What happens when a match official goes to the wrong city and your team can’t stop giving away penalties? You get a classic Sutton United Bank Holiday weekend!
In this episode of the Sutton United (Surrey) Talk Time podcast, Mike Dowling is joined by Claire and Alex to recap a chaotic Easter period. We discuss the national news story of the official who ended up in Sutton Coldfield, the statistical anomaly of our 15 penalties conceded this season, and why our young squad is feeling the heat. As Claire puts it, "The only thing that has been consistent about this season is the inconsistencies". Alex adds that the resignation in the crowd during the Aldershot game was "just miserable", yet the team somehow found the grit to claw back a point.
Mike Dowling
Hello and welcome to another episode of Sutton United Talk Time on podcasts, Sutton podcasts in association with Lucky Star Gin. Before I continue with the rest of my opening, I just need to check something. There's something very important for me to clarify. This is Sutton Surrey or London, depending on your vintage and viewpoint.
Mike Dowling
It is not Sutton Coalfield in Birmingham. So any officials, referees, you might want a different podcast. If you're a regular listener, thank you very much. I really, really appreciate it.
Mike Dowling
And if you're a new listener, welcome. Hopefully, that'll make some sense to you, because if not, I don't know how to explain it. I'm your host, Mike. And with me today, we have Claire and Alex, who are helping us through the Easter fix.
Mike Dowling
Helping us Okay, we'll move on. We love hearing from you. Join the conversation, stay connected, and share your thoughts on all our episodes, chat with other fans, and let me know what you'd like to hear next on the podcast, because especially as we're coming towards the end of the season, so any ideas for the closed season will be gratefully received.
Mike Dowling
On all major social media platforms and at Sutton Podcast, your likes, shares, and everything really, really do help. Guys, how have you both been? I saw you on Monday, but let's pretend. How have you both been?
Mike Dowling
Alex, how are you? I know you're not in the toilet, you're at work, but how are you?
Alex
Yeah, yeah, fine. Thanks, Mike. Although I, after watching the performance on Monday, I kind of wish I'd gone to Sutton Coalfield myself rather than, rather than the ground. I had a little day out around Birmingham area, would have been quite nice.
Mike Dowling
Yeah, yes, but maybe that's what we're all for. And Barbie Dreamhouse, Claire, how are you?
Claire
I am very well, thank you. I'm loving the sunshine. This is the best week I could possibly have taken off of work, let's be honest.
Mike Dowling
Right. Right, Club News. Well, as we already mentioned, we made national news again, but this time it wasn't anything to do with us. It was to do with an official going, putting in the wrong, well, he put in apparently Sutton United FC and Google Maps sent him up to Sutton Coalfield because Sutton United in Birmingham are registered with Companies House as Sutton United FC, apparently.
Mike Dowling
And that's where they're taking information from. Why he thought they were playing in the National League, that's a whole different story. We don't know. But anyway, that's why kickoff was delayed for such a long time.
Mike Dowling
I think it was two minutes, was it? A minute, maybe? Who knows? And I said the closed season's coming up very, very quickly.
Mike Dowling
We have the fans game. I think all spaces are gone.
Claire
Yes, so yeah, all the kit order is in, so spaces are closed now. Sunday the 17th of May, 12.30 kick-off this year. Exciting managers to be announced in due course.
Alex
Is that 12.30 kick-off if it's on the zone?
Claire
No, because there are lots of other games happening that day and I thought maybe people might want to go in the bar and watch a five o'clock kickoff. So I was being considerate of other people. I know. Shock.
Claire
And yeah, should be a good one. So if you are about and want to come on down have a nice drink in the sunshine um and get behind people see who is this year's uh victor in the uh the shoebox terrace um memorial trophy and ticket prices are free free
Mike Dowling
the fifth
Alex
Oh, so bad. Such a terrible game of football. Not just from us. It's one of the worst quality football matches I've ever watched live, for sure.
