TT INTERVIEW

Rob talks about his team Farnborough FC

ABOUT ME

Hello! Been watching the Boro for nearing 32 years. Seen pretty much everything imaginable in that time. Steps 1-4, multiple promotions and relegations, financial turmoil, FA Cup runs, Graham Westley, old club being wound up, the re-birth. I could go on all day, but guessing you haven’t got an onsite psychiatrist for me. A couple of us started this Twitter thing in 2016, when the club was in the murky waters of step 4. If you like ballistic sarcasm, childish buffoonery and cutting edge satire, mainly centred around the finest team in North Hampshire, come give us a follow.

FORM

After winning the Southern Prem South playoffs in 2022, our first season back at this level went pretty damn well. A gargantuan unbeaten run almost ghosted us into the playoffs, running out of steam the last couple of weeks. This season, results wise, we’re Jekyll and Hyde, home and away. 3 wins and a draw at home, 1 (stoppage time earned) draw and 2 defeats away.

HIGHLIGHTS

Bit early for that! But I’m just going to go with the wins. We’re up on our start from last season and our squad is bigger and more experienced, so that’s a good sign. We’ve got a new outside bar at the ground now too, that’s definitely up there as a highlight.

Evergreen Ricky Holmes found the net with an unstoppable strike on our most recent visit to Devon 🚀⚽

🎥 @TCFC_Official pic.twitter.com/EdHFqRRnfg
— Farnborough FC (@FarnboroughFC) September 4, 2023

KEY PLAYERS

If you look at the top scorers table, you’ll see our new striker Alfie Pavey up there. He’s hit the ground running, straight into a proverbial purple patch. We’ve got the legend that is Ricky Holmes, who seems to be getting better with age. He’s revelling in his player/coach role, scored absolute belters in the last 2 games. Watch out for Reggie Young and Selim Saied, both tricky little wingers with the capability to give full backs nightmares, when they’re cranked up to 11. Also, if you like a long throw, you’re in for a treat… step forward our CB, Ollie Robinson and his throwpedos. Our keeper, Jack Turner, is one of the best non league stoppers out there. Obviously now I’ve said that, they’ll all have shockers, Tuesday night.

THE MANAGER

The notorious Spencer Day is our manager, 11+ years and counting. (Get some popcorn and Google him, if you’re bored of Netflix). Last season was mainly 3 CB’s and wingbacks, we’ve seen a slightly different setup of late, with more of a back 4. We’re normally quite fluid, in and out of possession, so good luck working it all out. 3 in the centre of the park, Pavey up top and 2 pulling wide. Spencer likes us to get it down and pass it around, play fast. Sometimes it happens!

POSSIBLE LINE-UP

Presumably won’t be too different to Saturday. Something like… Turner in goal. Nelson, Robinson, Norville-Williams, Partington, Upward, Davis, Young, Holmes, Saied, Pavey. We’ve got a handful carrying injuries and a new signing (Pendlebury, returning to us from Ayr United), so I could be way out.

AWAY SUPPORT

Had it been a Saturday, I reckon we’d likely have taken 100+ down but, with it being a Tuesday night (and first week out of summer hols), probably a third of that. Our away support is continuously growing though and the sun will be out, so who knows.

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

I can’t tell you our weaknesses, or I’d have to kill you. Our only weak showing, so far, was at Truro, so maybe travelling to Plymouth is our weakness. As you lot have seen so far, from this league, it’s wide open this season and feels like anyone can get a result anywhere. So it really depends on if we turn up. We were turgid at Truro on BH Monday, but have been mainly excellent in our last 2 homers, either side of that. If we can get it down, get our pass factory going and press well, we’ll get in behind and cause a load of problems as we have a load of creativity in the side. If we resort to lumping it, that’s generally the sign we’re struggling.

FACTS ABOUT THE BORO

In Dec ’91, Farnborough Town were the first non league side to knock a FL side out of the FA Cup in a live game televised on Sky Sports. That’s pretty niche, isn’t it? Can’t think who it was against, some team from Devon, starts with a T.