In this week’s show, the YP football writing team of Stuart Rayner and Leon Wobschall join host Mark Singleton and start off by looking at the race for automatic promotion in the Championship, the past week seeing Sheffield United get their noses in front, thanks to their impressive Friday night win over Coventry City, while Leeds United slipped up by conceding a late equaliser at home to Swansea City the following day.
Elsewhere, Doncaster Rovers ensured their hopes of automatic promotion from League Two remain in their own hands, following up a 3-0 win over Carlisle United with a 2-2 draw against leaders Walsall.
There are growing concerns for Huddersfield Town’s play-off hopes in League One after defeats to Charlton Athletic and Lincoln City which saw them fail to score a single goal.
Steve Evans’ second period in charge at Rotherham United ended badly when he was sacked after a dispiriting 4-0 defeat at home to struggling Crawley Town. Replacement Matt Hamshaw enjoyed a promising start to his interim spell in charge, though, with the Millers winning 2-0 at Northampton Town.
Also, Leon plumps for a Team of the Week this time around, while Stuart focuses on the standout Player of the Week.
Elsewhere, Doncaster Rovers ensured their hopes of automatic promotion from League Two remain in their own hands, following up a 3-0 win over Carlisle United with a 2-2 draw against leaders Walsall.
There are growing concerns for Huddersfield Town’s play-off hopes in League One after defeats to Charlton Athletic and Lincoln City which saw them fail to score a single goal.
Steve Evans’ second period in charge at Rotherham United ended badly when he was sacked after a dispiriting 4-0 defeat at home to struggling Crawley Town. Replacement Matt Hamshaw enjoyed a promising start to his interim spell in charge, though, with the Millers winning 2-0 at Northampton Town.
Also, Leon plumps for a Team of the Week this time around, while Stuart focuses on the standout Player of the Week.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of Football Talk from the Yorkshire Post, where
00:13we will be discussing some of the latest talking points from the world of football with members
00:16of our football writing team. On this week's episode, we're joined by Chief Football
00:20Writer for the Yorkshire Post, Stuart Rayner, and Football Writer for the Yorkshire Post,
00:23Leon Walshall, to discuss all of the latest developments affecting our local clubs. Don't
00:28forget you can keep up to date with all the football news across Yorkshire and beyond
00:31by logging on to our website at yp.sportatnationalworld.com, as well as checking out our various Twitter
00:37feeds, the main one being at ypsport. If you search for Yorkshire Post Sport, Yorkshire
00:42Post Football, or even Sheffield Sport on Facebook, you can find us there as well. And
00:47if you have any questions for our writers, you can get in touch using those various Twitter
00:50or Facebook pages, or email us directly with a subject matter at the Football Talk podcast
00:55at yp.sportatnationalworld.com.
01:26In League 1, Barnsley recorded a 1-0 draw with Wigan Athletic before playing out a 2-1
01:31defeat against Exeter City to stretch their run of games without a win to 6. In League
01:372, Bradford City shared the points in their 0-0 draw with Accrington Stanley before playing
01:41out a 2-0 defeat against Port Vale, and by doing so, now see themselves level for second
01:47place. Harrogate Town shared the points in their 1-0 draw with Gillingham before a 3-2
01:52win over Tranmere Rovers. However, let's start this week with Sheffield United, who
01:57put on a very dominant display when they played out a 3-1 victory over Coventry City. This
02:03saw the Blades climb back to the top of the table. What did you make of the game, and
02:07how do you see them going into their game against Oxford United, Stuart?
02:11Yeah, well, I mean, very dominant is spot on, Mark. I mean, they could have won by more
02:18against a very good, you know, we know Coventry are a very good side. They didn't, you wouldn't
02:22have said that if that was the only game you'd seen, just because, not that they played particularly
02:27badly on the day, but they were just outplayed by Sheffield United in a very Sheffield United
02:33way. You know, Coventry had lots of the ball. Sheffield United were ruthless in the moments
02:39that mattered, as they so often are. I mean, I think to be playing the Friday after an
02:45international break is always, always difficult, difficult for Coventry, as well as Sheffield
02:49United, of course. So it was, it was, it was really impressive to see them sort of responding
02:56that way. And, you know, we'll talk a bit more about it later. It was made even more
03:00impressive by seeing how Leeds United came out of the break sort of thing. But yeah,
03:05focusing on Sheffield United, just a, just a really good lift. You know, I think they've
03:11had, they'd had a few, quite a few games running, going into the international break,
03:16where they'd not played brilliantly, but they got the job done. And, you know, those days
03:22are always pleasing, but you know, you need to throw in the good performance as well to
03:25just remind yourself, you've still got it in you. And yeah, a really energetic, say,
03:35ruthless display. I think in, I think in the first half from memory, they probably only made
03:41about, I don't know, maybe four or five chances, but four really good ones, you know, took two of
03:48them and maybe should have took the other two. And that's them in a nutshell, you know, you give
03:52them, you give them a glimpse and they can really, they can really make it count. You know, they've
03:57got Tyrese Campbell into double figures for the, for the first time in his career, which is quite
04:02surprised really, when you think of the reputation he had as a kid, you know, defence still working
04:09well, all areas of the field looking in good shape really. And, you know, again, we've talked
04:15about it before on this podcast, when you bat first in that, in that title race, it's all about
04:20putting the pressure on and that's what they did. So yeah, from their point of view, an excellent
04:27weekend. Yeah, I'd agree with that. I think it just ticked a lot of boxes.
