York City step up at the double (From York Press)
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York City step up at the double
12:00pm Tuesday 17th July 2012 in Sport
By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter
York City’s squad, including triallist Oliver Banks, centre, are put through their paces ahead of this week’s friendly double
YORK CITY boss Gary Mills has pledged his side will not be taking Harrogate Railway and Pickering Town lightly as they prepare to meet the non-league sides in friendly matches on consecutive nights.
The Minstermen go to Station View to take on Evo-Stik League outfit Railway tonight (kick off 7.30pm) before travelling to the Recreation Ground tomorrow (also kick off 7.30pm) to play Northern Counties East League premier division side Pikes.
The City manager deliberately set the friendlies 24 hours apart in a bid to give his squad a stern fitness test as they build up to Saturday’s match against League One Oldham Athletic at Bootham Crescent.
“It’s what I wanted,” Mills explained.
“We were just struggling to get opposition for tonight and we had a response from Harrogate. We are grateful for that and it has worked out perfectly. The likelihood is that players will get 45 minutes on both nights.
“We will be training this morning and tomorrow morning and it’s all about mental and physical fitness. We are looking for a bit of a response to the training and, looking ahead to Oldham, to be more disciplined with the way we play.”
Mills continued: “These two games are fitness tests for us – a couple of games where players get to know their jobs and where those who were here last year get a little reminder.
“The new guys are learning the system and everything we do and the quicker they learn it the better.”
Any thought of complacency over whether the result matters in the two ties has also been scotched by Mills, who argued that, despite the friendly nature of the encounters, his players will be on their game and ready to perform.
“Harrogate Railway and Pickering will want to prove what they are about,” he added. “Our fitness levels should be better than theirs but it is always a test.
“That’s always the case. You have to be realistic about what it is about but we have to be ready, as a team, for anything that’s thrown at us.
“Just because it is Harrogate Railway and Pickering doesn’t mean we are going to go there and lay down.
“We will have to be at our game and we will be.”
But Mills said: “Ultimately, it’s all about getting ready for August 11 and August 18. It’s not about being ready for Tuesday or Wednesday.
“There is a buzz around (the squad at pre-season) and I had that last year – we had it from the word go.
“Being in League Two is the next step up. It is what we have worked for and we deserve to be there.
“Now we have got to go and win this league. We don’t stand still.”
Mills will take the same squad to both Railway and Pickering that played in City’s 8-0 win over Huntington Rovers last Friday night.
That means new striker Ollie Johnson, Ashley Chambers and David McGurk will not be considered as they continue to recover from injuries.
Comments(32)
TheonlywayisCity
says...
1:51pm Tue 17 Jul 12
No more news of signing a new striker though? I think that is only area where we are lacking a little but in Mills we trust!
iandwightbenton
says...
1:52pm Tue 17 Jul 12
hoping we get Connell & Smith
tomwillo1
says...
1:59pm Tue 17 Jul 12
ian923
says...
2:45pm Tue 17 Jul 12
Yorkie41
says...
3:01pm Tue 17 Jul 12
ian923 wrote:In years gone by Players used to hide in the lanes at the side of the ground, instead of training.
Good positive comment from GM.Just what we all want to hear.I saw one York City player running from the Training ground along Wiggy Road yesterday and wonder if that was a punishment-wouldn't be surprised! Swindon only came back from Italy at the weekend so hope there will developments on Smithy and Connell this week though Connell was rumoured to be having a medical at Plymouth. Why go there when we want him! Looking forward to the Oldham, Middlesborough and Sunderland games which will be good tests.It'll be nice to see Gibbo back also even when playing with the opposition.
duffy
says...
3:12pm Tue 17 Jul 12
ian923 wrote:I think the Smith deal will finaly go through this week. Probably more chance of Matt joining us than Connell
Good positive comment from GM.Just what we all want to hear.I saw one York City player running from the Training ground along Wiggy Road yesterday and wonder if that was a punishment-wouldn't be surprised! Swindon only came back from Italy at the weekend so hope there will developments on Smithy and Connell this week though Connell was rumoured to be having a medical at Plymouth. Why go there when we want him! Looking forward to the Oldham, Middlesborough and Sunderland games which will be good tests.It'll be nice to see Gibbo back also even when playing with the opposition.
tips
says...
