YELLOWS PREVIEW: health scare ahead of FC United clash

Source: Hucknall Today

Published Date: 13 November 2009
PIG-sick Hucknall Town are hoping they don't get struck down by swine flu on the eve of their eagerly-awaited clash with rebel club FC United Of Manchester at Watnall Road on Saturday (November 14).
The match is sure to attract Watnall Road's biggest crowd of the season because FC United always take hundreds of fans with them for away games. And it will be a big boost for The Yellows to ease their cashflow problems.

But illness could yet affect the contest after Town manager Bryan Chambers revealed that winger Nathan Kelly has been struck down with the notorious swine flu bug.

Kelly was sick on the Watnall Road pitch after going on as a 79th-minute substitute during The Yellows' 1-1 draw with Nantwich Town on Saturday November 7. He was also sick after the game.

Chambers said: "His mum phoned me the day after and told me he has swine flu. Hopefully no-one else has picked it up off him, although Gary Sucharewycz has had a bit of flu recently.

"I hope we don't get an epidemic in the squad because then the kids from the academy will definitely have to come in!"

FC United and their travelling bandwagons will roll up hoping, like Town, for a good result to get their season going.

For they have flattered to deceive so far this term and sit in the relegation zone of the Unibond League, Premier Division. They have 17 points from 14 games, having won five, drawn two and lost seven.

Managed by Karl Marginson, FC United were formed in 2005 by disillusioned Manchester United supporters who were unhappy at Malcolm Glazer's USA takeover at Old Trafford.

Marginson, a former player with Blackpool and Rotherham United, has been manager since FC United were founded.

They play at Gigg Lane, the home of Coca-Cola League Two side Bury, where they have an average attendance of 1,969 in the league this season.

At three of their eight homes games, the crowd has swelled above 2,000.
In their six away games, the average crowd figure is 743, with two of the games seeing crowds above 1,000.