04:32Didn't it? They've shown they can find different ways to win shuffles, you know, can't we? We've
04:37consistently spoken about them on the road, you know, grinding it out at the looms of this world
04:42and Watford have handled stuff earlier this season when the bench has been light and
04:50it's just all about finding ways, isn't it? You know, in the 10 game form table, I think they're
04:54the top of it, aren't they? They won about eight games. I think it was particularly important as,
04:59well, a big game at Bramall Lane, you know, a big crowd, you know, the eyes of many across the
05:07country were on the game as they were on the, obviously, the Leeds United home game, still
05:12relatively recently, and the whole game, probably to a bit of a lesser extent, that was a Friday
05:17night and they'd obviously lost in both those games and, you know, took a couple of body blows
05:24along the way. So, it's sort of flipped that one round a little bit, hasn't it? In terms of,
05:30you know, big games in front of the home supporters and, yeah, I mean, it was,
05:37I sort of watched the game and, obviously, Coventry miss Liam Kitchen, but, you know,
05:44when you lose a big player or two at this time of year, you know, the successful sides just take
05:48it on the chin and get on with it and I thought it spooked Coventry a little bit and it shouldn't
05:55have done really. You've got to get over those sorts of things and that's the sort of thing that
05:59Sheffield United have got over, haven't they, really? They've had, you know, periods of the
06:03season where one or two have been out or Hamer's been suspended, take it on the chin, dust the
06:07cells down, you know. No series of play in that night? Yeah, they did it to probably a longer
06:12extent with the issue with Arblaster and things like that and I just think it speaks well of the
06:18quality that Sheffield United have got across the pitch but also the dressing room as well and
06:23I think the way that Wilder moulds dressing rooms as well, you know, he's picked the right time to
06:29bring one or two of these really talented kids through and give them a chance, you know, the
06:33Sarikis, the Pecs and, you know, they've also got, you know, the senior voices and senior figures,
06:40the likes of Robinson, some of the lads with a point to prove maybe, you know, people like
06:46Campbell, he's had his injury issues at Stoke, lost his way a little bit, he's rediscovered his
06:52mojo and yeah, I just think it reflects really well on not just Wilder's eye for a player,
07:00I think we've always known that, but his eye for a character, the driven and the proper
07:05characters and yeah, and they're all coming to the party again and he's, you know, he's building
07:10something, he's building something special and they've shown the cam, you know, it's this other
07:16thing where, you know, the old saying that if, you know, good sides, if you want to play, we'll play,
07:21if you want to battle, we'll battle and they're showing that aren't they? Obviously, Coventry are
07:26a good side, but, you know, they got sculled a little bit on the night from Sheffield United,
07:32now the previous game in the derby was always more of a battle and a fight and they showed
07:36that side of it as well, so yeah, they just looked, they're just in a really good place and
07:41very well equipped. Yeah, really worth emphasising that point from Leon as well, you know, we talk a
07:45lot, we wax lyrical about the character and the fight and all that sort of thing, but they can
07:49play as well, I mean, that was a, you know, a brilliant free kick by Gustavo Heinrich to set
07:54the ball rolling, you know, Chris Wilder gets a bit tetchy sometimes if people accuse his team of
08:02not being a football team, of being fighters and that, as Leon says, they can do both and that's
08:07what it's all about, there's no shame in being able to fight out wins and equally, there's no
08:14lack of quality in that squad as well. Yeah, yeah, and we now turn to Leeds United who had to settle
08:20for a point in a frustrating two-all draw with Swansea City. Now, I don't like calling individual
08:26players out at all, but do you think it's time for Daniel Farker to make a very serious judgment call
08:33on Ilhan Melihye following his performance during this game, Stuart? Well, it's Groundhog
08:39Podcast, isn't it? People who remember the one in January after the whole game will remember us
08:43having this same discussion and really all that's changed now is that with seven games left,
08:49to drop Melihye now, I guess, could look a bit more panicky on the part of Daniel Farker,
08:54but to not address it and things go wrong will be that much more costly as well.
08:58Yeah, I mean, it was just the lot of a goalkeeper because, quite honestly, for the first
09:0463 minutes of that game, Ilhan Melihye was very, very good. He was probably the man of the match.
09:10You know, he saved a penalty, he made a couple of important saves, but ultimately he made the two
09:16errors that cost them the draw, you know, made all the worse because they looked like they'd won
09:20it in the 86th minute and then to lose it because he lets one through him at the near post in
09:27stoppage time. It's not fair, but that's the life of a goalkeeper. And one thing I remember
09:33us discussing in January, which I think is still very pertinent now, is it's not just about
09:39Melihye's own confidence. You know, he seems to have done reasonably well in terms of putting the
09:43whole game behind him and sort of getting on with it. Not flawless since then, but better.
09:49But I say we raised at the time the issue of what confidence the defenders around him have.
09:55And, you know, there were some daggers being thrown from teammates when those goals went in.
10:00You worry. I just think a lack of belief in any player, but particularly a goalkeeper,
10:07can be infectious in a football team. And I think it's, I don't think it's to be underestimated
10:14the lack of fans confidence as well, because Farquaad made a big point before that game about
10:18saying if we win all four home games, that's already out the window. But if the place is nervy
10:26and, you know, the fans just don't believe in them, that automatically handicaps your chances at home.
10:34I think what might have helped the equation is that Carl Darlow played twice for Wales in
10:42international break. So had he not, you know, you'd have to factor in the fact that
10:46Darlow's only played cup football and Leeds haven't played much of that. How rusty is he?
10:50Sort of thing. Yeah, it's a big judgment call for Farquaad. I'd be leaning towards
10:57making a change myself. But, you know, as we always have to acknowledge, he sees them on
11:04the training ground. He sees a lot more than we do. I can't say I saw Wales' games in the
11:08international break either. So I'm not really at a place to judge Darlow. But it feels like a really
11:18big decision to make. And I say if it goes wrong, either way, it's going to be very costly because
11:26those nerves are just creeping back in at Leeds. You know, on the back of the QPR game,
11:30they needed to come out on the back of that Sheffield United game as well. They needed to
11:33come out and make a statement of their own. And, you know, had Willy Nonto's been the winning goal
11:39in the 86th minute, that would have been job done. They didn't play particularly well. I feel in a
11:46very weird kind of way, it seems almost ridiculous to say, but I feel like they scored too early.
11:53They scored after 35 seconds through Brendan Aronson. And having seen them scoring the first
11:57five minutes against Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich, I think when they scored before they
12:02got through the gears, I think they kind of don't go through the gears and invite the opposition on.
12:08And I think that's what's happened. And it was only because of Mellier for the first hour that
12:13they didn't pay the price for it. But in the end, they did. And as I say, they really, really need
12:20to go to Luton now, who have picked up a bit themselves, beat Hull. You know, showing signs
12:27of life on the map, Bloomfield. That's suddenly a really big game for them, just for morale as much
12:32as anything else, to get themselves back on track. And it's going to be fascinating to see
12:38who he goes with in goal. I don't know what Leon thinks about it, but as I say, it's a big decision.
