An Article of Two Halves

Now that the dust has begun to settle following last Saturday`s events at the Pirelli Stadium, the importance of Cheltenham`s unexpected comeback can now begin to be viewed in a wider context. The victory (coupled with Grimsby`s draw at Morecambe) gives the Robins a six point lead over the bottom two with a game in hand. Whilst the six goals scored will surely be something of a one off it should still hopefully go someway to curing Cheltenham`s problems in front of goal. If the squad can`t derive confidence from such a display then they never will. If this newfound potency can be coupled with the defensive improvements shown up until the weekend then the Robins will surely make themselves safe from relegation.

Whilst Mark Yates was quick to heap praise on his players for the phenomenal turnaround against Burton, a large amount of credit must go to the manager. Some tough words appear to be what did the trick and even if the commitment of some players can be questioned at times they rose to the occasion when it really mattered. The backline will need to shore up ahead of Saturday`s clash with Port Vale, but there should be a confident atmosphere at Whaddon Road come kick-off.



The other main issue of last week centred around the ‘re-branding` of the club. There is no doubt that if Cheltenham Town are to ever establish themselves as more than a medium-sized League Two club then serious investment is needed both on and off the pitch. In this respect the plans presented by Simon Masding, which aim to secure new funds and attract more fans to Whaddon Road, should be applauded. Despite this the main issue would appear to be a lack of communication with fans about some of these proposed changes. Ultimately, as fans of a small club the supporters feel a closer affinity with any changes that could happen to their club. As much as the plans for the future are ambitious and exciting, the paying customer should not be forgotten. In tough times such as now (both economically and on the pitch) Cheltenham Town need their supporters more than ever. Masding claimed that the club will be looking to challenge for promotion to the second tier by 2013. Such ambition was alluded to when Martin Allen took over 18 months ago and promptly failed. A repeat of this would not go down well.

Finally, the focus of this week appears to be on the likely groundshare with Gloucester City from next season. The extra income will be much needed and in reality the move will have little or no impact on Cheltenham and their fans. The only real tension comes from the Tigers fan`s annoyance at being paying tenants to their local rivals. One issue could be the effect on the state of the pitch though. You only have to look at the problems faced by Wigan (admittedly sharing with a Rugby League side) to see that the excellent surface at Whaddon Road could be damaged. But, given the dire home form of the Robins this season, a poorer quality pitch could unsettle visiting teams and be to Cheltenham`s advantage.