Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:02 PM
Hello and welcome to another episode of Sutton United Talk Time on podcast. It's the Sutton podcast in association with Lucky Star Gen.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:02 PM
I'm your host Mike and with me today we've got our panel of Neil and Neil. I'm gonna feel like I'm back in Catholic Church in Ireland where every few seconds I'm gonna say and Neil and Neil. So hope doesn't cause any trauma for everyone else. In this episode we are going to be covering the absolute at home game and we're gonna look forward to
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:03 PM
team called them. Love hearing from you, love all the engagement and love all the conversations. It's been quite fun recently because a lot of people have joined in and given different comments. I've struggled to keep up sometimes but thank you all very very much, especially those who do it quite often and even more especially this week the Jacksons who do it quite often and it's their anniversary. So happy anniversary guys. So
Neil Oastler - 6:03 PM
Thank you, Mike, and as I said, enjoy my football and enjoy life."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:03 PM
excellent, excellent. I'm Neil M. How are you?
N Makwana - 6:03 PM
Yeah, very similar, very similar. Um, I missed the first goal yesterday, unfortunately. I took the slightly dodgy decision to run halfway to the ground, and then I realised I was going to miss a lot of the game, so I sort of ubered it from the other half, so... No, but, all good, can't complain. Yeah, no, I went for a run this morning, trying to get back in there.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:04 PM
Well, every time I think of it nowadays, my knees start hurting, so they'll probably hurt halfway through this just because we spoke about running. I'm well out of it. Right, the homework, which hopefully Neil remembered because he asked about it yesterday, didn't see it on the invite. So, knowing me, knowing you, I'm going to play the music. Hopefully it plays. I've had someone tell me
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:04 PM
that it didn't actually play on the thing last week, so that's a bit odd because I've definitely not changed anything, but hopefully it'll play, so someone will tell me I'm sure. But we're going to find out a little bit about you guys. Just realised it must have been hilarious for everyone watching.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:05 PM
I was watching on YouTube last week where I'm laughing and giggling to myself going you you you you, there's no music to go with it. But Neil M, you two can back me up on this, the invite was sent with this question weeks ago and has nothing to do with current situations or things going on, but if you could ask the club's management one question, what would it be and why?
N Makwana - 6:05 PM
Ooh, you know what? I was thinking about that earlier, but my questions are all terrible, so let me think of one on the spot, if that's alright, Mike. Um, one question... Ah, it's, it's, it's, it's, uh, what would I say? Well, my bugbear from, I think I mentioned it last time, and it's a very small point, and I don't think it's the same...
N Makwana - 6:06 PM
it's not a management issue, actually, is, um, is the, the, the, the range of, uh, food in the, in the, in the, sort of, the outlets, but I know that's not a management problem. Um, I have to say that I was impressed with the cocktail bar. I didn't eat, I didn't have one, I didn't have one myself, but I was impressed. I'm going to try one next time. So, you know, big thumbs up to New Fan Zone. It's not a question, but it's...
Neil Oastler - 6:06 PM
Thank you, Mike, and as I said, enjoy my football and enjoy life.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:06 PM
Excellent. Well, yeah, I'm sure they'll be pleased to hear that actually, because that's one of the points we're going to talk about later. Neil, what one question would you like to ask, or praise, whatever you want to interpret as, to the club management again, either one? Go on then, go on then.
Neil Oastler - 6:07 PM
And I'm not the only one who's said that, but, you know, I know, and we've never had an answer. But from a sort of the general management thing was, you know, a lot of the discussion amongst us on the terraces
Neil Oastler - 6:07 PM
are not likely to get, keep all the fan base on side if this keeps happening. So we don't know the reasoning and we're only getting one side of the story. But that would be my my question to the management behind the scenes.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:08 PM
My tiny comeback on that is I don't think we're getting even one side of the story. I think we're hearing the story from people who aren't involved, who've made assumptions of what's happened. But, no, fair do's. I'm sure other people will have other questions, so fire them in. I'm not going to say I'm going to answer them, but fire them in, and who knows who will see it and pick it up.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:08 PM
Just 20 minutes ago, just lost on penalties. I never liked the FA Cup anyway, but I lost 5-4, apparently all cracking penalties, but their keeper managed to get fingertips to one of the penalties, tipped it onto the bar, which was enough. But yeah, concentrate on the league, come on. There was, yesterday, Neil, I know you were there, Neil-o, I know you were there, I don't know where you were, Neil, there was a bit of a medical emergency.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:09 PM
Which is always something you kind of never want to see happening. First of all, there was a gentleman called Paul, who seems like he's okay, he's at home, he's had tests, but he's got more tests due, but he left standing, and I've been told by someone who knows him that he's at home recovering, so he should be fine. But, what was amazing, first of all, is that on that Tardis Terrace,
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:09 PM
