This seasons Groundsman of the Year Award winners have been announced. http://www.football-league.co.uk/ne...ndsman-of-the-year-awards-201415-2432164.aspx The Football League's Groundsman of the Year Awards are determined initially using marks from referees and away managers for each Sky Bet Football League game and are then followed by detailed pitch inspections and a review of management operations. Sky Bet Championship Winner: David Fellowes (Rotherham United) Highly Commended: James Lathwell (AFC Bournemouth) Highly Commended: Nathan Chapman (Charlton Athletic) Sky Bet League 1 Winner: Craig Richardson (Bristol City) Highly Commended: Dale Frith (Fleetwood Town) Highly Commended: Lee Williams (Oldham Athletic) Sky Bet League 2 Winner: Billy White (Plymouth Argyle) Highly Commended: David Mitchell (Carlisle United) Highly Commended: Paul Knowles (Northampton Town)
£130m for promotion ~ $200m. Blackpool fans just got their match against Huddersfield abandoned by invading the pitch just after half time and not moving for over an hour, surely an automatic loss? in which case they'll break the record for lowest ever points tally since the division was expanded to 24 teams.
Derby got a right thrashing from Reading, they were top of the league in March. It must be one of the biggest capitulations in recent memory.
Yeah, Derby County has hit the "introspection" phase: Martin: "Now Is A Time To Be Frank And Honest With Each Other" http://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/article/...frank-and-honest-with-each-other-2436518.aspx My other quandary is how to convince fans to continue supporting the team. Last year, finished third and was looking at the promotion final; fat lard of good that did. This year, was leading the league and was the best-looking team (the "eye test") you could find; fat lard of good that did. Even had a last-chance game against a league low-life; fat lard of good....
Preston North End blew their chances of automatic promotion today by losing 1-0 to Colchester United who have survived relegation to League Two by the skin of their teeth (with one of our players Richard Brindley on loan I might add ). That allowed MK Dons to secure automatic promotion. New teams in the Championship next season: Bristol City MK Dons ...and one of the following: Preston North End Swindon Town Sheffield United Chesterfield Playoff dates: http://www.football-league.co.uk/ne...tball-league-play-offs-confirmed-2323292.aspx There'll hopefully be plenty of drama in the playoffs although probably not as epic as this was:
And rightly so in my opinion, Carl Oyston has run that club into the ground and asset striped millions out of it! I used to be an YTS there more than 20 years ago and the training facilities were an disgrace then and apparently it's not changed which is shocking imo. Such a shame, what's happened there!
MK Dons are probably less popular than Millwall. I'm not too fussed who comes up as long as they occupy the bottom three next season.
Youth Training Scheme, it's a work apprenticeship I think? It's going to be interesting to see how Blackpool start the new season, if they're just going to bring in a bunch of free agents on free transfers at the very last minute like they did this season they could well be League Two bound. The way their owners have treated their fans this season it almost seems like they want to drive everyone away and wind up the club tbh. It's all very sad.
Youth training scheme or apprenticeship as it was called back in the 80's and 90's. Pretty much just modern day academy players so to speak except these modern day academy players don't have to clean players boots, clean changing room ( as far as I know ) etc and get paid in doughnuts like we did. Lol
It's still early days but Sheff UTD are making a mess of the playoffs so far, they took an early lead but then dilly dallied it away. Chesterfield conceded an early goal to Preston but seemed to do pretty well from that point on. It's still all to play for going into the 2nd legs. 1st leg Sheffield United 1- 2 Swindon Town Chesterfield 0-1 Preston North End The 2nd legs are Sunday afternoon and Monday night.
It's the first of the Championship playoffs tonight have any of you guys been following them? I like to watch MLS when I can but they're usually on late at night so I know how much a PITA the time zone difference is, I imagine it's worse for you guys as you'll likely be at work during our weekday matches. Do you get the Football League playoffs on US TV? if not there should plenty of online streams. Ipswich v Norwich tomorrow afternoon.
It finished Brentford 1-2 Middlesbrough they got a stoppage time winner, against the run of play as well because Brentford had been over them for most of the second half. The big news this morning is that Lee Clarke has resigned at Blackpool.....
yeah, soccernet wouldn't update... i made the post then saw the actual final. oh well. i'm watching Ipswich Town now on beIN ... say what you will i think McCarthy is a very good manager. UP THE TRACTOR BOYS!
1-0 nil narrich/howser ... just looking at stadium size of the potential promoted teams: Ipswich Town - Portman Road 30,311 Norwich City - Carrow Road 27,244 Brentford - Griffin Park 12,300 Middlesbrough - Riverside Stadium 34,742 1-1 anderson/ipswich
and the guaranteed promoted: Bournemouth - Dean Court 12,000 Watford - Vicarage Road 20,877 so one little bitty ground for sure and possibly a second... love for Brentford and Ipswich to go up. sadly that won't happen... and that the two little grounds get on the telly here in the states. bournemouth, middlesbrough and watford though... MEH! that grouping would suck!
if Brentford go up, I don't think there's any chance that they can bring Griffin Park up to Prem requirements. They'll almost surely have to ground share with someone like Fulham or QPR. they could, theoretically, put seats in the terraced Ealing Road stand, but that would further diminish capacity, and i'm doubtful that the Brook Road stand could meet muster, anyway. add to that the fact that they've got a new 20k stadium going up at Lionel Road, and I just don't see them putting enough into Griffin Park to use it in the Prem. and this, I must say, leaves me rather ambiguous about their promotion efforts. I very much like them, but should they go up, it is possible that the last Brentford game at Griffin Park has already been played. and I absolutely LOVE Griffin Park. it's as good a place for a neutral to spend a Saturday afternoon as any in England, to my mind - without exception. I don't know if many (or any) Brentford fans will agree, but i'd prefer one more year at GP to one year in the carnival that is the Premier League.