This Saturday we welcome Frank Gray and his Woking side to The Abbey. The Surrey club have had an unspectacular League season to date, and supporters may still be looking nervously at the Blue Square Premier table.
Last Saturday's frustrating 2-2 draw at home to Stafford Rangers arrested a three-match losing streak, but The Cards now find themselves down in eighteenth place.
Woking have been Conference regulars since capturing the Isthmian League title under legendary manager Geoff Chapple in 1992. In the years that have followed, five top five finishes and two runner-up spots have been recorded, whilst The FA Trophy was also lifted three times in four years during the 90s. Chapple left for Kingstonian in 1997 but, returned in 2001 for what proved to be an unsuccessful stint, as The Cards narrowly avoided falling through the trapdoor in 2001/02.
Big Geoff's assistant Glenn Cockerill was then appointed as manager; his first season in charge proving to be one of further struggle.
Thankfully our friends from the leafy suburbs managed to swerve clear of relegation at the end of that 2002/03 campaign, (just) before switching to full-time status.
This enabled Cockerill to attract more experienced professionals such as Ian Selley and Steve Ferguson to the club; and they duly helped steer Woking to encouraging ninth and eighth place finishes in 2003/04 and 2004/05 respectively.
However, the 2005/06 season saw Woking conclude in a disappointing 12th place, whilst an army of travelling fans left West Ham's Upton Park tearful after a 2-0 FA Trophy final loss to Grays Athletic. A distinctly average season saw just eight home wins, although Nottingham Forest were beaten 3-2 in the Football League Trophy on a memorable night at Kingfield. Away form was reasonable and maximum points were secured on six occasions, whilst their healthy record of 27 goals conceded was only bettered by four other Conference teams.
Last season was another tale of frustrating mid-table mediocrity. The campaign commencement saw five games pass before victory was tasted but, despite losing four games in front of the Kingfield faithful prior to Christmas, The Cards sat in twelfth place going into the New Year. Unfortunately, form continued to undulate, with maddening consistency resulting in the departure of manager Glenn Cockerill.
Neil Smith and Graham Barker duly took over on a temporary basis and lead the team to a fifteenth place finish. Star forward Justin Richards had previously joined Peterborough during the summer, and his goals were clearly missed throughout the campaign. A cluster of seven away-day wins and four draws surprisingly consisted of just 22 goals, the third poorest record in the division but, thankfully, home form saw strike duo Craig McAllister and Giuseppe Sole convert 28 between them.
The start of the current campaign saw McAllister depart for Grays; new boss Frank Gray swiftly replacing him with Yeading recruit Marvin Morgan. The 24-year old has subsequently bagged nine League goals to date, whilst Sole has disappointed with a mere six.
The duo are assisted by former U's man Liam Marum (left), but he has also disillusioned fans with a tally of just two strikes.
The forward ranks were also boosted by a five-month loan deal for Brighton's Joe Gatting, but he too flattered to deceive and a measly two goals in fourteen starts saw him shipped back to The Withdean Stadium. In midfield the influential Ian Selley packed his bags for Lewes, and his place in the engine room taken by the talented Matt Pattison who arrived from local rivals Farnborough.
A relatively slow start to the campaign soaked up any optimism the fans may have held, with an away win at Stafford their only success in the opening eight matches. A 2-0 home win over Altrincham relieved the strain, although just three days later they conceded a worrying five goals at Crawley and followed up with a 2-0 reverse at Burton, heaping immediate pressure onto Gray's shoulders. Thankfully a four-match unbeaten run followed, elevating them into fourteenth place. Their topsy-turvy form then resurfaced as seven matches passed without success, and also included an embarrassing 1-0 FA Cup home defeat to Staines Town.
The distraction of the FA Trophy and Setanta Shield then kicked in, with The Cards producing a morale-boosting five consecutive victories; two of which were in League fixtures. A position of 17th was held going into the New Year, with Gray utilising the January transfer window to attract Barnet striker Jason Norville in addition to defender Damian Batt from Stevenage. The back-line was further bolstered by the loan capture of Wycombe's Lewis Christon.
Since Auld Lang Syne rang out just three League victories have been recorded, partly due to participation in the aforementioned cup competitions. The Cards have recently bowed out of the FA Trophy at the hands of Aldershot, but Gray's men will be getting excited at the thought of an appearance in the Setanta Shield Final if they can triumph in next Tuesday's Semi-Final, in which they again face Aldershot.
In the meantime they will arrive at The Abbey hoping to end a five-match winless League streak but, with the unpredictable nature of the visitors' performances in mind, United will have to be on their mettle if they are to grab the points. Gray has a selection headache in defence where he is shorn of first-choice central defender Tom Hutchinson, the 26-year old missing as a result of his dismissal against Stafford last Saturday, whilst there will also have to be a decision made on the strike duo; Gray probably opting for Marvin Morgan and one of either Liam Marum or Jason Norville as his partner.
Previous Meetings
Woking make their fifth visit to The Abbey in a series of eight encounters. The Cards have recorded two wins as opposed to five for United; the remaining game ending goalless.
Our first three matches came in the FA Cup; the inaugural clash taking place at The Kingfield Stadium on 19 November 1988. George Reilly opened for the U's, but Woking hit back through Lloyd Wye. Brian Croft put Chris Turner's men back in front before the interval, and the second-half saw the visitors dominate. Reilly and Croft added further goals to complete a 4-1 rout and propel United into Round Two.
The following season saw The Cards visit United for the first time. In the Second Round clash, Michael Cheetham gave The U's a 1-0 lead before Chris Leadbitter put the hosts in the driving seat. Paul Mulvaney pulled one back, but John Taylor settled nerves when securing a 3-1 win.
Our third FA Cup clash took place in December 1996 at The Abbey. Clive Walker had guided The Cards to a First Round triumph over Millwall, and the 38-year old also proved the catalyst against Roy McFarland's side. His 25-yard shot set Chapple's men on their way, before the veteran's late cross was met by Robin Taylor to seal victory.
Our first League action unfolded in September 2005 at The Abbey. The visitors went ahead via Craig McAllister, with Karl Murray wrapping up a 2-0 win late on. The return match later that season saw United gain revenge over Glenn Cockerill's men; loanee Jamie Guy's 25-yard second-half strike ensuring a 1-0 victory [report].
We reconvened at the same venue in December of last season, with United replicating the previous scoreline via a similarly spectacular goal from Stephen Smith. Our game at the Abbey last January resulted in 3-0 Fenmen 3-0 win; sparking a fantastic campaign conclusion that saw relegation averted [report].
Earlier this season United made the journey to Surrey for our last encounter with Frank Gray's side. The U's enjoyed plenty of possession on what was a stifling hot day but, could not break through a well marshalled Woking defence; the game ending 0-0 to leave United in second place and The Cards in twelfth [report].
To read my full Previous Meetings article please buy Saturday's Matchday Programme!
Doug Shulman
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