12:43Yeah, I do. I think it sounds a bit daft, really, given the situation at Luton and
12:50at Rainbow. When you've made a couple of mistakes as a goalkeeper, it's not a great
12:55place to go, Kenilworth Road. It's a tight stadium. The fans are on top here.
13:01Obviously, there'll be a sell-out Leeds continue, but there'll be, you know, two or three sort of
13:07banks of Luton fans. They'll be down Mellier's throat. And in terms of the style that Luton play,
13:12I know they played, I think it was Middlesbrough in the last home game, and they were throwing
13:18crosses in as is their want from all over the place, whether it be long throws, corners,
13:23set plays, and he's going to get a bit of that Mellier. If they do choose to start with him,
13:27that would, I agree with Stuart, I think I would be predisposed to throw Darlow in, really,
13:36mainly on the fact that he's not going to go in cold. He's played a couple of the international
13:39games with Wales. And I think if he starts with Mellier and he has another bad day and
13:46Leeds drop points, I really will struggle to see him recovering from that at this time of year.
13:52I mean, if he goes with Darlow, he's a senior player, he's been around the block. If anything,
13:59if he goes with Darlow, he has a run, if something happens to him, Mellier's had a
14:04little bit of a time out, he can maybe refresh a little bit. But I think that, you know, I really
14:10do think if he does go for Mellier and he makes another out, then it's going to get, it's been
14:18a pretty toxic, it'll get incredibly toxic. So that's why I would go for Darlow. But, you know,
14:27it's Farka who has to make these decisions at these key periods of the season. So let's just
14:34see which way he's going to go. I mean, Stuart mentioned the winning four, you know, if we win
14:42four games, we'll go up sort of line from Farka. I was a bit surprised by that. I've got to be
14:47quite honest. I didn't really. And then he seemed to sort of contradict himself as well. He said,
14:53if we win four games, well, the four home games will go up. And then he sort of said,
14:58but we're not being addicted to sort of results and things and games. But he sort of contradicts
15:04himself really. Well, why did he have to say it in the first place? Just play a straight back,
15:08just come out with the one game at a time stuff that annoys all us journalists. But it's perfectly
15:15reasonable to say it. I thought he was a little bit, he likes to be in control in his press
15:22conference. And I wasn't particularly convinced by his, by the pre-match one. It's certainly not
15:29not in that aspect. Just don't put a target on your back. I just couldn't sort of, I couldn't
15:34sort of get my head around that. And, you know, it's funny really. I mean, it was obviously a
15:38real coupon busting result, but I think it just goes to show that sometimes at this time of the
15:44year when you play teams who have not really a lot to play for, people say, well, they're on the
15:48beach thinking of holidays. If you're a mid table, it's like going to Ellen Road and there's 35,000
15:53there. You can just have a go, can't you? And have a bit of, have a bit of fun. And I did,
15:58obviously Stuart was at the game and that's what Swansea seemed to do, didn't it? Didn't they?
16:04You know, a big stage, you can sense the expectation, but the nerves in the home crowd
16:10and I say sometimes those games are the dangerous ones, aren't they really? And
16:14it was in some respects, it'll potentially maybe help Leeds in the next few games. They've got
16:20teams who have got something to play for, haven't they? Obviously Luton's situation at the bottom.
16:25They've got, obviously got Middlesbrough as well, who were, you know, they had a good weekend last
16:30weekend and suddenly the playoffs is, you know, it becomes possible for them again, doesn't it? So
16:36a little bit of a pressure share a little as it next weekend, Leeds have got Oxford as well.
16:42Yeah. But yeah, it's just going to be fascinating how it, how it works out. I mean,
16:47the obviously other, the other sort of member of the cast list at Leeds United is always the
16:53crowd at this time of the year and the supporters, isn't it? Because they're so desperate to avoid
16:58those, to avoid those playoffs. And that's, that's part of the baggage and the history with,
17:03with, with Leeds at this time of year. But yeah, it's, there's warning signs, as Stuart said,
17:10they've, was it one winning five now? Three of the next four away and I think the next two in
17:16particular, well, the next two weekend games, games away are really going to test them, aren't
17:22they? Luton and Oxford, they're not going to take Leeds on at passing through the thirds,
17:28but they're going to be, it's all going to be about pressure and power play, getting the ball
17:34into the box, winning duels, all the ugly stuff. They won't take on Leeds at football because
17:39they get, I'm sure they get comfortably beaten, but different sorts of tests for Leeds and
17:45obviously a huge, a huge decision with the, with the goalkeeper as well. So, you know,
17:52let's, let's see how that one goes. Yeah. Sorry, just, just to add to what Leon said about the
17:56pre-match press conference, that surprised me too. And so did the post-match press conference
18:01when he came out and said, I'm a hundred percent confident that we'll be, we'll be promoted. And
18:06then the confidence slips a little in the rest of the sentence when he said, hopefully early May,
18:10maybe late May, you know, it was all characteristic from him, as Leon says, he's got to be in
18:16control of conferences. And, you know, maybe as journalists, maybe we're a bit self-important
18:20thinking press conferences matter, but, you know, those of us of Leon and Isaac remember
18:25Keegan, you know, Rafa Benitez's facts and things, and it does give a bit of a window into
18:30what's going on and sets a bit of a tone sometimes. And Daniel Farka is normally so in control,
18:36you know, he came into that press conference, you know, very relaxed, very smiley considering the
18:41circumstances. He clearly was trying to control things and set the right message,
18:46but just that little, that little message, and I say Leon's, you know, he backtracked on the,
18:51on the, on the home games, but it still sticks. It's still in there. And if it's in our heads,
18:56we'll be in the player's heads as well. That's, that's the thing. So, so yeah, they, they were,
19:01they were slightly worried signs of someone who's been around the block and won a couple of titles,
19:06you know, even be to a degree of affected by it. They, they just really, really need to go
19:12to Kenilworth Road and come up with a result. Frankly, who cares about the performance result
19:18that just settles, settles the nerves. Yeah. Yeah, totally. I think sometimes, you know,
19:23being boring is a sign of confidence in a press conference. It is, yeah. You might not,
19:28you might not lap it up as, you know, with your media hats on, but as a manager, that's what it's
19:34all about, isn't it? Don't, don't give out sort of any, any mixed messages. It's just a thing of
19:41just staying focused, isn't it really? And everything's, everything's the same. And yeah,
19:45it was just a little bit, um, a little bit surprising from what I heard from Farquhar,
19:50and he's probably made, made his, you know, his next pre-match press conference a bit more
19:54interesting. What's he going to say now? He's going to say, take each game as it comes.
