2012 Prediction League; game 3 v Exeter City (home)

[Div3North]

Accrington Stanley

V

Exeter City

2012/13 Prediction League – Game 3; v Exeter (home)

28, 29 (three times), 30 (twice), 33, 34 and 36 …..No, not this week’s lottery numbers; actually, they’re the ages of Exeter’s summer signings …..well, all but one of them; average 30 years 10 months …..Who said “you’ll win nothing with kids”?

The Grecians went out of the League and into the Conference (after 83 years) at the end of 2002/3 – relegated in 23rd (not last) place – the first team that had ever happened to. All sorts happened to them over the next 5 years – two of their Directors at the time of relegation were subsequently convicted of fraudulent trading (John Russell going to prison), they went into administration, they were in real debt problems (reported as ‘several millions’) – eventually being saved by many of their fans pledging money, collections, and, ultimately, being drawn against Man U in the FA Cup (the away draw at the Theatre of Dreams (make that Miracles) earned them a little over £653,000 as their share of the gate) and with that, and the TV money for the replay (which sadly they lost), and other monies saved, earned or collected, they paid off their CVA ….. Manager Paul Tisdale joined in 2006, they lost the Playoff Final (to Morecambe, 2-1) in 2006/7, and got back into the league by winning the following year’s Playoffs 1-0 against Cambridge Utd. Sod’s Law operated, of course, and they went straight up to League 1 at the end of the 2008/9 season (behind Brentford), Richard Logan getting them their winner at Rotherham which put them up. Season 2009/10 was their 45th in the third tier of English League football; two OK seasons were followed, though, by last year’s debacle, when they came back down in 23rd place (again! - not a happy number for them), above Rochdale, and with a season-long record which read P46 W10 D12 L24 F46 A75 for 42 points; they weren’t hitting the net often enough – twice they got 4 (including a 4-4 draw at the Blades), four times they got 3, but 22 times they got nil ………. Sounds like Team England at the Eurovision Song Contest ……….

“Old Boys” include Cliff Bastin (of Arsenal fame), Maurice Setters (remember him, those of my generation?) of Man U fame, and one David Pleat, who scored 14 times between 1968 and 1970 (once every two months, broadly); famous Directors include Uri Geller, and (apparently) the late Michael Jackson (in an honorary capacity). There are multiple explanations why they’re known as “The Grecians” (see Wikipedia), all of which sound like rubbish ……… They were among the Third Division’s founder members, and their record FA Cup win (in 1908) was 14-0 over Weymouth, ‘Daisy’ Bell scoring six ……. You want trivia, I’ll give you trivia ………………….

Out, over the summer, went GK Lenny Pidgeley; CB Richard Duffy (to Port Vale); defender Troy Archibald-Henville (who has his shirts made specially big so that his full name can fit on the back ) went to Swindon; former Saints winger Calum McNish was released; left back Billy Jones (29 - ex Leyton Orient and Crewe) joined Cheltenham; skipper and MF David Noble (30), previously with Arsenal, West Ham, Boston Utd (where he played under manager Steve Evans ) and Bristol City signed for Rotherham – as did Man U and Barnsley old boy Daniel Nardiello (29); and Richard Logan (30) – ex Tractor Boy, who signed in 2007 from Weymouth, and has a record of 48 goals in 215 games at St James’ Park went to Wycombe. Nardiello, by the way, was last season’s top scorer with 11, and Logan was third highest (with 6)

Nine “oldsters” came in (combined age 278 years and some months ); the youngest was Arron Davies (28), a MF who arrived via Southampton, Yeovil and the Cobblers; centre-back Pat Baldwin (29), a stalwart of the Colchester defence for over ten years, arrived after one year at Roots Hall; defender Craig Woodman (29) came in from Brentford; Alan Gow, an “attacker” (what a lovely old description – it’s a bit like “inside right” …… ) also aged 29, with Rangers, Hibs, Motherwell and Notts County on his CV, arrived on loan last March and signed full time in the summer; his last club was Indian League side East Bengal (where he didn’t open the batting with Kevin Pietersen) ………. GK Rhys Evans (30), ex Bradford City and Swindon, came in from Staines Town; former Coleydale defender Kevin Amankwaah (30) signed up, as did Northern Ireland international MF Tommy Doherty (33), who spent most of his career at Bristol City, but who spent last year at Newport County and – for one game only – Bath City (give ‘em hell, Kurtis! ); second most senior was ex Foxes MF Matt Oakley (34), who played for Exeter on loan last season; King of the Oldies was striker Jamie Cureton (36), whose record is 212 goals in 625 games; he’s back at St James Park for a second spell, having played for 13 different sides, including the Pirates, Reading, QPR, Colchester, Norwich and Busan I’Park in the K League …….Anyone know the Korean for “Over ‘ere, son, on me ‘ead”? They also gave contracts to 6 of last year’s youth players, and today they signed ex Leicester City Welsh u21 striker Elliott Chamberlain (20), who played part of last season at Stockport and part at Telford; his wages will be met by payments from a group of 60 Grecians fans, the fourth year that they’ve funded a player in this way ………Respect; these are people who really love their club …………