Alex
Both teams, you can see, you can tell that they are both pretty much safe. No one wants to jinx anything but let's be honest it's going to take something pretty special and Brackley and Morecambe winning all their games and both Aldershot and Sutton getting no further points to go down which feels pretty unlikely so you could tell that both teams were on the beach, slash couldn't be bothered, slash were cancelled out by each other's ineptitude, I would say. But in answer to your question, I was, well, frankly, I was wondering why I decided to do that on a bank holiday after 60 minutes.
Alex
It's terrible.
Mike Dowling
Fair enough. Did you have any hope going into the game?
Alex
Oh yeah, yeah. One of the things about this season is that it's been so inconsistent. You only have to look at the last few weeks or so to see the awful home losses to Morecambe and Truro, followed immediately by excellent away wins at Hartlepool and Eastley. And so that just tells you all you need to know about, you never know what you're going to get from this team.
Alex
And therefore, I don't know what to expect. And therefore, there's always a bit of hope because the brilliant side might turn up. So yeah, I had some hope.
Mike Dowling
Exactly. I mean, Claire, let's be honest, if we got ourselves safe six, seven, eight weeks ago, it'd be boring.
Claire
Let's keep a little bit of element of, you know, jeopardy. Sure. I mean, it's the hope that kills you, right? Yeah.
Claire
And I think I was thinking earlier today about when was the last time Alex and I did the podcast together and it was probably somewhere near the beginning of the season when I was full of hope and was telling you all how amazing the season was going to be and how we were getting promoted and how wonderful everything was. then this was the season that was. I think it's probably the term to just throw in there.
Claire
And it has. It's been the only thing that has been consistent about this season is the inconsistencies. And it's been heartbreaking, but also like incredible in equal measure. Like some of those Tuesday night away wins have been magnificent.
Claire
Like, you know, who would think that they would go to Scunthorpe on a Tuesday night and have a lovely time? Like it just wasn't really in my brain when I agreed to do it. But it was amazing. And then, yeah, on Friday, kind of 60 minutes in, you're questioning why you're not at home doing DIY like every other cliched person in England on a bank holiday Friday.
Claire
But it got better.
Mike Dowling
I'm going to pull you up on a little point there where you said the only thing that has been consistent is our inconsistency. And that's just not true.
Alex
we have penalty and another red card in that game so the top of the league i have stats do you want stats i did some ridiculous frankly ridiculous so that was the penalty we conceded against order shot was our 15th penalty given away this season
Claire
In the league?
Alex
In the league, which is more frequent than one every three games because we haven't yet played 45 matches. Comfortably the highest in the league, I think by four penalties or something, it's not even close. And then in the league as well, six red cards and 107 bookings, which is second from bottom in the fair play table. It's the highest yellow card count.
Alex
the The inevitability of the penalty and the red card in the Aldershot game, particularly the penalty because it was so early in the game, was, you know, no one's surprised in the crowd. No one's shocked or anything. It's just this resignation. It's just miserable.
Claire
17 minutes. 17 minutes into the game, the message I put in the Gandamonium WhatsApp group read, um, I'm playing I Spire a Sutton game and all I need now left to win is a red card and a punch-up. Only slightly later did I go, well, just the punch-up to go now.
Mike Dowling
Right, let's go with Charlie's Red because he got quite a lot of criticism. Lots of people, I mean, some of the things I didn't respond to them all because I just couldn't take it. He needs to grow up. Yeah, he's like 12, so that's fine.
Mike Dowling
He needs to grow up. So, yeah, him and Junior came in for a little bit of stick. But do you think that's fair? They should have learned.
Mike Dowling
I mean, one criticism with Charlie is he got the yellow card, and then I think it was like four minutes later that he got the red. Are you happy to put that down to kind of this? They're going to learn as they get older, or should they have known better at this stage?
