Having bought some much-needed breathing space with the comeback win against Oxford, and enjoyed a fortnight's respite to plan for the battles to come, it's back to the unforgiving grind for Ryan Mason and the beleaguered Baggies. Though still only four points off the playoffs, I think most of us have accepted that they're an unrealistic target this season; yet with that acceptance of mid-table mediocrity comes a far greater weight on local bragging rights, and this week will go a long way to determining who can claim the mantle of Pride of the Midlands in 2025. (For administrative purposes, this house no longer recognises the existence of the Premier League or its deluded denizens.)

First up is a trip to Coventry tomorrow, where Frank Lampard has truly brought back the glory days of Steve Ogrizovic and away kits manufactured by Cadbury's. Having finally retrieved their stadium from the exiled Nigerian prince they donated it to, and planted the magic beans they got in return, the wind is well and truly in the sails of the Sky Blues as they set a course at full steam for promotion. (Look, it's my metaphor, and I'll mix my means of nautical propulsion if I want to.) Unbeaten on home soil so far, while Albion have spent the last six weeks looking like absolute pot plants on the road, it would frankly be an upset if we were to come away from the Arena Formerly Known As Ricoh with so much as a point, and if we can simply keep Brandon Thomas-Asante from scoring a hat-trick then I'd take it.

However, assuming that the Coventry jaunt is a write-off places infinitely more weight on Wednesday night's follow-up when we play host to Birmingham City. Resurgent under the ownership of Toms Wagner and Brady, and fresh from unveiling the concept art for their planned new stadium (which could best be described as a Christmas cake gone dreadfully awry), they'll be hoping for a derby win to help win over some of those shy 62,000 Blues fans who've been conspicuous in their absence from St Andrew's for the last 150 years. Anything can happen when local pride is at stake, and Albion will be leaning heavily on our ever-so-slightly-better home form, but two defeats on the trot would be enough to land Mason right back in hot water by the end of the month, so by hook or by crook, we need to come out of this week with something to show for our efforts.

Former Leicester City defender Christian Fuchs has been appointed manager of Newport County on a "long-term contract".

The 39-year-old was part of the Leicester team which won the Premier League in 2016, and has most recently been working as assistant coach of Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC.

County sacked David Hughes after their 1-0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town last Saturday with the Exiles bottom of League Two.

"We see Christian as the sort of man to lead our club forward. I believe he matches our ambition and goals for Newport County," said chairman Huw Jenkins.

"I do feel we can now look forward with a great deal of optimism. We'll look to improve our current situation in League Two and take things from there.

"Christian is ambitious and wants, one day, to manage in the Premier League. We believe he shares our strong belief in what Newport County can eventually become."


What information do we collect from this quiz?
Under Hughes, who took charge in the summer, Newport won only three of 16 League Two games.

The loss to Shrewsbury saw the slip to four points adrift of safety, prompting Hughes' exit.

Fuchs, who won 78 caps for Austria, will begin his first managerial role with a trip to Oldham Athletic on Saturday.

The former left-back announced his retirement from playing in January 2023, having finished his career with Charlotte FC.


ARTICLE COURTESY FROM THE BBC

I get what you are saying Stairs but it's impossible. It would take us all forever to go back and remove every single image we ever used on the site, whether known copyright or not. Most of us wouldn't know. Are there any specifics that have been brought to your attention to start with and what we should keep away from or how to properly credit them going forward?

Also would removing the image from the OP remove it from the whole thread or would it stay in the replies too? You and the mods might be able to do something about replies in my posts for example but I don't believe I can and neither can others where images have been added in replies to their original post in the thread. You seriously don't have the time to do that either.

We're looking at years of posts here not a couple of weeks. It would be quicker, if heart breaking, just to delete every post on the site and give guidance going forward of what is allowed and what isn't - like do they want a copywrite notice next to or below the image or are we not allowed any images that we haven't created ourselves from scratch at all (like a copy and paste from a spreadsheet or a doodle of our own creation, not an image we've copied and added our own flavour to)?

