[Lord Snooty]

July 27:

On this day in 2019, Town played a friendly match at the John Smith's Stadium against French Ligue 1 side Montpellier HSC. It was the pre season to our first season back in the Championship after two seasons in the Premier League and Jan Siewert was still the Head Coach.

Montpellier were the team who had our pants down over Isaac Mbenza and arranging this friendly was obviously them feeling slightly guilty over it. It wasn't much of a money spinner either, with only 5,383 turning out to watch it.

The Frenchies scored first against a Town team boasting the likes of Ryan Schofield in goal, Herbert Bockhorn and Tommy Elphick in defence and Adama Diakhaby running riot on the right wing.

Jan the man made one change at half time with Aaron Mooy replacing skipper Jonathan Hogg, but it was Juninho Bacuna who made the telling pass for the Town equaliser. His inch perfect through ball from just inside the opponent's half sent Karlan Grant in on goal. He expertly rounded the keeper and slammed the ball into the net before the covering defender could get a challenge in.

One more big chance came in the last minute when the brilliant Bockhorn laid a perfect ball at the feet of Flo Hadergjonjaj, who took too long and fluffed it.

Final score 1-1.

Two years later, on this date in 2021, Town traveled to the west coast to take on Fleetwood Town in a pre season friendly. We were still in the Championship but now had a Spanish lad called Carlos Corberan in as Head Coach. He had signed a new goalkeeper from MK Dons called Lee Nicholls, who we knew nowt about and it was unclear whether it would be he or Ryan Schofield starting the new season as the number one.

It was Schofield who started this one, alongside new signing Josh Ruffels, Naby Sarr, Romoney Crichlow and Pipa in defence. A young looking midfield included Josh Austerfield and Brahima Diarra, with Sorba Thomas, who had shown glimpses of something special in a few sub appearances in the previous season, and returning hero Jordan Rhodes was up top.

Things didn't go well and it was looking like we were going to be in for another shocker of a season as the home team scored twice in the first half. But Sorba was like a shining light. Every set piece he took was bang on the money, in dangerous areas, even if nobody had made a move into those areas. Will Carlos pick him for the starting XI when the season starts for real?

So two nil down at half time, Nicholls came on for Schofield and then after the hour mark, Carlos brought the big guns on. On came new signings young Levi Colwill, Matty Pearson and Ollie Turton, as well as Duane Holmes, Scott High and Danny Ward. Also coming on were the bromance boys, Harry Toffolo and Lewis O'Brien. Only Sorba played the full ninety.

Town dominated from then on, but could only pull one back, through O'Brien and it was a defeat in the last match of pre season, with a League Cup match away at Hillsborough on the horizon.