2015/16 Prediction League; Game 2 v Notts County (away)

[Div3North]

Notts County

V

Accrington Stanley

Prediction League 2015/6; Game 4 v Notts County (away)


The Magpies are – but you know this – the oldest team in the world currently playing professional football ; they were formed on 28th November 1862, so will soon celebrate their 153rd birthday – and Happy Birthday to Them! They’re actually so old that they pre-date the Football Association, and initially, it’s said, they played a game of their own devising, rather than association football; I’ve got to say that we’ve been doing that for years ……………………

Initially they played at Park Hollow in the grounds of the old Nottingham Castle; later on they moved to Trent Bridge Cricket Ground , moonlighting (when the Ashes were on at Trent Bridge) by playing at the Castle Ground, or Notts rivals Forest’s Town Ground; they were founder members of the Football League in 1888, finishing their first season 11th (Stoke were the wooden-spoon winners)

Maybe, though, you don’t know how many games – as at the end of last season – they’re said to have played? The answer, apparently - if you trust the stats - is 4,802 ; the next in line are PNE (4776), Burnley (4744) and Wolves (4716). Of their 4,802 games they’ve won 1,754, scoring 6,816 goals (but conceding 6,998 ) ………..They’ve also moved between the Divisions more times than any other Club, having 13 promotions (but 16 relegations ); their last promotion was at the end of 2009/10, when they won League 2, with Bournemouth 2nd, us 15th, and Grimsby and Darlington falling through the trapdoor; their last relegation was at the end of last season, when they rejoined the Basement-dwellers via 21st place, and for the record, their last sojourn in the top flight was the old First Division in 1991/2 ……………

Famous Managers? Well, they’ve nearly all been there at some time or other; Howard Wilkinson, Neil Warnock, Howard Kendall, Sam Allardyce and – blast from the past – Glasgow-born Jimmy Sirrel , who played, between 1946 and 1957, for Celtic, Bradford PA, Brighton and Aldershot as an inside-forward (“Dad, what’s an inside forward? Is he like an outside forward who won’t go outside? Dad? Dad!” ) before managing Brentford, Sheff Utd, and Notts County (three times – 1969-75, 77-82, and 85-87); Neil W arrived in 1988, having seen Scarborough into the League from the Conference , and got the Magpies promoted and then relegated; at the end of the season when they went down (91/92, in 21st place, sandwiched between West Ham and Luton and with 40 points from 42 games) the structure changed, and the First Division became the Premier League ………….. so the old Second Division became the new First Division …………..making that the first time that a team had ever been relegated from the First Division to the First Division

In October 2009 they appointed as manager one Hans Backe – erstwhile assistant to Sven Goran KeepemZipped Eriksson at Man City; he lasted 7 weeks (winning two of seven in the League) before he resigned over (allegedly) unpaid wages; can’t see that happening at the Etihad now, I think. Anyway, it didn’t do him any great harm, because he went on to manage the New York Red Bulls, and on 1st January (after they’ve failed to qualify for Euro 2016, so that it won’t be his fault ) he takes over as manager of “The Eagle Owls” ……………….aka Finland!

Current boss is Dutchman Ricardo Moniz, appointed on 7th April 2015, leaving him enough time left to get them relegated ………….. this season started well, with an 8-0 win over Arnold Town, followed by a 9-0 win at Rolls Royce Leisure; the season proper started with a 2-0 defeat of Teddy Sheringham’s Stevenage Town and a 2-1 win in the CapOne Cup against Huddersfield (both away), which give them Aston Villa away in Round Two (they’ve got Mansfield at home in the PaintyThingyCup). Then the wheels came off a bit ; a 2-0 defeat by said Mansfield at home was followed on Tuesday by a 3-1 defeat at Oxford, losing from a winning position; Ricky the Dutchman wasn’t a Happy Bunny; describing himself as “ashamed”, he said, of that defeat

• “It is the biggest disappointment since I have been here. I have no words for this” ………………which wasn’t true , because he then went on to say

• “I am responsible for this but the defence has to be responsible, and we all have to be responsible ourselves. It is a big shame”

Ah, right ………….got it now! He is responsible - but he isn't!

