossible wasn't going to happen was it? No. With 96 minutes on the clock, the fourth official had originally signalled a minimum of four added minutes, Madden added the final goal of the game and Carlisle's fourth to seal their deserved victory.

The referee blew his whistle immediately after the restart sending the home fans home happy and the leaving the Pompey fans wondering what might have been.

FT: Carlisle United 4-2 Portsmouth

Final Comments

For most of this match Pompey just were not at the races, such a contrast to the first half performance against AFC Bournemouth but particularly the mid-week match against Colchester United.

This defeat was a reality check, a big reminder that Pompey are still a couple of weeks behind other clubs with their League One preparations and are still short of experienced players who can be competitive in this division.

Of more immediate concern are the implications of Kevin Long's red card which leaves Michael Appleton without a 'natural', experienced centre back (Paul Connolly is a utility defender whose preferred position is full-back as I understand it).

With injuries to Williamson, Djilali and now Webster Pompey's threadbare 'squad', if it can be called that, is under great pressure far earlier in the season than anyone at the Club imagined.

It's going to be an interesting next few days, longer term who knows what lies ahead. 

‏

Portsmouth versus Carlisle United: Mikkel Andersen, Adam Webster (replaced by Jordan Obita in the 35^th minute), Paul Connolly, Kevin Long, Jon Harley, Mustapha Dumbuya, Brian Howard, Liam Walker, Jack Compton, Luke Rodgers (replaced by Ashley Harris in the 78^th minute), Izale McLeod (replaced by Connor Clifford in the 78^th minute). Substitute not used: Simon Eastwood.

Referee: Mr E Ilderton

Attendance: 5,120 (including 647 Pompey fans who made the trip to Cumbria)

Man Of The Match: Pompey's stand out player was Jordan Obita

Next Up: Pompey's next match is in League One on Saturday September 1^st, at Fratton Park against Oldham Athletic, kick-off 3PM.

BlueThruAndThru

21/08/2012: Colchester United 2-2 Portsmouth: Pictures Of The Weston Homes Community Stadium

Here are some pictures I took of the Weston Homes Community Stadium during the trip to see Pompey's match on August 21st 2012.

The stadium has a capacity of around 10,500 and has been the home of Colchester United since 2008 when the club left Layer Road.

The ground is owned by Colchester Borough Council and the Club is a 'tenant'.

It's ideal for a club of this size and the Pompey fans were made to feel very welcome. The stewards and staff I encountered were helpful and friendly.

Reference sources
http://www.footballgroundguide.com/colchester_united/ 
http://www.cu-fc.com/club/stadiuminfo/

Colchester United FC!

This is the West Stand, the largest stand at the ground, which incorporates hospitality boxes, the ticket office and the club shop. Look at the colour of the sky!

  

Pompey fans welcome the players and staff off the Club coach.

Pompey certainly didn't 'park the bus' during this entertaining League One fixture! However, here is the Club's bus parked in front of the North Stand (or the ACJ Stand) where away fans are located. This stand is the one that can be seen from the A12 dual carriageway.

This is a close-up of the corner of the West Stand and the ACJ Stand, the Pompey players and staff were dropped off here.

The middle of the West Stand with the Colchester United club badge. Note the long, blue and white drapes behind the glass. 

 
Club Shop.

A 'welcome sign' at the other end of the West Stand and the corner of the South Stand. There are two of these at the ground.

The South Stand. There was lots of activity going on here with Pompey fans enjoying a pint in the evening sunshine and a local band playing under the tent which can just be seen alonsgide the stand. It was great!

The view of the South Stand from the other end. Not a great picture, but my excuse is that the sun was really bright! The second 'welcome sign' is in this picture too.

The back of the East Stand, pretty basic in structure, no real features of note.

Home fans arriving at the ground with the South Stand in the background.

The corner of the ACJ Stand (away fans).

Looking back down the East Stand from the corner with the ACJ Stand.

The ACJ Stand I/III, taken from the grass bank that overlooks the busy A12 dual carriageway.

The ACJ Stand II/III, taken from the grass bank that overlooks the busy A12 dual carriageway. The Pompey fans are queing up to get in.

The ACJ Stand III/III, taken from the grass bank that overlooks the busy A12 dual carriageway.

Close-up of the 'Pompey fans picture' from above.

BlueThruAndThru

21/08/2012 Colchester United 2-2 Portsmouth: Pompey Royal!

A late goal by on-loan Reading winger Jordan Obita gave Pompey a deserved share of the points at the Weston Home Community Stadium in their second League One game of the season.

In an entertaining match, in front of a sparse crowd (see pictures below), Pompey took the lead on the half hour through Luke Rodgers only to see that cancelled out on the stroke of half-time with a wonder strike by Michael Rose. Colchester took the lead through Magnus Okuonghae with less than ten minutes to play only for Pompey to rescue a point before the full-time whistle.

