Football

[Butts]

Pretty much 1 point guarantees it as Watford can now only match Cardiff's current tally.

I hope Cardiff get promoted as they have had so many "near misses" in recent seasons

What effect will £60 Million have on their prospects - are they in debt ?

 

[RyanB]

Most of them probably thought it was going to be a repeat of last years final against Hearts (which they lost 5-1).

Turns out they won 4-3 after extra time

Having been there today it bloody felt like last May all over again, of course the euphoria and pandemonium in the Stands when Griffiths' shot hit the back of the net to make it 4 is one that can only compare to March 2007 when we won the League Cup.

If anyone wants to see the winning goal follow the link below.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/22138068

GGTTH

Allez, Allez Oh!

 

[familyguy99]

Bury 0-1 Oldham and Scunthorpe 1-1 Walsall

Very happy that Oldham beat Bury 1-0 today which mean Bury are relegated to League Two, thank god I buy ticket for this game as near 800 Latics fans was turn away because away stand was already full, is Bury fault as they should made it all ticket game special when 3,000 Latics turn up to Bury and only 2,300 was allowed to watch the game.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-22138057

Happy to that Scunthorpe drop points but way Bury played today I think Scunthorpe should beat them so hopeful Latics can get points against Yeovil on Tuesday night which mean both teams will have 45 points with two/three games left.

League One table (18 to 24th)

18th Shrewsbury - 48 points
19th Colchester - 47 points
20th Oldham - 44 points
--------------------------------------
21th Scunthorpe - 42 points
22th Portsmouth - 39 points
23th Hartlepool - 39 points
R Bury - 34 points

Hartlepool beat Tranmere to keep they hope alive but if Oldham win on Tuesday then Hartlepool and Portsmouth will be relegated to League Two.

 

[Butts]

Having been there today it bloody felt like last May all over again, of course the euphoria and pandemonium in the Stands when Griffiths' shot hit the back of the net to make it 4 is one that can only compare to March 2007 when we won the League Cup.

If anyone wants to see the winning goal follow the link below.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/22138068

GGTTH

Allez, Allez Oh!

Well done on staying - Hampden seemed quite empty there were huge swathes of unoccupied seating (or thats the impression I got watching on TV)

Who do you favour losing to in the final - Celtic or Dundee United

 

[Eng274]

Well done on staying - Hampden seemed quite empty there were huge swathes of unoccupied seating (or thats the impression I got watching on TV)

Who do you favour losing to in the final - Celtic or Dundee United

Not to excuse the hibs end leaving early, I don't think Falkirk brought a massive support with them!

If we play the better tactics and personnel used in the second half today, we could give either team a very good run for their money.

 

[RyanB]

Well done on staying - Hampden seemed quite empty there were huge swathes of unoccupied seating (or thats the impression I got watching on TV)

Who do you favour losing to in the final - Celtic or Dundee United

Neither - because we're going to win it.

 

[Butts]

Neither - because we're going to win it.

112th time lucky

 

[RyanB]

Not to excuse the hibs end leaving early, I don't think Falkirk brought a massive support with them!

If we play the better tactics and personnel used in the second half today, we could give either team a very good run for their money.

We need to play 2 up front, 5 across midfield just doesn't work and sometimes Fenlon needs to be a little less cautious, today's first half was a case in point.
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112th time lucky

Aye, time for the MLB's Chicago Cubs to take over the record for longest time without winning a particular trophy.

 

[familyguy99]

It look like is going to be Wigan v Chelsea/Man City final as Wigan are 2-0 up against Millwall now.

EDIT: Wigan beat Millwall 2-0 so it could be North West Final if Man City beat Chelsea tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Eng274]

We need to play 2 up front, 5 across midfield just doesn't work and sometimes Fenlon needs to be a little less cautious, today's first half was a case in point.
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Aye, time for the MLB's Chicago Cubs to take over the record for longest time without winning a particular trophy.

A bog standard 4-4-2/4-3-3 would work best, hoofing it to Leigh Griffiths and hoping isn't the way forward. The difference when Handling and Harris came on was night and day.

I think the fans would appreciate if Fenlon at least tried to play attacking football and lost, rather than the midfield being petrified to breach the half way line and passing it sideways/backwards. And ending up losing the ball and conceding goals anyway.

GGTTH

 

[balne-wonderer]

Millwall really don't deserve to play inside Wembley do they. Never in my life have I seen that level of violence towards fellow fans. Incredible. Why beat up your own fans? Then they started to attacking Police and stewards, some female copper with a noise like Steve Ogrizivic after taking one full in the face.
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Well done to Wigan by the way. Pleased for Martinez. Had a lot of rubbish to put up with from the media recently so happy they've got through.

 

[Butts]

Millwall really don't deserve to play inside Wembley do they. Never in my life have I seen that level of violence towards fellow fans. Incredible. Why beat up your own fans? Then they started to attacking Police and stewards, some female copper with a noise like Steve Ogrizivic after taking one full in the face.
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Well done to Wigan by the way. Pleased for Martinez. Had a lot of rubbish to put up with from the media recently so happy they've got through.

Anyone think they can "Do a Wimbledon" on City or Chelsea

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Stockport County, who were playing in one of the higher echelons of the Football League not so very many years ago now face the final two matches of the season away from home in the Conference Premiership and still in "the bottom four". On Tuesday night, they travel away to Gateshead who are only two points above them and needing points to help to ensure their own survival, then on the Saturday, they travel away to top-of-the table Kidderminster who need all the points to help in the top-two struggle with Mansfield Town for the "top-spot" automatic promotion place.

Will they end up having the biggest ground in the Conference North next season ?

 

[Ivo]

As recently as 1997-98, they were challenging for the Play Offs in the then Division 1 (now the Championship).