Claire
I think it's a little bit of column A and a little bit of column B, if I'm honest. Like, I think you absolutely would, if you've got the right people around you and the right influences and the people that are telling you that's not how you channel your passion, then absolutely, then you're going to kind of learn from those things. And then you're going to be like, actually, that's the detriment to themselves. Like, they've both got incredible futures ahead of them.
Claire
I think we can all say that we're, you know, really excited whilst we don't want to lose them. we're really excited to see where they go next and what they do and to kind of champion them and make sure that they make the most of themselves. And, you know, the red cards is something that is at the detriment to that and kind of will potentially hold them back in their progression because people look at those kind of things and it does have a negativity, you know, associated with it. But I think if you've got you know, good structure when it comes to kind of the emotional awareness and the intelligence behind that, whether that's your management team or your seniors within the squad telling you, you know, it's great that you care and it's great that you're passionate
Claire
and you want to drive through this game and, you know, get results, but there are ways of doing that and, you know, the aggression is something that potentially or just those silly mistakes are things you need to think about and how they impact upon your game. So i don't think i don't think it's fair for anyone to really kind of lay into them because they are young and i think one of the things this season i've really struggled with is like you know we all make mistakes at our jobs right like nobody is perfect um but you're not looked at under a microscope in the same way by you know the public so like there is an element of that to it as well. Like, cut some people some slack.
Claire
Who isn't exhausted at this point in the season? I'm done and I'm going to imagine that they're done and I don't have to run around for 90 minutes and train four or five days a week and all that kind of stuff. It's that like, that grace for me, I think it's like, actually, just let's just sit back and hope that maybe next year we don't top that particular table that Stato over here is a reference.
Mike Dowling
I'm genuinely gutted, I thought we were top slash bottom of it, I didn't realise there's someone else in the mix as well, I thought we were winning.
Claire
There's still games to go, mate.
Mike Dowling
Alex, what about yourself, do you feel that some of the criticism was fair, too much, did you see it?
Alex
No, I don't read the stuff online that much, to be honest, Mike, because it's just, I don't... Very healthy. Yeah, just because, as you've rightly pointed out, I mean, everyone's entitled to their opinion, of course, but as you've rightly pointed out, you know, these are young fellas who are being asked, particularly in the case of Junior, He just looks knackered, understandably knackered. This is the first time he's really had a full season of being in the starting XI and he's being asked to play out of position.
Alex
When we play a back four, he's playing right centre back and that is not his position. He's a right back or a right wing back. So you've got a young lad in his first full season playing out of position. Of course he's exhausted and of course you know he's given away a silly penalty against Aldershot that comes from a poor back pass, that comes from a lack of confidence, that probably comes from being knackered.
Alex
So I think at this stage of the season you can attribute it to that and if If your reaction then is to fire messages to both of them or whoever online about their character or whatever, well that's just ridiculous because look at what both of them have done for us this season. As you said, they made a mistake against Aldershot. People make mistakes.
Alex
I think the interesting point is around where we sit in the squad in terms of experienced players. You've both alluded to the fact that if you have more experienced players around you, some of this stuff is hopefully likely to be reduced in your own game because you're learning from the experienced heads around you. I know Chris has talked about that in some of his interviews, being sort of four or five experienced players short in the squad. I'm interested in the logic of, you know, how do we get those players then?
Alex
Because he's also talked about the gulf between the National League and the National League's north and south below us. So presumably he's therefore saying, well, we're looking up in the leagues to get those players and get that experience. And therefore, are you looking to sign players who are perhaps coming to the end of their careers. Is that okay if you sign a few of them and blend that with young players?
Alex
Probably yes. Can we afford them though? How do we attract them? I'm interested in your guys' thoughts on that.
Mike Dowling
I have no idea, I was going to put that question to you guys later on, so thanks for that. It's all right. I mean, is the contact book, I mean, does Chris have as much contacts in the game? I know he's done a lot of coaching, but people like Jake coming in, he's not at the end of his career, he's a couple more, two, three more seasons.
