2017/18 Prediction League; Game 4 v Notts County (away)

[Div3North]

Notts County

V

Accrington Stanley

2017/18 Prediction League; Game 4 v Notts Co (away)

I’m sure that we’re all disappointed that Omar Beckles, Shay McCartan and Matty Pearson have all moved on in the past few weeks; no-one could possibly criticise their decision to move – it’s a short career, and they’re entitled to make what they can of it, play at the highest level they can attain, and earn the best salary they can command, and I’m sure we all wish each of them the best of good fortune now and in the future ............. but isn’t it great to know that instead of being asset-stripped, or screwed by a transfer/move to Scotland, that the Stanley has (a) been paid £undisclosed, £undisclosed and £undisclosed respectively for those three players’ transfers, and (b) acquired other quality players to slot into their roles ........ and that’s due to A Holt Esq, and KingColey. If we’d held on to Omar for now he’d have gone next summer anyway, and £undisclosed would have been £zero; think of the decimation of the 2011 team, and all the others ............. Thanks, Boss!

County finished last season in 16th place, winning 16, drawing 8 and losing 22; their GD was -22, matched by Newport and beaten only by Leyton Orient’s -40; with 15 games played they were in the playoffs (6th), but 12 losses and just 4 points from the next 14 saw them hurtle to near-oblivion (22nd); then – winning 9 of their last 17 – they saved themselves, finally attaining lower-middle class respectability; only six teams scored fewer ...... we met at theirs on 10th September and we won 2-0 (O’Sullivan and Boco), and on 4th Feb at Fortress Wham we repeated our success (and the score), this time the goals coming from loanees Harvey Rodgers (Hull) and Noor Husin (Palace - on his debut) – the only goal he scored for us in the League; for the record, the season before that we drew 1-1 at their place (Crooks) and won 3-2 (Billy Whizz and Rommy B (x2)) at ours – so we haven’t lost to them since they came back down the Slippery Pole into the basement.

The summer saw 9 players depart the Banks of the Trent; four joined the dole queue (and presumably signed on for the Nash); four more went non-League – French CB Thierry Audel to Barrow, GK Scott Loach (didn't he make that film, "Kes"?) to (relegated) Hartlepool, winger Mark Yeates to Eastleigh, and Antigua and Barbados DM Luther Wildin to Nuneaton; the only player to stay in the League was striker Adam Campbell, who went to Morecambe (which is nearly the same as staying in the League, I suppose); they replaced them with a complete team’s-worth of New Boys, including winger Lewis Alessandra (Oldham, Morecambe, Rochdale and Hartlepool, and the only one who commanded a fee), three defenders (LB Daniel Jones from the Spireites, CB Shaun Brisley from Carlisle and RB Nicky Hunt from Leyton Orient via Mansfield), two GKs – one from Chelmsford City and one – Branislav Pindroch - from Czech First Division side Městský fotbalový klub Ostravsko-karvinské doly Karviná a.s. (“Give us an ‘M’, give us an ‘e with a funny hat on, give us a ...........” oh sod that – “Come on you Reds!”), plus striker Callum Saunders from Crewe and one or two more you won’t have heard of, and probably still won’t have this time next season .............finally – so far, anyway – they LoanSigned two from Notts Forest (in the old days they’d have been lynched for “crossing the town to play for the enemy”), they being RB Ryan Yates and CMF Jorge Grant who – despite the moniker – was actually born in Banbury and is also their leading scorer this season with one of their 3 goals against the Iron in the EFL Cup (they lost 6-5 on pens after a 3-3) and both goals in the 2-0 win over Chesterfield

At the moment (!) they’re 7th on 6 points (one defeat 3-0 at Coventry and a 4-2 win away at Wycombe, as well as the Spireites victory); they’re one place behind us on GD (+2 plays +1); and they’ve started their EFLTroffy campaign with a 2-1 win over Everton u21s, with Mansfield and Lincoln still to play ..............also in their 24-strong squad, by the way, are Jon Stead (aged 34 – I thought he was older than that), ex Leeds, Man U, Newcastle and England MF Alan Smith (36 – ditto), forward Jonathan Forte (31) and defender Nicky Hunt (33) – ditto ditto – and one Foluwashola Ameobi (35, and for several decades a Big Star at St James’s Park (Northern Branch)) ............also ditto - and with that lot around, the smell of Ralgex in the dressing room must be truly formidable!