within two or three people deep, we had five people responding to him, we had a school teacher slash scout leader, who's trained first aid, we had a school nurse, we had Claire the defib lady, we had a lifeguard and a doctor, all within seconds, and the medical team got over really, really quickly.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:09 PM
So I know it was a couple of seconds or so before the stewards realised what was going on, but from that moment, the medical team reacted super, super quick. The bad was we did concede a goal as the bloke was getting some treatment, and some people decided it was appropriate to vent how angry they were with some swearing and shouting, which obviously, it happened.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:10 PM
But when someone sort of pointed out there was someone laying there trying to recover, they decided to take the approach of, I don't care, and started giving grief to the person saying it. So it's like, come on, that could be any of us back there. I mean, Nilo, you and I had it with Josh, obviously not the same thing, but it can literally happen to anyone. But amazing that we had so many people as fans.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:10 PM
Standing in that one area, and luckily it wasn't as bad as it could have been. There were lots of questions before the game about the Amber 100 initiative. Lots of people's nose put out of joint by various different parts of it.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:11 PM
Again, I'll come on to later, but it was very, very odd because we've only had it a few games, so I don't see how anyone could be that attached to it to be really upset. The fact that people didn't turn up for the seats that were bought for them is a whole different thing. I think, Neil, you and I were talking, saying, if they're sold, they're sold. It doesn't actually matter to us whether people are there or not if they're sold. It's just the visual. And there were some comments of the D-List Celebrity.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:11 PM
And non-entities. It's like, come on, these people are going to spread the word, hopefully. The idea is they do this kind of stuff. And then there was the outrage over the cocktail bar that Neil mentioned. I mean, yeah, go on, carry on.
N Makwana - 6:11 PM
Sorry to interrupt, Mike, carry on. No, I just saw the outrage mostly on the fan forums and, um, I just thought it was a bit unfair. Like, um, if it was taking away from something that was there, you know, removing something and putting that in, which, um, which, which wasn't there, then yeah, fair enough. Um, but yeah, it's got to keep an open mind, try it.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:12 PM
This was one of my points, was we had an ice cream van not that long ago, and you can't get any alcohol from an ice cream van, and yeah, so some people, abomination was what one person called it, which I obviously couldn't have, and they were worried that it's going to affect us in some way, of putting on a football match, and I was like, no, it's not. But like I said, keep an open mind.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:12 PM
And to be fair, a cocktail is basically whiskey, coke and ice, that's technically an octail because it's got three ingredients, and it was more of a spirit bar than a cocktail bar. I think they tried to be, if anything, they tried to be over glamorous, is probably what they tried to do. It wasn't, and it was a lot of pre-mixed stuff. I think I've put to say later.
N Makwana - 6:13 PM
Yeah, I didn't see it. I didn't see too many umbrellas in the, in the glasses or...
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:13 PM
I think the selection will get bigger, and actually the complaint from people about the cocktail bar was actually, it wasn't that much, which then kind of shows that people do want it, and they want more of it, but it didn't affect me getting a drink before the match or after the match, or at halftime, so I don't care. Right, let's go to the match. Who got that line up? None of you.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:13 PM
Who even heard of Junior before the game? I mean, I had, but. So, yeah, it was, Tyler was suspended, I think someone said, and Jaco was injured, and Edwin, who we got from Norwich, I'm not really sure, Ipswich, sorry, not Norwich, they were all really good.
N Makwana - 6:14 PM
I was, I was pretty positive. Line up, line up aside, I thought, I didn't know who Junior Custom was before the game, but I thought it's, if we're gonna bring someone fresh in, it's probably the right sort of game to do it. I know it's early
days, but I think Ebsley, Ebsley were, or they probably still are, sort of low down or bottom, so it's, it's, it's probably the right time to, sort of, blood, blood, sort of, a new...
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:15 PM
I think that was actually the most popular scoreline. So, Nilo, what did you think, what were you expecting before the game and think of the line-up?
Neil Oastler - 6:15 PM
So I thought that if Jaco was fit, then we'd only got four defenders, so it was easy and obvious how to pick them, or possibly he might go for a back three, or
Neil Oastler - 6:15 PM
he held his own. He kept Will Randall quiet, you know, so essentially you could have imagined he could have had quite a tolerant time. I think, as Steve said, he took him off really because he picked up a yellow card, which meant he was a bit vulnerable."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:16 PM
I think... well done you! I think Paul... I haven't looked at Paul's photos yet, but I think he did mention that he got a brilliant picture of Junior wiping out their bloke for the yellow. It was a really good one. But yeah, you're quite right, he did keep Will quiet, which again, I've got something to say on there.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:16 PM
I mean, they had a new manager, obviously, as Lungchat had pointed out, they got a new manager, and we were facing Will. Were you expecting him to haunt us, either of you? I was. I was expecting him to cut inside like he normally does and put one rifle in somewhere, but were you guys expecting the same, or did you kind of feel he's been out a while and it's going to take him some time?