Mike Dowling
Had he been on the pitch against Aldershot, maybe different, he wasn't playing, was he?
Alex
He was playing.
Mike Dowling
He was playing.
Claire
He can't, but I think someone like, no, absolutely not. Um, uh, I think someone like tails is a great addition to the squad. Um, but I think you're right. Like there's, there's a gap there, those kinds of those senior players.
Claire
And you look back at what we had at the beginning of the season and you're quite a strong core of, you know, more, uh, like mature compared to like people who are 20, 21, 22. They're by no means old because they're still people in their early 30s. But we had that kind of core contingent and the majority of those people have now either gone or they're on loan or whatever. And that's what we're really, really missing.
Claire
And you can't you can't expect one person to be holding that down. And you also then have this weird place then when you're left where, like, I'm not, I'm skipping ahead slightly, but like on Monday, for example, you miss people who aren't on the pitch because they've been sent off, but they're like, they're youngsters and like your whole team shouldn't fall apart because, you know, the likes of Brandon aren't there or whatever. And like, it's, They're important in integral parts of the team, but it shouldn't rely on one person to be holding it all together.
Claire
It's a squad for a reason. So there's definitely some spaces.
Mike Dowling
Before Alex swerved me with that other question, I was going to say, not only is Junior, for example, playing out of position and knackered, there's also a weight of expectation on him, which is ridiculous. I mean, you had Chris saying a few months ago, oh, we can't wait for Junior to get back in the side. And that's a stupid thing to be saying about an 18-year-old. You shouldn't be relying on an 18-year-old to come and pull yourself out of it.
Mike Dowling
Same for Charlie Bell. Now, there's one more thing for all shop, but we're talking about young players. You were next to me when Tim turned around after we made a substitution. We took junior off, but I remember who went on and Tim sort of turned around and said, not many teams have taken 18 year old off, put someone on and lower the age of the team that's out there, the average age by a considerable amount.
Mike Dowling
I think it was. But, yes, we were 2-0 down, but we did come back. So, how much credit do you give the guys, Claire, for fighting back in that awful game that Alex says? Alex has played in two fans matches with me, and I can't believe...
Mike Dowling
Oh, he knows that travesty. It's the worst match ever.
Alex
It's the quality. I'll just clarify that. I was playing in that game rather than watching. Oh, fair enough.
Mike Dowling
You were watching me get... drowning in grass.
Claire
Anyway, you have to give them massive credit for that and I think that's the real testament for some of the things that they're capable of, is that like actually it's quite easy when you're two down just to let your head stip and go you know like we're out of this and what's the point and I don't think that it then felt like that and it was quite nice to not watch that kind of shoulders like go and to really give up because it's very, very easy to do. And I think like we've got to a point in the season where that's not, that's not going to be okay. Do you know what I mean?
Claire
We like, we still need a few more to really make this comfortable. I've tried to think what the conversation was that took place in the changing room at halftime, but like, I'm sure like some of that was then spurring them on to drive it a bit more. And like, actually, yeah, like you can't, It definitely makes the journey home a little bit better, doesn't it? When you're like, we could like, we were down and out and like, kind of was sitting thinking, oh, Cor gets to go home and sit on the sofa and be miserable about that.
Claire
And actually, like, it did lift your spirit somewhat. So like, to credit to them.
Mike Dowling
Yeah, absolutely. We could have, could have nicked it. But Alex, how did you feel that we made that comeback?
Alex
Yeah, I agree with the credit argument up to a point. You're absolutely right. They did well and they showed some good fight. They were gifted the two goals though by some just atrocious play from Aldershot.
Alex
The keeper's kick out for the first goal was shocking and then they play it around Leicester and they get lucky with the way the ball falls in the box and Simpa takes it well, which is great. You have to make your luck and we're due some luck as well, so that was great. It was fantastic to see, for a change, a stupid penalty going in our favour, rather than giving one away. Because there's no way that Obi's getting to that ball.
