THE MATCH

WEDNESDAY 5TH NOVEMBER KO 7:45PM

v

LAST MATCH



We stopped the run of 4 consecutive defeats by grabbing a deserved point at the Hawthorns. The Baggies started the better and forced Horvath into a couple of early saves. Ugbo was inches away from a goal as he just failed to get a foot on a cross. Onto the 2nd half and after a start to the second half, Ugbo could have punished slack play in the Albion midfield on a quick break but his shot was easily saved by the keeper. Palmer then fired over from a long throw. Iorfa nearly put through his own net only for Horvath to save. Grant had a couple of late efforts for the Baggies but we managed to hold on for a point

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

THE MATCH



Next up and Norwich head north to Hillsborough. Norwich are in terrible form, currently in 23rd position in the league, no wins in 9 games and losing there last 6 games, there last win coming at the end of August. You would think that there would be enough quality in the squad for Norwich to get out of there current predicament. There current manager is Liam Manning, who took over in June of this year, but having lost his last 6 games, his job must be in serious jeopardy. There leading scorer this season is Josh Sargent with 5 goals and 1 assist.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 26
NORW 20
DRAW 17

CURRENT FORM

OWLS   D L L L L D                                                            

NORW L L L L L L

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

EDWARD DUCKWORTH
Nigel Lugg and Matthew McGrath
Fourth Official: Andrew Kitchen

THE TEAM

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

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

1-1 Ingelsson

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

56

ATTENDANCE

28212

BML LEAGUE

Maddix 7
Owlkev 6
Imre 3
SCO 3
Washington 3

BMPL

Stateside 6
Pei -4
Wereham -11
Southey -12

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Preston v Swansea
QPR V Southampton
Portsmouth v Wrexham
Solihull v Truro
York v Gateshead

HAHHH

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE

SCO




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC

Southampton have sacked manager Will Still after just five months in charge.

The 33-year-old was only appointed in May after leaving French Ligue 1 side Lens so that he could return to the UK, but he has won just two of 13 Championship games this season.

Saints were booed off after their 2-0 defeat by Preston North End on Saturday, a result which dropped them to 21st in the table.

In a statement, the club said Ruben Martinez, Clement Lemaitre and Carl Martin had also left their positions at the club, while men's under-21 head coach Tonda Eckert will take over on an interim basis.

"Will is a great person who gave everything to try and improve performances and results," technical director Johannes Spors told the club website, external.

"Ultimately that process has taken longer than any of us would have liked. By making a change now we believe it gives us the best chance of turning things around this season and climbing back up the league table.

"I would like to thank Will, Ruben, Clement and Carl for their efforts and wish them well for the future."

Two Championship wins this season have been accompanied with six draws and five defeats in the league for Saints, who were relegated from the top flight last season.

Those two victories came on the opening day of the season at home to Wrexham and away at Sheffield United on the final day of September.

After beating Northampton Town and Norwich City in the EFL Cup, they were knocked out of the competition in a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool.

Still's sacking comes after a run of five games without a win, consisting of two draws and three defeats.

He told BBC Radio Solent after Saturday's defeat that there was not an "instant fix" for the side after another loss.

"If I'd got an instant fix I would have found it about a month or two months ago.

"I don't think there is an instant fix to be really honest with you, and I think whoever it is, there's a big job and I knew there was a big job coming in here.

"I said a few weeks ago there were a lot of things that need to change that haven't changed yet because we haven't had the time to do that, but there's still evidently a lot of work to do."

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 13:

1. Baggiebob(BBB) = 225 pts
   
2. jjamez = 225 pts
   
3. neonfoxinthebox = 192 pts
   
4. Lord Snooty = 174 pts
   
5. ritchiebaby = 161 pts
   
6. SHEP_HTAFC = 137 pts
   

Saturday November 8th:
League One:
Town v Plymouth
Town scorers:
Plymouth scorers:

Blackpool v Cardiff City
Bolton Wanderers v Port Vale
Northampton Town v Mansfield Town (12:30)
Peterborough United v AFC Wimbledon
Rotherham United v Lincoln City
Stockport County v Luton Town

