Football Focus

[S.A.C Martin]

We all do mate, no matter who we support..

 

Hear hear.

 

Feel for me - Charlton fan, at Oldham, 2-0 up, who for fifteen minutes saw a glimmer of hope for going up to the championship...

 

But no matter. Well done to Leeds - they got their bit of luck today, commiserations to the other League One promotion hopefuls, and good luck to them all, as we head for the play-offs...

 

Up the Addicks!

[Ohmisterporter]

In the Unibond First Division North playoff final Colwyn Bay beat Lancaster City 1 - 0 with an 88th minute penalty. At the end of the regular season City, who had led most of the season but tailed away at the end, finished second twenty one points ahead of fifth placed Colwyn Bay. Still, everyone knew the rules at the start of the season, so better luck next season to City.

 

Fingers crossed for Blackpool now.

 

Geoff.

 

I forgot to mention that the Champions were Halifax Town. Remember them? Some of us think we are on a rollercoaster with our teams, but I doubt many can compare with the fall of this club.

 

Geoff.

[dseagull]

And you think you've waited a while since a trophy?

 

 

 

Not as long as this lot.

 

A belated well done to Tadcaster Albion , who this season won 'their only honour of note since formation in 1892 as the John Smith's Brewery Football team'

 

http://facupgroundhopper.blogspot.com/2010/04/tadcaster-albion-2-hemsworth-miners.html

[highpeak]

Grass roots football is a small world. I did a couple of state cup matches this weekend, they assign refs from out of town to these matches, so I travelled to a couple of games. First one, the AR is a chap I sent off last weekend. Second match, one of my ARs is a chap I wrote up a couple of seasons ago for a dreadful performance in one of my women's league games.

 

I did have a laugh with one of the other ARs, we both do men's league games. There's a team of mostly Italian blokes, good players, technically very good. Manager is Gigi, a real character. We'd both done their games. They now play in an O-48 division, but they were an O-40 D2 team a year ago. I got their final game of the season, do or die time.

 

"So, Gigi, win today, and you're promoted! You going for it?"

 

"Sure, we go for it!"

 

"Gigi, you really want to be D1? It's pretty tough!"

 

"No, we no wanna be D1"

 

"Well, the league will fine you if you refuse to go up, it's like $250"

 

"I know that. But the second place team will give us $400 if we let them go up"

 

When the match has been crappy and chaps haven't behaved, I always like to think of the good guys you meet in this game and all the laughs we've had.

[62613]

Praise The Lord! We (Leeds Utd)Anyone else out there who has/is suffered/suffering the same sort of despair with their club, over the years?

 

 

Well, the Chester supporters, over the last 11 seasons have been well and truly f****d over by their successive owners, culminating in last season's debacle. leeds, on the other hand, still have a club to support. We don't know who owns it, but that's a by-the-by.

[Steve K]

I probably should have been nervous going into yesterday's matches, but in fact, I was confident enough of a Chelsea landslide that I even placed my first footballing bet of the year - £10 on a 5-0 win. I also had £5 on Man U to win 3-0, so imagine my excitement at about 5.25, when both of my predictions were happening... I let out a small mutter when Chelsea's sixth went in, and then cursed the name of Ji-Sung Park when he scored United's fourth.

 

Football fans are never completely happy, are they?

[oggy1953]

Well, the Chester supporters, over the last 11 seasons have been well and truly f****d over by their successive owners, culminating in last season's debacle. leeds, on the other hand, still have a club to support. We don't know who owns it, but that's a by-the-by.

 

 

Isnt Leeds owned by that nice chap Ken Bates ? you know the one, the one who buys clubs for a pound, makes em bankrupt to clear debts, then buys em again. Or is it some one else ?

[Steve K]

Isnt Leeds owned by that nice chap Ken Bates ? you know the one, the one who buys clubs for a pound, makes em bankrupt to clear debts, then buys em again.

You mean that kindly old man with the white beard? I always thought of him as the Antisanta. Thank goodness for rich russians...