We played them, of course, during season 2008/9, losing 2-1 away - Jamie Clarke getting our goal (whatever happened to him? Whoever cares? ) - but we won the return by the same score, with goals from John Miles (“a great John Miles strike” …………….. yeah, right!) and Craig Lindfield; all to play for, then ………….

Their season started with a home loss in the Milk Cup (or whatever it’s called now), 2-1 to Crystal Palace; John O’Flynn put them ahead after 2 mins, but a disputed penalty (manager Paul Tisdale “wants the handball rule clarifying”, apparently; it hits your arm in the penalty area, it’s a penalty Paul – get over it …. ), and a second just before half time, did for them, allowing them to concentrate on the League ……….which they conspicuously didn’t do on Saturday, losing 3-0 at home to Morecambe; six of their ‘new Oldies’ started, but conceding three in 32 minutes isn’t a great way to begin your season, and when the first comes from a poor pass across your own penalty area (buried by Andrew Fleming) and the other two involve lobbing your keeper (who’s gone walkies) – one from 30+ yards and one from the edge of the area – you know you’re in trouble . Mr Tisdale had an interesting spin on it, though; he said;

• · "I thought our first half an hour was very proper and solid, I'm disappointed with our second half performance"

After half an hour – give or take a couple of minutes – they were 3-0 down; “very proper and solid”? I think it must be me ……………………Tonight, though, was different again; two goals from Jamie Cureton after 14 and 73 were enough to see off Aldershot 2-1; Exeter now lie 13th – P2 W1 L1 F2 A4 Pts3; we lie 3rd – P2 W2 D0 L0 F3 A0 Pts 6 ………………..If I were you, I’d cut and paste the current league table to your bedroom wall ……………………

As always the deadline for entries is scheduled kick-off time, which is 3pm on Saturday 25th August. Exeter stumbled on Saturday, we didn’t; we won well tonight, and by the look of it, so did they. There aren’t any easy games in League 2 – the season’s two games in, and only three teams have 6 points and only one team has nil. And who’s in the automatic promotion spots? WE ARE! It makes Cashy and Wynonie’s ten quid at 100-1 look inspired …………What d’you reckon for Saturday Wyn? 7-2? 5-0? 100-1?

Good luck to everyone …… keep the faith…… and thanks for playing!

[cashman]

3-0 to stanley, keep the faith.

[smobile]

Another 2-0 for me please. Stanley that is.

[Tom D]

1-0 to stanley please

[Redash]

2-1 for The Stanley, please.

[smudgie]

Surely we cant make it 3 wins out of 3???

Sod it

Accrington Stanley 2-1 Exeter City

[jaysay]

2-0 to Stanley please

[LongLostSon]

Stanley 1 Exeter 1

[AccyMad]

Don't want to get too carried away, it's early days & all that - oh b*gger it, bring 'em on!
4 - 1 to Stanley please

[deeayess]

2 1 stanley please

[Mysteron]

Keeping the faith after this fabulous start so its Stanley Boys 2 - Exeter 1

[yerself]

Accrington Stanley 2 - 0 Exeter City, please.

Can't wait for Wynonie's prediction after the first 2 games of the season.

[Wynonie Harris]

Surprisingly enough, I'm sticking to a modest 1-0 win for the Stanley. The big number scores will come later in the season...at least that's what the voices say.

[DaveinGermany]

Seeing as the lads are doing it in increments of ones 1-0, 2-0, surely the next un' must be 3-0 to the Stanley please D3N.

[Div3North]

Ack 94V's prediction is Stanley 2 Exeter 1