Football

[75A]

Just been reading about the delays in the building work @ Liverpool's Anfield Road End, meaning that it wont be fully open until some when in 2024. I'm now expecting the German to start whinging like he normally does about how unfair it all is and how the worlds against them.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

The reason teams like Dover use trains for away games like Barrow is to avoid the cost of overnight stays. The total entourage will be about 30 people, so it gets expensive quickly

In March 2005, Barrow vs Bradford was delayed due to the M6 being closed, forcing traffic to divert through Lancaster. This affected both sides as a lot of Barrow players didn't live locally. The game didn't kick off until 2110. Both clubs were commended by the Conference for getting the game on.

This was the only time I have set off for a game by road and failed to get there due to traffic congestion. I eventually gave up and diverted to Rochdale vs Grimsby instead. Had I known that the kick off at Holker Street wasn't going to be till after 2100, I might have made it. But a 125 mile drive back to Ellesmere Port at 2315 wouldn't have been a sensible idea.

 

[75A]

What an enjoyable match - Austria 2 Belgium 3 in Vienna

Belgium were 3 up inside the hour and Roma (Chelsea's) Lukaku was majestic.
Austria pulled 1 back and the game changed, they got a VAR penalty and then a Belgian was sent off for 2 yellow cars, meaning the last 15 minutes was an edge of the seat job. the result means Belgium qualify.

Why was i watching it in the first place?

Easy, I couldn't face watching England, so went through the menu and found it on Viaplay., they also had the Netherlands V France.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

....... a Belgian was sent off for 2 yellow cars

Was he successful in getting these vehicles? Sounds like he was a supporter of Andy Burnham's Bee Network in Manchester, where yellow is the favoured colour for all forms of transport....

 

[156421]

What an enjoyable match - Austria 2 Belgium 3 in Vienna

Belgium were 3 up inside the hour and Roma (Chelsea's) Lukaku was majestic.
Austria pulled 1 back and the game changed, they got a VAR penalty and then a Belgian was sent off for 2 yellow cars, meaning the last 15 minutes was an edge of the seat job. the result means Belgium qualify.

Why was i watching it in the first place?

Easy, I couldn't face watching England, so went through the menu and found it on Viaplay., they also had the Netherlands V France.

You didn't miss much in the England game. They won, but a pretty poor game all things considered, especially the travel for Australia team. Perhaps friendlies in future should be with closer nations, or not happen at all.

 

[75A]

I thought I'd made a good call, I'll give the Italy game a look on Tuesday but might live to regret it.

Now looking forward to the rugby tomorrow night.

 

[Haywain]

especially the travel for Australia team.

Really? Their next match is on Tuesday at Brentford. Most, if not all, of their players will be based in Europe so this is more sensible, and less travel, than playing 'at home'.

 

[156421]

Really? Their next match is on Tuesday at Brentford. Most, if not all, of their players will be based in Europe so this is more sensible, and less travel, than playing 'at home'.

I was unaware of the squad being so eurocentric. Perhaps raises questions of the quality of the domestic game in the "A-League". I've also often wondered why they defected from OFC to AFC. That said as I advance in years I increasingly learn to stop questioning things as there is little logic in modern day life, and over-thinking this sort of stuff is highly conducive to losing the plot!

 

[75A]

Are you serious?
Is the Australia / New Zealand game really in south west London, who'd of thought.

 

[JamesT]

I was unaware of the squad being so eurocentric. Perhaps raises questions of the quality of the domestic game in the "A-League". I've also often wondered why they defected from OFC to AFC. That said as I advance in years I increasingly learn to stop questioning things as there is little logic in modern day life, and over-thinking this sort of stuff is highly conducive to losing the plot!

The quality of opposition in AFC is somewhat higher. The current top OFC team is New Zealand, ranked 104 in the world. There are 19 AFC teams ranked higher than that (out of 46).
The Australians made the reasonable decision that the only way to improve was to regularly play better teams.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Northern Premier League - Premier Division

Bradford (Park Avenue) 0 ... Hyde United 3

It looked to be a goal-less first half until Hyde scored in the 43rd minute. Hyde doubled their lead six minutes after half-time and added a third in the 75th minute. This win takes Hyde up to 6th place.

 

[Haywain]

I was unaware of the squad being so eurocentric.

Of the 23 players called up for the two matches they are playing in London this week, only 3 are attached to clubs in Australia, leaving 20 with European clubs and 1 each in Saudi Arabia and Japan. NewZealand played DR Congo last night, in Spain, and have a squad of 22; of those, 19 are with European clubs, 2 in USA and 1 in Japan. It makes perfect sense for both nations to be playing friendlies in Europe.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Well done Hyde - but Bradford were so bad, we made you look like world beaters. The only brightspot was my railtour using Northern and Merseyrail’s rangers … Little Sutton - Liverpool - Preston - Lancaster- Morecambe (rev) - Skipton - Bradford FS - game - Bradford Int - Chester - Hooton - Little Sutton

 

[SuspectUsual]

Well done Hyde - but Bradford were so bad, we made you look like world beaters. The only brightspot was my railtour using

Is Mark Bower still manager?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is Mark Bower still manager?

