The Opposition – Scunthorpe United

Scunthorpe play City for the second time this season hoping for a better result this time around.

The Iron’s first visit to Eastlands ended in a 5-1 defeat in the fourth round of the Carling Cup as City progressed to the quarter finals and the visit of Arsenal.

Scunthorpe play their football in The Championship but lie just four points above the relegation zone with just former Premiership side Reading, Plymouth and Peterborough below them.

At home, they have won five and lost four of their twelve league games so far while scoring and conceding 17 goals. But it is their away form that has cost them a lot of points. From 13 games played, Iron have won two but lost eight, scoring 13 goals and conceding 29.

However, they have had some good results this season. In September, they hammered Crystal Palace 4-0 at Selhurst Park while their best home result of the season came in October when they beat Newcastle 2-1. Their only other away win came at Derby County when they scored another four goals by winning 4-1.

Manager – Nigel Adkins

 

Nigel Adkins has been manager of Scunthorpe since December 2006 after a spell as caretaker manager and guided them from League One to the Championship in the same season. His team lasted one season in The Championship before returning to League One but won two seasons later with a Wembley victory in the play-off final.

From 101 games in charge, Adkins has won 44 and lost 25, giving him a win percentage of 43.6%.

 

Ground – Glanford Park

In 1988, Scunthorpe became the first team to move to a purpose built stadium since Southend moved to Roots Hall in 1955. Its current capacity is 9,088

 

Facts

 

Scunthorpe were founded in 1899 but didn’t enter the Football League until 1950 and played their first ever league game against Shrewsbury Town.

Their record attendance is 23,935 against Portsmouth for an FA Cup 4^th round tie in January 1954.

Scunthorpe’s record victory was 8-1 against Luton Town in April 1965. This result was duplicated 30 years later against Torquay United.

Their record defeat came in November 1952 when Carlisle thrashed them 8-0.