N Makwana - 6:17 PM
Yeah.
Neil Oastler - 6:17 PM
We've been already tormented by a former player, by Dion, a couple of weeks ago. So I thought it would be typical. Unfortunately, this is Dion's shirt I'm wearing, sorry folks. But it just seems typical that our ex-players, on the whole, generally have quite good games against us. So I thought it was
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:17 PM
And Neil, yourself, what do you think? Were you expecting big things from him?
N Makwana - 6:17 PM
Yeah, I thought he'd turn it on, you know, there's always that element of playing against your old club and then just putting that extra 5 or 10% in, so I was expecting that. He'd sort of be strong, put in a strong performance, and yeah, it was a good point about Junior, because I wasn't sure why he was taking off, I thought maybe he had a niggle, but it's probably because he had a card, like you said, Nilo.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:18 PM
Yeah, I mean, I also like Steve's reference to turn around. It's the kind of thing I used to always say. Well, it was, we were winning 1-0 when he came off. We had a clean sheet and we were winning 1-0. So you can take credit for that. I used to literally do that whenever I played 5-a-side. I'd play on for two minutes. We'd score and I'd go, right, I'm off now. That's it. That's me done. Or only come on for the last couple. So, I mean, we started well. We started very well.
N Makwana - 6:18 PM
Exactly, exactly, exactly.
N Makwana - 6:19 PM
I heard the cheers as I came into the studio and said to me, oh, we've scored. I was like, yeah, I gathered. So, no, and I also thought, it's always slightly dangerous to think this, but I thought, oh, 1-0 up so soon. And in my mind, I was thinking 3-1, 4-1. I was like, this could be, you know, this could be a high-scoring afternoon. So, I was feeling even more positive at that point.
N Makwana - 6:19 PM
And then, yeah, we'll move on to the second half where it all turned around and I was like, bloody hell, it's all going wrong again. So, yeah, no, it was good. And when I saw the goals and the highlights, it was a very clean finish. It was a really impressive goal. And there was a lot of generally, from what I saw, good sweeping sort of diagonal passes that we put together from the midfield, which were generally impressive throughout the game. And we'll come on to it, but I thought it was one of our strongest.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:20 PM
Neil, what do you think of the goal? What was your view of it and how were you feeling when we went up so early?
Neil Oastler - 6:20 PM
I don't think, to be honest, I don't think it really matters if you do get an early goal or not. It's certainly better to get one than concede one. And generally, we seem to be better when we get a lead. It tends to give us confidence. So I took it.
Neil Oastler - 6:20 PM
I'm in now." And he took that very well. It looked good when he took it. It looked even better watching it back on the highlights afterwards.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:21 PM
I think we do well after taking the lead because then teams have to come at us and it leaves a lot of space for us to break into because we've got, as you say, midfielders, they can place a pass and we've got players with pace who can get in behind. So yeah, I don't want to give away any secrets but I do think that's a tactic that we're going to be very good at when teams try and come at us a little bit. We could destroy them.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:21 PM
We think Josh was captain again. How have you guys felt about him this season? He's probably only because Tyler's injured or out of the team at the moment. Nilo, what do you think of Josh, his performances so far, his form, and taking on the captaincy?
Neil Oastler - 6:21 PM
He's been much more consistent this season. Obviously, is he still our highest-gotten scorer? He's got four, I think.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:22 PM
Hm.
Neil Oastler - 6:22 PM
Example.
N Makwana - 6:22 PM
Yeah, no, I tend to agree. I think he has grown into the role really nicely, like watching last season and where he felt like a supporting player. He feels like, I think he's grown into that sort of leadership role, even if he's not captain. I think he comes across as a leader sort of through leading by example.
N Makwana - 6:22 PM
On the pitch, he was getting stuck in, talking to players individually yesterday, which was good. Yeah, generally, really, really impressive, I think. And the fact that he's, yeah, you're right, it's a good point. I didn't realise that he was our leading goal scorer. That's even better, right?
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:23 PM
Of the whole squad, of all, yeah, I mean he's got three last season, and four this season, so all-time leaving goal scorer within this squad. Even he shook his head when I started coming out with that stat for him. But sticking with you, you know, was there a sense of frustration again with the missed chances, and did it, to you, feel...
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:23 PM
that, considering we'd taken the lead and the players had given us something to cheer on, that the support, and I obviously always include myself in this, was a little bit flat again? Or did it feel like a flat game to you, and was it just the frustration building over because we weren't capitalising on that lead?"
N Makwana - 6:24 PM
Is that for myself? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so I thought, I thought the first half was, I felt it was quite scrappy after, after our goal. I can't remember, I saw the overall match stats yesterday and I think, absolutely, I was surprised that they actually had quite a bit more possession, I think like 60% to 40% or something along those lines. But, I was at the, sort of, Danbury Armoury.
