Football

[Qwerty133]

Rather City than United though!

agreed

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Rather a surprising result at Sunderland today.

 

[tigerroar]

You are not alone with non-league involvement as I can immediately think of four forum members with non-league involvement:-

Skrill Conference Premiership:-
Hyde FC....Paul Sidorczuk (yes that's me)...Relegated with a record lowest number of points gained.

Skrill Conference North:-
Altrincham FC...gnolife....Made end of season play-offs

Skrill Conference South:-
Dorchester Town FC...GWRtom...Relegated

Evo-Stik First Division North
Darlington FC...DarloRich....Made end of season play-offs

I don't post here that often but I support the fourth longest serving CN team Gloucester City AFC and am involved in the media side of the club. Whilst I have no namebadge or certificate to show it I am the club photographer and am responsible for this famous photo, taken in 2007

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I don't post here that often but I support the fourth longest serving CN team Gloucester City AFC and am involved in the media side of the club. Whilst I have no namebadge or certificate to show it I am the club photographer and am responsible for this famous photo, taken in 2007

Brilliant photo image....

My apologies for not adding you to my original list.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Very impressed to see the marking of the anniversary of the Bradford City fire at many of today's games considering the lack of attention generally given to teams in the lower leagues by those at the top of the pyramid.

As for non-league teams, my 'second team' after Huddersfield is Taunton Town of the Calor Southern League (South/West division), having lived there for 5 years in the early part of this century.

 

[EM2]

Interesting times at Essex Senior League Clapton FC, where the management team have been sacked after leading the club to their best finish in nineteen years.
There are all sorts of shenanigans going on behind the scenes, regarding the ownership and membership of the club, with a very real risk that they may not exist next season.

 

[Kite159]

We (Dover Athletic) won 1-0 in the Conference South play off final at a very wet Gravesend. Roll on Torquay, Bristol Rovers (& Altrincham). No trips to Whitehawk or Boreham Wood!

Congrats on getting promoted

Nice trip to Dover for Salisbury next year on the push up the table.

 

[Saint66]

Some of you may be interested to know that I've been involved in the press side of St Albans City this season. I've been our Non-League Paper reporter, have done pieces on the club website, and have also covered nearly half of our games this season for one of the local papers.

All this in my debut season of stepping up into these roles!

Edit- Oh, I've also had the pleasure of running the club twitter account (Over 4,000 followers) during our play-off run and victory!

 

[Butts]

Which out of Cardiff, Fulham or Norwich do we fancy to be promoted back to The Premiership at the first attempt.

With Leicester and Burnley coming back this year it is possible none of the relegated clubs last year will return unless QPR win the playoffs.

 

[richw]

Which out of Cardiff, Fulham or Norwich do we fancy to be promoted back to The Premiership at the first attempt.

With Leicester and Burnley coming back this year it is possible none of the relegated clubs last year will return unless QPR win the playoffs.

Or Wigan?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

As for non-league teams, my 'second team' after Huddersfield is Taunton Town of the Calor Southern League (South/West division), having lived there for 5 years in the early part of this century.

For some strange reason, even as a young schoolboy in the early 1950's, I always looked for the results of Cowdenbeath in the newspaper. Can't explain the reason why it should have stuck in my mind. Do they still have the nickname of "The Blue Brazil" that I saw in print many years after I first took an interest in them.

 

[Saint66]

England squad is named today... That'll be interesting to see.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Which out of Cardiff, Fulham or Norwich do we fancy to be promoted back to The Premiership at the first attempt.

Fulham and Cardiff for the play-offs, Norwich around upper mid-table.

Or Wigan?

I have to admit since Brighton went out last night I am now almost totally indifferent to who comes up, it's just the same old boring faces now instead of some newer blood (like Leicester). I cannot abide Wigan whatsoever so it looks like out of the generic boring teams still in contention I'm hoping for QPR or Derby.

England squad is named today... That'll be interesting to see.

No Ashley Cole for sure, what an omission that could be. Shaw is vastly underexperienced and Baines defends about as well as a fridge.

 

[Saint66]

I'm personally pleased Cole has been left out, he didn't deserve to be called up on form, and you have to give younger players a chance at some point.

It seems that Lambert has been called up, while both Walker and Ruddy are also missing out.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'm personally pleased Cole has been left out, he didn't deserve to be called up on form, and you have to give younger players a chance at some point.

Yes, but wouldn't the 10 / 12 game qualifiers or sea of pointless friendlies be a more appropriate platform than three games in which there is zero margin for error, two against teams very well equipped to beat you?

 

[Saint66]

Yes, but wouldn't the 10 / 12 game qualifiers or sea of pointless friendlies be a more appropriate platform than three games in which there is zero margin for error, two against teams very well equipped to beat you?