 Just before kick-off I/III

 Just before kick-off II/III

Just before kick-off III/III

Pompey made one change from the side that drew against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday with Liam Walker coming in to the starting line-up in place of Kieran Djilali, who dropped to the bench. This was Walker's Pompey debut.

Despite concerns about his fitness Lee Williamson started the match in midfield, alongside Brian Howard. However, that decision looked to have back-fired when the combative player was withdrawn from the action just after the half hour with what transpired was a hamstring twinge. Williamson will be an important player this season and Michael Appleton quite rightly was not going to take any risks that could damage his longer-term availability.

Williamson was replaced by Adam Webster who slotted in to right back and the change prompted a switch of positions for Dumbuya and Walker. The former pushed in to the right side of midfield and the latter the middle of midfield. Both acquitted themselves really well in their new positions and were probably the two standout Pompey players on the night. Strange how things work out isn't it?

The first 15 minutes of the match saw the keepers of both sides tested through a combination of crosses in to the box and decent shots. Both Cousins and Andersen acquitted themselves well, the highlight being the Pompey keeper's tip over the bar of a long range free-kick from Colchester's Wordsworth.

The play highlighted the contrasting styles: Colchester were definitely the stronger at set-pieces of which they had a number, they were a big and powerful team; Pompey made excellent use of the width provided by Compton and Dumbuya and slotted a number of balls through the channels for Rodgers and McLeod to run on to.

A comment on Andersen in the Pompey goal, generally he looked comfortable, he does however have a tendancy to try and punch the ball away from the danger area rather than try and catch the ball cleanly and he doesn't always make a good fist of it (excuse the pun!).

Pompey's opening goal saw Luke Rodgers open his account for the Club and came about as a result of a super through ball from Walker. The former New York Red Bulls player ran on to the ball and calmly slotted the ball home past Cousins.

Although he won't want to be reminded about it, Rodgers was also involved in Colchester's equalising goal, which came in added time at the end of the first half. In a move that started with yet another Colchester set-piece the ball fell to Rodgers on the edge of the penalty area who tamely headed it away. It fell to Rose who struck a fantastic, powerful half-volley shot from 30 yards that gave Andersen absolutely no chance. It was a goal the word 'screamer' was made for and would have graced any ground at any level of football. It drew applause from all round the ground including the travelling Pompey fans.

 The ball falls to Rose whose unstoppable shot beats Andersen in the Pompey goal...

 ...and leads to a big celebration!

HT: Colchester United 1-1 Portsmouth

Pompey started the second half the stronger of the two teams and had chances to re-take the lead. Compton always a threat down the wing, McLeod with a one-on-one and a close range header, Walker with two decent shots one that hit the post and Dumbuya with a flashing cross-shot and a second deflected shot all had good opportunities.

However, the old adage of paying the penalty if you don't take your chances came true as Colchester took the lead in the 82^nd minute and looked to be on course for victory.

Although Colchester had got stronger their second goal was a blow to Pompey who had looked the better team on the night. Once again it came from a set-piece, this time a corner from Wordsworth that fell to Okuonghae who drove the ball home.

Some teams would have folded at that point but there is something about this Pompey side and they didn't let their heads drop.

Appleton brought on Jordan Obita in place of Jack Compton who'd had a terrific night and the on-loan Reading man was on hand to smash the ball home following more excellent work by Dumbuya and some frenzied activity in the box, including the ball hitting the post [I think!]. It was the perfect way for Obita to announce his arrival and gave Pompey a point, the minimum they deserved.

Pompey players celebrate Obita's late equaliser, see the players in the background clapping too!

Another reasonably satisfying night for the travelling Pompey faithful as they watched this new team develop and make further progress.

There will be some disappointment that they were unable to take all three points against Colchester but in the wider context of where this team is in its development and in light of all the off field distractions a draw was another positive step in the right direction.

FT: Colchester United 2-2 Portsmouth

Portsmouth versus Colchester United: Mikkel Andersen, Mustapha Dumbuya, Paul Connolly, Kevin Long, Jon Harley, Liam Walker, Lee Williamson (replaced by Adam Webster in the 34^th minute), Brian Howard, Jack Compton (replaced by Jordan Obita in the 84^th minute), Luke Rodgers and Izale McLeod. Substitutes not used: Eastwood, Kieran Djilali, Connor Clifford and Ashley Harris.

Referee: Mr L Collins

Attendance: 4,335 (there were 1,114 Pompey fans who attended the match)

Man Of The Match: the Pompey MOTM was Mustapha Dumbuya

Next Up: Pompey travel to the North-West to play Carlisle United on Saturday August 25^th.

Reference: www.portsmouthfc.co.uk

BlueThruAndThru