Among those who went in the summer were ex West Ham, Palace, Pompey and Brum MF Hayden Mullins (now36), and former Burton striker Shaun Harrad; Ricky the Dutch brought in, believe it or not, eighteen (19 if you count England GK Siobhan Chamberlain from Arsenal Ladies, signed - I;m told - to make the post-match bath more interesting ) from all quarters of the globe; GK Scott Loach from Rotherham; forwards Graham Burke, Kyle de Silva and Adam Campbell from Villa, Palace and Newcastle; LB Rhys Sharpe, RB Wes Atkinson and CB Scott Bennett from Derby, the Baggies and Exeter; Nearly-Man striker Jon Stead, from Huddersfield via Blackburn, Sunderland, Sheff Utd, Ipswich and Bristol City; def Thierry Audel from Pisa, via Macclesfield and Crewe; one-time Feyenoord and Excelsior CB Civard Sprockel, born in Curacao (the place, not the drink ) and most recently with Othellos Athenieu of Cyprus; forward Filip Valencic from Monza; Dutch winger Julien Jenner from Diosgyori (Hungary), from which country they also signed Belgian CMF Stanley Aborah, who left Ferencvaros (Puskas Land, I seem to recall) for the delights of the River Trent; finally, Togo international Mawouna Amevor left Go-Ahead Eagles (lot of Eagles around this week, aren’t there?), and Belgian international Gill Swerts signed on from NAC Breda ……………That’s a hell of a scouting network he’s got, has Dutch Ricky!

If you set aside last season’s FA Cup win over them (2-1 at home, after a 0-0 away, with goals from Joyce and Carver – and by the way, George Bowerman scored both Altrincham’s goals in a 2-1 win on Tuesday), and don’t count the 4-1 defeat at the same stage of the same competition in 2011/12, our record since 2006 is pants; P8 W1 D2 L5 F7 A14 ……….in 2006/7 we lost 2-1 at home and 3-2 away; in 07/08 it was 0-2 at home and 0-1 away; in 08/09 we got two x 1-1; and in their promotion season (09/10) we lost 3-0 at home and WON by the odd goal in three away. Need to do better. See me!

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm this Saturday, 22nd August; seven bookings for Mansfield gets them – I think – a fine , so they’ll be upset; Ricky Baby is already upset; and ashamed; and responsible for the debacle; and not responsible ; we’re upset because we’ve only beaten them once in the League …………but we’re on the up (P3 Pts4) and the Old Boys aren’t (P3 L2 Pts3) ………and we’re only three points off the playoff places …………..So there!

Good luck to everyone! ……….. Keep the Faith! ………. Keep taking the Tablets (Wynonie)! …………….. And thanks for playing!

[Div3North]

No matter how many times I proof-read these, I always miss something!

GAME 4! Not Game 2 - it's GAME 4

Botheration! In fact, oh Pooh!

[AccyMad]

2 - 1 to Stanley for me please, Matt Crooks to score a worldy for the winner ��

[VamboOssy]

1-1 please

[cashman]

2-1 stanley fer me.

[Outback Ozzy]

I will be happy with a draw. 1-1 for me please. PS, I am off on Monday on my world travels so Season Ticket comes into effect for next couple of weeks, thanks

[monkey hanger]

2-1 to notts county. a couple of dodgy results for them we might get a backlash.

[Red-Osbornello]

2-2 please D3N.

[VALAIRIAN]

Originally Posted by Div3North

No matter how many times I proof-read these, I always miss something!

GAME 4! Not Game 2 - it's GAME 4

Botheration! In fact, oh Pooh!

But it is game 2 AWAY

[Wynonie Harris]

5-2 to the Stanley. My voices have told me t'will be thus.

[deeayess]

2 1 Stanley please

[Mysteron]

Notts Co 1 Stanley Boys 2

[Stevie R]

2-0 to Notts County please

[Chimer]

Default Desmond away forecast: 2-2

[DaveinGermany]

2-0 to the Stanley please D3N.