2019/20 Prediction League; Game 2 v Bury (home)

[Div3North]

No game, of course, and this isn't the full starter, but it's what I wrote a couple of weeks ago - first draft of the opening - and it rather grimly shows, perhaps, the highs and the Lowes (gerrit?) of footie

I really hope I can bump this thread and finish it off before an actual match kicks off between us and them ...………..

Accrington Stanley

V

Bury FC

2019/20 Prediction League; Game 2 v Bury (home)

After 5 games of last season, Bury were 19th with 4 points; they managed to reach 7th place twice (for one game each time), made the playoff places at the end of November after a 4-1 home whipping of Cheltenham, moved into the automatic spots on 5th January (1-0 at Yeovil), and never dropped out after that; for the last six games of the season they were 2nd, and that’s where they finished ............. away, they were ok/average - W8 D7 L8 GF30 GA30, but at home they were much better – W14 D6 L3, scoring 52 and conceding 26 ...................and they were the biggest scorers in League Two (they scored four goals six times and three goals seven times in the League), only Lincoln and the MK Dons even being in the low 70s of goals scored; defensively, nine teams conceded fewer, and two conceded the same ............ P46 W22 D13 L11 GF82 GA56 for 79 points and promotion back to League One after just one season since they’d slid down the Greasy Pole of Oblivion in Summer 2018 .................. Nicky Maynard hit 21, Jay O’Shea 16, Danny Mayor 9, Byron Moore and Dom Telford 7 each ............. Then the CVA really started to hit home, as it does if you can’t pay your bills.............................

Manager Ryan Lowe left for Plymouth; so far, FIFTEEN players have left during July, including Maynard to Mansfield, O’Shea (with Tom Aldred) to Brisbane Roar (managed by Robbie Fowler), and Danny Mayor, Byron Moore and Dom Telford (all to Plymouth with the Gaffer) – which (I’ll save you the maths) is 60 goals gone in a trice ............... three of the 15 went for £undisclosed, 12 on free transfers; and apart from two out of the Country and five (the three above plus Will Aimson and Callum McFadzean) to the Argyle (which is pretty much the same thing, but I bet the local Estate Agents were ecstatic) the other eight went one to the Championship, 3 to other League One clubs, and four to League Two .............. It goes without saying that they haven’t (reportedly) signed any replacements, except for the manager, who is ex Truro City boss Paul Wilkinson, who played more than 650 games as a forward in a career that saw him at Everton, Nottingham Forest, Watford, Middlesbrough and Barnsley, as well as winning four England Under-21 caps. Truro, if you’re interested, were relegated from the Bananarama South

Oh. My. Goodness.

Did I mention the 12 point deduction to start off this season? And having not a lot of players? And, if I'm right, a Transfer Embargo? Chris Dagnall, Harry Bunn, Jordan Archer (is he not in the Ashes Team as well?), Callum Booth and GK Harry Burgoyne I can trace, but the information isn’t up to date, so much is surmise. Whatever else, it doesn’t look a thrillingly good time to be a Shakers fan just now ................ William Hills have them 1/4 to go back down, with Bolton 6/5, and Wycombe and the Stanley at 3-1 for the GPOO (Greasy Pole ........); the Wombles are 7/2, and Gillingham, Shrewsbury, Tranmere, Rochdale and Sarfend are all 4-1 .................. PaddyPower have the favourites to win League 1 as The BlackMoggies (10/3), followed by Pipswich (6-1), Pompey (13-2), Rotherham (9-1), Posh (10-1), and Donnie, the Wimps and Burton all at 16s) .................. and no, we weren’t on that list .................

[VALAIRIAN]

I too hope you and your partner in crime will be a) putting more meat on the bones of this thread soon and b) dishing out the points after the result

Also, great to move out of bottom 4, when we have not played

[Lord Stiffupperlip]

Bury match postponed.
Atrocious weather, thunder, lightning, floods!
Somerset, wherefore art thou?

[AccyMad]

Don't think even Somerset can blame us for this postponement - then again . . . . . .