Since then, their form has gone thusly (using modern League names)...

1998-99 = CH 16th
1999-00 = CH 17th
2000-01 = CH 20th
2001-02 = CH 24th (R)
2002-03 = L1 14th
2003-04 = L1 19th
2004-05 = L1 24th (R)
2005-06 = L2 22nd
2006-07 = L2 8th
2007-08 = L2 4th (P via P/O)
2008-09 = L1 18th
2009-10 = L1 24th (R)
2010-11 = L2 24th (R)
2011-12 = CP 16th

A very sad decline indeed...

To make matters worse, they already have the biggest ground in the BSP; should they go down, only Altrincham - who may yet be promoted - and jointly relegated Telford will have even half of their capacity!

By the way, it was confirmed a while ago that Blue Square are set to withdraw their sponsorship after being taken over by another group (Betfair maybe). Whether this will definitely happen remains to be seen, but it appears likely.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Will they end up having the biggest ground in the Conference North next season ?

To make matters worse, they already have the biggest ground in the BSP; should they go down, only Altrincham - who may yet be promoted - and jointly relegated Telford will have even half of their capacity!

FC Halifax Town's The Shay has a capacity in excess of 14,000, so if Stockport County do go down they'll only have the second highest capacity in the BSN.

 

[Ivo]

That's what you get for reading one list in size order and assuming they all are by default :roll:

Also having at least half are Boston, Gloucester and Stalybridge. Chester also have more than half but they will be promoted to the BSP and thus do not count, but FC United - if promoted - will be a rival to Stockport in terms of capacity.

By contrast, in the South the largest is Bath's Twerton Park - the only Non-League ground I have ever watched football at - with five others having at least half of Edgeley Park's capacity.

 

[richw]

Paulo Di Canio seems to be getting a little excited. Sunderland are now 3-0 away to Newcastle. PDC seems to be giving Steffen Freund a challenge for best celebrations of goals.

 

[Ivo]

Paulo Di Canio seems to be getting a little excited. Sunderland are now 3-0 away to Newcastle. PDC seems to be giving Steffen Freund a challenge for best celebrations of goals.

Will this appease all those "fans" who insisted on boycotting the club due to PDC's apparent political preferences?

 

[gnolife]

FC Halifax Town's The Shay has a capacity in excess of 14,000, so if Stockport County do go down they'll only have the second highest capacity in the BSN.

Assuming that Halifax don't win the Play-offs

 

[MidnightFlyer]

So where does this leave things now? Assuming this isn't a one-off (and with PDC's enthusiasm I don't think SAFC will be allowed to cut any slack) then it looks like Villa, Newcastle and Stoke are right back in the mire.

Assuming that Halifax don't win the Play-offs

I'm sure they won't with the mighty Altrincham there :P

 

[richw]

So where does this leave things now? Assuming this isn't a one-off (and with PDC's enthusiasm I don't think SAFC will be allowed to cut any slack) then it looks like Villa, Newcastle and Stoke are right back in the mire.

Also means QPR and Reading are now 10 points adrift with only 15 to play for.
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Will this appease all those "fans" who insisted on boycotting the club due to PDC's apparent political preferences?

Personally although not a Sunderland fan, its football not politics, and I wouldnt care about any manager at my clubs political views if they are producing good results on the field

 

[valenta]

What a pathetic performance. No desire. No tactical awareness.

 

[richw]

If Manchester Utd win today, and at West Ham and Villa, they would only need a point against Arsenal and Van Persie would win his first title... In his first season... At the Emirates.

 

[balne-wonderer]

If Manchester Utd win today, and at West Ham and Villa, they would only need a point against Arsenal and Van Persie would win his first title... In his first season... At the Emirates.

Correct. They may well go through the entire season without conceding a penalty and without having a player sent off, they are the only club in the league to have these stats.

Interesting.

 

[Liam]

After two amazing semi finals at Hampden, both ending 4-3 after extra time, Hibs will play Celtic in the final on the 26th of May.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

FC Halifax Town's The Shay has a capacity in excess of 14,000, so if Stockport County do go down they'll only have the second highest capacity in the BSN.

When I checked the latest capacity of both grounds to meet the safety certificate, I was told:-

Stockport County FC (Edgeley Park)........10.852
FC Halifax Town (The Shay)...................10.061

Though I admit other sources do give slightly higher figures for both grounds. Perhaps Stockport County have more of a fully-seated capacity than most clubs, possibly as a result with the previous ground-share arrangement with Sale Sharks

 

[richw]

Correct. They may well go through the entire season without conceding a penalty and without having a player sent off, they are the only club in the league to have these stats.

Interesting.

I just find it great that Van Persie is potentially going to win his first Premier league title at the Emirates.
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BBC football online have created a photo slideshow of Di Canios excitement.
Can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22145282

Definitely looks like will make Match of the Day more interesting. They can now analyse PDC as well as the match.

 

[familyguy99]

U have to feel sorry for Stockport on this big drop they be having and they could be relegated on Tues night if they lose to Gateshead and Tamworth beat Ebbsfleet.

I see Man City are winning 1-0 at Half time, u have to think that whoever win that match will probably win FA Cup as u can't see Wigan beating Chelsea or Man City in final.

 

[DarloRich]

Another good win for Darlo yesterday, 2-0 v a disgraceful West Auckland side who had 4 sent off, including the manager, but we are nearly there. We just need to keep being professional and grinding out results.

Goals and sendings off here: http://www.northernleaguefootball.c...arlo-continue-form-as-west-have-four-sent-off

 

[JoeH]

Aguero would have been fully deserving of a red card there for a vicious two footed stamp with the intention of causing injury.

Hopefully he'll receive a ban because the referee didn't appear to see it.