Cheltenham not at races in size stakes
10:53pm Friday 1st August 2008
Michael Boulding certainly touched a nerve with his little swipe about Cheltenham.
His comments about the lack of ambition levels at the League One club stirred them up in Gloucestershire.
Chairman Paul Baker immediately hit back, ner-ner-ner-nerring at the striker for choosing to join a team in the bottom division.
“While we will be playing Leeds United at Elland Road this season, he will be playing against much smaller clubs in League Two,” Baker retorted.
True. But what about the other 45 games this season when Cheltenham won’t be playing the biggest club in their division at the biggest ground?
Would he class a trip to Hereford or Leyton Orient as a far bigger day-out than, say, a game at Shrewsbury’s new ground or going to Lincoln on Boxing Day?
Is Boulding “lacking ambition” for opting to join a club who pull in the biggest crowds by far in their division – and more than three times the number who file into Cheltenham’s Whaddon Road every other week?
The Boulding saga has once again brought up the hoary old question of what makes a big club.
Are Cheltenham right to claim the moral ground as the “senior” side here just because they are in the higher division? Or should City’s size and stature, not to mention their Premiership recent past, count for far more than the current lowly league position?
I think we all know the answer there.
In the same way – though City fans may want to turn away here – there can be no disputing Leeds will always be a bigger club than Doncaster despite what happened at Wembley a couple of months back.
Of course Cheltenham are trying their best to save face here.
They’ve got money to burn after flogging a decent striker and can’t find a replacement.
Boulding is not the only target to turn them down; another said no this week to join Lincoln while their latest target is still mulling over whether to stick with relegated Port Vale.
Players aren’t daft.
Cheltenham have confounded the critics to find their niche in League One.
But when it comes to judging the comparative size of club, the town only famous for its national hunt festival is not even at the races.