Two Months Seems More Like Two Years

When I left with my wife for a trip to Thailand on the 11th of November, there was nothing to prepare me for what was about to occur during the two months I was away.

On the 9th of November, the Blues progressed to the knockout stages of the Papa John’s Trophy, courtesy of a penalty shootout victory over Colchester. Chay Cooper hit the post for the visitors with the final spot-kick, as the Blues sealed second place in Southern Group A. It seemed that at least we were making modest progress – although that 1-1 draw at home to lower league Oldham Athletic three days earlier, suggested we were not rid of our FA Cup Vodoo quite yet.

On the 13th of November, I witnessed the 0-0 draw with Oxford United in Bangkok and felt we were a little unlucky not to get all three points. We were twice denied by the goal frame, and this was after manager Paul Cook adopted his predictable 4-2-3-1 formation. Three days later, and we won 1-2 away at Oldham, and we were into the second round of the FA Cup after all. There was nothing at this stage to suggest that when I returned to the Netherlands on the 5th of January, anything very much would have changed. In fact, things might have even been improving.

On the 20th November, Town travelled to an out-of-sorts Sunderland, and although Town dominated the first period, they were to rue a host of missed chances, and with only minutes to spare Luke O’Nien and Aiden McGeady ended Sunderland’s poor run of form to claim victory over us at the Stadium of Light. That was painful, but as we know, if you don’t take your chances it will cost you in the end, and so it did. Bersant Celina had missed three excellent chances to score from close range that day, and on one occasion was denied by a stunning Thorben Hoffmann double save. That’s football. You just have to bite the bullet and turn the page.

We then lost at home to current leaders Rotherham United on the 23rd of November, before only narrowly beating Crewe 2-1 at Portman Road five days later, and this had the natives getting restless again. It seemed like we were going one step forward and two steps back all the time. We let a two-goal lead slip against Arsenal in the Papa John’s Trophy – losing on penalties to Arsenal’s Under 21’s and that was a bitter blow to swallow. But worse was yet to come.

On the 4th of December, in round two of the FA Cup, we could only draw 0-0 at home to League Two Barrow. (The same Barrow incidentally, that lost narrowly to Championship Barnsley 5-4 after extra time, having played with just 10 men for two-thirds of that match, after one player saw red.)  CEO Mark Ashton got the call from Brett Johnson to say that “enough was enough” and that he had to relieve Paul Cook of his managerial responsibilities with immediate effect.

On the 7th of December, we lost away to Charlton 2-0 under interim manager John McGreal, as the shock waves still reverberated around Portman Road. Then, on the 18th of December – just two days after the surprise appointment of rookie manager Kieron Mckenna, Town drew 1-1 with Sunderland at home, as McKenna looked on from the stands.

It was to be John McGreal’s last game in charge. McKenna has started well with that narrow 1-0 win over high flying Wycombe at home, and I witnessed to my delight his second game in charge which was Saturday’s 0-4 thumping of Gillingham. Two months seem like two years but what do they say, when the cat’s away the mouse will play!