Alex
Absolutely no chance. It was quite a good delivery in from Toby, and I quite liked him when he came on. He sort of bumbled his way past a few people on the left wing, and I kind of enjoyed that. But it's a decent effort with the ball, but Obi's nowhere near it.
Alex
And the guy just takes him out. What's he doing? It's just crazy. So, I agree that they did well to not let their heads go down.
Alex
I think that should be the minimum bar that we expect. We shouldn't expect teams to just fold. And then they were given two goals, but well, we gave them two goals. So, it ended up as a terrible two-all, like I said.
Alex
It was rubbish.
Mike Dowling
At least we got to see goals. Right, let's talk about lovely Bank Holiday Monday in the sunshine. Lovely to see Matt and Jason.
Alex
Yeah. That's quite emotional. Yeah.
Claire
Oh, shock. Alex gets upset about Matt.
Mike Dowling
I bullied Frances. She didn't want to go in and say hello. I was like, come on. She's like, I'm not sure if I'm allowed.
Mike Dowling
And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I thought afterwards, I never ever take advantage or abuse any privilege I have for myself. Always someone else. Drag someone else in going, hang on, why should you be doing this for me?
Mike Dowling
But first half, we had a bit of a charm life. Charlie Schindle, bless him. I know he's done well since leaving us, but he was showing why he didn't mind him leaving us. But how were you?
Mike Dowling
Did you feel like in that first half, how we survived it, Alex? Actually, you know what? Things could go our way. Or do you think it's going to happen at some stage?
Alex
It's tricky, Mike, because I've told you about 10 minutes earlier that I always have hope, and now I'm answering your question, and I'm not sure I actually did. Well, there's always hope when it's nil-nil. But yeah, look, as you say, we were under the pump. I think the alarming thing was, you know, So they were playing well and we were under the pump, but we weren't doing the stuff that even the basic stuff that we normally do.
Alex
Okay, for example, deliveries from set pieces, you know, simps is usually fantastic at those or whoever takes them, but it's often him. And they were off, you know, and there was no, there was no pressure valve release. Every time we get, you know, Perhaps we defend for 10-15 minutes and then get a corner and you think, right, we might not score, but we might put two or three corners together, for example, through good deliveries. And the deliveries were terrible and that was just releasing the pressure.
Alex
And I think you could tell that the team especially at the back where I'm under pressure because the passing out from the back, which I'm in favour of, I like playing from the back and drawing people in and trying to make the space and some of the goals we've scored this season from doing that have been amazing but it was too slow, it was too nervous, it portrayed a lack of confidence and that all led me to not feel great about the second half but such is football, nil-nil, you never know.
Mike Dowling
Yeah, I mean, passing out, I know it's split things. I'd put a line partway through the penalty box and say, anything beyond this line, you kick it as far as possible. But I'm not paid to manage. So, Claire, how were you feeling in the first half?
Mike Dowling
Were you kind of hoping we could get something out the second half?
Claire
I didn't feel like there was anything coming. Like, I thought it was really scrappy. And there were moments where you're just like, this is like, I said, a bit slow, and it felt clunky, and not quite as measured and considered as usual. And, you know, you do have those moments of like, okay, we played like two days ago, is this why?
Claire
And like, it's, it's a lot. But no, I didn't feel like anything was coming. I think there were a couple of times when I thought Stima had the touch of God and actually made some pretty decent saves in the first half. Yeah, but this is the thing, isn't it?
Claire
That's the thing. In the first half, I was like, I'm quite proud of you today. And then I was like, oh, I'm glad I didn't tweet that. Do you know what I mean?
Claire
But like, there's, yeah, there was, what was that? That was the real juxtaposition of two halves, wasn't it? Yeah.