Premier League:
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United (12:30)
Everton v Fulham

Championship:
West Bromwich Albion v Oxford United

Scottish Premiership:
St. Mirren v Hibernian (17:45)

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

1. themaclad = 218 pts
   
2. theo_luddite = 218 pts
   
3. Devongone = 189 pts
   
4. Amelia Chaffinch = 170 pts
   
5. St Charles Owl = 165 pts
   
6. WakeyTerrier = 165 pts
   

Thursday November 6th:
League One:
Reading v Stevenage (20:00)

Saturday November 8th:
Town v Plymouth
Town scorers:
Plymouth scorers:

Wycombe Wanderers v Leyton Orient (12:30)
Bolton Wanderers v Port Vale
Bradford City v Burton Albion
Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley
Exeter City v Wigan Athletic

Premier League:
Sunderland v Arsenal (17:30)

Championship:
Millwall v Preston North End (12:30)
Southampton v Sheffield Wednesday

League Two:
Chesterfield v Accrington Stanley

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

Gamball:
Stoke - Coventry

Others:
Spurs - Man Utd
Everton - Fulham
Millwall - Preston
Norwich - Leicester
Sheff Utd - QPR
Swansea - Ipswich
Wrexham - Charlton
Brentford - Newcastle
Man City - Liverpool

Sorry guys, parenthood came a calling and I've not managed to make anything for this weekend.

Could it be grants last game or is kev going to hold fire for a longer period, another international break is just around the corner with only one league game before it, so not a whole deal at stake.

Town look to have a fair few injuries in and amongst the squad and with 9 subs allowed to be named it wouldn't surprise me to see names like George iorpenda, sebine and mrisho appear on the bench, much like against Harrogate the other week. Not sure if may is suspended but my understanding is that he is, but not for Tuesday against Mansfield. I expect Taylor will "lead" the line with Charles and bojan both on the bench. Will be interesting to see if he goes full strength or slightly rotated, although I think his early season rotating is partially to blame for this situation we find ourselves in, it has lead to disjointed performances countless times, and for a few weeks he got away with it, but now it's caught up and we are playing teams that didn't rotate and it shows

Leam Richardson says he has high demands for his players as he prepares for his first game as Reading manager.

The former Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United boss took over on Wednesday after predecessor Noel Hunt was sacked.

The Royals are 19th in League One, having won just three of 14 league games this season, and host National League outfit Carlisle United in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.

"I've got a clear way I want to play," Richardson, who won the League One title with Wigan in 2022, told BBC Radio Berkshire.

"You've got to be careful with that going into a new group because they may not have the tools to be able to execute what you want, so you've got to be very mindful.

"Every time we've won the league and had champions, our output's been very good so I will be very demanding on the players and I expect them to be demanding on me.

"We want to control the game a little bit more with our structure, with possession, but we also want a lot of action, a lot of goalmouth action, a lot of crosses and a lot of offensive players in really strong finishing positions."
Richardson comes to Reading at a time of change - the Berkshire club was taken over by American businessman Rob Couhig in mid-May.

That followed a difficult period under former owner Dai Yongge which had seen the Royals relegated to the third tier and suffer points deductions for financial problems.

Richardson hopes his experience at Wigan, when he was in charge while the club was in administration and then taken over, can help in his new role.

"These fans have really suffered, it's something that no fan should suffer, and the club's in transition, the squad's in transition," he said.

"I've done it before, I've dealt with it before, so I've kind of got an answer. It might not be every time the right answer, but I'd like to think it'll be unrelenting and the work ethic will be there for the better and you'd be certainly judged from that.

"My past experiences you'd hope would lend in the right direction to where this club wants to go

Richardson hopes he can affect change straight away.

But with the Royals having injury issues in attack and in goal, he is looking to try and strengthen the squad in the January transfer window as best he can.

"I think every football club should try to get better," he added. "It's not always bringing people in, it's about getting people moved on to different environments.

"But I think every transfer window is a really, really pivotal part to make your football club better.

"The summer can create what's coming further for the season, so if you have a really challenging summer more than likely you'll have a challenging season.

"I know it's been a bit of a challenging summer here but again every transfer window with the help of the new ownership and the structure we'll try to get better and we'll try to evolve."