3:13pm Tue 17 Jul 12
Hope we take a great following to our old rivals Donny who have already proved how a club can escape from the Conference and rise through the Leagues.
It will be a pleasure to visit their new ground having been to their old ground over many seasons.
duffy
says...
10:03pm Tue 17 Jul 12
henleazeyorkie
says...
10:11pm Tue 17 Jul 12
duffy wrote:pourquoi?
We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.
Yorkie41
says...
10:32pm Tue 17 Jul 12
henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.
duffy wrote:pourquoi?
We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.
henleazeyorkie
says...
10:36pm Tue 17 Jul 12
Yorkie41 wrote:Indeed. It's been a long day involving Bristol - Edinburgh - Dunfermline and back. Have I missed something?
henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.
duffy wrote:pourquoi?
We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.
duffy
says...
10:41pm Tue 17 Jul 12
henleazeyorkie wrote:Mills completely ruled him out after tonight's friendly along with Matt and Spencer.
Yorkie41 wrote:Indeed. It's been a long day involving Bristol - Edinburgh - Dunfermline and back. Have I missed something?
henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.
duffy wrote:pourquoi?
We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.
henleazeyorkie
says...
10:44pm Tue 17 Jul 12
duffy wrote:Thanks Duffy. Score btw?
henleazeyorkie wrote:Mills completely ruled him out after tonight's friendly along with Matt and Spencer.Yorkie41 wrote:Indeed. It's been a long day involving Bristol - Edinburgh - Dunfermline and back. Have I missed something?henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.duffy wrote: We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.pourquoi?
duffy
says...
10:46pm Tue 17 Jul 12
henleazeyorkie wrote:3-0 all by Walker in the first half.
duffy wrote:Thanks Duffy. Score btw?
henleazeyorkie wrote:Mills completely ruled him out after tonight's friendly along with Matt and Spencer.Yorkie41 wrote:Indeed. It's been a long day involving Bristol - Edinburgh - Dunfermline and back. Have I missed something?henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.duffy wrote: We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.pourquoi?
sixtyfourfive
says...
1:01am Wed 18 Jul 12
uhtred
says...
8:29am Wed 18 Jul 12
duffy wrote:Spencer? not heard this one mentioned before who is he Duffy? Not a return for Tommy Spencer, at the age of 66 I think his legs may have gone!
henleazeyorkie wrote:Mills completely ruled him out after tonight's friendly along with Matt and Spencer.Yorkie41 wrote:Indeed. It's been a long day involving Bristol - Edinburgh - Dunfermline and back. Have I missed something?henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.duffy wrote: We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.pourquoi?
Yorkie41
says...
9:08am Wed 18 Jul 12
uhtred wrote:Maybe he meant Ronnie Spence. HA HA.
duffy wrote:Spencer? not heard this one mentioned before who is he Duffy? Not a return for Tommy Spencer, at the age of 66 I think his legs may have gone!
henleazeyorkie wrote:Mills completely ruled him out after tonight's friendly along with Matt and Spencer.Yorkie41 wrote:Indeed. It's been a long day involving Bristol - Edinburgh - Dunfermline and back. Have I missed something?henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.duffy wrote: We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.pourquoi?
duffy
says...
9:13am Wed 18 Jul 12
uhtred wrote:Scott Spencer, scored 32 goals for Hyde last season. Everyone paid 220 grand for him years ago when he was described as a wonder kid. It's a rumour been doing the rounds for a while.
duffy wrote:Spencer? not heard this one mentioned before who is he Duffy? Not a return for Tommy Spencer, at the age of 66 I think his legs may have gone!
henleazeyorkie wrote:Mills completely ruled him out after tonight's friendly along with Matt and Spencer.Yorkie41 wrote:Indeed. It's been a long day involving Bristol - Edinburgh - Dunfermline and back. Have I missed something?henleazeyorkie wrote:Translated, means, why, What for.duffy wrote: We can now officially end any talk of Connell coming to the club. It's going to be a huge risk on Walker staying fit if we don't get a quality second central striker in.pourquoi?