N Makwana - 6:24 PM
end of the ground and the ball did seem to be the other end more often. So, it felt like we were in their third or in their half a lot more than they were in ours. They did, and I think this is the theme throughout the game, and I don't know, you know, you guys are more technically astute about football than I am, but it felt like there were times when we were cut, they cut through us, not at will, but, like, you know, they could, you know, they're sweeping.
N Makwana - 6:24 PM
forward moves that often caught us off guard, even a few times in the first half, but certainly, obviously, in the second when they scored twice, and so that, in the back of my mind, I still felt a sense of unease going into the first, you know, going into the break, one nil up. We'll be happy, rather be one nil up than one nil down, but I felt that, you know, the job was far, far from done, like, and, yeah.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:25 PM
Mhm.
Neil Oastler - 6:25 PM
I didn't, I didn't perceive it as being particularly flat, um, so, but then that might be because I was distracted because I was talking to Jenny, so, you know, so, you know, so I'm gonna blame, I'm gonna blame Jenny, you know, so I'd have, yeah, I'd been shouting a lot more.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:25 PM
Yep. Yep. Nothing. You can't hear anything.
Neil Oastler - 6:26 PM
retrospective, but I thought 1-0, yeah, I thought we'd get another one in the, in the second half. I thought it would be relatively, a relatively comfortable day, and I was so wrong."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:26 PM
Hmm. Well, you were right on part of that. So, a couple of things we've already mentioned already, Junior was subbed at halftime and so was Will. I think Junior should take that as a massive compliment. Will was probably planning to only do a half anyway, but I think it's a big compliment to have a player of Will's stage having been subbed when he's against an Academy player. But we did score early in the game.
Neil Oastler - 6:26 PM
Yeah, that's what I thought. Yeah. It was. Excellent goal. I thought it was all, I thought it was all, you know, I thought that wrapped it up. I felt confident, which, which doesn't fit easily with me. So, because there's only one, when you're confident, there's only one way to go, which
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:27 PM
Yeah, absolutely. And Neelam, how were you thinking at the start of the second half with the changes, slight change in formation and Jadon's early goal?
N Makwana - 6:27 PM
Yeah, I was happy with the changes, and, yeah, we went to three at the back, and when we scored, again, similar to Nilo, I was like, this is going to be a good afternoon in the sun, and, yeah, like, yeah, I still don't sense that, like, last season, I remember, I think I said it last time, last season I always sensed a real sense of fragility, even when we went
N Makwana - 6:28 PM
to go and have a sneaky beer before I went home, and, you know, 2-0 up or 3-0 or something, and then that would be a nice afternoon, but it didn't, not to me, right?"
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:28 PM
Not to me. No. Yeah, I mean, they do. That is one of the things that people always, always say is 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline. And it's because the other team have nothing to lose at that point. I feel they can kind of just, well, we've lost here, might as well go for it. And then they start building momentum. So there's like a 12, I think a 12 to 13.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:28 PM
minute period where they had momentum and they did score two good goals. I was obviously distracted at this point. So Nilo, were you concentrating on the match or were you also slightly distracted with the fact that what's going on behind us and having to move?
Neil Oastler - 6:28 PM
I was, I was more distracted by the second, but for the first goal, I thought it was a good pass through from their guy and they wiggled their way through the middle of us, which has been a frailty.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:29 PM
Yeah.
Neil Oastler - 6:29 PM
a ball from us that put him onside, so that was that one. But again, I wasn't really worried. And then of course, their second one was a superb shot. So for the second week running, we've conceded a goal that probably nine times out of ten would have ended up in."
N Makwana - 6:29 PM
Yeah.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:30 PM
Yeah, I mean, to a certain extent I can handle that, because they're not always going to go in. But yeah, like at Southport, like we said, I was talking to Steve Arnold who was in the bar afterwards. I was like, why? Obviously it's not always you in goal, but why is it that whenever we make a cock-up like that, it falls to pretty much the only player on the pitch who can do something with it? We did it against Swindon with Johnny Williams.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:30 PM
If we had any other player, no, not going to do anything with that. But we sort of go, oh, do you know what? Who's their best player? Have the ball. Here you go. But Neil M, what were you thinking? I mean, they'd equalised and they'd had a position just on top. This is, I'm going to sound like a part of the coaching team now, but this is a young group of players who need to go through some of these experiences, but you always then worry.
N Makwana - 6:30 PM
Yeah.
N Makwana - 6:31 PM
Yeah, at that point I was worried. I looked through because I saw the goal on the highlights, their second goal, which was an amazing strike. I'm not sure there's a lot we could have done to stop that really. The player closing him down did as much as he could to close him down, I think, given the pass in. You'd have to take that one on the chin. I did think that we would
N Makwana - 6:31 PM
You're right though, it's a good point. It's a young group of players and you sort of want to go through matches like this, these sort of scrappy tight wins, and sort of come through the other side without being jaded. It was also another big day for sport yesterday with, obviously, the boxing. One, I was saying to my mates, Daniel Dubois has gone through two really tough fights before the Joshua one.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:31 PM
Mhm.