While some websites say images may be subject to copywrite, it's not always obvious which one's are and which aren't on that website. In comparison to what AI is ripping off from the world of copyright we're barely a few pixels in comparison and we certainly aren't an X or a TikTok or a FaceAche (like nobody uses other folks images on those sites either) but if some folk are getting annoyed with users on this site not crediting their work properly or using it inappropriately we have to go along with it. I don't want to pay legal bills as much as you.

Additionally - some users that have posted images and threads in the past, have left the site or are (temporarily) no longer using the site, they are not going to remove anything.

Finally would it placate them if you've issued a warning not to use other folks images in future either -

- at all? I see you suggested this.
- or insist it comes with a credit to the originator of the image (however distorted and added to) or you or the mods will remove it?

Hard for you to police I know but you also have mods to pull us up. Not that the mods have never used images in their posts.

Just remove the option to post images if you have to. A Snipping Tool image of an Image on the web I've added things to to is not quite the same the same as one from an image from a spreadsheet I've created. If we've used a link to an image, that image can be followed. I assume they aren't moaning about that. It will be a pain the arse for a lot of the good stuff we do on here but we'll have to work round it.

THE MATCH

SUNDAY 23RD NOVEMBER KO 12:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



We went down to defeat at St Marys but put up a spirited display again. Within 17 minutes we were 2-0 down, Jander's effort going just over the line although Horvath has to do better, then Aziz firing past Horvath with an angled shot. We got back into the game when Amass fired one in from 25 yards, his first senior goal. Cads nearly levelled but his hot was saved then Aziz had a couple of efforts that were kept out. Onto the 2nd half and the Saints quickly restored there 2 goal lead, when Armstrong was fed the ball and cut in side and finished well. We gave it a go for the rest of the game but were unable to find away past the Saints keeper.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

THE MATCH





So the first of the only two meaningful games left on the calendar as the Blunts travel to Hillsborough. The Blunts had a terrible start to there season losing there first 7 games in league and cup, which saw new manager Selles sacked. He was replaced by Chris Wilder, who was sacked by the same board in the summer He has had a mixed return and the club still linger in the relegation zone, but with the squad they have I expect them to rise up the table although a shot at the playoffs looks highly unlikely so probably a bottom half finish is more likely. There leading scorer this season O'Hare with 4 goals and 2 assists.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 48
BLUNTS 51
DRAW 47

CURRENT FORM

OWLS    L D D L L L                                                             

BLUNTS D L L L W W

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

ROBERT MADLEY
Darren Williams and Conor Brown
Fourth Official: David Webb

THE TEAM

Horvath
Fusire Palmer Iorfa M Lowe Amass
Valery Ingelsson Bannan
McNeill Cadamarteri

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

1-1 Cadamarteri

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

56

ATTENDANCE

N/A

BML LEAGUE

Owlkev 10
Maddix 8
Imre 4
SCO 4
Washington 3

BMPL

Stateside 6
Pei -4
Wereham -11
Southey -12

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Leeds v Aston Villa
Arsenal v Tottenham
Aberdeen v Hearts
Man Utd V Everton
Elche v Real Madrid

AHAHA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE

Mansfield Town v Huddersfield Town
Sky Bet League One
Saturday November 22nd - 15:00 ko
at the One Call Stadium

Luton Town v Huddersfield Town
Sky Bet League One
Tuesday November 25th - 19:45 ko
at the Power Court Stadium

Not a massive amount of games played against either of these two clubs, but amongst them are two massive meetings in the EFL Play Offs, from both of which we emerged victorious.

The Terriers came up against the Stags in the 4th tier Play Off Final in 2004 and in true Town tradition, it ended 0-0 after 120 minutes. Well this started the tradition actually, to be followed by similar wins against Sheffield United and Reading, both at Wembley. This one though was played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium as Wembely was being rebuilt.

