2008-09 Football Thread

[Fuzzy14]

for those of us in the football league, the season start tomorrow

And dare I mention it, the Scottish Premier starts tomorrow too! My prediction is Rangers to pip Celtic on the last day! (although the bookies believe otherwise)

BBC Scotland run a scores predictor competition, we've got a wee league going in my work. Not sure if there is a Premiership equivalent or if it's too late to set up a MacRumors league. Here's the link.

 

[Markleshark]

Yeah, early start to get to Bristol Rovers in the morning. My season ticket arrived today as well, the football really is back. Hurrah!!

 

[pachyderm]

Yeah, early start to get to Bristol Rovers in the morning. My season ticket arrived today as well, the football really is back. Hurrah!!

must be a great feeling.... i used to have season tickets to our minor league baseball team. always cool to get them and just look at them. lol. i am truly an idiot...

for those of us in the football league, the season start tomorrow with the mighty Birmingham on Sky against Sheffield United. Of course I'm predicting a win for us and what will be the start of a promotion winning season.

v

UP YOU OWLS!!

GO BIRMINGHAM!! DOWN WITH THE PIGS!!

 

[pachyderm]

Sheff Wed 4 - 1 Burnley
1' Marcus Tudgay 1
4' Akpo Sodje 2
6' 2 - 1 Martin Paterson
17' Akpo Sodje 3
65' Marcus Tudgay 4

Sheff Wed 1-O-O

GOALS
2 Tudgay
2 Sodje

 

[Queso]

A nice little welcome for us in our new division. By all accounts reading the Huddersfield fans site we really ought to have taken all three points. Next week Leicester, which is going to be a bit of a toughie methinks.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

It seemed really weird this afternoon, watching all the football league scores coming in and not being involved at all.

 

[pachyderm]

It seemed really weird this afternoon, watching all the football league scores coming in and not being involved at all.

you are more than welcome to jump on board the wednesday wagon...

i know i'm pulling for Hull when they're nowt playing spurs...

 

[Jaffa Cake]

you are more than welcome to jump on board the wednesday wagon...

i know i'm pulling for Hull when they're nowt playing spurs...

Hillsborough has been a happy hunting ground for us in recent years...

I don't mind the Wendies. They're the acceptable face of non-East Riding based Yorkshire clubs.

 

[Markleshark]

A 3-2 win for Carlisle. Chuffed. Should only have been 3-1 mind, but lets not dwell.

Makes the 7 and a half hours on the bus worth it.

Edit: Quick Jaffa, get your bids in.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Edit: Quick Jaffa, get your bids in.

Heh. I have the Bonus shirt, the Pepis shirt is only a small though so it wouldn't fit. But I did win an ebay shirt auction the other day for a lovely 2001/02 home shirt to replace my damaged version, as seen modelled here by Julian Johnsson.



It was inspired by the late 1950s black v-neck modeled by my Jaffatar™, so it has an impressive pedigree. I'm undecided though if it should be my first choice match shirt for the upcoming campaign.

By the way, did Bridges feature at all yesterday and if so how did he get on?

 

[Markleshark]

By the way, did Bridges feature at all yesterday and if so how did he get on?

He was on the bench but didn't come on. Lacking match fitness but it was a surprise that he didn't get half an hour at the end. Still looked a quality player in pre-season.

 

[és:]

Has anyone got the league code for the fantasy football league? I can't find the blinking thread.

 

[pachyderm]

A nice little welcome for us in our new division. By all accounts reading the Huddersfield fans site we really ought to have taken all three points. Next week Leicester, which is going to be a bit of a toughie methinks.

the terriers had a good preseason run...

i noticed that you guys share the nickname "Hatters" with Luton... are your bank books in arrears as well?

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Has anyone got the league code for the fantasy football league? I can't find the blinking thread.

Here's the thread, the link and code are in my opening post. I'm sure Dean Windass will be your first purchase as I know you're a big fan of his, he's a snip at only £5 million.

 

[és:]

Here's the thread, the link and code are in my opening post. I'm sure Dean Windass will be your first purchase as I know you're a big fan of his, he's a snip at only £5 million.

Top man, thanks for that link. I've just joined.

I was going to get Dean Windass in, but I didn't have enough in the budget to reinforce the bench and widen the team baths

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Ugh, I think I'm getting sick enough of United winning that I might start cheering on Chelsea.

Poor, poor, poor shots by the Portsmouth penalty takers. Such an anitclimax. Ending a game with penalties is LAME.