N Makwana - 6:31 PM
Joshua's had two or three really quite easy fights and that's why, if I was going to put money on it, I'd put money on Dubois. Without gloating too much, we saw what happened. I think, similarly, we need to go through some scrappy, tough wins like that to build a bit of character and resilience as well, mental resilience more than actual physical resilience. And it was tough. It was a hot day. Like, I could see, you know, the players were...
N Makwana - 6:32 PM
They were feeling it and maybe that even explains some of the substitutions. I think at 60 odd minutes in, there were a few substitutions from our side. So, yeah, I was positive still. I thought we would hold on at 2-0 and maybe nick a third. But, you know, I didn't feel like I did last season where we could just collapse and it would be 4-2 or 5-2 or something.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:32 PM
And then one of the old boy scored for us. I think only Steve Arnold and Ashley are over 30 in our team. But good resilience, good pressure, and we got a reward. And I mean he's, I think that's three now he's got. So obviously he's on the move. So Neil M, were you pleased?
N Makwana - 6:33 PM
No, no, I was really pleased with that. Was it Vaz on the wing? Did Vaz, was he subbed on or was he playing for them? Yeah, I just thought he was really lively and caused them problems down there. It just felt like he was really creating opportunities and that pass in and the finish was really good. We've seen them quite a lot of times. Shots like that can go well up into the stands.
Neil Oastler - 6:33 PM
Yeah.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:33 PM
Yeah. Yeah, so Neil, I could have easily turned around and said, oh, do you know what? We're struggling here. Let's shut up shop. Let's see out the point. What were you pleased with? Don't shake your head. No one can see you shaking your head. But were you pleased that we kept attacking and the attacking intent, or were you expecting that?
Neil Oastler - 6:34 PM
Because of the medical emergency we'd all moved into the stand and somebody around said there's still time to get this back which was obviously prophetic but I think it showed how that how they are
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:34 PM
Mhm.
Neil Oastler - 6:34 PM
playing football and the goal that Ashley Anderson got was in fact exactly the same as the goal he got last week at Southend that ball coming in from the left and the late run in unmarked and he puts it away so you know that's that's he's got two carbon copy goals."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:35 PM
And, uh, was it Arsene Wenger used to say the phrase, Fox in the Box? That's what we want."
Neil Oastler - 6:35 PM
yeah but he looking back at the highlights he had two other very good chances he is getting looking more and more dangerous whether he's playing out wide or whether he's playing down the middle he's a real handful and
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:35 PM
I think the way Steve's going, I'm not sure, I do question sometimes when he actually starts out wide, I'm like, okay, obviously I don't know these things, but why are we not starting him up front with the two up front? But I think he likes to kind of see how the game goes, and to have Ashley on there just to be able to have the freedom of changing it so quickly. So yeah, I don't know if it all goes straight to the 4-4-2, um, but he has...
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:36 PM
I said in his interviews a couple of times that things change for the better when we went to 4-4-2, and I was like, there's a clue, maybe we want to do that. But, um, I mean, one other thing for the match, Louis John came on, Louis, for God's sake, he's left us, he was with us for all those years, and I still say it wrong, Louis came on and he got a very, very good reception. Were you pleased on that?
N Makwana - 6:36 PM
Yeah.
Neil Oastler - 6:36 PM
we know going back to these the 125th game you know so yeah red red doesn't suit him."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:36 PM
No. Yeah, but were you saying about the terrifying and the warm day? I saw him after the game and he did look terrified, because as I saw him he sort of came over and said hello and
Neil Oastler - 6:37 PM
He had to do he had to do lengths afterwards post because he came on he was running up and down the pitch afterwards so that's why he's looking knackered.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:37 PM
Yeah, yeah, that's right. That's when I saw him. Yeah Right, but to the post-match Sense of relief and I don't know if either of you heard it because I didn't hear it I was probably having a conversation with someone but apparently there was more abuse from behind the dugouts to Steve
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:37 PM
So I'm not sure which side of the fence you were People were just telling me it's useless and all sorts It was going on the whole game apparently So, I mean, I don't know why or how to stop it Because we're going to concede goals We're going to lose games It happens But what was your kind of feelings and reflections after the game? Nilo, we'll start with you
Neil Oastler - 6:38 PM
Yeah, we could have quite easily have had a draw nicked because what we thought around where the guy had hit the post, we didn't realise that Steve Arnold had made a save.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:38 PM
Mhm.
Neil Oastler - 6:38 PM
But two very inexperienced in Waller and Ecole, we can play a back three, but we need the more experienced ones to be able to do that. That's what I feel." So I think that, again, was the youngsters and their inexperience was caught out.
