For the second time in as many weeks, Waterford FC have a season-defining game on the cards.
This evening it's the relegation playoff with UCD in Richmond Park, and by the time the full-time whistle is blown, one team will be celebrating their status in the top flight for 2022, while the other will be destined for the first division for the next twelve months.
Where the team stands
The situation Waterford find themselves in would not be all that surprising if the season had continued on the course that was being set early in the year. The initial appointment of Sheedy and Newell provided some of the dourest experiences for fans, with a team that looked destined for automatic relegation.
Since the arrival of Marc Bircham to the RSC there was a definite uptick in form and positivity around the team. The man himself said as much yesterday speaking to TalkSport, "We had six points after 15 games, we were 18 points from safety, we managed to come in and get 42 points after 36 games. The lads had done brilliantly".
While their run to claim safety was impressive and often saw the team holding the best form in the league, it wasn't enough down the home straight. Goalkeeper Brian Murphy said midweek that they just ran out of games in their effort to avoid the playoff. Running out of games is one layer to it but results in recent weeks have not been good enough to guarantee safety and coupled with the growing injury and suspension lists it had become a task too great to achieve.
Tonight's game
UCD stand opposite the Blues this evening in Richmond Park. They beat Bray in last weekend's first division playoff, with former Blues player Colm Whelan netting one of their two goals.
If the Blues are to survive, a rallying call will be needed from the players on the field who now find themselves without the man who guided them so close to safety. Ian Hendon will be on the sideline alongside Bircham's back room team for this evening's game. The former Spurs and Leyton Orient player has most recently been in charge of Europa Point in Gibraltar.
Comparing last week's game with St Pats to tonight's clash is vastly different; both in terms of the opposition and the resources available to the Blues. A subs bench totaling four players (two goalkeepers) due to the injury and suspension situation will be much improved - Prince Mutswunguma won't be available through injury, while Darragh Power, John Martin, Jack Stafford, and Greg Halford all return from suspension.
Context
To put this evening's game into perspective - last year Cork City were relegated from the Premier Division. Few would have predicted that one of the great teams from the League of Ireland were capable of suffering demotion. They played out their season finishing in sixth place and facing another year trying to regain promotion.
Waterford FC can potentially be facing the same situation if tonight's game does not go their way.
Getting out of the first division is no easy task and with an expected exodus of top players from the club should they be sent down, it would be made that much harder again.
While the owner Richard Forrest has committed to the club regardless of their status in 2022, it remains to be seen what signings could be made or indeed, what players would be retained.
Last leauge game off season,, what a club,people off Waterford hav been amazing,,, whatever happens I will be here next season building a club to take us to the next level,, regardless where we end up,, hope most off yous will be with us with ur club,#sleepinggiant💙💙💙 pic.twitter.com/gbaR0nNwyz
— richard forrest (@richieforeest) November 18, 2021
Kick-Off
One major point that we will need to wait until kick-off to see is where the player's heads are at.
This has been a chaotic season for the players. Off-field issues from January to March, followed by a covid outbreak which saw the U19's line out at the RSC at one point and now a fresh batch of headache with Bircham dismissed with just days to go until the season-defining game with UCD.
Players are human and these issues affect them as much as it would anyone else. If they can get to the pitch in the right mental state, they should have enough to see their way past UCD.
However, with all that's gone on these past few months; tired bodies will be matched with even more tired heads when really you need to be as tuned in and ready as possible to get the result you need.
Kick-off is at 7.45 and WLR will broadcast the game live on WLR with coverage from 7.30pm thanks to McConnells Toyota Waterford, with Matt Keane and Ray Scott on commentary
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