2021/22 Prediction League; Game 20 v Fleetwood Town (home)

Div3North · 03-12-2021, 00:46

Accrington Stanley

v

Fleetwood Town

2021/22 Prediction League Game 20; v Windsor Villa + 2 (home)

Interesting to read peoples' views of Coleman v Charles ....... now perceived as Coleman v Charles and Half the Dressing Room in some quarters, based on I know not what information or evidence ..... I know absolutely nothing about what's happened/happening, but logically either Charles refuses to play (which makes no sense, if he's training) or Coley refuses to play him - and why would he do that? Truth is that Charles is likely to be Accie History soon, and all the Mexican stand-off has achieved for him is that he isn't in the public eye for transfer purposes, and that he's lost his place in the NI squad (somewhat inevitably) - and maybe some managers/owners have written "Difficult?" against his name on their Index of Possible Recruits

What had been concerning me was the impact all this was visibly having on Coley week on week ....... he's said things in post match interviews that have surprised, but his body language was of a bloke close to walking away in some kind of despair, which I fervently hope he doesn't. However, the pre-match interview today on the subject of the Fleetwoof match was a much happier picture; perhaps all we need now is several players back, goals from all corners of the ground, thousands cheering fervently, and three points every game until - shall we say Easter? ...... no-one will tell us the whole story, nor should they, but the Club, the team, and especially Andy, Coley and the rest of the staff need the fans' backing more now than ever

So Come on You Reds!

And since everyone could do with a smile, I present, from the archives, an Up-Cheerer entitled "Nursery Rhymes for the 21st Century"

1. "Mary had a little lamb,
It backed into a pylon:
10.000 volts shot up its ar5e
And turned its wool to nylon"

or you may prefer:

2. "Jack and Jill went into town
To get some chips and sweeties
Now he can't keep his heart rate down
And she's got diabetes"

Going back to our last League game (1-0 at Lincoln, you may recall), the Match Report supplied to the BBC by PA Media damned us with faint praise:

"The best of the action from a truly dismal first half came after just four minutes when Stanley's Ethan Hamilton curled wide following a Sean NcConville's corner"

Don't care - we'll take the three points .......... Wonder if there are any jobs going writing insulting reports on games - I think I'd be good at that!

And I worked out that it took us 16 League games this season to score 20 League goals, noting that the Lionesses managed that many in one game against Latvia: does that make them 16 times better than us ............?

And more managers tumble and fall: Simon Grayson on 24th November at Fleetwood after 305 days (Stephen Crainey in interim charge); Keith Curle on the same date at Oldham (269 days); Slavisa Jokanovic from the Blades on 25th November after 189 days (Paul Heckingbottom back in the hot seat he vacated in May); and today - flagged by Mrs Mad - hello, Mrs Mad - Richie Wellens from Donnie after 199 days ........... newly in (and likely next out) were Paul Tisdale at Stevenage on Monday gone, and ex Middlesbrough u23s manager Graeme Lee at Hartlepool on Wednesday (he having played for Hartlepool, the Owls, Bratfud, Darlo, and the Long-Nosed Pointy Things on loan)

And did you see the Belenenses v Benfica game reported? Covid left the home side with a total of nine fit men (including two GKs) to start the match, and by half time they were 7-0 down ............ only seven of the nine Belenenses players started the second half (no reason given, but I can guess!), and an injury to another of their side (Joao Monteiro) in the first minute of the second half brought the game to a juddering halt - marked "Abandoned - too few players"; the League and/or the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health apparently could have stopped the game in advance, but neither did, and there've been some fairly caustic words exchanged!

And RIP to both John Sillett, ex-Coventry manager, and to Ray Kennedy, who hit 71 goals in 212 games for Arsenal, 72 in 393 for Liverpool, and 3 in 17 for England, and who passed away aged 70, having fought Parkinson's Disease for many many years ......... we'll remember them both for their enormous contributions to English Football

And this week's Starter for Ten: Ray Kennedy played for both Swansea and Hartlepool after leaving Anfield in 1982, but effectively finished his career with a short spell in the sunshine as player manager of ............... who?

And what is the reference to "Windsor Villa + 2" in the titles above?

Four entities over the years; promotion from the Bananarama in 2011/12 with 102 goals and 103 points (five more than Wrexham, and 20 more than York, who won the playoffs); an average first season in the League, finishing 13th (we were 18th), and a very good 2013/14, finishing 4th with 76 points, behind Chesterfield, Scunthorpe and Rochdale; in the Play offs they beat York 1-0, and in the final they despatched Burton by the same score ...... they joined League One for the 2014/15 season, and have been there now for 8 seasons, finishing 4th in 2016/17 and 6th three years later, but otherwise never higher than 10th ............. last season they finished 15th (we were 11th) ....

18 players left in the summer, including four (CMF Paul Coutts, fellow CMF Sam Finlay, striker Harvey Saunders and Irish DMF Glenn Whelan) who followed Joey Boy to Brizzle (how's the trial coming on, Joe?) .......... MF Wes Burns went to Ipswich (didn't everyone?), RMF Mark Duffy joined Tranmere, DMF Nathan Sheron went to Harrogate, CB Josh Feeney went to Villa, one J Coleman (GK) signed for Rochdale, and Lawrence Smith went to Runcorn Linnets ........... eleven put pen to paper, best known being Brad Halliday, signed from Donnie, ex PNE striker Joe Garner, from Apoel Nicosia, Paddy Lane (I know his sister, Penny) from Hyde Utd ..... three loans in, including Callum Johnson, who seems to be out of favour at Pompey despite having played 41 games last season........

They aren't having a great season (nor are we, but it's better than theirs); P18 W3 D6 L9 GF30 GA34 for 15 points and 22nd place, four points from safety .... wins at home against Cheltenham 3-2 and Crewe 3-0, and away at Rotherham 4-2 .......... one win in their last 12, 5 points from the last 27, out of the EFL Cup 2-1 at Stoke, and out of the FA Cup 2-1 at home to Burton .........We took four points off them last season (1-0 at home, goal by Dion Charles, and 1-1 away - goal by Adam Phillips). Head to head against us (not counting three games in the FL Troffy, all of which we've won) is 3 wins to us, two draws, and four wins to them ........

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 4th December (soon be Christmas!) ......... I still remember Fatso Parkin's hat trick against us in March 2013 (25, 62 and 70), when our GK was Paul Rachubka and our forward line was James Beattie and Francis Jeffers!

And Ray Kennedy left Victoria Park in summer 1984 to take up the position as player-manager of Cypriot side Pezoporikos Club Larnaca. Sadly, he became increasingly unable to play the game due to his body's physical decline, and after a poor start to the 1984–85 season he returned to England in December against the board's wishes and handed in his resignation the following month, to allow him to run the Melton Constable public house in Seaton Sluice, Whitley Bay. In January 1985, he joined Northern League side Ashington, managed by former teammate Colin Todd, but could only manage six appearances due to his worsening Parkinson's disease. And the mention in the heading to "Windsor Villa +2" refers to the second of Fleetwood's four entities ("Fleetwood Windsor Villa") ......they've also had Fleetwood Freeport and Fleetwood Wanderers ........... and they once had Frank Swift in goal, back in the 1930s

So there it is; Christmas Boxes all round, thank you Santa .................

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

COYR!

DaveinGermany · 03-12-2021, 05:24

2-1 to the Stanley please D3N.

Useless claim to fame, I met Ray Kennedy when he was a Liverpool player, used to live near us & was the opener & prize giverouter at Summerhill junior school ""Summer Fete", many moons ago when I were a nipper.