Football

[Jimini]

We bounce once again. FFC back up to the PL

 

[Cowley]

We bounce once again. FFC back up to the PL

Really pleased for Fulham, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for them and they deserve it. Congratulations @Jimini.

 

[Jimini]

Really pleased for Fulham, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for them and they deserve it. Congratulations @Jimini.

Cheers chap

 

[150249]

We bounce once again. FFC back up to the PL

My Dad is a QPR fan and has always told me to hate Fulham. I hope Bournemouth and Forest also go up. Can't have Fulham, Huddersfield and Luton going up.

 

[Iskra]

My Dad is a QPR fan and has always told me to hate Fulham. I hope Bournemouth and Forest also go up. Can't have Fulham, Huddersfield and Luton going up.

I’m hoping Sheff Utd can make it up. Need some more Yorkshire clubs in the prem and they are one of the more interesting and less annoying ones!

Lampard was naive to let his players do that. Neither club nor manager have covered themselved in glory since, so a little embarassing for all of them involved.

I don't like to see any club suffer due to mismanagement or off-field issues, as it's the fans who end up suffering long after the people who got them into the mess have moved on, but I am finding it hard to muster up any sympathy for Derby County.

Rooney deserves respect for sticking by them despite the obvious difficulties, and reported interest from Everton earlier in the season. I'm sure they will be back, but there are many teams in League One I'd sooner have back than Derby. Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich to name a few.

It’s easy to stick with a club when you’re on a massively inflated salary proportionate to your talent. And even if he gets sacked he will get a large pay-off- he can’t lose!

 

[Loppylugs]

We bounce once again. FFC back up to the PL

It's that parachute payment !

I need sympathy, AFC Wimbledon now gone 25 league matches without a win. 12 draws and 13 defeats.

 

[ash39]

My Dad is a QPR fan and has always told me to hate Fulham. I hope Bournemouth and Forest also go up. Can't have Fulham, Huddersfield and Luton going up.

Forest would be a welcome return. Historically successful club, and in my experience a city of friendly people.

It’s easy to stick with a club when you’re on a massively inflated salary proportionate to your talent. And even if he gets sacked he will get a large pay-off- he can’t lose!

I'd not looked at it like that, fair comment

 

[150249]

Forest would be a welcome return. Historically successful club, and in my experience a city of friendly people.

All I see next season is Fulham finishing 19th with Mitrovic registering 4 goal contributions.

 

[roversfan2001]

So with Fulham going up last night, that's one PL relegation spot sorted for next season...

 

[GS250]

At a guess, Big Ex League Teams.

Correct!

It's certainly nothing derogatory. Although when a BELT team loses to a smaller non league side you will often end up with a total 'BELTDOWN' amongst the supporters. Southend United's forum was an absolute sea of frustration after they lost 1-0 to Wealdstone. Comments such as "this is the low point....we've just lost at home to part time Wealdstone". Traditionally it was Maidenhead United who were the scorn of many a BELT. They have a habit of picking up results against the better sides. Next season, it could be Dorking Wanderers who will be the new nadir although they are a monied club.

Some classic BELTDOWN inducing results here:

Kings Lynn 2-0 Halifax
Wealdstone 1-0 Grimsby
Southend Utd 0-1 Wealdstone
Halifax 1-2 Maidenhead
Maidenhead 3-2 Chesterfield
Maidenhead 3-2 Wrexham
Maidenhead 1-0 Halifax
Maidenhead 2-1 Southend

 

[SteveM70]

Maidenhead are an absolutely horrible team to play against. Ultra defensive, constant niggly fouls, time wasting, diving, in the refs ear all game. Good luck to them if that’s how they think they can stay in this league (and it is working) but I’d hate to have to watch that all season.

And for the record, despite as pointed out losing both league games, Halifax did beat them 7-4 in the FA cup.

 

[GS250]

Maidenhead are an absolutely horrible team to play against. Ultra defensive, constant niggly fouls, time wasting, diving, in the refs ear all game. Good luck to them if that’s how they think they can stay in this league (and it is working) but I’d hate to have to watch that all season.

And for the record, despite as pointed out losing both league games, Halifax did beat them 7-4 in the FA cup.

Yep. They've got a decent record of surviving at NL league level really. I believe they are 'hybrid' training regime which means they usually train twice a week in the evenings but will have the whole Friday to prepare for the game Saturday. Especially useful if you have a game at Halifax or Torquay and want to stay over the night before. Obviously means players need to have flexibility with work but it certainly gives you a better chance of survival.

At least those smaller teams who try to play football at NL level tend to be able to attract decent football league loanees for a relative pittance. That's basically how we've managed to survive.

Many want 3 up and 3 down into the NL although getting the EFL to agree will be difficult.

Halifax was actually one of the better days out this year. Great selection of pubs and some decent stop off points nearby.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Forest would be a welcome return. Historically successful club

Their European exploits under Clough were quite remarkable, but were outliers when you look at their whole history... much like Huddersfield's "golden era" of the 1920s. I agree they're certainly a big enough club to sustain themselves in the top flight for an extended period, with the right management and a bit of luck.

As for Huddersfield's chances of promotion, the play-offs are always unpredictable. We have a decent record over the years, but that doesn't count for anything. If we do manage another shock promotion, I just hope the chairman (assuming he sticks around) doesn't make the same mistakes as last time when we signed a bunch of (mostly) utter melts on crazy wages.

