2020/21 Prediction League; Game 45 v Charlton Athletic (home)

Div3North · 28-04-2021, 22:17

Accrington Stanley

v

Charlton Athletic

2020/21 Prediction League Game 45; v Charle'on Affle'ic (home)

Don't know if I ever mentioned, but my mate's lad was hoping to make a career for himself in the Bundesliga; sadly, he's had repeated injuries which have forced him to retire ......... which is probably what you get if you play for Borussia Monchen-BadBack .........

So; Hull up, Grimsby down, Watford up, Championnat Playoffs are Brentford, Bournemouth, Swansea and Barnsley, GreasyPole is three from Derby, Rotherham, Sheff Wed and Les Garcons des Chaises; Ligue Un will see Rochdale (unbeaten in five) and the Cobblers - both on 44 from 44 - trapdoor with Swindon and Brizzle unless they can overhaul Wigan (48 from 44) and/or the Wombles (50 from 44); and Division 4 (as I like to remember it) has Cheltenham up, Cambridge realistically needing one point because of GD, and Bolton (if they get one win out of two games) as the third auto, with four from six (probably to include Morecambe and Tranmere) in the P/Os ..... Sarfend are mathematically still alive, but they need two wins from two, Scunthorpe or Colchester to lose twice, and then to turn round a GD of -30 plays -22 and -18 .......... PLUS they've only scored 26 in the League all season, which is 15 and 17 too few - so in reality they're Mort dans L'Eau as well .....

We've all read, or seen, or both, the "Final Day Miracle Escapes" from relegation ........ Luton winning 1-0 at Man City on the last day of the season (Raddi Antic, before you ask) and David Pleat's mad dance; Torquay, 1986/87, when Bryn the Police dog took a big chunk out of Torquay defender Jim McNichol's thigh, causing a four-minute delay which gave Torquay time to re-group and to equalise at Crewe (in the fourth minute of injury time), thus staying in the League .........

But two escapes stick in the mind - one for its impossibility, and one for what happened the season after;

Carlisle, 1998/99

“Jimmy Glass, get up there. You might as well for heavens’ sake,” was the message from the local radio commentator as Carlisle's Division Three home clash with Plywood in May 1999 went into the fourth minute of injury time. United needed a victory, otherwise they would be relegated. But with the scores locked at 1-1 even their on-loan goalkeeper reckoned they were doomed..... Then Carlisle were awarded a late corner; Glass “I just headed to where the action was,” trotted forward, and in the melee smashed the ball home from seven yards to give his team a 2-1 win, preserve their league status and make himself ever-so-slightly popular with the locals.

Leicester, 2014/15

Bottom of the league with 10 games to go and seven points adrift of safety, the future wasn't bright for Leicester. The Foxes had been without a victory for almost two-and-a-half months but set off on a stunning end-of-season run, winning seven of their last nine matches – including a final-day 5-1 smashing of QPR – to eventually finish a lofty 14th. In one of those matches, at fellow relegation battlers Burnley, the Clarets missed a penalty only to watch Jamie Vardy go up the other end to score the winner in a 1-0 smash-and-grab. Then 2015/16 happened.

And thus, your Starter for Ten; the same person was manager of both Carlisle (as caretaker) and Leicester during those "end of season to remember" periods ............ but who was he?

Charlton, it must be said, are better on the road than by their fireside; at home - W6 D7 L8 GF32 GA36; away, W12 D6 L4 GF33 GA18, for an overall P43 W18 D13 L12 GF65 GA54 for 67 points and 8th place; they play us at Fortress Wham on Saturday, and finish on Tuesday 4th and Sunday 9th May with home games against - you couldn't make this up - Lincoln and Promoted Hull ......... they won 3, drew 3 and lost 7 of their run of games up to the end of February, but they've semi-steadied the ship since with a run of 6 wins, 5 draws and one loss in their last 12 .......wonder if Nigel Adkins - current manager - is a (virtual) betting man? They sold five in the transfer window, including striker Omar Bogle to Donnie, and bought three - Danish CF Ronnie Schwartz from FC Midtjylland in Central Jutland, RW Diallang Jaiyesimi from Swindon and Scottish CMF Andrew Shinnie from The Hatters .... Leading scorer is Chuks Aneke with 13 (league), 14 in all

We went there on the Tele on 8th January, you'll remember - well, we didn't go there on the Tele, but when we got there we were on the Tele - and we Did Em 2-0 (both from El Bischoff von Wham) ........... in Covid Season 2019/20 we didn't play them (they were busy getting relegated from le Championnat, you'll recall), but the season before we managed a half-Desmond at home (equaliser by Clicker) and lost by the odd goal in one away .................

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 1st May ("Nuts!") .......... I'm looking forward to this game, because I haven't got to do two new thread openers next week!!!!!! And Chimer's asked me to remind those still in with a chance of winning the PL - being Outback Ozzy, Watchdog, Stanley Josh, AccyTom18, Cashman and Kiwi John (did you realise that if Kiwi had his own Wikipedia page you could look him up on KiwiWiki?) - that you six can, for the last two rounds - or until you can't win it any longer, which ever happens first - send your prediction to Chimer (before kick-off, of course) by sending him a PM, so that the Class Sneak can't look over your shoulder to see what you've put!

And the manager of Carlisle and Leicester was ................ Nigel Pearson!

Two to go ............ in't it exciting!!!!!!!!!!

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