Welcome to the Trade Recruitment Stadium for this afternoon's Blue Square Premier match. Our visitors are Weymouth FC, whose players, officials and supporters have made the long trip from Dorset.

Due to the vagaries of the BSP fixture list this season, we are witnessing the return fixture against the Terras only six weeks after we played the away leg at the Wessex Stadium on the last Saturday of August. It provides another opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with Alan Lewer, Stephen Reed and Sam Cutler, all former U's personnel.

The former played a major part as assistant manager to Jimmy Quinn last year in providing the foundations for our successful season, whilst the latter are without doubt two very talented players who will be out to prove a point this afternoon.

Two other former United players have been in the national news recently. Supporters will remember Ian Ashbee as Roy McFarland's first signing when he was appointed Manager at the end of 1996. He went on to play over 200 League games before leaving on a 'Bosman' free transfer six years later.

His next stop was Hull City and I noted the following write-up in The Independent's write-up of their recent away win at Newcastle:-

'Phil Brown has brought in a lot of new faces over the summer but his team remains structured around captain Ian Ashbee, who was quietly outstanding in midfield. Ashbee, 32, has been with the club since 2002 when Jan Molby was manager and the division was the old Fourth. Ashbee can only have dreamed then of days like this.'

Recent good results at the Emirates and White Hart Lane have further enhanced their almost 'fairy tale' start to the season. Ian probably gets his inspiration from still playing in the distinctive colours of black and amber.

The other player is the much younger Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. He has deservedly been selected for the England Under-21 squad to compete in this month's two-legged European Championship play-off against Wales.

Sylvan attended Netherhall School and was on schoolboy terms with Cambridge United, but he declined an offer to become a scholar with the U's when Manchester United came in for his services. The grounding he received at Old Trafford set the striker up for a productive period with Plymouth Argyle before moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January of this year.

Stuart Pearce the Under-21 chief described Sylvan's call-up with the following praise:-

'I think he has been outstanding and it's the reason why Wolves are top of the League. His form and fitness were the reasons why they staged a late charge last season. With him in the team they score goals and he would be a big loss if he is out of the side for any reason. I must admit that last season I watched him play and honestly thought he was 28. I was surprised to discover he was then 21!'

Between 16th-28th October Football Clubs and supporters across Europe will take place in a series of activities to highlight their stand against racism and discrimination in the game. The aim is to highlight the issues and to stamp them out. Their call is 'To ignore it is to accept it!' More details can be found on the website www.FAREnet.org

Our next home game could be in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round which takes place on Saturday 25th October. We will find out if who our opponents will be, and if we are home or away on that day, when the draw takes place this coming Monday.

Enjoy the game and keep on supporting the U's

Brian Attmore

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