Accrington Web - 2011 Prediction League; Game 9 Oxford Utd (away)

Oxford United

Accrington Stanley

2011 Prediction League – Game 10; v Oxford Utd (away)

In mid-May, Oxford manager Chris Wilder signed 24 year old ex Villa, Forest and Wycombe striker Jon-Paul Pittman; he said of him, “JP is a very positive player who has the ability to create and score goals. He has electric pace and gives us a balance to the squad. I am delighted to have beaten off stiff competition for his signature and he is definitely a signing that will excite the supporters” :D. On 12th September he was shipped out to Crawley on a 3 month loan ………….:confused:

Out, also, has gone striker Jack Midson, who joined in 2009 from Histon and was released, signing for AFC Wimbledon (for whom he scored yesterday); midfielder Sam Deering went to Barnet, and fellow midfielder Simon Clist has gone out on loan to Hereford (bet he’s regretting that! :)). In, on loan, came Jonathan Franks from Middlesbrough, who was injured before his debut and has gone back to Ayresome Park (or wherever the hell they play now :D), and Lewis Guy from MK Dons, whose loan hasn’t been extended :o; to replace them, they’ve just signed Andy Haworth, a 22 year-old winger from Bury, initially on a one-month loan.

Over the summer they also acquired some other well known names, including 35 year-old Michael Duberry, released by St Johnstone after a career which included Chelseas, Leeds and Stoke, Oldham striker Deane Smalley (22), who scored 12 in 39 for Chesterfield on loan last season, ex Cobblers defender/midfielder Liam Davis, and Tony Capaldi (29), a Northern Irish international left back whose clubs include Leeds and Plymouth and, most recently, Morecambe; he joined them in September 2010, and last played at the Globe in March, his career coming to a sudden halt, possibly because he Twittered criticism of their training, and called them “rubbish” ;) ……….. Potentially the most ‘fun’ signing is Gk Wayne Brown (34), who played for Chester, Bury, and – last season – SuperSport Utd in South Africa, where he apparently had “an error-ridden campaign” :D and left in April. Anyone know the Afrikaans for “Over ‘ere Son, on me ‘ead”? :)

They play Aldershot in the JPT 2nd Round (a bye getting them there), and lost in the Carling 3-1 at home to Cardiff. In the League they’re 7th, on 15 points from 9 games – 4 wins, 3 draws and two defeats; 12 scored, 9 conceded. At the Kassam Stadium, 3 draws – 1-1 against Aldershot and Bradford and 2-2 v Burton – and a 2-0 win over the Shrews; away, wins by 2-1 at Swindon, 1-0 over the Daggers and 2-0 over Barnet yesterday, with two defeats, 3-1 at Crewe and 1-0 at Rotherham. 13 goals in 10 games (including the Cup) – two goals four times, one goal 5 times and one blank; eight different goalscorers, with only Liam Davis (2) and midfielder Simon Heslop and striker James Constable (3 each) having more than one. Constable, despite his newly-signed three year contract, is apparently wanted by a BSP side, whose first offer was turned down…..……… Watch this space!

Last season we played out two goalless draws; make of that what you will …………… They’ll be without defender Jake Wright, sent off at Barnet yesterday; I think most of our red-carders are back now; lads? Can we all stay on the field, please? :o

The deadline for entries is, as ever, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3pm on Saturday 24th September. So; here’s one where the bragging rights are up for grabs! Big win? Thumping loss? 6-6 thriller? A goal for anyone? :) Certainly time for another Stanley win ........Your call …………… :p

Good luck to everyone ………… and thanks for playing!

:alright: