08:26 Wednesday 15th August 2012
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
ANDY GALL: Peterborough United started their new season with a bang blast night. It was a massive four nil win for the Posh against Southend United in the League Cup at home. .. And someone who can say he was there, Posh fan Nilesh Patel joins us. What about that then? What about that!
NILESH PATEL: Yes. A very encouraging performance last night. The youngsters played very well, Joe Newell at left back, Ntlhe played very well as well. Something to build on, going into Saturday’s seasonal opener.
ANDY GALL: Was there a good vibe to the place last night at London Road?
NILESH PATEL: I think there was. Yes. The performance was encouraging, which certainly lifted the crowd, and I think listening to those goals back again this morning, you can tell the third goal was something special from Joe Newell, because of the way the crowd reacted. Certainly a contender for goal of the season, early doors.
ANDY GALL: I was talking to Bob Burrows yesterday, and I said, prediction for the season. I know it’s a little tough, but where in the table do you think you’d see Peterborough United? And he said, well if we don’t get relegated this season (LAUGHS) then it will bode well for the future. What do you think?
NILESH PATEL: It’s going to be another very tough season. You look at our gates. The average gates over the course of the season are probably going to be one of the worse in the Division. We haven’t got the finances the other big boys have, The Birminghams of this world, and the Cardiffs, in the Championship. But we’ll fight, and the fans will certainly get behind the team. Leicester away, we’ll take over 1,000 fans there. We’ve got Milwall at home next Tuesday, which, even though it’s the first (Championship) game of the season at home, it’s just one of those games you’ve got to win. It’s a team that’s going to be in and around us at the bottom. They’re not one of the big boys in this Division. And Leeds as well, on the following Saturday. That’s just in the opening week.
ANDY GALL: Just briefly Nilesh, I just wanted to ask you with regard to gates, and you saying Peterborough’s gates could be some of the lowest of this season coming. Are you critical, or do you see hope in the way that the football club is trying to engage with the community?
NILESH PATEL: I certainly do have hope. The Club are doing their utmost to draw fans in. I just think it’s a bit of apathy that’s set in, into the city maybe, and and into the fans as well. But they’ll be back. We had 7,000 against Manchester United, albeit a third team that was there. So there are fans out there, and they will come out. If we start the season well, I can see gates building, and the four, five, six, seven, eight thousands that will be there, the hard core, they’ll certainly get behind the team. And it will work together hopefully, with the fans and the players will bounce off each other, and that will attract more fans.
ANDY GALL: Let’s hope so.
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