Alex
One of the reasons I was concerned is that our bench was really light. We've talked about suspensions and injuries and fatigue and stuff, but that's part of the reason. You're playing a good south end side with a good squad who've got a real incentive to win. As I sort of touched on at the start, in terms of the order shot game, yes, we need a point or two to make ourselves safe.
Alex
our incentive to win is probably lower than theirs is at the moment because they're chasing playoffs. So you put all that together plus the fact that our bench is pretty much full of academy guys, all of who I like, but you know, it does mean we're just a bit light for second half reinforcements.
Mike Dowling
Yeah, I mean, I don't know what happened, but there's no way I couldn't believe I saw someone criticizing. I'm like, Oh, hang on a minute. How many points has he saved us this season? He was due a bit of a howler or something.
Mike Dowling
Obviously, I didn't want him to have one, but it was due a bit while I was standing right near his dad and I was like, I'm moving spots. I can't talk to you about it.
Claire
I mean, there was there was one moment somebody wrote in, I think I can't remember if it was online or something, I saw where someone was like, tell me when he last made a decent save. And I was like, are you for real? Like, are you actually for real? Like literally probably about 20 minutes ago.
Claire
Like, come on.
Mike Dowling
First half, it's a point blank shot. Um, cause I was speaking to someone at heart, maybe just after and they were criticizing as well. And I was like,
Alex
I do think he looks a bit tired as well. Again, understandably because it's a long season. My dad and my uncle and my mate, we stand together and we were sort of chatting about the fact that he looked a bit tentative with balls over the top that were sort of on the edge or just inside of the penalty area, whether to come or go, and a couple of crosses, and usually he's so good at that.
Alex
So I thought he was a bit tentative in that respect. Obviously, no one can predict the howler that he has for the first goal, unfortunately, but I think he's another one where he looks a bit fatigued, understandably.
Mike Dowling
and he struggled with injury this season as well and like we shouldn't forget that so like actually he probably just needs the break he does yeah he's clearly a great keeper and we're lucky to have him absolutely we're very lucky to have him yeah he had that back injury that was out for a while then there was a recurrence of it and you it's got to play on your mind a little bit i don't i'm yeah i'm an old man when i'm getting off the sofa i have to think about my back but i'm not someone who paid to see me yeah we've seen you play football you haven't you've seen me on the pitch well i say play lucy So yeah, basically, I mean, their third goal was good. Their third goal was an absolute cracker.
Mike Dowling
We didn't see Goody on, but just as well, really, I guess I was, he would have scored as well. Alex touched on this earlier, Claire, but where are we? 47 points at the moment. We could get top 10.
Mike Dowling
We could get relegated. Both of those things require very convoluted results. But if you're going to say that relegation is possible, you have to look and say, well, actually, similar results could get us in top 10.
Claire
I love you, but with all due respect, no, is how I feel about could we make top 10 if I'm being entirely honest, like I'm just, I just, I know, and could is a big word, but I just, at this point, like, I just want three more and to feel, you know, kind of content with our lot and to forget about this season and move on. And yeah.
Mike Dowling
I always feel free as well. I mean, I think we're fine. I'd like that free to get the 50 points, just to go, oh, we ticked it off at some point in the season.
Alex
Do you think we're likely to get, in your opinion, do you think we're going to get more points from the two away games against Carlisle and Boreham Wood, or the home game against Altrincham? Because, you know, on one hand you say, well, the home game against Altrincham, because A, it's home game, B, they're, you know, not much to play for, lower in the league, and the two away games against, well, they're away and they're against sides, you know, looking to secure. I mean, Carlisle have already secured players, but you know, really with lots to play for at the end of the season. But then our home form has been so poor and our away form's been all right.
Alex
So what's your money on?
Claire
Or do we just get zero?
Alex
Because that is possible.
Claire
If I'm honest, I think the ridiculousness of where we are and how things have been this season, the stupid thing that will happen is that we'll get three points on Saturday in some absolute ridiculousness and it'll be like, oh, we took six points from them this season, right? But that is the kind of... That's the kind of shithousery that we've been playing with this year, isn't it? So, like, for me, that is where I feel like something stupid will happen.