Especially disappointing after the good defensive display Portsmouth mustered to keep United at bay. Granted, Fletcher should have scored and James (man of the match IMO) made some spectacular saves, but Pompey met United's pace with good physicality.

United should have had a penalty when Hreidarsson pulled Tevez down in the box, but Tevez had a few dives before that so maybe some justice there. Overall, the better team won but with a wimper rather than a roar - missed penalties.

God, I hope United don't waltz though the league this year...I think Portsmouth played well and should look towards a good season, though Crouch was kept quiet - but then again against United opposing strikers don't spend a lot of time on the ball.

Frazier Campbell looked pretty sharp.

Can't wait for next week.

I was going to get Dean Windass in, but I didn't have enough in the budget to reinforce the bench and widen the team baths

I've got Torres, Crouch and Windass, which gives me a "big man, tall man, fat man" strike partnership.

 

[Queso]

i noticed that you guys share the nickname "Hatters" with Luton... are your bank books in arrears as well?

Not at all. We're Trust run, and have been operating at break-even for the past three years. Due to a rather complicated profit sharing arrangement with our ex-owners Cheshire Sport (who own some virtually unheard of egg-chasing outfit) it works out best if we never make a profit.

Which is great, because having sold Liam Dickinson to Derby County for £750k over the summer the club immediately had to go out and spend. So we brought in Carl Baker (there's a name for the future) and NI international Peter Thompson for up front, with enough change left over for two new 'keepers

BTW, has anyone seen the rumours about what's going on at Eastlands? The word on the street is that Man City is in dire financial trouble, possibly leading to them doing a Gretna before too long.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

BTW, has anyone seen the rumours about what's going on at Eastlands? The word on the street is that Man City is in dire financial trouble, possibly leading to them doing a Gretna before too long.

It's all rather murky. Thaksin Shinawatra has apparently broken the terms of his bail to flee to these shores, vowing never to return to his native Thailand. If I was a (Manchester) City supporter, I might just be feeling a bit worried at the moment about the situation my club has found itself in.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Shinawatra is scumbag, and the City supporters should be worried...it seems like the plug could be pulled any moment.

 

[Queso]

From what the fans on the City forums are suggesting Thaksin's takeover of the club was funded by a loan he now cannot afford the instalments on, since he was expecting his Thai assets to have been unfrozen several months ago.

Which means another member of the board had to dig into his pockets last month to pay the wages bill. There are rumours of two players (Ireland and Corluka) on their way out for seven figure sums to try and prop up the finances, although it's causing big ructions between the board and Hughes.

One to watch...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

It's a shame - after City's bright start to last season who'd have thought they'd be in this position?

I think their best bet is for Shinawatra to sell to someone with more stable finances.

 

[Queso]

I think their best bet is for Shinawatra to sell to someone with more stable finances.

Under the current economic situation is there anyone prepared to take on a £200m purchase with costs far exceeding income and whose employees are their only asset? If it really is the end for Shinawatra's ownership of the club, they're going to really struggle finding someone to replace him.

It's also now being reported that the other Premiership clubs are attempting to force the FA to envoke the fit and proper ownership rules and demand he sells. The FA have stated they are prepared to follow through on it too.

Dark times for City fans.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Under the current economic situation is there anyone prepared to take on a £200m purchase with costs far exceeding income and whose employees are their only asset?

Of course, with things the way they are at the moment a fire sale of the playing staff isn't too difficult to imagine – and if the prized assets are gone, the club is going to look like an even less attractive purchase.

It's not too difficult to imagine the downward spiral this could take...

 

[Queso]

Of course, with things the way they are at the moment a fire sale of the playing staff isn't too difficult to imagine – and if the prized assets are gone, the club is going to look like an even less attractive purchase.

It's not too difficult to imagine the downward spiral this could take...

Especially if it also results in a points deduction from the Premier League. My elephantine friend's mentioning of Luton Town certainly gives an idea as to what could be on the cards if this plays out as the rumours are suggesting it may.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

If a points deduction does occur, then that could potentially be to our benefit. But knowing first hand what it's like seeing your club teetering on the brink of financial oblivion, it's not something I'd wish on Manchester City's supporters.

This then takes us back to an earlier point – if a potential points deduction results in relegation, then that's them even deeper in the mire. A Premier League club in severe financial trouble might not seem like an attractive investment, but put that club in the Championship away from the lucrative top flight and you'd really struggle to sell.