But how do we know that Cole would perform any better than Baines? He's struggled to get into Chelsea's side this season, and there's clearly a reason for that.

We need to move on as a nation footballing wise, Cole has been a great servant, but now it's time to look elsewhere.

 

[Johnuk123]

The England squad:

Goalkeepers: Hart, Foster, Forster;
Defenders: Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Smalling, Baines, Shaw;
Midfielders: Gerrard, Lampard, Wilshere, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner, Sterling, Lallana, Barkley;
Forwards: Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Lambert.

Blimey what a very poor squad, the defence and forwards look absolutely woeful.
Saying that you can only pick what's available and as has been the case for many years England has very very few world class players if any.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

The England squad:

Goalkeepers: Hart, Foster, Forster;
Defenders: Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Smalling, Baines, Shaw;
Midfielders: Gerrard, Lampard, Wilshere, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner, Sterling, Lallana, Barkley;
Forwards: Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Lambert.

Blimey what a very poor squad, the defence and forwards look absolutely woeful.
Saying that you can only pick what's available and as has been the case for many years England has very very few world class players if any.

It would help if the number of foreign players in the Premier League were limited, but that won't happen, of course!

 

[Johnuk123]

It would help if the number of foreign players in the Premier League were limited, but that won't happen, of course!

Of course it would, it would help greatly, but even if we wanted to various rules would make it illegal.

 

[Saint66]

I honestly believe that this is actually a rather exciting squad with a number of youngsters included. Roy has chosen almost perfectly from the options he has (limited, of course)

 

[Johnuk123]

I honestly believe that this is actually a rather exciting squad with a number of youngsters included. Roy has chosen almost perfectly from the options he has (limited, of course)

He may well have picked the best available but what's available in my opinion is poor.

 

[Saint66]

He may well have picked the best available but what's available in my opinion is poor.

Possibly, but the likes of Barkley, Sterling, Lallana and Shaw all bode well for the future. Only weak area, in my opinion, is the RB position.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Pepe Mel has been sacked already.

 

[Johnuk123]

http://www.freshbusinessthinking.co...la+Football+Club+put+up+for+Sale#.U3DVmulOVaQ

Aston Villa Football Club has been put up for sale by its owner, Randy Lerner.

Not a great surprise, they will need some massive investment to become competitive again. According to Graham Taylor the deal is already done, there is speculation the owners could be Red Bull.

West Midlands football is in a very sorry state. Villa are the best of a bad bunch, Tesco's have no manager and just escaped relegation. Blues missed the 3rd div. by an inch.
Wolves have been the only bright spot.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

... Only weak area, in my opinion, is the RB position.

And CB. Jag and Cahill are very good (I'd say Cahill is one of the best in Europe this season) in fairness, but if one of them two is missing it'll be a huge gap: Smalling and Jones aren't anywhere near them. Of course, the best English defender of the last decade partners up really well with Gary at Chelsea currently, wonder what happened to him...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

According to Graham Taylor the deal is already done, there is speculation the owners could be Red Bull.

Red Bull Birmingham next season then?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

He may well have picked the best available but what's available in my opinion is poor.

A bit like the "star-quality" singer who represented us in the Eurovision Song Contest and then the media wonder why we finished in 17th position.

 

[CallySleeper]

Let's look on the bright side folks at least we don't have channel 4 providing the coverage

 

[SS4]

http://www.freshbusinessthinking.co...la+Football+Club+put+up+for+Sale#.U3DVmulOVaQ


Not a great surprise, they will need some massive investment to become competitive again. According to Graham Taylor the deal is already done, there is speculation the owners could be Red Bull.

West Midlands football is in a very sorry state. Villa are the best of a bad bunch, Tesco's have no manager and just escaped relegation. Blues missed the 3rd div. by an inch.
Wolves have been the only bright spot.

Indeed, I'm hoping we don't end up like blues with a dodgy owner. Massive investment is needed to tread water in the premier league and this places a strain on most owners. The financial side of the premier league would be laughable if it weren't so depressing.

Of course if massive investment were to be made and we'd reach Europe then FFP would kick in!

Speaking of Wolves, do you see yourself getting back to back promotions?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Red Bull Birmingham next season then?

Vettel as the new front-line striker...

 

[Saint66]

Vettel as the new front-line striker...

He'd probably do better as a striker than he is driving at the moment!

 

[richw]

England line up reminds me of Liverpool, decent attacking lacking in defence.

Rooney has always done well when hes had good supply, and not have to do much himself.
Lallana, Sterling and Henderson will provide good attacking service to Rooney and Sturridge.
At least from this squad we've got players who wont sit back and just hoof it forward.