Town had come close a few times, but not close enough, before Mansfield's Colin Larkin did actually get the ball in the net just before the end of the 90 minutes. Thankfully, an eagle eyed linesman had his flag up. Not for offside, but for the airborne ball slightly drifting over the touchline before a Mansfield player passed it back into play, which led to the disallowed goal. Cheers. liner.

Without that decision, the name of Lee Fowler wouldn't have been written in Hudersfield Town legend. Also Danny Schofield, Tony Carss, Rob Edwards and of course Paul Rachubka.

And don't forget Liam Lawrence......

The Luton Play Off was more recent, the last time to date that we reached the Play Offs. By contrast to the Mansfield game, this was a semi final over two legs and the prize for winning the end of season lottery would be a place in the Premier League.

We drew the first leg 1-1 at Kenilworth Road, keeping up a superb record of never losing a first leg in all ten of our Play Off semi finals. But we did break with tradition in the 2nd leg by actually winning a home leg for the first time. Danel Sinani fired home early on for us at Luton and it just had to be Jordan Rhodes getting the winner at the John Smith's Stadium, before we were robbed at Wembley.

Well they are led by two managers on opposite ends of the experience scale. Nigel Clough, we all know a lot about and has now clocked up a grand total of 1,550 games as a manager. Breaking that down it's 709 at Burton Albion, 233 for Derby County and 104 at Sheffield United. That was followed by another stint with Burton, where he amassed another 228. He's now in his fifth year with the Stags and the defeat at Northampton last week was his 276th match at the helm.

By contrast, Jack Wilshere, the Luton manager had his 8th game as a manager when they played out a goal less draw at home to Rotherham on Saturday. That's six for the Hatters and two interim games when he was at Norwich City and they'd sacked Johannes Hoff Thorup. He's been at Luton since the 13th of October and this was after they sacked Matt Bloomfield the week before.

1. Jean Sprocket
   
2. Janet Hanson
   
3. Illuminant Dummies
   
4. Lara Hubcap UK
   
5. Raccoon Barrels
   
6. Wrinkle a Hotrod
   
7. The Luckier
   
8. Insane Linda
   
9. Bathroom Ass
   
10. Renewal Claim
    

Norwich City have appointed former Rangers manager Philippe Clement as their head coach on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

The Belgian, 51, replaces Liam Manning, who was sacked after just 17 games in charge following a 2-1 home defeat by Leicester City on 8 November.

The Canaries are second from bottom of the Championship with nine points from 15 games and have lost all eight home matches in the league and cup this season.

"I've known of this club for a long time and, whilst we are not in a good moment at this time, we are excited to work together with the players and staff to turn things around," Clement told the club website., external

"Meeting with the owners and hearing some of their ambitions for the club, it really convinced me that this is the best move.

"They have big plans for the future but, of course, our job in the short term is to turn around the current situation and get everyone believing again."

Coach Stephan van der Heyden will be part of Clement's backroom team, with further appointments to follow.

Van der Heyden, also a former Belgium international, worked alongside Clement at Rangers, having previously been assistant manager for North Macedonia's Vardar Skopje, the Jordan national team and Kerala Blasters in India.

Clement was sacked by Rangers in February after 16 months in charge at Ibrox, during which they won the Scottish League Cup in 2024 and twice reached the last 16 of the Europa League.

He achieved a 64% win record and afterwards posted on X: "It has taken me a few days to fully process and accept the end of my time with this exceptional club.

"I leave with a heavy heart, frustrated and disappointed that I couldn't consistently bring the team to the level we all expected. I understand your frustrations, and I share them."

He later told BBC Radio Scotland's Sacked In The Morning podcast "total chaos" in the boardroom, including the departures of the chief executive and chairman, had hampered his efforts to take on Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Clement was previously in charge of Beveren, Genk and Club Brugge in Belgium, winning the Pro League title on three occasions, before spending a season-and-a-half in French football as head coach of Monaco.