[Calnefoxile]

 

Fingers crossed for Blackpool now.

 

Geoff.

 

Here's an interesting point for the Playoffs. If Blackpool win at Forest tonight, and Leicester manage to turn Cardiff over tomorrow. Who does DJ Campbell play for?????

 

He's on loan at Blackpool, but still a Leicester Player sorry team member, and is not allowed to play against us, but I'm not sure if that was just for the League Games or whether it includes the Playoffs as well.

 

Personally I don't think we are ready for promotion just yet, even with Milans millions (if he's not done for tax evasion ) + the Promotion payout, but obviously if we make the playoff final and we play Forest then I hope we stuff 'em

 

Our record in the Playoffs is one of the best, so far we have never failed to make the Playoff finals whenever we've been invovled, but there's a first time for everything, which now means I've put the mockers on things. But whichever way tomorrow night goes, we've had an outstanding season, being promoted back to the Championship straight away, and finishing in the Playoffs, brilliant!!!! I certainly won't be too upset if we don't get promoted, especially if we keep Nigel Pearson for next season.

 

Anyway enough of my ramblings, I always ramble when I'm nervous

 

COME ON YOU FOXES.

 

Regards

 

Neal.

[Calnefoxile]

WEST HAM HAVE SACKED ZOLA!!!!!!

 

Just seen this on BBC Sport website http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/8674605.stm I must say I'm a bit surprised, I know they didn't ahve a very good season, but I'm still surprised.

 

Regards

 

Neal.

 

P.S. Are we going to discuss the World Cup in this Topic or do we start a new one just for the World Cup???

[oggy1953]

So West Ham HAVE sacked Zola, is that a good thing ? It was the lack of money that hindered him, and who will replace him ? Will the Golds try to get Steve Bruce ? this could be interesting..

[S.A.C Martin]

It doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

 

Alan Curbishley has been their best manager in the last few years, and look at what West Ham did to him - sacking Zola does not surprise me at all. WHU have absolutely no idea how to run a football club. What's needed is stability - this is a manager the players like and get on with - and surely would have done better this coming year.

 

WHU have been quite unlucky in some quarters this year, lots of injuries and dubious match results. To sack Zola now is ridiculous. He's done very well given the club has had such problems on and off the pitch.

 

Overall just another sacking that is unwarranted and harsh in the extreme. I am sure the players will be absolutely gutted.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Question is, who will they get to replace him?

 

The way the two David's have acted since they took over had thoroughly undermined his position. Zola was fightling a loosing battle to keep them out of team affairs, which they patently had absolutely no idea of. So, they used run Birmingham City...big deal! A yo-yo club that has just had a decent season, but still finished mid-table with no guarentee the feat will be repeated next year.

 

Any potential new manager would have seen the way they teated Zola and may well be wonder 'is it really worth it?'

 

Only one thing for it....bring on the world's number one football masochist...Paul Hart

 

 

[Del]

I'm disappointed by the decision to sack Zola but I'm not surprised.

I never wanted the Davids in charge, and the feeling ona number of WHU message boards is that as part of the deal when they bought in to the club, they had to keep Zola on this season.

 

Who will come in? Not McLaren, he's gone to Wolfsburg, so I would like to see Martin Jol take over.

[Colin]

Totally disgusted with the way Zola's been treated - the guy deserved another chance next season IMHO, if only for the decency he's shown and his popularity with fans and players.

He's a gentleman - perhaps that's why his face doesn't fit?

Given the off-field problems which left the club unable to buy decent players in January, the loss of Dean Ashton and having to make the best of a poor squad made up out of of sicknotes, old men and lazy underachievers, he did wonders keeping us in the Prem.

Agree with you Del mate, Sullivan & Gold should go back to their dirty mags (and take that woman with them).

 

Martin Jol - maybe. McClaren - thank God he's out of the frame.

[62613]

Isnt Leeds owned by that nice chap Ken Bates ? you know the one, the one who buys clubs for a pound, makes em bankrupt to clear debts, then buys em again. Or is it some one else ?