20:01We can tick them all off. But as Leon says, that's what you've got to do as a manager.
20:09You know, it's all about don't panic. Don't get overexcited. You know, we as the media,
20:14fans as well, we can get, we can read too much into one win, one goal conceded,
20:19and all this sort of thing. They've got to look at the bigger picture and really,
20:22really keep things steady. And that, and that's a bigger challenge at least than a lot of clubs
20:26because of that fan base, that passion, that, and that history of things going wrong as well,
20:31you know, it all needs the nerve steadying. And that's why having a goalkeeper who you're not
20:36sure about, you know, can be, can cause panic, but equally, oh no, he's dropped his goalkeeper
20:42and chosen someone who hasn't played a league game, you know, with Easter coming up and can
20:47also have that effect. So it's, ultimately if Leeds go up, he'll have made the right decision.
20:52If Leeds don't, he'll have made the wrong one. I mean, it'll, it'll finish, if they drop Mellier,
20:56it'll probably finish him at Leeds. You know, he was dropped in the running a couple of seasons
21:00ago as well. But I think if, if Leeds go up, I think they need another goalkeeper anyway. I think
21:05they need an upgrade and, you know, it's an if at the moment, they just need to do what's best
21:10to get up. Yeah. Cause I mean, you were just talking that they need to do what's best for the
21:16team because with, whenever a player is short on confidence or lacks that sort of motivation,
21:26it's never a good sign, but particularly when it's a goalkeeper that immediately puts the other 10
21:32players on the field thinking, right, we're playing with 10 Mellier before they get it,
21:36before they even kick the ball. And you think, you really don't need that. You really don't need
21:41it. Oh yeah. I mean, I think there's an, I mean, if you're a defender, I think there's an argument
21:47to say you'd rather, you'd rather play, obviously you want a goalkeeper to be good in every
21:52attribute, but I think there's a sense of half, you'd rather play with a goalkeeper who's decisive
21:57at coming for crosses and free kicks and who's strong in his communication than one who's
22:02necessarily better at doing the sort of worldy saves and plucking them out of the top corner,
22:08but not necessarily so good on the bread and butter stuff, if you like. Yes. You know, maybe that's,
22:14that's a little bit of a, of the case with Leeds and, you know, you've got, you've just got to
22:18trust your, you've got to trust your goalkeeper, haven't you? And you know, more especially at these
22:23times of the season when there's so much on, on the line. I mean, it'd be great if Leeds went
22:28to Luton and, you know, had a good, had a good day, got back on, you know, rediscovered the mojo
22:34quickly and a two or three nil comfortable win, but I think as well for the sort of,
22:39the sort of psyche, the mentality, if they could just dig out a result and get a clean sheet,
22:44cope with a bit of pressure and just nick, nick one as well, nick a win, that would be,
22:48that would be even better in a funny sort of way, you know, heading into the, just the final weeks.
22:54And as Leon pointed out, even more important at Kenilworth Road, where you're going to have long
22:58throw-ins, crosses, you know, if the goalkeeper says goalkeeper's ball, you need to be able to
23:03leave it to him. You can't be thinking, I'm going to go for this in case he drops it, because then
23:07you have even more cock-ups of people running into it. I mean, that adds to the decision that he's
23:11got to make, doesn't it really? It does. You know, it's going to be, the venue's going to be factored
23:18into the decision, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And next, let's turn our focus to Doncaster Rovers,
23:24who put on a fine display in their 3-0 win over Carlisle United. This was then followed by a
23:30two-all draw against promotion-chasing Walsall. Now, what were your thoughts on the two games,
23:35and is it fair to say that this race for the automatic promotion spots could go right down
23:40to the wire, Stuart? It's very, very fair to say that, Mark. It certainly is. I mean, Leon, Leon
23:47saw them on the Saturday, great win against Carlisle United, but it's just, it's just the way
23:53of it in this division that nobody seems able to kick away. You know, we've even seen Bradford
23:58wobbling after this imperious form of theirs. I mean, even on Tuesday night, Wimbledon were 1-0
24:05up after 89 minutes and managed to lose 2-1 at Swindon. You know, so you now have a position
24:11where Doncaster are in fourth, but if they win their game in hand, I think they're two points
24:19off the top, aren't they? You know, it is so, so tight that it's really hard not to see it going
24:28to, going to the final day. And I say, you've got, you've got a team there in fourth, you've got
24:33realistic ambitions to win the title, nevermind get one of the three automatic places. And it,
24:39you know, it's backed up, backed up behind them as well. You know, Wimbledon and Notts County,
24:43both only two points back and then sort of adding another level to it. Doncaster have still got to
24:50play Bradford, they've still got to play Notts County and who's the other one I'm forgetting?
24:56Wimbledon, isn't it? Exactly. So yeah, it's just all to play for. And yeah,
25:03Walsall are a funny one. I mean, Grant McCann prophetically pointed out before the game that,
25:08although they've, they've really wobbled since Bradford beat them in January, it's mainly draws,
25:14it's not defeats. And, you know, they're a big, big physical team, you know, two giants up front.
