Supporters side prepare for national contest

Last updated : 15 July 2003 By Luke Thornhill
In a 7-5 defeat, the Filings goals came through on-loan Joe Roebuck (2), Daz Hughes, Rob Needham and an own goal.

The result was not under scrutiny as much as the performance, as next weekend the squad will be travelling to Leeds University to take part in Worldnet - the biggest supporters tournament in the country (if not the world).

The side have been drawn in group seven of the tournament, alongside teams representing Leeds United, Coventry City and tourney sponsors Sports Interactive.

If the Filings progress from Saturday's group stage then they will play in Saturday's KO stages, while their is a consolation plate competition on Sunday for teams who are knocked out.

The competition's offical prediction expert, known only as Mystic Wendy, reckons that the Filings will progress as group winners.

He/she/it confusingly said: "A battle royale in Group 7, perhaps it's time for teams gone by to step aside and allow progression to the light of teams who don't dream all night... the steel of their finish too good at the end."

Despite the tag of group favourites, former Filings manager James Newcombe, who is taking just a playing role in the event, is remaining cautious about his sides chances of success in their inaugral entry.

He told Iron-Bru.net: "We've played Coventry a few times, and seen them play other sides so we've got a fairly good idea of what to expect.

"They're a big side, and are very dangerous at corners. I've not seen anything of Leeds or the Sports Interactive side before, so we'll be playing two unknown sides.

"The knockout stages are very much a lottery, it would all depend on who we were drawn against - many sides in the IFA are very good and would be very difficult to beat.

"If we don't make the knockout stages then we'll take the plate competition just as seriously as we would the knockout stages."

The Filings compete in the TFG sports national league, and finished the 2002-03 season third (behind Millwall and Hearts) out of 61 teams with sixteen wins from 18 league games played - they also reached the quarter-finals of the IFA knockout cup.

You can find more information about the event on IFA's official tournament pages, and follow the progress of the Filings in the tournament through updates on Iron-Bru.net.