FA Cup: Man Utd v Exeter City 8/1/05

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Competition: English FA Cup
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2005
K/O: 15:00
Venue: Old Trafford
 
Taylor comes full circle with unlikely return

By Nicholas Spencer
(Filed: 05/01/2005)

Sir Alex Ferguson may have known little of the Exeter City players when Manchester United were paired with the Devon side in the FA Cup but not Andy Taylor, who benefited from some useful, fatherly advice at the lowest point in his career.

Taylor, a midfielder from Exeter, spent three years at Old Trafford, playing principally for the under-17 and under-19s, alongside the likes of Darren Fletcher and Kieran Richardson.

However, a knee injury hampered his progress and the nearest he came to a competitive appearance at the `Theatre of Dreams' was training sessions and taking part in Bobby Charlton's Soccer Schools.

So while the club anticipate a financial windfall sufficient to clear their debts, Taylor, 22, is looking forward to achieving a belated milestone. "I should have played in an FA Youth Cup tie, but I was injured. The knee had troubled me since I was young and it came to a head in my last year there and I had a major operation.

"When I was going to be released, Sir Alex told me that it didn't mean - in a couple of years - that I couldn't play again, but at that moment I needed to rest.

"He has shown over the years how good he is with youngsters - he knows everybody and what they are doing.

"I was distraught when I left United. I really never thought I'd play football again, let alone get back there. It is amazing to have been given this opportunity.''

For a United-supporting boy who was first recommended to the club by his own father at the age of eight, the rejection could scarcely have been more keenly felt.

Taylor's recent form, though, including the 25-yard free-kick which beat Hereford on Saturday, is testimony to the quality of Ferguson's advice.

He enrolled on a business studies course at Salford University but, within six months, felt sufficiently strong to play part-time with Northwich.

Eventually, Taylor headed back to his parents' and was offered a route back into the game with his home-town club.

Unfortunately, Exeter's chronic financial problems had resulted in a transfer embargo which meant that, initially, he could not even sign a contract.

This season, however, he has excelled on the right side of midfield as Exeter have overcome the disappointment of losing their manager, Eamonn Dolan, to Reading and climbed to fourth in the Conference under novice manager Alex Inglethorpe when the enormity of the United fixture might easily have distracted them.

"Our main objective is to get out of the Conference and back into the League and we need to make sure our league form doesn't suffer,'' Taylor said. Four straight wins would seem to confirm that.

"We have got a good mixture of experienced players and young, enthusiastic prospects and they all want to measure themselves against the level of the players we will be facing on Saturday.''

Exeter's players will have a look at Old Trafford on Friday morning before using Bolton's training ground that afternoon, although quite how they will cope with bridging the gulf in class is anyone's guess. By way of comparison, a few weeks ago it was rumoured that the experienced strike-force of Sean Devine and Steve Flack was too expensive to retain beyond the end of this season because they earn a combined £3,000 a week.

"It will be a help going there before and having a look around the ground so that everyone can familiarise themselves because it is such an amazing place,'' Taylor said.

"But I've been to FA Cup ties before when the opposition fans have occupied one end of the ground - as our 10,000 fans will on Saturday - and it makes for an unbelievable atmosphere.''
 
very Ruud said:
Will Gaz, Wes and Johnny be availeble?
Click to expand...

I believe Gary is over the flu but I think I heard the english commentator saying last night they've decided to give him a rest until after the Exeter match anyway.

No word on Brown or O'Shea yet... I'd say we should play our league cup team, but half that team is injured!
 
should play good squad out, never underestimate your opponents. Youngsters should be rested for chelsea semi final game.
-----carrol--------
g-nev--rio---silvestre---spector

eagles--djemba---miller--richardson

-------bellion-----saha(If he fit)
 
thoward said:
Howard
Phil Gary MarkHoward Spector
Eagles Djemba Miller Richardson
Bellion Blake
Subs- Ricardo, David Jones, Rossi, Picken, Lawrence
Click to expand...
That lot couldn't beat a team of 11 training cones, be realistic:

Mick for Gaz, Pique for M-Ho, Fletch for Eagles, Smith for Blake. Possibly stronger than that even, we have a pointless game midweek if we must lose one
 
-------------------------Ricardo------------------------------

--DJ-DJ-----------Spector-------Sheasy---------Richardson---

-------------------------Phil Nev------------------------------

-------------Kleb----------Miller-------------Ronnie------------

---------------------Bellion------Rossi-------------------------


Looks pretty ok.....only Ron to be recycled.Needs games to sharpen up
 
-----------------------T.Howard----------------------
P.Neville---G.Pique-----w.Brown/R.Ferdinand------J.Spector
-------------------------------------------------------
D.Fletcher-----L.Miller---------E.Djemba-----------K.Richardson
-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------D.Bellion-------------------------------------
-----------------------------------Smith--------------------

Subs:

Ricardo
G.Rossi
P.Scholes
D.Jones
c.Eagles


Fletch outwide to get some early crosses in. Bellion with Smith to get some early goals. rossi, Eagles and Jonesy on after half time when we're a few up :D
 
noodlehair said:
That lot couldn't beat a team of 11 training cones, be realistic:

Mick for Gaz, Pique for M-Ho, Fletch for Eagles, Smith for Blake. Possibly stronger than that even, we have a pointless game midweek if we must lose one
Click to expand...