25:21And, you know, we've talked about Luton, Walsall had the same game plan. Why wouldn't you with
25:25those players get crosses in, let those two, two big lads fight for them. And yeah, Doncaster sort
25:32of were under the pump in the, in the first half, actually scored through Luke Molyneux, but
25:39Walsall equalised quickly, but Doncaster got on top second half without really making that many
25:44chances. And then, you know, 84 minutes in, Billy Sharp has the first shot on target of the game
25:51from a ball that's a bit behind him and not, not even much of a chance, but he's Billy Sharp. So
25:57he does the business. And, you know, we talk about the psychology of, of Leeds, again,
26:02with Doncaster really, both times they scored Walsall were level within a, a matter of minutes,
26:09which is a bit of a kick in the teeth. I mean, it was, it was a similar, similar pattern to the
26:14Leeds game in that they were two on up in the 80 something minute, two all in stoppage time. But,
26:22you know, all the talk afterwards was about sort of seeing the bigger picture and not losing sight
26:27of how, how well they've played. And I think that's, I think that's just what, what they've
26:31got to do. I mean, always in the back of our minds, I think this season, certainly back of my mind,
26:36there's been the tremendous winning run they had last season. And, you know,
26:39what if they could do that again? I just don't think that's going to be possible this,
26:43this season with, with those fixtures, with the way the league is, and frankly,
26:47with the way Doncaster are, they've never really put together a really consistent
26:52win at performances. So it's going to be a case of riding the waves. There will be
26:56disappointments along the way. There might be time, there might be a time in the next week
27:00or two when they're down in fifth or so, but excuse me, as we said in this table, fifth,
27:05fifth isn't out of it. You know, equally, there might be a time when they're top, but you can't
27:09get carried away by that either. So it's just, you know, taking advantage when it's, when it's
27:14your day and when you're on top of a, you know, a Carlisle side that's struggling, do the, do the
27:19business there, get the goal difference up and do that and, and just, just take what you can from,
27:24from the other days. And yeah, four points from this week is, is not a bad return at all, but,
27:30you know, they're away at Cheltenham on Saturday in an early kickoff and yeah, the pressure is
27:34going to be ramped up again. And, you know, if they, if they do the business, it's going to ramp
27:38the pressure up on Bradford and Port Vale and Walsall and Wimbledon and Notts County. And,
27:43and, you know, vice versa, if the other teams do, it's going to, it's just going to be like
27:47one of those wacky races where one takes over the other and the other takes over the other
27:51for the next, for the next, what, four weeks we've got left? Yeah. I think it, yeah, it's all
27:57boiling down to an incredible last day in, in League Two. And it could, could, you know, quite
28:04feasibly be a case of, you know, none of the automatic promotion places are decided. It could
28:10even be that, that tight, couldn't it? And, you know, you could have four or even five teams going
28:16for three places and, you know, you could be, in theory, you could be top of the league. You're
28:21going into the last, last game and you have a bad day and you end up in the playoffs. It could be
28:25that, that mad really. But, you know, it's great for, for the neutrals. And I'm sure any, any fans
28:32will be watching events on Sky when they, obviously they, it's all singing and dancing on the last day
28:38of the EFL season. And if they factor in as well, Doncaster play, play at Notts County, don't they?
28:44So, you know, they could be both right in the mix. I think the, it was a controlled performance
28:50against Carlisle on, on Saturday. I didn't, I didn't think Doncaster was sparkling in the,
28:57in the first half, but they, they kept at it, didn't panic. And, you know, it was a total
29:02stroll going into the final quarter once they got the second goal from Jordan Gibson. It was,
29:08it was interesting. He was, he was interviewed afterwards and he was saying that, you know,
29:14it brings out the best in him when, when, when opposing fans of teams he used to play for,
29:19you know, have a go at him, give him, give him the bird. And he obviously scored the killer second
29:24goal and obviously a little bit further down the track, they've got another former club of his in
29:28Bradford. So if I was the Bradford fans, I would be, I would be keeping stump if I was them.
29:35So that was a nice little, little subplot to it all. I think the one thing I'd say about,
29:40I mean, Doncaster's still in a good place, as Stuart said,
29:45Grant McCam with his sort of pragmatic hat on might have just taken four points out of the
29:49six, wouldn't he? Obviously being greedy, you want six, but it's, it's by no means,
29:53when you look at the, some of the results that, you know, teams are having, pushing for
29:59the promotion at this stage of the season, you do get bumps in the road. So that's, that's okay for,
30:04out of six, it's just there, you look at their home form so far, and obviously Stuart's touched
30:11on the fact that they've still got, what is it, they've still got Wimbledon to play,
30:15they've still got Bradford to play, huge six-pointers. Look at the home form against
30:20the teams around them at the top. It's not been particularly good, has it? That's been one
30:23area where they've sort of slipped up, they've sort of lost to Port Vale, they're lost to
30:28Notts County. Even earlier in the season, they, I think they got thumped to Chesterfield when
30:34Chesterfield had started the season well, Grimsby beat them as well. So, it's obviously a little
30:39bit of an area of concern, and I think they play Bradford as well, don't they? And some of these
30:43teams have beaten them, I think they lost to Chesterfield, and there was about, I don't know,
30:48three and a half, four thousand Chesterfield fans having a bit of a laugh in the away end. And,
30:53you know, it's interesting, they're only giving Bradford, I think it's like 1,500 tickets,
30:56isn't it, for the home game at the end of April. So, I think there's an element there,
31:03they don't want a rival coming and turning it into a bit of a home game with the atmosphere
31:10in a full allocation of 4,000. So, I think, you know, psychologically, Grant McCann's obviously
31:15aware of that a little bit, isn't he? That, you know, teams will come into Doncaster before with
31:20big full away ends, the Chesterfields and Grimsby's coming away with a point. So, I think
31:25it is on the mind of McCann and Doncaster. You know, it'd have been better if it was the other
31:33way around, wouldn't it? You know, they'd have beaten Walsall, drawn to Carlisle in a funny
31:37sort of way, but, you know, you can't have everything. But, yeah, that's just a little
31:41bit of an area where they're going to have to, you know, they could really do with two wins in
31:48that regard against Wimbledon and Bradford, and that would nail that, and there would be huge
31:54results in the season because, you know, that's been a little bit of a flaw for them so far.
32:00Yeah, I mean, they've got four of the last seven away, but as Leon says, it's the big ones at home,
32:05the other ones called Chester, who are, you know, still in the mix for that last playoff spot
32:10as well. So, really big home games. I think with the Bradford game, you're dead right,
32:14it will be a bone of contention. I remember being at Bradford-Doncaster game, I can't remember if
32:19it was last season or the season before, and the Bradford away fans were magnificent and, you know,
32:24made a big difference. I think from Doncaster's point of view, you just want to make sure you
32:29sell all the seats around them so they can't be complaining saying, well, there was an empty
32:32block there. You know, there's something worth getting behind at Doncaster over this season,
32:38and I think over the last couple of years, I think the fan base has become re-engaged with
32:44the football club, which is really important. But yeah, it's going to be such tight margins for
32:52all the clubs that any little thing you can do to make a difference is going to help. So, yeah,
32:58three, you know, big, big crowds for those last three home games, really supportive crowds are
33:03going to be really helpful for them. I think, Stuart, just briefly, I think that game in hand
33:10at Salford could be massive, couldn't it? Yes. It's in the middle of April, isn't it?