He won 38 international caps for Belgium during a playing career that also took in 12 Premier League appearances for Coventry City during the 1998-99 season.

Former Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, ex-Bournemouth and Wolves manager Gary O'Neil and one of Clement's successors at Rangers, Russell Martin, were all linked with the Carrow Road vacancy over the past few days.

But the Canaries recruitment team, led by sporting director Ben Knapper - himself a target for criticism from supporters following the club's poor start to the season - have instead given Clement the job of ensuring they do not drop into League One for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

"Philippe is an incredibly experienced and prominent head coach, with clear values and beliefs that align with ours," Knapper said.

"He will bring a strong leadership presence and an impressive background having coached some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

"Throughout the recruitment process, his methodical approach and detailed analysis of where we currently are, as well as his desire to move things forward, were clear for us all to see.

"We now have an incredible amount of work ahead of us to ensure we improve performances and results, and we will do everything possible to ensure Philippe has our full backing and support."

Clement is the third head coach appointed since Knapper replaced Stuart Webber as sporting director and the fifth since Daniel Farke - now in charge at Leeds United - left in November 2021, having twice led the Canaries to promotion to the Premier League.

It is likely funds will be made available by owners Norfolk FB Holdings to strengthen the squad in January following what some fans believe was an underwhelming summer transfer window when 12 players were brought in.

Norwich took just three points from the final 11 league matches of Manning's reign and are badly in need of a positive result when they return to action on Saturday following the international break by taking on Birmingham City at St Andrew's.


Philippe Clement has come from left field. His name didn't ever feature near the top of the bookmakers' favourites for the job.

Norwich City have recent history of pulling off surprises when it comes to appointing new head coaches. Alex Neil and Daniel Farke both came from nowhere to lead the Canaries into the Premier League.

Clement is taking on an entirely different task. It's one of firefighting rather than chasing glory. City are in the Championship's drop zone, four points adrift of safety having lost all eight home games this season.

The Belgian will need to draw on all of his experience managing at clubs like Monaco and Rangers to turn the tide. Early fan reaction ranges from 'gamble' to 'coup'.

After Birmingham away on Saturday, successive home games against Oxford and QPR might offer an opportunity to get a disgruntled fan base on-side quickly.

2 points for correct result
4 points for correct score
2 points for each correct scorer
Correct joker doubles your score   (correct score on a joker would give you 8 points)
Wrong joker result gives you minus 2
Correct Badger gives you 2 points

The prize for winning the league is one rep point.

Cup games: In the event of a draw, it's half the points if you've predicted a draw when it gets to 90 mins and the full points if it's still a draw after extra time. Half the points will be awarded for correctly predicting the winner of the match if it goes to penalties. However, if you do predict a draw and it's a match that won't be going to a replay, you can get a possible extra point by stating which of the two teams you think will eventually win.

Random score generator: I will be using the random score generator again for those who miss predicting, so we shouldn't get some people too far behind that after missing a couple of weeks they lose all interest, because I know it's not easy getting on here every week.
To be fair to everybody, this is going to be like, say if three people in one week miss their predictions, the first one in the table will be given all 0-0, the second one down the line will get 1-0 and the third will get 0-1 and so on, like if there's four missing the 4th will get 1-1, then 5th 2-1, 6th 1-2. and if there are so many missing, might as well pack in.
And if you miss two weeks on the trot, I'll stop until you come back on again. Not doing it for half a season like I did t'other year.  


At the end of the season, the winner of group 2 and the bottom of group 1 will swap places in what is commonly known as "promotion" and "relegation". It's something that most football fans will be familiar with, unless you're a fan of Liverpool or Arsenal or one of those other fashionable clubs.