 

He says he is not the owner. Apparently, HMRC would like to know who the true owner is. The club is owned by one of his (offshore) companies. As to the administration event: most of Leeds' debts were allegedly to companies owned by Bates, so that the approval of the CVA was dead easy. It was this financial finesse that caused the 15-point deduction, and which has created so many problems for clubs trying to exit CVAs, especially where HMRC is concerned. You acn bet if they are the major creditor, they will veto any CVA that does not pay them in full.

[S.A.C Martin]

WHU Statement

 

Sums up my feelings about WHU's owners - how utterly short and disgraceful.

 

Zola's worked damn hard for that club and team, and deserved better than this by far.

[Re6/6]

Heard about at our DRAG meeting last night. A friend of one of one of the members had put a bet on for Chelsea to win 7-0...you can imagine the rest!

(Cole scored the eighth goal in the 89th minute!)

[Del]

WHU Statement

 

Sums up my feelings about WHU's owners - how utterly short and disgraceful.

 

Zola's worked damn hard for that club and team, and deserved better than this by far.

They can't say much at the moment because Zola is taking advice from the League Manager's Association:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/8675429.stm

However, as I said up there, it's still the wrong decision.

[fozzy280472]

Wouldnt mind seeing Slaven Bilic having a go at the irons job , otherwise Martin jol..........................mind you who else would want it !!!!

please not Paul Hart.

[Ohmisterporter]

Here's an interesting point for the Playoffs. If Blackpool win at Forest tonight, and Leicester manage to turn Cardiff over tomorrow. Who does DJ Campbell play for?????

 

He's on loan at Blackpool, but still a Leicester Player sorry team member, and is not allowed to play against us, but I'm not sure if that was just for the League Games or whether it includes the Playoffs as well.

 

Regards

 

Neal.

 

We may be about to find out. I can't believe the season we have had. I started off hoping we'd avoid relegation, now we are one game away from the Prem. Which we are just not ready for by the way. If we go up we will be straight back down. And I'm a fan! But thanks to the team for a great season.

 

Geoff.

[oggy1953]

We may be about to find out. I can't believe the season we have had. I started off hoping we'd avoid relegation, now we are one game away from the Prem. Which we are just not ready for by the way. If we go up we will be straight back down. And I'm a fan! But thanks to the team for a great season.

 

Geoff.

 

 

IF you go up, and good luck as it will make a change, just enjoy the season, dont expect too much and take the money..

[Claude_Dreyfus]

... If we go up we will be straight back down. And I'm a fan! But thanks to the team for a great season.

 

Geoff.

 

Probably, but there are plenty of examples of teams that seemed to be dead certs for an instant return surviving for the first season...

[Calnefoxile]

We may be about to find out. I can't believe the season we have had. I started off hoping we'd avoid relegation, now we are one game away from the Prem. Which we are just not ready for by the way. If we go up we will be straight back down. And I'm a fan! But thanks to the team for a great season.

 

Geoff.

 

 

Oooohhh I'm getting nervous now, 2-1 up on the night, 2-2 on aggregate, 45 mins and all to play for.

 

COME ON YOU FOXES!!!!!!!!

 

Rregards

 

Neal.

[Calnefoxile]

Ahhh well thats it, all over. Another year in the Championship. Well done to Cardiff even though I think the game was definately a 50/50 game in the end Cardiff took their penalties better.

 

Why oh Why Kermorgant decided to try and be smart I don't know, especially when he'd seen the more experienced guys blast their penalties, he steps up and tries to be cheeky, probably lack of experience.

 

Anyway as I've said, well done to Cardiff good luck against Blackpool. We've had a stonking season when I look back, coming straight back up from League 1 and finishing in the playoffs, I must admit I thought mid-table obscurity was the best we could hope for this season. Just hope now that Pearson decides to extend his contract and finsh what he's started at Leicester.

 

COME ON YOU FOXES!!!!!!!

 

Regards

 

Neal.