Claire
And then the other two I haven't really considered, if I'm being entirely honest.
Alex
What do you think's the home form? What's going on with the home form?
Mike Dowling
This is the question I was going to say next. Why do you think home form was struggling and away form were doing well? I have a theory. Claire, you go, because you definitely want to say something.
Claire
I think historically, and I don't just think it's this season, I think for quite a consistent amount of time our home form has been poor in comparison to what happens away from home. I don't think it's just like isolated to this season. I think that generally that the atmosphere at an away game, rightly or wrongly, is just entirely different from what you get at home. And it's just it's not it's not our fans it's not the noise that we make it's our ground and it's the way that we're all so widely spread and when you go away you kind of have this like all your fans are packed into this one little tiny
Claire
corner somewhere right and there's like 300 of them but because they're under some weird tin roof like the noise that they all make together sounds vastly bigger than what we achieve when there are thousands of people in gander green lane and it's infuriating because like that should be the place where we feel most brave and most content and you're at home and you feel strong about stuff. And I just think that our ground doesn't necessarily lend itself to that. And therefore I feel like quite often our team just seem more geed along and up for it when we're somewhere else.
Claire
And it's something that, you know, as we develop and we kind of look at how we, you know, bring the ground up to higher specs and we develop parts of it and, you know, do stuff parkside or whatever, we look at how we make what we have more conducive to that kind of atmosphere and that kind of noise. Because, you know, the additions at the Collingwood Road end, that stand moving the home front fans down that end has definitely had an impact when it comes to noise and volume. You can't deny that.
Claire
But there's still, you know, there's so many people stood on the on the curve and in the grandstand. And it just doesn't, it just doesn't translate in the same way. So there's some interesting stuff about, is it the 12th man? I know it's not entirely down to the 12th man.
Claire
But like for me, I do think there's like, there's an element of that. And that's not a criticism of the fans. It's very much what we have infrastructure-wise as a ground.
Mike Dowling
I'll build on that. I think also because we are generally quite quiet and it is a few people trying to make noise and I hold my hand up and go, yeah, I'm not one of them. And when something goes not quite right, there is a noise and it's a collective groan. And it only seems louder because, as you said, the noise we're making doesn't really do an awful lot.
Mike Dowling
But when everyone's groaning, it does. And there's no way I'm not. spoken to any of them yet, and they'll probably call me a liar, but there's no way the players can't be like, oh, God, and feel like they don't want to make a mistake.
Alex
It's pressure, isn't it?
Mike Dowling
Yeah. They hear it. They know what they know what we're saying. They can hear us.
Mike Dowling
And so, of course, they can. It's going to go to them and don't want to be the one that makes the mistake. And that's why they tend to make a mistake because they're panicking about it. Alex, do you agree with the I mean, I know you're you're at the workshop match with the
Alex
I think Clare's point is absolutely right and the Aldershot ground is a good example of that because they don't necessarily get any more or less fans than we do really but they're all packed in that stand under behind their goal and more of them go in there than our lot behind our goal and it was loud. It was loud. I was really impressed and that's got, I don't know, Aldershot's home form is like this season probably probably fine, but it can't do any harm.
Alex
And I think there's a pressure that comes from playing at home for us at the moment because of that collective intake of breath or exhale, perhaps is the best way to describe it when it is a grumble, that the players inevitably hear.
Claire
I also think that when you're away from home, the noise coming from those home fans is sometimes encouraging. I know from like conversations I've had with people that have played, you know, if the opposition fans are giving you a bit of a hard time, that's the moment when you turn around and you almost kind of go, okay, watch this. And it does it spurs you on. So like, and I think, you know, most of us probably feel that at points either in their career or in their jobs or whatever, someone thinks, I'm a big one of that, if you tell me I can't do it, I'm just watching.
