Interview with an Opposition Fan

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Interview with an Opposition Fan

#21 - Exeter City

 

Welcome to this week’s edition of Interview with an Opposition Fan. Each week, myself and Razza699 scour for opposition fans to answer the questions we put toward them in the build up to the subsequent fixture.

 

This week, Oldham host newly promoted Exeter City in our final home game before Christmas. As such, we found some friendly, and some sarcastic, Grecian supporters to answer a selection of our questions...

 

1) Three and a half years ago, Paul Tisdale was appointed Exeter manager. What are your opinions of him and what is his general style of play?

- One of footballs nice guys. He has given us one of our best few years in our existence but plays patient, build up football which for some reason isn't popular with a vocal minority of the old guard.

- Three years and only two promotions. Not good enough and his time is nearly up. Also his teams try to play this boring stuff of passing to each other instead of launching it into the opposition box which would be more entertaining and successful.

- Plays pitty pat defensive rubbish and we was dead lucky to get where we are.

- Passing (Arsenal style)...

- Passing but have other options in armoury to combat teams!!

 

2) Have you made any signings to your squad this season so far? If so, how have they been?

- Fleetwood = Not good enough. Golbourne = getting the knack. Archibald Henville = Solid. Russell = Does things nobody else notices and does them well. Unpopular with the fans, but one of our best players.

- None that have cost any money. In fact this manager hasn't spent a penny in transfer fees in his 3+ years in charge. So its all free transfers and loanees. This is called lack of ambition and we'd have been far more successful if only the manager had some contacts and was prepared to spend some money. He doesn't even spend the million pounds he's raised by selling the players that have been developed. Absurd!

- Fleetwood, rubbish, Golbourne coming to hand, the rest haven't had a kick.

- Duffy, Golbourne, Dunne - Took a time to settle but now looking very good.

- We’ve signed a few players this year. Most notable are Richard Duffy(Free from Millwall), Scott Golbourne(Free From Reading) and Troy archibald Henville(Loan from Spurs).

 

3) Last season, you finished 2nd in League Two. How do you think you will do in League One this season?

- Happy to consolidate, which we will.

- Everything is in place for us to walk this league; it is just the useless management holding the club back. Fans here on Exeweb would do a far better job than our incumbent.

- Not as well.

- Hold our own.

- I think staying up to build for next year should be the realistic aim. So happy with anything above this in particular.

 

4) Are there any teams in particular you are looking forward to playing?

- No, Argyle next year is the next "big one".

- Plymouth Argyle-next season.

- Stockport because they are total walkovers, Norwich for the pies, Brentford away for the memories and Argyle next year if we can survive.

- Obviously the big boys.

- Southampton, Leeds and Bristol.

 

5) What tactics are you likely to employ and have played with this season?

- We change tactics frequently; sometimes it works well, others not so. We are merely finding our feet at this level.

- Nobody can work out from game to game what team or system will be used. Normally now it involves four OAPs aged 36 or over.

- We try and bore the opposition to apoplexy then nick a second minute winner and hang.

- Only the manager knows these (change match to match).

- Tactics vary game to game! Tisdale chops and changes mostly.

 

6) Exeter have earned 22 points so far this season, finding themselves in 17th place. What are Exeter’s strengths and weakness both on and off the pitch?

- Strengths: Unity. Weaknesses: Loyalty.

- Strengths- the tactical nous, good humour and good looks of the fans. Weakness - the manager and his dress sense.

- On the pitch, unity of purpose, off it, great travelling support.

- Strengths off the pitch is that we our building a base to go forward with....On the pitch - the continuing success under Tisdale.

- Our main Weakness is our failure to penetrate opposition in the final third...

 

7) Who is Exeter’s key player who we should look out for ahead of Saturday’s fixture and for the rest of the season?

- If he plays, Paul Jones. If not, Dan Seaborne and Ryan Harley.

- Key player is some bloke called Harley we signed from Weston Super Mare- I ask you!

- You will have to work this one out for yourselves.

- Harley, but any player can step forward.

- Ryan Harley.. On his day is one of the best this league has to offer!

 

8) Who do you think will win League One this season? Any outsiders or surprises?

- Leeds should do it. Huddersfield will go up too, Outsiders the Gas.

- Leeds-because judging by our game against them they are at times very good and the rest of time they are very lucky!

- Filthy Leeds Scum, maybe Hartlepool for the playoffs.

- Leeds.

- Leeds will win with Charlton or Norwich in 2nd..

 

9) How do you think Oldham will do this season?

- Better than they are now.

- Sorry - we just don't know anything about this league (and our manager knows even less).

- You have already had the good bit.

- Don't know where they are in the league - no comment.

- Similar to us. Be around us down the bottom but I think we can improve!

 

10) And finally, what score do you think the game will be on Saturday?

- Score draw.

- 4-0 to Exeter provided the team, formation and playing style is that which the fans, with hindsight after the game, would have chosen. Unfortunately however our manager picks the team and it is 100% guaranteed that his decisions will be wrong.

- At the moment we are on a bit of a slide so 1-1 would do me.

- 2-1 city.

- I don’t guess beforehand because I’m always wrong. I think we can win it though. A draw wouldn’t be too bad.

 

 

Many thanks to those Exeter fans that answered our questions this week. It seems that many are confident of taking the 3 points back to the south coast, but can Oldham get back on track and get the win?...