In their time, they’ve survived being managed by Neil Warnock and Sam Allardyce (not at the same time); their record League win was 11-1 against Newport in 1949; their record Cup win was 15-0 against Rotherham Town in 1885 (I’m not sure that they’ve won a Cup game since then); their fastest goal was scored by one Barrie Jones against Torquay in 1962 – timed at 6 seconds;

• “Jones kicked the match off, tapping the ball to a teammate. He set off, running diagonally to the right, towards the centre of the 18 yard box. Bob Forrest had received the ball by now and he rolled it perfectly into Jones's path. The Torquay keeper was out to the edge of his box but he hit it under him with his first touch, helping the ball on from the direction of Forrest's pass.”

That isn’t the FL record, by the way; that’s held by “stockily built archetypal journeyman” Jim Fryatt (I remember him!), who played for ten different clubs in his 18 year career (four of them twice), and who’s the only player I’ve ever heard of who played for the Philadelphia Atoms, who scored for Bradford PA against Tranmere in April 1964 – according to the Referee – after four seconds ...........apparently most of the crowd thought it was nearer ten seconds, but The Referee’s Decision Is Final – Even If It’s Wrong! Fastest-ever goal in an International, if you’re interested, was by Lukas Podolski for Germany v Ecuador in 2013, also in six seconds; if you’re not interested, it was still scored by Lukas Podolski for Germany v Ecuador in 2013 ............... so there!

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 7.45pm on this FRIDAY (25th AUGUST). According to something I read on the internet, by the way, Notts County “pre-dated the Football Association” (yes, we knew that!), and “initially played a game of its own devising, rather than association football”. Isn’t it nice to know that some things never change ....................?

Good luck to everyone! ................ Keep the Faith! ............ And thanks for playing!

[DaveinGermany]

2-1 to the Stanley please D3N.

[Lord Stiffupperlip]

2-2 please

[cashman]

2-1 stanley

[Wynonie Harris]

5-1 to the Stanley please. Bouncebackability.

[Div3North]

Originally Posted by Div3North

• “Jones kicked the match off, tapping the ball to a teammate. He set off, running diagonally to the right, towards the centre of the 18 yard box. Bob Forrest had received the ball by now and he rolled it perfectly into Jones's path. The Torquay keeper was out to the edge of his box but he hit it under him with his first touch, helping the ball on from the direction of Forrest's pass.”

I'm still trying to work this out ............... If he (Mr Jones) kicked off (from the centre spot, as it has to be), and then ran "diagonally to the right", how could he finish up in "the centre of the 18 yard box" to have "hit it under him" (the Torquay GK)? He'd have been somewhere near the right hand corner flag, surely? ................... Or has the meaning of "diagonally" changed over the years?

Or was the report written by a well known local newspaper? Ar*e ...... elbow .......

[monkey hanger]

2-1 to county.

[Tommy McQueen]

Notts County 1 Stanley 2 please

[AccyMad]

Back to winning ways, I reckon 3 - 2 to Stanley

[LongLostSon]

Nc 0 as 2

[VALAIRIAN]

Originally Posted by div3north

notts county

v

accrington stanley

...... We met at theirs on 10th september and we won 2-0 (o’sullivan and boco), and on 4th feb at fortress wham we repeated our success (and the score), this time the goals coming from loanees harvey rodgers (hull) and noor husin (palace - on his debut) – the only goal he scored for us in the league; for the record, the season before that we drew 1-1 at their place (crooks) and won 3-2 (billy whizz and rommy b (x2)) at ours – so we haven’t lost to them since they came back down the slippery pole into the basement.

Good luck to everyone! ................ Keep the faith! ............ And thanks for playing!

Just so you are aware, it will all be your fault

[Div3North]

Originally Posted by VALAIRIAN

Just so you are aware, it will all be your fault

Joe - EVERYTHING is my fault! It's my role in life!

[DAV007]

3-0 to stanley

[andyd]

County 1-2 Stanley.

[accybeme]

Stanley 2 County 1 please
Div3 brilliant summary as usual, the time you spend on reviews is much appreciated