Alex
It probably links to the age of the squad again, it's that point again, because, you know, the pressure being on at home is harder to deal with if you are a younger man player, you know, and therefore away from home, you know, I'm not saying they're complacent or anything, but the pressure's off, especially where we are in the league. If you go and lose away to Scunthorpe, everyone kind of goes, well, that was expected. And therefore, as a young person, that's probably easier to deal with than, oh, crikey, we're playing Vetrura or Morecambe at home, who I'm not sure I'd ever go into a match this season and say I would expect to win.
Alex
But you'd hope given their positions in the table, you'd hope it's a good chance for us to pick up points. That brings pressure, and that's harder at home.
Mike Dowling
OK. We're going to wrap up in a bit, but very, very quickly, I was going to do this a bit more of a discussion, but very quickly, very short answer, Alex, what do we need in the summer?
Alex
I'm excited for Chris and team to have a whole pre-season and a whole summer because the way he's come in and the hectic nature of the league season and the Cups we've been in means that the players play a lot of football and not that many opportunities, I imagine, for him to step back and think, what's going on here? You can see that from some of the signings we've made have probably been rushed or you know quick decisions and some of them have worked out and some of them haven't and some of them i'm sort of thinking why did you bring that person in it's probably because they need quick solutions because of injuries and red cards and they haven't had much time to make a plan and think about it so first thing i want is for them to have some time which they will get to sit down and think right what do we need
Alex
In answer to the question, what do we need? We do need some experienced heads. That's not a light bulb novelty idea that I've got there. Everyone's been saying it, including Chris himself.
Alex
How we get them, as I touched on earlier, I'm not quite sure. I hope he's got a plan for that. I'm sure he's thought about it because he's mentioned it in post-match interviews, et cetera. I hope his book of contacts is bulging and he can find a way to sell the money that we can pay these people, which is less than other clubs and the infrastructure of the club again which is less than other clubs.
Alex
But hopefully he can find a way to sell Sutton to those kind of players and we can get in a position whereby with a good start to the season we can look up at the table rather than down.
Claire
To be honest, I'd echo the same kind of things. I'm less bothered about having some incredible preseason, if I'm entirely honest, because quite frankly, we had an incredible preseason this year and it counts for naffle, right? I actually kind of think I'd like to have an absolutely disastrous preseason and an incredible season. That's fine by me.
Claire
But yeah, experience. absolutely is experience, you know, some age in the squad and, you know, some kind of leadership there to really kind of guide and help mould some of those younger players to help them maximise their potential.
Mike Dowling
Absolutely. Okay, excellent. So do you want to do a prediction for Carla? I know you think we're going to win, but was it 6-0, 5-0?
Claire
I don't know, something stupid. I think maybe it will be two all going into the 93rd minute and then we'll score an absolute screamer and we'll win 3-2. There we go.
Mike Dowling
Oh Claire, I hope you're right.
Alex
Well, I always say 4-0 to Sutton because, as I've alluded to, not just this season but across my whole life watching football, I have no idea what's going to happen and therefore I predict what I would like to happen. It's quite telling that Dan, who I stand with at the Games, I said 4-0 on Monday and he said, it's been a while since you've said that, which I think is an indicator of how the season's been going, but I'll back it for the weekend. We can beat Lesley Hughes twice in one season and win 4-0.
Mike Dowling
We'll get David to score a couple of goals for us. We are going to wrap up this episode of Sutton Podcast. As always, appreciate everyone's attention and feedback. Follow, like, share this episode on all socials at Sutton Podcast.
Mike Dowling
Subscribe, give me a review, give me the thumbs up. Thanks to everyone who already does it. Alex as well. A big thank you to our sponsors, Lucky Star Gin and today's guests, Claire and Alex.
Mike Dowling
Thanks for listening. Take care. Hope you enjoyed this episode and we'll catch up soon.
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