Football

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Hatfield would have been about 22/23 I guess and came into a side that wasn't doing that well, and the national league was very physical back then, I think a lot more than it is now.

Will that be because of the number of former EFL clubs that now play in that league?

 

[SteveM70]

Will that be because of the number of former EFL clubs that now play in that league?

I don't know, but a lot has changed at national league level in the last decade.

It's certainly a lot more professional, with (I think) 22 of the 24 clubs full time professional which I think has enabled more clubs to play what you might call more attractive football. The quality of (most - the Shay is a dishonourable exception from the first rugby match of the season onwards) pitches is also a lot better so more conducive to passing football

 

[AlterEgo]

I don't know, but a lot has changed at national league level in the last decade.

It's certainly a lot more professional, with (I think) 22 of the 24 clubs full time professional which I think has enabled more clubs to play what you might call more attractive football. The quality of (most - the Shay is a dishonourable exception from the first rugby match of the season onwards) pitches is also a lot better so more conducive to passing football

Wealdstone's pitch is dreadful - in fact I can't even remember how many games they've postponed this season owing to an unplayable surface or waterlogging.

 

[75A]

Bognor's in the Isthmian League Premier Division and much the same, but after years of lobbying by the supporters the club have annouced they're going to get a 'plastic pitch'.

 

[JD2168]

Florida based entrepreneur Shilan Patel has completed a deal to take over West Bromwich Albion from previous owner Guechen Lai.

 

[Iskra]

Chelsea 3 Leeds 2

Best possible outcome for Leeds. We went toe-to-toe with them and gave a good account of ourselves, but conceding in the 90th minute means we don’t have to play any additional time so we can focus on our big league match at the weekend

 

[507021]

Liverpool 3-0 Southampton

Goals from Jayden Danns (twice) and debutant Lewis Koumas put Liverpool into the FA Cup quarter final against Manchester United, our Academy players doing us proud twice in the space of a few days. Southampton started really well and gave us a good game, but we were good for our win.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Chelsea 3 Leeds 2

Best possible outcome for Leeds. We went toe-to-toe with them and gave a good account of ourselves, but conceding in the 90th minute means we don’t have to play any additional time so we can focus on our big league match at the weekend

Must admit, I was hoping you'd be taking penalties until breakfast time!

 

[KashmireHawker]

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Brighton and Hove Albion

A second minute strike by Mario Lemina, puts us into The FA Cup Quarter Finals for only the 3rd time this century!

The lowest ranked side in Coventry City await in the Last 8, for another all West Midlands Derby; this time at Molineux.

 

[dangie]

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Brighton and Hove Albion

A second minute strike by Mario Lemina, puts us into The FA Cup Quarter Finals for only the 3rd time this century!

The lowest ranked side in Coventry City await in the Last 8, for another all West Midlands Derby; this time at Molineux.

Things are going really well at the moment for Wolves. As a Stoke fan I should be a bit disappointed at this, but no I’m not. It’s not like Wolves & Stoke will be playing each other any time soon

 

[JD2168]

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been given a 4 year ban after testing positive for Testosterone Metabolites.

 

[Haywain]

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been given a 4 year ban after testing positive for Testosterone Metabolites.

Subject to an appeal to the Court for Arbitration in Sport.

 

[Lewisham2221]

@dangie will enjoy reading the latest installment of State the Obvious by Steven Schumacher

Steven Schumacher puts ideals on hold to guide Stoke to safety

News from the bet365 Stadium as Stoke City head into crucial final 12 games of the season

www.stokesentinel.co.uk

“It’s just about getting results,” said Schumacher, who hosts Middlesbrough at the bet365 Stadium tomorrow. “We’ve got to a stage of the season, a quarter of the season effectively left, and we’re in a position we shouldn’t be in so we’ve got to do something about that. Playing pretty football and being nice on the ball, ok that will come, but results are so important. We’ve got to find a way to win games.

Perhaps if someone had shared this little pearl of wisdom a bit earlier in the season we wouldn't be where we are now...

 

[dangie]

@dangie will enjoy reading the latest installment of State the Obvious by Steven Schumacher

Steven Schumacher puts ideals on hold to guide Stoke to safety

News from the bet365 Stadium as Stoke City head into crucial final 12 games of the season

www.stokesentinel.co.uk

Perhaps if someone had shared this little pearl of wisdom a bit earlier in the season we wouldn't be where we are now...

Schumacher’s grasp on football is revolutionary. If you score more than the opposition then you have a good chance of winning.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Schumacher’s grasp on football is revolutionary. If you score more than the opposition then you have a good chance of winning.

And that, they did! Stoke 2 - 0 Middlesbrough

Amazing isn't it? Actually try to win a game and you might succeed! 38 points - level with Huddersfield, QPR and Birmingham, but still in the bottom three owing to their abysmal goal scoring record thus far.

 

[DarloRich]

Darlington 3 v Banbury 1

3 wins in a row, 1 point from safety. we laboured to this result despite the score line. Banbury didn't really offer much but were in the game throughout, Darlo looked tired and were down to the bare bones. We even had loanee Scott Barrow playing with a fractured arm and had two players taken off injured, the second being a substitute placement for the first!

