FA cup 3rd Rd Torquay v Blackpool 3rd Jan 2009

Of course, we could also win our two games in hand, beat Burton twice and then only be four points behind them.........it depends how you look at it I suppose.

I think I would rather we were in Burtons position though at the moment!

I agree with weathergull, we've blown the auto spot. I believe that the Cup game could prove more important to us. If we win and get a money spinning draw it will finance our playoff push and increase our chances of going up that way. The match at Burton would be nice to win but it's the playoffs now we should be focusing on. Burton are almost out of sight.

So, given Blackpools recent problems it gives us an excellent chance to kick them while they're down. I believe they have a temp duo in charge who want the job permanently so they won't be a laydown. I expect a tough 1-0 win. Where's Derek Dawkins when you need him??

Maybe if I hadn't enticed you to the brewers, your credit wouldn't have been going to them quite so easily either!

With the news that Tristan Plummer has signed to the end of the season, i wonder how Bucks will now line up the team for this game. I think Sills will start as expected, but I really can't see Bucks starting with three up front. He could just put Green on the bench and play Tristan Plummer along side Sills.

If that were to happen then I think Benyon might not even make the bench and that would be a shame for young Benyon, who has proved he can come on later in games and have areal impact.

Knowing Bucks we may well stick with Sills and Green up front and play Tristan Plummer out on the left wing, we know he has the pace and the skills to beat other players and I believe he is a left sided player, but stand to be corrected if that is not the case.

Dave S, the difference is I am dealing in facts giving Nigel Clough and the Brewers their credit - you are surmising that another person COULD have POSSIBLY done better with the assets Paul Buckle has had. What's to say a replacement for him would not have produced worse results and not the better ones you seem to ASSUME he MIGHT have managed?

Believe me, I am not as far up Buckle's arse as you might think, but the complete lack of credit you seem to give him for the positive things he HAS done, like take us on a 19-game unbeaten run, comes as no surprise. In fact you were very quiet while it was happening...COINCIDENCE???

Bloody hell Phil your a brave man, the talking I do in the 15Min's that I spend with you, would turn into a full two hours, they say I can talk for England, its true and once started you can't shut me up I once talked tufc01 ears off for the whole second half of a game, can't understand why he goes past me now on his hands and knees, to get to his spot further up the popside.

The gate will be just about 3000 I think.

Well here I sit at my PC on the eve of a 3rd round FA cup tie and I feel a strange excitement creping over me, I say strange only because it is some time I have felt like I do tonight.

I make no secret of the fact, that over the last few years, I have been in a state of mind, where I was able to take or leave going to watch a game at Plainmoor.So different to how it used to be for me, having to do maybe five hours extra work on a Friday, making my working day 17 or 18 hours long, just to make sure I could finish by lunch time, so I could get up to Plainmoor.

Maybe by Saturday lunch time, I knew the extra work done on a Friday had paid off and I soon could set off to the ground, was part of the reason, I always got to excited when I turned off the ring road, down Shiphay Lane and could see the floodlights high up on the hill, with the two main churches in full view as well.

Yes Ant would have been with me, from the age of five he was up and out on milk rounds at 3am, to help me get to the games, I would get arrested for it these days I'm sure. Ant can't come tomorrow, has some FA work to do, but I was touched tonight as big Al, Ants younger friend who I have been going with Ant to the games with, phoned Ant and asked If I wanted picking up to go to the game.

Big Al, Ant and one of their friends who is from around here, but works In Southampton, were the ones who took me to Weymouth. We went in the lads car who works in Southampton and they do make me feel like one of that lads.

I never go to games thinking that we will get stuffed, what really would be the point of going, if I did not have some hope that a win was somehow possible. Now I know that Blackpool has lost their manager, some loan players have returned to their own clubs and they have have a few young players in the squad.

They will still come here and give it their all to win and it could be a young player that we will look to as we hope he may just make the difference for us. I do have a good feeling about the game, I'm almost counting the winnings.

Still win or lose, I have to get home and do my best at some sort of match report, I know that they will never be as good as swangulls, or capitalgulls when he can do one, just so much goes on during a game and I can't remember half of it.

Good job I do have my new mates to take me in the car, I wear their ears out on the way home, with question after question, about what went on during the game. ;D