Neil Oastler - 6:39 PM
We're more than enough, and we'll only get better.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:39 PM
Yeah, and Neil M, it's exciting football, whether we're conceding or not, we're seeing good football. So what were your thoughts and reflections and did you hear any of the dugout stuff or behind it?
N Makwana - 6:39 PM
Yeah.
N Makwana - 6:40 PM
Yeah, no, it's interesting you mention it. No, I didn't hear any of the sort of dugout abuse of Steve. And I don't agree with that sort of abuse generally at all. You know, you can understand it sometimes, but I don't agree with that type of abuse. But I think on that, I think it's... Yeah, I think some fans are maybe just getting used to it.
N Makwana - 6:40 PM
You know, he is a very different personality to our previous managers. Even myself, even though I've not been a long term supporter, he's a long-time supporter like many others. He's a very different personality, let's put it that way. Not necessarily sort of polished in that sort of jovial media-friendly way that some others are. So that maybe rather than... That combined with sort of, you know, a young team.
N Makwana - 6:40 PM
Building themselves, you know, like Nilo, you say that they're going to lose games. It's inevitable. Sometimes it will happen. And it's just one of those things. I think that combined with bedding in of Steve's management style meant that he'd probably get some unfair abuse, I think, in my opinion. And yeah, so I didn't hear it myself. All of, you know, generally I was very pleased. The wins are wins.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:41 PM
Mhm.
N Makwana - 6:41 PM
Yeah, a part of me always, and this is, I don't know if this is a, a part of me feels always slightly sorry for the bottom placed team losing, you know, early days in the league. But I remember us losing when we were at the bottom of the
league and we'd lose a tight game and it's just like, oh, it's just so deflating. I think, you know, I felt a bit for the obsolete team because they played well and, you know, they could easily have got the draw there.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:41 PM
Well, obviously, I mean, sorry for the newer fans, especially people like Brilliant Finn the other day, but there's history. In the Conference South, they were well ahead, well ahead, and they had booked themselves on holiday to Las Vegas for the dates of the playoff matches as a reward, really.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:42 PM
I mean, Christmas time, I think it might be, it might not have been Christmas time, but it was that kind of early, it was January time, February, and anyway, obviously no one ever remembers, but players talk, and some of our players had found out that their players had these holidays booked that far in advance, and we clawed back, I think it was, I'm gonna say 26, I don't know, it was 26 games unbeaten, but it was a hefty goal, hefty points.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:42 PM
thing, yeah, but it was 26 games unbeaten, and we drew them back, and we had them at our place one day, and I think it was 2-0 or something, which put us top, and started their slippery slide down the table, so yeah, not many people sympathise with them in general, it was a long time ago, it was a long time ago, should probably just let it go now, but hey.
Neil Oastler - 6:42 PM
They were 15 or 16 points ahead of us."
N Makwana - 6:43 PM
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:43 PM
So, yeah, I mean, I may have, well, I heard about the comments from the dugout, so it may have been over-egged with abuse, it may have just been people ranting, who, like you say, just don't like the different style, and just as you were speaking there, I was like, well actually we've said that it's a young team, but this is a young manager as well, yes he's had the Cardiff job, yes he's had the Hornet Church job, but this...
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:43 PM
this is something different, where he's building a long-term project, so, yeah, there's going to be mistakes from the management side as well, so, yeah, I think we've just got to support them, I know everyone hates that, but support them through this, and on that as well, similar, I was approached by someone who said that they were hoping I was going to lead the protest against the new owner."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:43 PM
It's been available to Sutton fans for four games, so I'm not sure how anyone could claim it's their usual place to watch football.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:44 PM
We've only had it for four games." Um, and then there was another person who was denied entry to there and he's stomped past shouting and screeching that he was never coming back to Sutton. He's got a season ticket, but he's never coming back again because although the season ticket's not for that area, he was sitting in there before, always, and uh, therefore was never going to spend any more money at the club. And again, it's four games. So it's like perspectives, guys. It's, you said at the beginning, Neil.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:44 PM
Trying new things. Let's, let's see how it goes. If it's shite, it's going to be shite. And we'll tell you it's shite, but let's try it and see. I think I quoted, uh, the Imbroge film. Let's reserve judgment until we've seen the F in place. Let's just see how it goes. Um, but on, we've covered quite a lot of stuff here, actually. So the young squad still needing support, we've said a couple of times. Um, shaky defence.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:45 PM
Yeah.
Neil Oastler - 6:45 PM
When we get him, I think possibly at left back when Dylan's back, that left side is going to be absolutely electric. Terrifying, yeah. So I think the defence will get better, and I think we will settle on a pacey back four.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:46 PM
Mhm.
Neil Oastler - 6:46 PM
I think it's yet to be decided. I don't think Steve has had the benefit yet of having all of his six back, or seven if he's got defenders there, to choose from and work out which is the best combination, but I think the best combination is to come."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:46 PM
Name.