33:15Yeah, I mean, it's alright having the game in hand, but you want to get it out of the way,
33:22don't you, and know where you stand. Because Doncaster for a long time seems to have been
33:27just sort of on the fringe of it and just threatening to do something, but until they
33:31get this game in hand out of the way, we'll never really know. Yeah, yeah. And now we turn to
33:37Huddersfield Town, who suffered a bruising 4-0 defeat at the hands of Charlton Athletic,
33:41before clashing with Lincoln City and playing out a 1-0 defeat. Now, what are your thoughts
33:46on the Terriers sort of following their recent run of form, Leon? Yeah, it's worrying times,
33:53isn't it? They've had a little luck. They've only won 5 out of 18 since Christmas, and that's
33:59certainly not a form of a top six candidate, isn't it? I think for a young manager as well,
34:09if you think about it, it was his first game in charge, John Worthington,
34:12went like a dream against Crawley, didn't it? I think Stewart did the game. Huddersfield were
34:21good, but I think Crawley were very, very bad. But you win 5-1, you're getting players coming back
34:26into the fold from injury, you've got a free week to sort of get more of your ideas across,
34:34you've got the buzz of that win, heading into another game. And then, I think in the last
34:39three or four days, John Worthington's discovered what management's really about, I think.
34:45They went to a form side in Charlton, and it was a bit of a disastrous performance, wasn't it?
34:54By all accounts, it could have been more than four or five, they were sort of all over the place,
35:00out four and out run, and you name it. It's one of those, isn't it? He would have liked a full
35:11week on the training ground just to sort of address things going into another game, but
35:16the schedule, it's often not helpful, isn't it? And a game in three days' time against
35:25Lincoln, who've sort of shown that they've been well coached, Lincoln, and they can sort of punch
35:31with the best of them on the day. It wasn't a great gaming fair, and as town actually started,
35:40I thought they started okay, certainly with a bit more conviction than they did at Charlton.
35:46They were bright and breezy for 10 minutes, but they had a hell of a lot of possession in the
35:53game, it was something like 63%, but they just couldn't find that cutting edge, that bit of
36:00quality in the final third, that sharpness. And I thought even though they only had two shots on
36:07target to sell Lincoln, I thought they were quite comfortable and well set, and it's a big
36:15worry for the Huddersfield. For me, with the injuries, they just lacked it. I know he gets
36:24pilloried, I would have just thrown Fede Ladapo on for the last sort of 10 minutes, just to sort
36:29of play off someone. They tried sort of everything else, they tried to get round the side, and it
36:33just not worked. I thought he was a little bit slow with his substitutions as well, but he's got
36:40a lot of thinking to do. There's some growing unrest at Huddersfield. Mark Cartwright got it
36:49in the neck at a few jumps as the sporting director, who's obviously been under the microscope
36:55for the buys that have been made in the last two or three windows, and he got a fair bit of stick
37:00as the second half went on and at the end. The players got some stick as well as they went over
37:07to clap the supporters. There was some chance of you're not fit to wear the shirt. You look at
37:13town now, it was a bad night, compounded by Bolton winning in the last minute as well, so
37:19they're a couple of points off the pace. They've got three out of four at home, which is,
37:24I think it's a good thing in the circumstances. They've got back-to-back games with
37:31Mansfield and Wickham, and they play Cambridge on Good Friday. They're good games,
37:37but if it doesn't go right, then I just wonder about the crowd there. That could be another
37:45thing. He's got a 10-game run to try and get the gig full-time, Worthington. Suddenly, he'll have
37:50a bit more that's thrown at him. He's had playing Charlton, one of the best sides in the league,
37:56getting hammered three days later, straight back into another away game where his side have
38:01huffed and puffed. No lack of effort, but really lack quality in the final third.
38:08I think they've scored now in the last three away games as well, so there's a little issue
38:14growing there. Then there's the fans' discontent. It's stuff that would test a more senior manager.
38:22Fans are getting grumpy. I think there's an element of Huddersfield Town, rightly or wrongly,
38:30it's just the way it is. They're a big club in this division, and they're expecting more,
38:34and they've got that to contend with as well. Every bad performance and result is magnified a
38:41bit, isn't it, really? So, yes, some decisions to make for the weekend in terms of the make-up of
38:49the side. Yes, all's not well there, basically, from the stands and on the pitch. A critical
38:59couple of games, I think, for Huddersfield, these next two. Good games, they're at home,
39:05obviously they've been buoyed by the 5-1 win. But, yes, they really need to get a
39:12haul of points just to keep them in the top six, but I think for the whole
39:19mood and morale of the club and players. Yes, I just wondered, having seen the Crawley game,
39:26and hoped, having seen the games coming up, really, if they might be a bit of a home team
39:32win at home, lose away. If that is the case, that might just do the job for them. But,
39:39as Leon says, you've got this positivity towards Worthington, which will really serve them well at
39:44home, pick them up. But, there's negativity towards the group and the attitude of it.
39:51That Wickham game particularly leaps out at me, because that's a home game where you could play
39:55well and lose. Then, if they were to lose it, that suddenly changes the mood, doesn't it,
40:03and it makes that Cambridge game not such an enticing prospect all of a sudden. It's a really
40:10difficult time, because when you lose the fans like that, it's so difficult to get them back.
40:18It was worrying, the Charlton game, that I think they conceded inside 30 seconds.
40:24I always look at Huddersfield's team sheet and think there's characters there and there's leaders
40:28there. But, they didn't seem to show it at Charlton. Judging by the reaction of the away
40:34fans at Sinsel Bank, who, let's be honest, see Huddersfield a lot more than Leon or I,
40:39they don't seem to believe in the characters in this team either.
40:42Andrew Brighton, right, didn't believe in them. Last season, obviously, a slightly different group.