 

[Cletus]

At a guess, Big Ex League Teams.

Mate of mine calls them MELT’s - Middling Ex-League Teams

 

[Jimini]

So with Fulham going up last night, that's one PL relegation spot sorted for next season...

Fully expecting to be bottom of the league by Christmas!

It'll be interesting to see how we get on this time. The last two times we went up via. the playoffs, not automatically (and hopefully as Champions this time round, touch wood). Also because of the Covid shenanigans, by the time the 2020 playoff final was done and dusted, I think we had all of about 2.5 weeks to form some sort of semblance of a PL squad before the new season started.

 

[roversfan2001]

Fully expecting to be bottom of the league by Christmas!

It'll be interesting to see how we get on this time. The last two times we went up via. the playoffs, not automatically (and hopefully as Champions this time round, touch wood). Also because of the Covid shenanigans, by the time the 2020 playoff final was done and dusted, I think we had all of about 2.5 weeks to form some sort of semblance of a PL squad before the new season started.

I do think that the Fulham of 2021/22 is a better side than that of 17/18 and 19/20 - in what is a fairly close top half of the division, Fulham are far and away the best side and deserve to go up as champions (and it means you can't beat us 7-0 next year ). If you keep the manager and most of the squad then you've a fair chance of staying up. The two other teams promoted will have a far harder time of it I think.

 

[GS250]

Mate of mine calls them MELT’s - Middling Ex-League Teams

And then there's those who were traditionally non league teams who went into the Football League but came back down again. Yeovil Town, Barnet and Dagenham & Redbridge spring to mind.

 

[adrock1976]

And then there's those who were traditionally non league teams who went into the Football League but came back down again. Yeovil Town, Barnet and Dagenham & Redbridge spring to mind.

Don't forget Rushden & Diamonds who made it to the third tier, but fell back down and went into liquidation.

 

[Loppylugs]

Maidstone United too.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Also Aldershot: who went into liquidation and resigned from the league; reformed as Aldershot Town and climbed back up to the 4th tier; only to be relegated again.

 

[DannyMich2018]

It’s quite the reversal of fortunes over the last decade or so. Add in Manchester City’s recent success and it can’t have been a great feeling supporting United of late…

There was a time that if your team was playing Manchester United you’d have been pleased as punch to have got away with a draw.
Tonight felt like a case of how many would Liverpool be able to add to their goal tally.
A draw or a loss wasn’t even on the cards for The Reds this evening...

It sure is. Meanwhile our team was up at the other Merseyside team earlier and got a 1-1 draw. Let's hope we can beat Villa at home on Sat.

 

[AlterEgo]

Fully expecting to be bottom of the league by Christmas!

It'll be interesting to see how we get on this time. The last two times we went up via. the playoffs, not automatically (and hopefully as Champions this time round, touch wood). Also because of the Covid shenanigans, by the time the 2020 playoff final was done and dusted, I think we had all of about 2.5 weeks to form some sort of semblance of a PL squad before the new season started.

If you keep most of your squad you'll be okay.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Burnley 2 ... Southampton 0

Burnley's team approached this fixture with the correct frame of mind after recent club "happenings" and the three points gained make matters near the bottom of the league more interesting.

 

[150249]

Burnley 2 ... Southampton 0

Burnley's team approached this fixture with the correct frame of mind after recent club "happenings" and the three points gained make matters near the bottom of the league more interesting.

Before Everton win and Burnley lose at the weekend to make the gap 4 points again

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Before Everton won and Burnley lose at the weekend to make the gap 4 points again

The Burnley match was the only Premier League match played last night and if you look at the league table, Burnley are one point behind Everton now.

 

[150249]

The Burnley match was the only Premier League match played last night and if you look at the league table, Burnley are one point behind Everton now.

I think I misphrased it. And I didn't realise that Everton play Liverpool at the weekend which makes what I just posted completely useless

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Huddersfield Town 2 - 1 Barnsley

Joy for (part of) West Yorkshire, and despair for our neighbours to the South, as Huddersfield secure a play-off spot with a win that confirms Barnsley will play in League One next season. Not a vintage performance for the Sky cameras but we got the result.

Commiserations to Barnsley, the least-disliked of all our Yorkshire rivals.

 

[ash39]

Huddersfield Town 2 - 1 Barnsley

Joy for (part of) West Yorkshire, and despair for our neighbours to the South, as Huddersfield secure a play-off spot with a win that confirms Barnsley will play in League One next season. Not a vintage performance for the Sky cameras but we got the result.

Commiserations to Barnsley, the least-disliked of all our Yorkshire rivals.

Meanwhile up the road 4,000 more fans turned up to watch an u23's game than turned up at the McAlpine/Galpharm/whatever it's called this week to watch the first team secure a play off spot

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Meanwhile up the road 4,000 more fans turned up to watch an u23's game than turned up at the McAlpine/Galpharm/whatever it's called this week to watch the first team secure a play off spot

To be fair, there's not much else to do of an evening that side of Birstall roundabout.

 

[ash39]

To be fair, there's not much else to do of an evening that side of Birstall roundabout.

touché!

Good luck in the playoffs. More Yorkshire teams in the top flight the better.