N Makwana - 6:46 PM
Yeah. No, no, similar, similar. I, one thing I do is, it took me a while to get my head round is not seeing the, you know, last season. I remember the, I remember last season's first match against, um, Notts County and just seeing how big we looked, like physically, we looked like big guys. We had really tall players and then the big guys at the back. We, you know, we're not a, a big team in that sense. And it took me a while to get outside. It's nice.
N Makwana - 6:47 PM
to have some really tall strapping center back. So, you know, just, but I think we're growing into the defensive roles, um, like you said, and, and, and, and with that reorganization, I think you'll only get, you'll only get better. I always feel that Steve Arnold in goal is, you know, when I've sat behind our goal, it's, he's just, he's quite a reassuring presence as well for the relatively inexperienced defense. He's the right type of, he's not a screamer and shouter.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:47 PM
Can't always be the best. Right, we're going to finish off with this game quickly. So with the good, the bad and the funny. So I will play the jingle and hopefully you guys have got something.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:48 PM
It was suggested by someone that I need to get one of the pink shirts and I have no problem but I could only wear it in the winter months because in the summer it would just bing and blend in with my sunburn, my constant sunburn. Neil M, what was your good from yesterday?
N Makwana - 6:49 PM
Oh, I, I just thought it was, uh, yeah, well, aside the winner side, I liked sort of our clinical finishing the clean, the clean finishing and, um, yeah, I, you know, I enjoyed, I really enjoyed the last goal, um, the winning goal as well. So, yeah, that was, that was my good. Oh, we're bad. That's interesting. Um, so...
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:49 PM
It's based on the whole day because Neil no doubt is going to mention the 90 minutes he spent on the traffic.
N Makwana - 6:49 PM
Yeah, probably. Um, yeah, I, you know, I mean, I wouldn't say it's bad, um, but it was a bit, yeah, I, yeah, I was surprised that with, with, and this is not to be necessarily critical.
Neil Oastler - 6:49 PM
I think Steve has had the benefit of having all of his six defenders there, but I think the best combination is to come."
N Makwana - 6:49 PM
for the, you know, the, the management, but it's given the hype around, um, the Amber Army initiative, the Amber, uh, the Amber 100, sorry, initiative. And then the family stand didn't look packed, uh, to me. And I, and I get, and I get it, you know, people, you know, get the tickets and don't turn up, but it would have been nice to fill out on a, on a, on a sunny day, um, on a Saturday afternoon. So it wasn't, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't, you know, it was, it was a bit.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:50 PM
Mhm.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:50 PM
Yeah. Exactly, yeah. I mean, it's one of those things, I mean, tickets were sold. So, it's just, people didn't turn up. Nilo, what was your bad?
N Makwana - 6:50 PM
Yeah.
Neil Oastler - 6:50 PM
Well, to quote Steve Sallis, it was the dickhead that really was, you know, his behavior was, you know, I know he said he was being passionate and all that sort of thing, and people swear, and all that sort of thing, but it was the fact that after he was sort of told to...
Neil Oastler - 6:51 PM
it reflected, the behavior of one person reflected badly on us, the fans overall, that's what I felt."
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:51 PM
Yeah, I mean, I do this work, it's always difficult when anyone kind of challenges you, because you always want to say, no, no, no, I'm not wrong. I'm probably one of the worst people in the world for it. But yeah, sometimes you've just got to stop and think, well, if 10 people are telling me I've done something wrong here, and I might
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:51 PM
need to have a little think about how I'm coming across. But yeah, that wasn't pleasant. And I believe, while I was talking to one person on that, there was a second incident. And again, here's not here, so but I'm hearing this second hand, I didn't hear it. But the person apparently had told Claire Parish, who does the Paul Allen Foundation, that they
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:52 PM
she was saying, well, look, we're checking over there because this guy could have had a heart attack. My dad died of a heart attack. I don't care. I don't care about your dad. Okay. Wow. So yeah, that whole incident was just it was I've used the word shameful. So hopefully the people reflect. But Nilo seems stupid to do this now after saying that. What was your
Neil Oastler - 6:52 PM
It was really looking at some of the, of the
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:53 PM
response? Yeah. Yeah, I did write somewhere. I didn't recognize many of the celebrities, but I did notice a lot of people walking around with their phones on selfie mode taking little videos. And then just before I posted it, I went, you're a fine one to talk, darling.
Neil Oastler - 6:53 PM
people watching." And that struck me as just a bit funny.