40:47So, it needs some of those people who we look at on paper as leaders to really stand up and
40:53prove that they are, and really show some character. It's going to be very tough at
40:59home on Saturday if they do go behind, if they do start badly. They need to show what they're
41:05made of, because a playoff place that had lucked in the bag for a good chunk of the season is now
41:14in serious doubt. Those fans, quite rightly, will not be happy if they miss out on a top-six
41:23finish this season. I mean, that's been a problem all season, hasn't it, going forward,
41:27sort of attacking-wise. They've not really been convincing. I think, as well, that midfield
41:33balance, it's not been there consistently. It's not been convincing, has it, really?
41:37I mean, you spoke on a good day, Stuart, about the Crawley game. But, obviously, factoring in
41:45how bad Crawley were as well, I think there's not many other times when they've really gone to town,
41:49is there? I think they had the Cambridge game away. But a lot of it's been a bit of an arm-wrestle,
41:56hasn't it, really? And I think latterly as well, obviously, there's Ladapo, but he's only going to
42:04get little morsels of game time. Clearly, they've missed having someone to play off, I think, as
42:10well. I've seen them in recent times, whether it's been a Healy or a Danny Ward, but unfortunately,
42:16they're not fit. Someone to mix it up, because they can't really do it. They can only play one
42:23way and that's sort of down the side, isn't it, and sort of through teams. They've not got that
42:29option, really, to sort of go a bit longer and a bit aerial. So, that's sort of taken out the
42:35equation. But, yes, for a young head coach who's keen on designs of the job,
42:44he's got to remember this week and if he can get a win at the end of it, he'll have earned his money,
42:54because there's been a couple of really tough results and the mood's grumpy, veering onto toxic,
43:02I think, if they have another couple of bad results. So, welcome to management, Jonathan.
43:08It certainly highlights what a big decision it was to bring in a rookie. I came away from the
43:16Crawler game thinking it all was sweetness and light and it lifted the mood, but there's only
43:21so much lifting the mood can do when you've got underlying problems. As Leon says, they've
43:25struggled at home all season, it's been a bit stodgy all season. Maybe that Crawler game just
43:31papered over a few cracks rather than solving any problems.
43:36And next, I wanted to look at Rotherham United, who following their heavy 4-0 defeat when they
43:41hosted Crawley Town, announced the departure of Steve Evans. This was then followed by their
43:46trip to Northampton Town, which ended in a 2-0 win and was overseen by Matt Hamshaw.
43:51Now, Leon, what did you make of Steve Evans' time at the club,
43:55the choice of Hamshaw as interim manager and that result against Northampton Town?
43:59Well, yeah, there was a lot of show, wasn't there, this time last year. I mean, Rotherham
44:04were on the floor that had a horrendous season, you know, last season, one of the worst that you
44:10can quite possibly imagine. And Tony Stewart got his dancing shoes on and wanted a bit of
44:19razzmatazz, didn't he? In fairness to Tony, he basically wanted Steve Evans actually before
44:27they appointed Liam Richardson. And obviously, his short-lived tenure of Liam Richardson didn't
44:33work. So I think it was a case of Tony, you know, as is his want. I mean, you look at the amount of
44:38money he's put into Rotherham, you know, over the last 10, 15 years, you know, pretty much saving
44:44them, really. It was his call and he went with Steve Evans. Let's not forget, you know, his first
44:51spell in charge of Rotherham was, you know, was magnificent when they moved to the New York
44:56Stadium, back-to-back promotions, and then they stayed up the following year. And, you know, it
45:03wasn't the biggest crime for Stewart to sort of try and, you know, try and go for a sequel, really.
45:10But it's just, whether it's football's moved on in that time, but it just never, it's never really
45:18happened for Steve, has it? I mean, to be fair, they made a big song and dance about the sort of
45:22summer recruitment, and a big outlay as well. I mean, I think the record that the Millers have
45:27spent in League One, and they've not got much ban for the book there, have they? It's fair to say.
45:34I mean, seeing the people out, the likes of, I've got to say, the people like Clark Harris hasn't really
45:40come off, has it really? I think there's a reason why Peterborough were quite happy for him to go
45:46by the looks of it. And, you know, others too haven't really cut the mustard. And, you know,
45:52I've seen Rotherham, Stewart's probably seen them, if not many, if not more, maybe a few more times,
45:57and they've just never convinced me all season, and certainly never got you off the edge of the
46:02seat. And sometimes you've just been scratching your head thinking, well, where's the identity
46:07here? Where's the sort of, it was just sort of relying on a few maybe off the cuff things in
46:12the final third from a Malik Wilkes, say, or a Nombé to sort of nick a goal or two, or maybe get
46:17something from set players. There's been no real wit in their sort of attacking play, and they've
46:24not been overly confident. I mean, they've had one or two issues with players being available this
46:27start, but they've not been that sort of ironclad at the back either. So aside, we've sort of just
46:33really lacked identity, didn't look particularly tactically savvy from what I've seen as well. And
46:43yeah, just going nowhere. I think putting a blessing in the sky,
46:47obviously not for those that were there against Crawley, because it was an appalling
46:51afternoon, but it was a straw that broke the camel's back. I mean, he's given him a lot of
46:56time, Stewart, but you can't ignore results like that, can you, at home? And I know some of the
47:03crowds as well. I did the Wickham game recently, and I think they gave the crowd something like
47:08eight and a half, nearly 9,000. And there was a lot of mirth on the message boards,
47:14obviously counting the season tickets. There were nowhere near that many there.
47:17And you look at some of the gaps for the Crawley game deep in the second half, there was virtually
47:23nobody there in the Tivoli end. So yeah, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Evans had
47:30to go, even though Stewart may have been a little bit reluctant a few weeks back. And yeah,
47:38I'm sure he comes in and he's a good guy. And he feels like it's his time now, doesn't he? He's
47:46been a number two coach for Paul Warne for a good few years. He knows football, it's his hometown
47:54club. And he's got to lift some spirits and get some organisation and have a bit of fun at the
48:02end of it. It's been a real joyless season, hasn't it? Not just this season, the one before, even the
48:08one before that, Rotherham stayed up, but it was just a bit of arm wrestle, hasn't it, for a few
48:14seasons. The fans just want a bit of entertainment, a bit of hope, because it's going to be a big job
48:20going forward there, isn't it? To build Rotherham again and talk about a return to the sort of
48:27Paul Warne years. They're miles off that, aren't they, at the minute? There's no real
48:33young players coming through and there's no real culture and way of playing.
