Accrington Web - 2023-24 Prediction League; Game 7 v Mansfield Town (home)

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Mansfield Town

2023-24 Prediction League Game 7 v Mansfield Wesleyans (home)

Just as an aside; name the defender whom Mansfield signed from a Scottish PL side (now managed by Malky Mackay) who used to play for us?

And on a more formal Starter for Ten basis; has any English FL side ever won a League title having been top of that League from the first game of the season to the last? And if so, which team was it, and when?

And – not before time, you might think - the Spanish FA has got rid of their ladies’ international manager Jorge Vilda; now for Senor Rubiales ….... I don’t know who’s seen the video of the incident which he claims was consensual, but my idea of “consensual” doesn’t involve him having his hand on the back of her head and pulling her towards him; consensual hug maybe, but if the kiss was consensual, I’m the King of Spain …................ Ola!

After last week’s Disappointment in Nottingham, this week we meet the team from just up the road in Mansfield, who haven’t lost any game yet this season (so it appears) …. just sayin’

Mansfield is a market town, and the second largest settlement in Nottinghamshire after the city of Nottingham itself; in fact, I think it’s likely to be the only other settlement in Nottinghamshire, aside from Nottingham itself). It gained the Royal Charter of a market town in 1227, and lies in the Maun Valley, 12 miles north of Nottingham. Its population at the 2021 census was 110,00 give or take a few, according to the Office for National Statistics, and it’s the one local authority in Nottinghamshire with a publicly elected mayor.

The origins of its name are in dispute ; there are three schools of thought; either the name was given to the noble family of Mansfield who came over with William the Conqueror, or the name came from “manson”, an Anglo Saxon word for traffic and a field meaning “a place of trade”, or it was named after the River Maun which runs through Mansfield, the town being built around the river. The Domesday Book (1086) recorded the settlement as "Mammesfeld" and market-petition documents of 1227 spelled it "Maunnesfeld" .. King Richard II (aka “Dickie Two-Stroke") signed a warrant in November 1377 to grant tenants the right to hold a four-day fair each year; the spelling had changed by then to "Mannesfeld".

At one time Mansfield was involved in the brewing industry, and in the 1980s Mansfield Bitter ran adverts with a photograph of then US President Ronald Reagan and the tagline: "He might be president of the most powerful nation on earth... but he's never had a pint of Mansfield." A similar 1989 advert "He might be the life and soul of the Party...But he's never had a pint of Mansfield." featured Mikhail Gorbachev, then president of the Soviet Union. Bet they didn’t pay either of them image rights!

Although Mansfield itself doesn’t show signs of coal mining, many areas near the town still do. Coal mining was the main industry of the area for most of the 20th century. A violent episode in the UK miners' strike (1984–1985) occurred in Mansfield on May Day 1984: most of the area's miners had voted against a strike, but the local union initially maintained that the strike was official to show solidarity with strikers in other areas. When the coal board granted an extra day of leave after the bank holiday, a group of working miners confronted union officials and violence broke out with striking miners. Mansfield later hosted a breakaway union, the Union of Democratic Mineworkers, which recruited many who had opposed the 1984–1985 strike. Its President was one Neil Greatrex, described as “an English miner, trade unionist, fraudster and President of the UDM”, who ended up in prison serving four years for of stealing almost £150,000 from a fund intended to help sick miners. Greatrex, it was said, abused his position as a trustee of the fund by paying for work on his own home. The UDM General Secretary was acquitted …

Second Starter for Ten, then: I recently came across an old list headed “Football League Clubs’ nicknames” …......... so who were “The Oystermen”, “The Paraders”, “The Glaziers” and “The Biscuitmen? And if it helps you – but it won’t - they’re all current EFL teams …...

The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and joined the Mansfield & District Amateur League in 1902, before changing its name to Mansfield Wesley and joining the Notts & District League in 1906. They finally became Mansfield Town in 1910 and played in various local leagues before they were admitted to the Football League in 1931. They were up and down the divisions like a whore’s drawers until they lost their Football League status in 2008 (alongside Wrexham). They spent five seasons in the Bananarama, being promoted back to the Football League after topping the Conference in 2012–13, winning 30 of their 46 games, scoring 92 and earning 95 points (they were joined by Newport, who put Grimsby and then Wrexham to the Playoff Sword …............ and I suppose mentioning them beating Grimsby will start Valairian off again about “fishy” ….......... I haven’t been so insulted since the last time ….............

Famous ex managers include Charlie Mitten, Raich Carter, Billy Bingham, Mick Jones, lots of others you’ve never heard of, and, currently, Nigel Clough …......... they won the Fourth Division in 1974/75 and the Third Division in 1976/77; their record win was 9-2 against Rotherham in 1932, and their biggest loss (outside of their League status in 2008) was 8-1 against Walsall – and the 8-1 defeat followed just 3 weeks after the 9-2 win …... such was footie in the thirties (so I’m told)

They finished last season in 8th place on 75 points, behind Salford Moneybags on GD (+18 to +17), which might well not have happened if they hadn’t lost at home 2-1 twice in five days at the end of April (Leyton Orient and Harrogate) …. they lost to the Owls 2-1 away in the FA Cup (a good Owl will always defeat a good Stag, in my experience), departed the EFL Cup 2-1 to the Rams (a good Ram will always defeat a good Stag etc etc), and left the Trophy in the Second Round, 2-1 at Everton u21s …..... all of which suggests that 2-1 might not be their favourite score ............ three left in the summer (CF Danny Johnson to Walsall, LB Kieran Wallace to Hartlepool, and striker Jimmy Knowles to nobody (although he’s now with Boston – United, not Red Sox) …..... they signed two RBs, two CBs and a LB, GK Christy Pym from the Posh, and striker Will Swan from Sherwood Forest – sorry, Nottingham Forest …......... they’ve beaten Morecambe 3-0 and Stockport 3-2 at home, plus a goalless Desmond against Bratfud, and they’ve drawn Tutu at Crewe, Tutu at Donnie, and Tu (a half Desmond) at Grimsby (which will likely start Valairian off again) ............ P6 W2 D4 L0 GF11 GA7 Pts 10, for 7th place – one ahead of us on GD …........ there are five teams on 10 points, including Morecambe (below us on GD); they’re in Round 3 of the EFL Cup, having beaten Grimsby et Les Wols, and have Burton, Donnie and Everton Reception Class in the Trophy …

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 9th September …....in the Head-to-Head we’ve lost to them twice in Cup competitions, but in the League, since 2006, we’ve drawn 4 and won 10, losing none …........ which is a run we should aim to continue, me’thinks …........... And you’ll have got the ex-Stanley player that they signed from Ross County as being Callum Johnson ….... And no top-flight English team has ever won the First Division/Premier League having topped the pile all season long, but in Division Two in 1919/20 Spurs achieved that feat, starting off with a 5-0 win at Coventry and eventually beating Huddersfield to the title by six points ...

And “The Oystermen” were apparently Colchester Utd (oyster beds), “The Paraders” were Bradford City (Valley Parade), “The Glaziers” were Crystal Palace (the 1851 building for the Great Exhibition erected in Hyde Park out of cast iron and plate glass), and “The Biscuitmen” were Reading (after Huntley and Palmers’ “Reading Biscuit Company” ) …...... and by the way, you should only eat wild oysters when there’s an “r” in the month – September to April, although you can cheat in Mary, Juner, Jurly and Augrust if you don’t mind a nasty bout of food-poisoning …..... or so the legend claims! ….. which is about like only having sex on a day which has an “r” in it;

“What day is it today?”
“Mondray”

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

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