N Makwana - 6:53 PM
Oh, funny on the day, on the last podcast I mentioned when I was going up to the Wildstone match and a group of young lads saw me at Farringdon so they were there in the fan zone area having some soft drinks and sort of just catching up with them really and then I think I got called Uncle Neil by one of them which made me feel quite old and one of them
N Makwana - 6:54 PM
the one he goes on Neil I offered you my seat on the train do you remember I was like don't I'm not you don't need to offer me a seat I'm not I came over and asked how old do I look really old like I mean they're school-aged lads but I like you don't need to offer me a seat lad. It was nice catching up with them and just sort of just staying in touch with some of the younger fans as well so that was quite funny.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:54 PM
There was a TikTok thing the other day where they were asking young people how old is old and they were coming up with things, oh anyone born before 2000? A little bit of me died inside because I was like, I gotta spin that wheel when it says what's your age? So yeah, just keep them all at arm's length. Don't talk to them. They're lovely. I love them the kids. But hey. Right, we're going to quickly go on to the 3QP route that I would
Mike Sutton Podcast - 6:54 PM
like to talk about. So I caught up with Yeoval Phan prior to these round of matches because we wanted to make sure we got it in time to do the match play programme, which it was in yesterday. So if you read the programme, you've seen some of this already, or you heard it. But here it is. I think there's a little button you've got to tick to take it off mute for yourselves, but I think you've both done it before anyway. So here he is.
Neil Oastler - 6:55 PM
It's frozen.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:06 PM
Right, so it puts us all on mute. Neil-o had time to go off and make himself a cup of tea or something, because he couldn't hear any of it. But luckily, he did say that he's already in the programme, which is a shame. So that means I've got one less listener for this week. Neil-M, we'll start with you. What do you think of what he had to say? And any surprises there? And you kind
N Makwana - 7:06 PM
Oh was that to me sorry Mike yeah no look he sounded he sounded fair to be honest and you know you're over a mid table and I think you know he was being fair to us as well I think that he said this all solid at the back and probably not quite snappy going forward it feels that way the other way around
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:08 PM
Okay, well, that leads us on to the table of the Prediction League. I had to have another change because the calendar thing was not working. So there hopefully will be some automatic reminders going out to people if I've set it up correctly. But a few more people entered last week, which is annoying because it's dropped me down places. Neil-o, you're still just hanging into that top 10 there. Ninth.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:08 PM
You've got 10% of the results correct. So that's one out of 10. I've still got zero out of 10. But hey, let's not break a habit of a lifetime. The full table is available. And you will see that if you join the WhatsApp channel. I can send it out as well if anyone wants to see it directly. But join the WhatsApp channel and it's on there. But gents, what are your predictions? Neil-o, I
N Makwana - 7:09 PM
No I think I'll stick with that and I've got to say I love the name number seven whoever that is Jurassic Park the bus that is just such an awesome name so big up to whoever who ever named their prediction team
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:09 PM
Okay.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:09 PM
I can't even remember who that was. Yeah, there's a few that have called themselves Sutton United, and I've had to kind of go, okay, so Sutton United, like, if it was you, Sutton United NM, just to try and clarify between them all. But yeah, no, join in, it's quite fun, and the more people that do it, the more chance you get people actually getting results right. But, 1-1 for you.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:10 PM
Now, it's okay.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:10 PM
I'm going to go... 2-1! It's 65 times! No, I haven't done 65 times. I have done different ones before, but I'm still sticking with 2-1, and I'm hoping that when we get to 2-1, Ashley behaves herself and doesn't score again. And when we get to 2-1, we don't concede another goal to make us have to go and score a third. So 2-1 would be very good.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:11 PM
Very nice, gents, because then I can stop saying it and being boring, and I'm going to go in. If you want your Higgs brush to be the first goal scorer, he won't be picked at all now. But don't forget, you can enter now, and then if you see on the team sheet your players aren't there, you can re-enter. So I only take the last entry, so if you enter 100 times, I'll only take the last one anyway. But we're going to wrap up very, very quickly.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:11 PM
Because I've kept it way longer than normal. As always, we appreciate everyone's attention and feedback. There's questions for you to get involved with. If you could ask management one question, what would it be and why? And follow, like, share this episode, give us the thumbs up on YouTube and all the rest of them. Subscribe, leave reviews if you can. Tell me what you like in the episodes and what you don't like.
Mike Sutton Podcast - 7:12 PM
And we are back on Wednesday. We will have Alex and Paul, and we're going to talk for us through the Oval Game. So get any questions sent in for the panel. Big thank you to our sponsors, Lucky Star Gin. Big thank you to today's panel of Neil and Neil. And thank you to listeners. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Sutton Podcast. Take care and we'll catch up soon. Bye-bye.
Stay Connected with Sutton United & Sutton Podcast
Join our community on social media for the latest updates, exclusive content, and engaging conversations. Don't miss out on the Sutton Podcast for in-depth match analysis, player interviews, and more!
Bookmark our one stop page for all updates
Follow Us:
Listen to the Sutton Podcast: Catch our latest episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all other platforms.
Contact: If you have any questions, feedback or comments please reach out on any of the socials with @suttonpodcast
Share this post