THE MATCH

SATURDAY 1ST NOVEMBER KO 12:30PM

v

LAST MATCH



Despite the good news off the pitch, we went down to our fourth defeat in a row as Oxford took the points. Oxford took the lead when a ball clipped into the box was headed in from close range by Lankshear. Cads had a shot saved but it was Oxford who went 0-2 up when Brannigan fired in a free kick from 30 yards, with the help of a non existent wall. 0-2 at HT. Onto the 2nd half and we were given a early lifeline when the ball fell to Fusire just inside the box and he fired home. Cads was inches from equalizing from Ingelssons cross come shot. Our best chance came near the end when Lowe connected well but fired straight at the keeper.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

THE MATCH



Next up and a trip to the Midlands as we face the Baggies. The Baggies have made a mixed start to the season, with 5 wins and 5 defeats in there first 12 games and currently lie in 11th place and just a few points off the playoffs. The Baggies have been there or thereabouts the playoff picture in the past few seasons, but have only made them once in the past four season, if they can be a bit more consistent, they could make the end of season mayhem. They are managed by Ryan Mason, who took over in June of this year, his first proper managerial job. There leading scorer this season is Pricew with 5 goals and 1 assist.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 55
WBA 40
DRAW 28

CURRENT FORM

OWLS   L L L L D D                                                             

WBA L L W L W D

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

BEN TONER
Andrew Fox and Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth Official: Richard Aspinall

THE TEAM

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

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

2-1 Ingelsson

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

56

ATTENDANCE

N/A

BML LEAGUE

Maddix 6
Owlkev 6
Imre 3
SCO 3
Washington 3

BMPL

Stateside 6
Pei -4
Wereham -11
Southey -12

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Tottenham v Chelsea
Forest v Man Utd
QPR v Ipswich
Stoke v Bristol City
Watford v Middlesbrough

DAADA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC

Peterborough United have appointed former Swansea City boss Luke Williams as manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

He replaces Darren Ferguson, whose fourth spell in charge came to an end when he was sacked following Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Blackpool.

Posh are bottom of League One, having won only three of their 13 games so far, and are five points adrift of safety.

Williams will take charge for Saturday's home FA Cup first-round tie against Cardiff City, with his first league game as boss against AFC Wimbledon, also at the Weston Homes Stadium, a week later.

Chairman Darragh MacAnthony said the appointment was the "start of a new era" for the club.

"This appointment isn't about what league we are in or recent poor results but about creating an identity for our club for years to come," MacAnthony added.

"Our club has an incredible academy, talented young players in our first team squad and the goal is always the same; play exciting attacking football, develop our young talent, recruit and develop the gems others miss, compete with the 'big boys', win promotions, trophies and become financially sustainable and a well-run football club that our fans feel constant pride in supporting."

Williams began his managerial career at Swindon Town in 2015 but was sacked following relegation to League Two at the end of the 2016-17 season.

He took over at then National League club Notts County in the summer of 2022 and they achieved a club-record 107 points in his first full season, winning promotion back to the English Football League via a penalty shootout win over Chesterfield at Wembley.

Williams stepped up two divisions when he was appointed by Swansea in January 2024 but lasted only 13 months in south Wales and left following a run of seven Championship defeats in nine games.

He will be assisted at Peterborough by Ryan Harley, who worked with Williams at Notts County and Swansea.

"I spoke to the chairman and to (director of football) Barry (Fry) as well - it really feels a good fit for us all," Williams said.

"I had really good conversations with Darragh, it made me feel enthused and (that it was) an opportunity I couldn't afford to miss."

He will aim to 'break the mould' but has 'job on his hands' - analysis
Peter Swan, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire sports editor

Luke Williams is Posh owner Darragh MacAnthony's 13th managerial appointment since buying the club back in 2006.

Of those 13 managers, four have been Darren Ferguson and of the rest only Grant McCann has achieved more than a year in charge.

Williams will be aiming to break the mould.

His preferred style of football should appeal to Posh fans, but there's no doubt he's got a job on his hands - Posh have won only 16 of their 59 league matches since the start of last season.