Of Bradford (Park Avenue)? Yes, for the time being.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Mark has 2 years left on his 3 year contract so is looking secure however bad the team plays. Each week’s performance is worse than the week before but our owner lives in Texas and our CEO in Spain so they don’t have to watch it. And there’s nobody with local knowledge to find a successor. The board have made half or dozen or more disastrous appointments in the past so I’ve no idea where we go from here.

Our normally excellent keeper should have saved Hyde’ first two goals but the third was a sight for Tigers fans to behold as their no 10 dribbled through our entire team before placing the ball home.

(Update - having just seen the highlights, he should have saved all the third goal as well)

 

[SuspectUsual]

Bower was a good player when he was at Halifax at the tail end of his career, and he seemed a decent bloke too. Always made time to talk to people. But that doesn’t make him a good manager, of course

 

[Norm_D_Ploom]

Bower was a good player when he was at Halifax at the tail end of his career, and he seemed a decent bloke too. Always made time to talk to people. But that doesn’t make him a good manager, of course

Was that before or after he was at Darlington?
I saw him a couple of times there and he was very poor at that stage although I think it might have been after an ACL?

 

[DarloRich]

MK Dongs have sacked thier manager Graham Alexander after only 5 months/16 games in charge of MK. The form of Franchise FC has been patchy and they sit 16th in L2 with no win in 8. Top of the league in August. Brought in loads of new players in the summer and a new management team. Must be about the 7th manager in 3 years. Total chaos club.

Street word is that the Gateshead manager Mike Williamson is favourite to take over.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Was that before or after he was at Darlington?
I saw him a couple of times there and he was very poor at that stage although I think it might have been after an ACL?

We had him the year after he was at Darlo, but it was in the NPL premier division (7th division effectively) so the standard wasn't great and he strolled through 90% of the games

(As did the rest of the team - a front three of Lee Gregory, Jamie Vardy and one of James Dean and Danny Holland was just too good for anyone else, and a young Scott Hogan who'd go on to move for £15 million a few years later couldn't even get on the bench)

 

[75A]

MK Dongs have sacked thier manager Graham Alexander after only 5 months/16 games in charge of MK. The form of Franchise FC has been patchy and they sit 16th in L2 with no win in 8. Top of the league in August. Brought in loads of new players in the summer and a new management team. Must be about the 7th manager in 3 years. Total chaos club.

Street word is that the Gateshead manager Mike Williamson is favourite to take over.

I'm sure if they got relegated there wouldn't be too many tears.

 

[DarloRich]

I'm sure if they got relegated there wouldn't be too many tears.

they wont go down.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

European Championship - Qualifying Group J.

Bosnia-Herzegovia 0 ... Portugal 5

Eight straight wins for Portugal, who have scored 32 and conceded 2 in those group stage matches, topping the group.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first two goals, bringing his international goals total to 127.

 

[Norm_D_Ploom]

Looking forward to the game tonight.

I think we will start with

Pickford
Walker, Stones, Maguire,Trippier
Rice
Jude, Phillips
Foden, Kane, Rashford

Personally I would go with Trent rather than Phillips.

If Stones isn't fully fit then I would imagine that Guehi will start.

England to win by a couple 2-0 / 3-1

 

[DarloRich]

Darlington 1 v Kings Lynn 2 ( Saturday)

Played better. Actually scored from open play. Lost. Gave away 2 identical goals in the same manner we have all season. We haven't even got enough points to get a driving ban............

 

[Harvester]

Darlington 1 v Kings Lynn 2 ( Saturday)

We haven't even got enough points to get a driving ban............

But more than enough to avoid dreaded triangle joke!

 

[Norm_D_Ploom]

Looking forward to the game tonight.

I think we will start with

Pickford
Walker, Stones, Maguire,Trippier
Rice
Jude, Phillips
Foden, Kane, Rashford

Personally I would go with Trent rather than Phillips.

If Stones isn't fully fit then I would imagine that Guehi will start.

England to win by a couple 2-0 / 3-1

Well I got the starting 11 correct, let's hope I'm right with the score predication

 

[Purple Train]

Street word is that the Gateshead manager Mike Williamson is favourite to take over.

Street word seems to be bang on.
BBC link here.

MK Dons have appointed Gateshead manager Mike Williamson as their new head coach.

The former Newcastle centre-back replaces Graham Alexander, who was sacked on Monday after a run of eight League Two games without a win.
Williamson, 39, was in charge of Gateshead for four years and leaves them in sixth in the National League.

He is the fourth head coach appointed by the Dons, who were relegated last season, in the past 10 months.

Although also registered as a player at Gateshead, Williamson only made a handful of appearances over the past two years - the most recent in a 2-1 win over Oldham in February.

They won the National League North title under him in 2022 and last season reached the FA Trophy final, but lost 1-0 to FC Halifax at Wembley.

Interesting appointment, not totally conventional but Williamson seems to have a bit more about him than the likes of Manning and Jackson.

 

[DarloRich]

Street word seems to be bang on.

i am close to the streets! I actually got a hint of this off a completely unknowing non football person who heard from a friend of a friend of a friends uncles cousins dog sitter type rumour. Dismissed it. Should have lumped on.

 

[Purple Train]

i am close to the streets! I actually got a hint of this off a completely unknowing non football person who heard from a friend of a friend of a friends uncles cousins dog sitter type rumour. Dismissed it. Should have lumped on.

Needs someone called Nigel from down the pub for it to be a proper rumour