Sir Alex
says...
9:38am Wed 18 Jul 12
Mills sees Coulson/Blair/Johnso
n as central forwards if needed in his 433 'total football' style.
duffy
says...
9:45am Wed 18 Jul 12
Sir Alex wrote:Let's look at it this way. At the moment we have one central striker deemed good enough that spent half of last season out injured, Henderson and Reed were not deemed good enough at conference level. The above are not central strikers but wide players that could play the odd game in the centre if needed. Mills knows this which is why we have tried and failed to bring in Shaw/Matt/Connell.I'
Matt/Connell/Spencer would be as useful to City as Llorente was to Spain in Euro 2012.
Mills sees Coulson/Blair/Johnso
n as central forwards if needed in his 433 'total football' style.
m sure he will continue to try and bring in the right striker when available.
TheonlywayisCity
says...
9:51am Wed 18 Jul 12
I do think we need another striker but as we say "In Mills we trust!" Just bored of preseason already and want the real football to come!!
duffy
says...
9:59am Wed 18 Jul 12
TheonlywayisCity wrote:It was more than speculation.
He has never said he wanted to bring Matt to the club. This was just speculation on this board.
I do think we need another striker but as we say "In Mills we trust!" Just bored of preseason already and want the real football to come!!
Tug job
says...
10:01am Wed 18 Jul 12
TheonlywayisCity wrote:The main source of speculation about Matt has been red and blue.net, which has been discussing it for months, and which has devoted some 112 pages (still growing!) to which players City fans would and would not like to see added to our squad. The same site has also been discussing the debate above between Sir Alex and duffy for most of the summer, again in microscopic detail.
He has never said he wanted to bring Matt to the club. This was just speculation on this board. I do think we need another striker but as we say "In Mills we trust!" Just bored of preseason already and want the real football to come!!
Sir Alex
says...
10:27am Wed 18 Jul 12
Reed is destined to be an impact player again.
There is 6 weeks until the end of August so reasonable time to do this.
After seeing the Kidderminster statement I would not want Matt even if he was available now, Connell is a bit old for bench warming and Spencer is unproven. Should be looking at a hungry young guy wanting to prove himself.
duffy
says...
10:44am Wed 18 Jul 12
Sir Alex wrote:I just wonder if that's the type of striker we now end up with. The trouble with a highly rated striker is they are in demand by many other clubs and the whole thing just drags on for weeks with agents playing one club off against another, Connell has still not joined a club even with Swindon asking him to make a choice. At least we will hopefully see the J Smith deal completed this week.
Yes, in all honesty I would agree with Duffy etc that we need another striker and should let Hendo go (on loan/pay off). Could get by for a couple of months with fill ins (Blair. Coulo etc) but not for 55 games or so.
Reed is destined to be an impact player again.
There is 6 weeks until the end of August so reasonable time to do this.
After seeing the Kidderminster statement I would not want Matt even if he was available now, Connell is a bit old for bench warming and Spencer is unproven. Should be looking at a hungry young guy wanting to prove himself.
rogue84
says...
10:51am Wed 18 Jul 12
Brodes
says...
11:14am Wed 18 Jul 12
r would be as useful to City as Llorente was to Spain in Euro 2012.
Mills sees Coulson/Blair/Johnso
n as central forwards if needed in his 433 'total football' style.”
Couldnt agree more Sir Alex I have been saying this for weeks. Also dont forget Chambo is a forward as well! Henry started as a winger remember..
No-one else seems to be backing my 'We dont need Smith either' campaign though haha!
The Legend Of Keith
says...
11:22am Wed 18 Jul 12
If Walker didn't pick up continuous niglles etc then this would not be a point of contention.
My view is we need another striker of equal or better standing than Walker in order to compete near the top of the league.
COYR.
tomwillo1
says...
1:13pm Wed 18 Jul 12
Oncebitten
says...
2:13pm Wed 18 Jul 12
Minsterred
says...
12:11pm Thu 19 Jul 12
Great words again from Mills.
Yorkie41 says...
1:13pm Tue 17 Jul 12
No messing with G M.