48:42And it's going to take a lot of time. I wish him well, Matt, I'm sure. He's a good guy,
48:48talented. He's got this block of games and I'm sure if he does a half-decent job he'll
48:53probably get the gig on a longer-term basis, but heck of a job. Yeah, it just feels to me like
49:01a wasted 12 months from Rotherham, in all honesty. There were big problems identified
49:07by Liam Richardson in terms of the training ground, the medical side of it. As Liam says,
49:14the lack of players coming through the academy. And okay, Richardson probably showed himself in
49:19that period to not be the man to address them, but they needed addressing. And it felt like,
49:25I remember talking on this podcast when Evans was appointed, it felt like they'd almost parked that,
49:31let's just get promotion and it's all on promotion. Well, that's fine, but you've then got
49:35to get promotion. And they've been nowhere near it. And surprise, surprise, one of the big things
49:41that's cost Steve Evans is injuries. They're still getting them. So I think whoever's in,
49:47well, whether it be next season's manager or whether it be Rob Scott, that overarching side
49:54of the club has really got to be addressed. And it might mean a bit less investment in the
49:58first team, in the actual playing squad to get those things right. But they need to have a root
50:05and branch look at these things and give the manager the best chance. Because there's no point,
50:10I think they gave Evans, didn't they say, Leon, the biggest budget they've ever had.
50:15There's no point giving any manager that budget if the players you spend that money on are
50:21constantly getting injured. So they need to sort that out because it really did cost Evans and
50:27he's not blameless by any means, but that was a big factor as it was for Richardson,
50:32as it was for Taylor. So they've got to get to grips with that. But in the short term,
50:36Leon's right, they've just got to put smiles on faces, just got to play with a bit of joy in the
50:41football because they've got nothing to lose. As Leon was saying about Swansea, it's that time
50:45of season for Rotherham. They can just go at teams. And the fact that they've got a manager
50:49who really cares about Rotherham United, that in itself is a good thing to see as a supporter.
50:57And it's good to see him promising, I hope he delivers on it, that every player who goes out
51:04wearing a Rotherham shirt will know what it means to play for this club and play like it.
51:09That's really all Rotherham fans can ask for from now on the end of the season. Go at teams,
51:14play with a bit of joy, put on a show for us and then really get down to work in the summer. But
51:20I think there's big work ahead for that football club to get themselves back on track because,
51:26let's be honest, if you've got Rotherham's budget, you have to be producing your own players because
51:30you can't afford to be relying on Tony Stewart's chequebook season after season. You have to be
51:36making sure that the players you do have are out on the park more often. You have to be able to
51:43have the sort of training facilities and culture that allow you to attract the best loan players
51:48because that's what it's all about, whether you've got money or not in League One. And I really think
51:54they need to get to grips with all of that. But say in the short term, I just hope that
51:59it pans out as perhaps Rotherham would like it to. Some good, attractive football. If they lose
52:07a couple but they win more, play with smiles on their faces, I'd take that as a Rotherham fan
52:13right now. Yeah, they've just got to get the culture and ethos back. To be fair, that's what
52:17they did under Paul Warne, didn't they? They got a few promotions along the way. But I think that's
52:22more important than anything really, isn't it? Just getting that sort of,
52:30just what are Rotherham United about really? Because I think that's just been lost recently.
52:34I mean, it could still, just about, it could just possibly, if things end well, finish,
52:38still finish above Barsley. That might be a little carrot for them because the way Barsley are
52:42dropping at the minute, they could easily end in the bottom half. So that might be something to
52:47aim for, I don't know. And of course, as well as being a Rotherham fan, Matt Hamshall knows what
52:51good it looks like at Rotherham, having worked under Paul Warne, so that's positive as well.
52:57And finally for this week, I will look to Leon for his Team of the Week before turning to Stuart
53:01for his Player of the Week. So Leon, who have you decided deserves the Team of the Week title?
53:06Well, there's not been so many, has there? I remember a few weeks ago, nearly a clean sweep
53:15of wins for Yorkshire clubs. A bit of a terrible weekend for West Yorkshire clubs in particular,
53:21wasn't it? Last weekend, and it's not got much better for Bradford or Huddersfield since.
53:28You know, a good comeback win for Middlesbrough. Obviously, 1-0 down to Oxford. They've still got
53:34problems at the back. Jonny Howsam putting his hand up, got over the line there with an important
53:41victory. Great for Matt Hamshall, first game in charge, hometown club winning at Northampton,
53:47but it's a bit of a barren sort of field really, but you've got to go for Sheffield United. As I
53:55mentioned earlier, it was a big home game for them on Friday, more so when you consider a couple of
54:01big games relatively recently that they've lost to Leeds and Hull. All the attention on them,
54:08and they did their business and looked the real deal. Stuart, who have you decided deserves the
54:14Player of the Week title? Yeah, I think in terms of players, I think Middlesbrough are just sneaking
54:20up on the rails. Let's just keep that between ourselves, you know. But yes, Samuel Lillen Jr.
54:31laying on a couple of goals. Leon's already mentioned Jonny Howsam. Great goal for Davis
54:37Dunne. Michael Ahekwe, you know, getting a goal in an important point for Sheffield Wednesday.
54:46Jordan Gibson, as Leon's mentioned, great in that game. He watched laid on the goal for Billy Sharpe
54:51in mine. But I was just full of admiration for the way Hamza Choudhury played for Sheffield
54:57United on the Friday, on the background of he made his Bangladeshi debut, and by all accounts,
55:03been treated like he was the Bangladeshi Lionel Messi. I mean, absolutely smothered with love
55:09when he was away on international duty, played against India in India in the early hours of
55:15Tuesday night, Wednesday morning, flew back. Chris Wilder said he didn't see him until he
55:21walked through the door on the Friday evening, and just was tremendous and really energetic as well.
55:2888, 89 minute performance of real energy and quality. Yeah, just what the doctor ordered
55:37without Vinny Souza, without Oliver Arblaster. It was a really good performance from him.
55:43YorkshirePost.co.uk
56:13as well. If you have any questions for our writers, you can get in touch using those various
56:18Twitter or Facebook pages, or email us directly with a subject matter as Football Talk Podcast
56:23at yp.sport at nationalworld.com. As ever, many thanks for listening.
56:28Look after yourselves and bye for now.
56:43Transcribed by https://otter.ai