Tuesday night we play Scunthorpe at home so that will be a hard game as they are the best side i have seen this season. I am not sure we have 11 layers tbh!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Northern Premier League...Premier Division

Hyde United 3 ... Atherton Collieries 2

A crowd of 583 hardy souls turned up for the visit of bottom-four club Atherton Collieries who always give Hyde a difficult match and today was no exception, as Atherton scored in the 22nd and 40th minutes and Hyde pulled back a goal in the 44th minute, leaving Atherton 2-1 up at half time. The half-time Hyde discussion seemed to have a positive effect, as Hyde scored in the 52nd and 54th minutes to regain the lead and the 3-2 scoreline stayed as such until the final whistle blew. Marine who were in 2nd place lost today, so this win moves Hyde back to second place. The play-off positions are somewhat clouded as teams below Hyde have a number of matches in hand, owing to their participation in other competitions

 

[Loppylugs]

AFC Wimbledon 1 Franchise **** 0

Oh boy, am I going to enjoy this weekend. A 94th minute winner, a joy to behold. SWEET REVENGE !!!!

 

[THC]

AFC Wimbledon 1 Franchise **** 0

Oh boy, am I going to enjoy this weekend. A 94th minute winner, a joy to behold. SWEET REVENGE !!!!

I think a lot of football fans cheered with you. I know I did.

THC

 

[DarloRich]

Marine who were in 2nd place lost today, so this win moves Hyde back to second place.

A good result for Hyde. Atherton always seem a nuggety side

AFC Wimbledon 1 Franchise **** 0

Oh boy, am I going to enjoy this weekend. A 94th minute winner, a joy to behold. SWEET REVENGE !!!!

Get in!

 

[Cowley]

I think a lot of football fans cheered with you. I know I did.

THC

Yep. Same here.

One of my best friends is an AFC Wimbledon fan (and previously a Wimbledon fan). We went to the play off final against Plymouth Argyle a few years ago and he’s well happy with todays result.

 

[dangie]

And that, they did! Stoke 2 - 0 Middlesbrough

Amazing isn't it? Actually try to win a game and you might succeed! 38 points - level with Huddersfield, QPR and Birmingham, but still in the bottom three owing to their abysmal goal scoring record thus far.

The only way is up….. hopefully

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Huddersfield Town 1 - 1 Leeds United
Honours even in the West Yorkshire derby, despite Huddersfield being reduced to ten for the whole of the second half following Jonathan Hogg's moment of madness. Any other weekend this would have been a decent result, but the wrong end of the Championship is crazy and almost everyone around us won.
A few interesting statistics:

• this was Leeds' first league game of 2024 which they haven't won.
• Only Manchester City have kept a clean sheet against Huddersfield Town in 2024. This being despite Darren Boore being in charge for a big chunk of that time.
• Only Rotherham United have fewer wins than Huddersfield Town this season, but no team in the bottom half of the table has fewer defeats.

 

[Loppylugs]

Yep. Same here.

One of my best friends is an AFC Wimbledon fan (and previously a Wimbledon fan). We went to the play off final against Plymouth Argyle a few years ago and he’s well happy with todays result.

I too have been a Wimbledon (my home town) supporter for many years. Mrs L and I went to that play off final with Argyle, strange thing was, we now live close to the M4 and travelling to the game with AFC stickers all over the car we received some stick from passing Plymouth fans. However, coming home they were all tooting and giving us thumbs up! Nice bunch, pleased they're doing well now.

 

[1D54]

AFC Wimbledon 1 Franchise **** 0

Oh boy, am I going to enjoy this weekend. A 94th minute winner, a joy to behold. SWEET REVENGE !!!!

Sweet revenge? For what? MKD have lifted the FA Cup at Wembley. The original and the best!!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Sweet revenge? For what? MKD have lifted the FA Cup at Wembley. The original and the best!!

Wasn't it decided by a court that the achievements of the original Wimbledon FC "belonged" to AFC Wimbledon?

That said, I do think it's high time that AFCW let bygones be bygones... not least because they aren't free of guilt themselves: look at what happened to Kingstonian FC.

 

[Loppylugs]

Sweet revenge? For what? MKD have lifted the FA Cup at Wembley. The original and the best!!

The sweet revenge is for them beating us 3-1 not long ago this season after we were reduced to 9 men, with a very poor referee.

Wasn't it decided by a court that the achievements of the original Wimbledon FC "belonged" to AFC Wimbledon?

That said, I do think it's high time that AFCW let bygones be bygones... not least because they aren't free of guilt themselves: look at what happened to Kingstonian FC.

We saved Kingstonian's hide after their owner walked out on them, by purchasing the Kingsmeadow ground and allowing them to continue playing there as a goodwill gesture after their generosity in giving us a ground to play in. Our intention was always to return to the Borough of Merton and Kingstonian knew this. After Kingsmeadow was sold to Chelsea we gave the K's a million pounds, we needn't have done but it was a thank-you gift. What they did with it only they know. No guilt attached in my opinion, so please don't saddle us with that accusation.
.

 

[AlterEgo]

Sweet revenge? For what? MKD have lifted the FA Cup at Wembley. The original and the best!!

MK Dons fan here. No, we haven't. Nobody I know who supports them thinks they have either. The club's heritage dates from 2004.

Wasn't it decided by a court that the achievements of the original Wimbledon FC "belonged" to AFC Wimbledon?

No, they belong to the London Borough of Merton, strictly speaking.

 

[DannyMich2018]

After our 2-1 defeat to QPR at home today I can see Ipswich even possibly winning the Championship League as they now only 3 points below us.

 

[AlterEgo]

Koln are 1-0 down to Leverkusen at half time... Kane might have jinxed Bayern because if Leverkusen win this I do not see them letting the title slip!