Didn't a team like that beat Arse in the CC?
 
I'm not sure that we'll see Spector playing on Saturday. With his loan to Blackburn due to take place, I wonder if United will avoid playing him so that he can perhaps play in the next rounds for Blackburn, should they progress. It does, depend on the agreement between the clubs however.

I certainly would like to think that Rossi, will get more than the 5 minutes here and there he's had so far. I think we need to make sure we get through this round, it's not going to be as easy as some of us think. Yes, I'd like to think the 10-0 record score is on the cards, but can we see anything other than a 10 man defence from Exeter??
 
Tribec said:
I'm not sure that we'll see Spector playing on Saturday. With his loan to Blackburn due to take place, I wonder if United will avoid playing him so that he can perhaps play in the next rounds for Blackburn, should they progress. It does, depend on the agreement between the clubs however.

I certainly would like to think that Rossi, will get more than the 5 minutes here and there he's had so far. I think we need to make sure we get through this round, it's not going to be as easy as some of us think. Yes, I'd like to think the 10-0 record score is on the cards, but can we see anything other than a 10 man defence from Exeter??
Click to expand...

to be fair man united come first not blackburn, so if spector plays who cares....utd come first!
 
noodlehair said:
That lot couldn't beat a team of 11 training cones, be realistic:

Mick for Gaz, Pique for M-Ho, Fletch for Eagles, Smith for Blake. Possibly stronger than that even, we have a pointless game midweek if we must lose one
Click to expand...

Well in all fairness Chelsea and Exeter are worlds apart. If the likes of Sah, O Shea, Brown and Fortune were fit I would play them. I would play Gary as he has missed the last 4 games and would be fresh. The midfield is the same that knocked Arsenal out of the Carling Cup(an Arsenal team that knocked out Man City and Everton) Beliion and Blake should be good enough up front. Silvestre could do with a rest, I think Pique is injured, Smith will be needed for forthcoming games and so will Fletch.
 
tengy said:
should play good squad out, never underestimate your opponents. Youngsters should be rested for chelsea semi final game.
-----carrol--------
g-nev--rio---silvestre---spector

eagles--djemba---miller--richardson

-------bellion-----saha(If he fit)
Click to expand...

In fairness we will need a stronger team against Chelsea than Exeter.
 
randy420 said:
Didn't a team like that beat Arse in the CC?
Click to expand...
No the team that beat Arse was more experienced, and Arse put out a piss poor team themselves, plus they played with there usual crappy 'lose a goal, lose a game, lose a season' attitude
 
noodlehair said:
No the team that beat Arse was more experienced, and Arse put out a piss poor team themselves, plus they played with there usual crappy 'lose a goal, lose a game, lose a season' attitude
Click to expand...

Not that much more experienced. And to be fair that Arsenal team knocked out Man City and Everton. A weakened team should still be too good for Exeter. Players need to be rested.
 
Got a bad feeling ´bout this one. They will be fired up as hell since it´s the day of their lives. We´ll play a second-string side, and also there´ll be the factor of underestimation. If Exeter scores first you´ll never know :nervous:
 
------------Howard------------
Bardsley--Wes--Sheasy--Spector
------------Djemba-------------
--------Miller---Kleb (Jones)-----
---Eagles----------Richardson (Rossi)
-----------Bellion (Blake)--------


If we're cruising, bring the youngsters on
 
Plechazunga said:
------------Howard------------
Bardsley--Wes--Sheasy--Spector
------------Djemba-------------
--------Miller---Kleb (Jones)-----
---Eagles----------Richardson (Rossi)
-----------Bellion (Blake)--------


If we're cruising, bring the youngsters on
Click to expand...

I would play Phil in Djemba's position and Djemba then moves into midfield at the expense of Kleberson. Miller and Kleberson together doesn't fill me with confidence, even against Exeter. All going well, Kleb can add a substitute appearance against Exeter City to his already considerable CV. Heady days for the boy.
 
Will saha be fit? If so we could play that, but I think he usually likes the reserves playing the same system as the seniors, so he'd just replace Bellion.
 
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