The second placed player in group 2 will then have a play off with the player who finishes second from the bottom in group 1 to decide whether they will be going up, down or staying where they are.

We're going to have two seasons in one though, just to try and make it a bit more interesting and not so long drawn out. The first season will end on the Boxing Day fixtures, with the play offs being on the dates of the Twixtmas fixtures and the NYD fixtures.

The second season will start the following week, which is usually the FA Cup 3rd round, finishing on the last game of the League One season. Then another period of relegation/promotion play off games, taking in such fixtures as the EFL play offs, FA Cup Final, UEFA finals and such like.

Each group will have it's own set of fixtures. Both groups will have the Town games, with scorers to predict as before. Then it will be a split of League One fixtures and bonus matches, hopefully around ten, eleven or twelve games per Matchday.

The random badger is restricted to three goal scorers in any of the fixtures in your group.

Here's how that will appear at the end of the fixture list. All you have to do is fill in the blanks.......


*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***

Any of those will score two points if correct. No minus points for getting it wrong.

Postponed matches will only count if the match is re-played before the next Matchday is under way. Abandoned matches will be awarded half the points for the score at the time of abandonment, so 1 point if you have the correct result, 2 points if you have the correct score.

Substitute or scorer in one of the Town games:- These will be only be allowed if you change them before the match involved has kicked off.

Prediction League Archive: https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=12830

Division One table after Matchday 16:

1. Baggiebob(BBB) = 287 pts
   
2. jjamez = 287 pts
   
3. neonfoxinthebox = 250 pts
   
4. ritchiebaby = 221 pts
   
5. Lord Snooty = 219 pts
   
6. SHEP_HTAFC = 137 pts
   

Thursday November 20th:
League One:
Peterborough United v Stockport County (20:00)

Saturday November 22nd:
Mansfield v Town
Town scorers:
Mansfield scorers:

Port Vale v Plymouth Argyle (12:30)
AFC Wimbledon v Wigan Athletic
Barnsley v Luton Town
Bolton Wanderers v Bradford City
Leyton Orient v Blackpool
Stevenage v Doncaster Rovers

Championship:
Coventry City v West Bromwich Albion (12:30)

Sunday November 23rd:
Premier League:
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur (16:30)

Tuesday 25th November:
League One:
Luton v Town
Town scorers:
Luton scorers:

Scottish Premiership:
Motherwell v Hibernian

*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***

1. themaclad = 278 pts
   
2. theo_luddite = 276 pts
   
3. Devongone = 246 pts
   
4. St Charles Owl = 215 pts
   
5. WakeyTerrier = 209 pts
   
6. Amelia Chaffinch = 200 pts
   

Friday November 21st:
Championship:
Preston North End v Blackburn Rovers (20:00)

Saturday November 22nd:
League One:
Mansfield v Town
Town scorers:
Mansfield scorers:

Exeter City v Burton Albion (12:30) POSTPONED
Barnsley v Luton Town
Northampton Town v Cardiff City
Reading v Rotherham United
Wycombe Wanderers v Lincoln City

League Two:
Crewe Alexandra v Chesterfield

Sunday November 23rd:
Championship:
Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United (12:00)

Monday November 24th:
Premier League:
Manchester United v Everton (20:00)

Tuesday 25th November:
League One:
Luton v Town
Town scorers:
Luton scorers:

Peterborough United v Stevenage


*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***

While the tumbleweed is blowing through domestic football because of the international stuff, I'd just like to say how much I, personally, appreciate this forum.
I sometimes read other forums, and just having come from one - a rugby one at that - it suddenly hit me how good this one is!
Everyone on here respects other views; they are positive, and constructive, and basically (appear to be!) intelligent! On other forums I'm hit by others just being borish, and seemingly world experts - highly and aggressively critical of selections, tactics etc. but even if there are differences on here it's handled really nicely.
Thanks everyone!

Left the club and joined Aldershot Town on a permanent basis.