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 Random Badger gives you 2 points

The random badger is used for any random prediction used once in each matchday sequence. For instance, a scorer at a particular match, the number of red cards in the matches or yellow cards or own goals or owt you want really within reason, I do need to be able to check whether it's correct or not. Please don't put stuff like....."Commentator says...."  
The joker   is played for one match in each sequence and if correct you get double points. So if you've predicted 1-0 and it finishes 2-0, you get 4 pts, but if you've predicted 2-0, that's 8 pts. But if you get it wrong, it's minus 2.
Jokers and badgers are optional. You don't have to play one if you don't want.

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. Similarly with the badger, if your random prediction is affected by this, it'll be half the points.

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.  

End of season Play Offs: The one who finishes top of the league will still be champion, but after the season finishes there will be Play Offs between the top 4, with 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd. This will take in stuff like the EFL Play Offs, FA Cup Final, final day of Prima Donna League, European Finals etc. It will be one matchday for the semis and one for the Final. It will be the individual scores for each matchday against the allotted opponent, with some kind of tie breaker for a drawn match.

The prize for winning will be enormous. Another rep point.

1. jjamez = 32 pts
   
2. ritchiebaby = 32 pts
   
3. St Charles Owl = 30 pts
   
4. themaclad = 30 pts
   
5. Baggiebob(BBB) = 26 pts
   
6. Lord Snooty = 24 pts
   

Friday 12th January:
Hull City v Norwich City

Saturday 13th January:
Town v Plymouth
Town scorers:
Plymouth scorers:

Coventry City v Leicester City (12:30)
Birmingham City v Swansea City
Preston North End v Bristol City
Southampton v Sheffield Wednesday
West Bromwich Albion v Blackburn Rovers

Bonus matches:
Premier League:
Saturday:
Newcastle United v Manchester City (17:30)

Sunday:
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur (16:30)

FA Cup 3rd round replays:
Tuesday:
Bolton Wanderers v Luton Town
Eastleigh v Newport County

Wednesday:
Blackpool v Nottingham Forest
Everton v Crystal Palace


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

1. SHEP_HTAFC = 42 pts
   
2. theo_luddite = 34 pts
   
3. Devongone = 30 pts
   
4. neonfoxinthebox = 26 pts
   
5. Amelia Chaffinch = 12 pts
   
6. WakeyTerrier = 8 pts
   

Saturday 13th January:
Town v Plymouth
Town scorers:
Plymouth scorers:

Cardiff City v Leeds United
Millwall v Middlesbrough
Rotherham United v Stoke City
Ipswich Town v Sunderland (17:30)

Sunday 14th January:
Queens Park Rangers v Watford (12:00)

Bonus matches:
Premier League:
Saturday:
Chelsea v Fulham (12:30)

Sunday:
Everton v Aston Villa (14:00)

FA Cup 3rd round replays:
Tuesday:
Birmingham City v Hull City
Bristol City v West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford

Wednesday:
Bristol Rovers v Norwich City

National League:
Tuesday:
Chesterfield v Altrincham


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

Kidderminster Harriers have sacked manager Russ Penn following a run of four defeats in their last five games.

Penn, 38, had been in charge since February 2020, following a short spell as interim boss the previous year.

He led them to promotion last season but they are currently bottom of the National League table.

Penn's departure comes only three weeks after former Wimbledon and Bolton striker Dean Holdsworth was named as Harriers' first technical director.

"This is a difficult decision to have taken," said Harriers chairman Richard Lane. "But one we feel is necessary in our current circumstances."

At three years and just under four months, Penn, whose departure was officially announced by the club late on Sunday, was the longest-serving Harriers manager since Steve Burr was sacked on exactly the same day - 7 January - after four years in charge exactly a decade ago.

In fact, Harriers have now sacked four of their last eight managers on 7 January - Penn, Neil McFarlane,Dave Hockaday and Burr.

Penn talks to BBC Hereford & Worcester in last interview as boss
After two years on Scunthorpe United's books, Penn made 162 appearances for Harriers from 2005 to 2009 during a playing career which also took him to Burton Albion, Cheltenham Town, York City, Carlisle United, Wrexham and Gateshead.

He returned to Aggborough as player-coach under Neil McFarlane in November 2018 and then served under three other bosses, Mark Yates, John Pemberton and Jimmy Shan, before becoming manager himself in April 2020.

Penn enjoyed a fine run to the fourth round of the FA Cup in 2021-22, when Harriers beat Reading in round three and were then only denied victory over West Ham United by an injury-time Declan Rice equaliser.

Despite finishing 24 points behind second-placed King's Lynn last season, Penn then led Harriers to promotion from National League North, after coming from nowhere to win their last nine matches on the trot.

But they have only won four out of 28 league games this term - and Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Rochdale left them two points below AFC Fylde and seven adrift of safety.

Penn's assistant Jimmy O'Connor will remain in post to provide some kind of transition between Penn and his successor.

Harriers' next two matches are at home, against Altrincham in the FA Trophy on Saturday, followed by Aldershot in the league on 20 January.

Birmingham City have named Tony Mowbray as their new manager on a two-and-a-half year deal, six days after sacking Wayne Rooney.

Mowbray, 60, was himself sacked by Blues' Championship rivals Sunderland on 4 December.

Ex-England captain Rooney managed just two wins from his 15 games in charge.

Mowbray is the club's third boss this season after they controversially parted company with John Eustace in October with Blues sixth in the table.

Since then Birmingham have fallen to 20th in the Championship, six points above the relegation zone.

Mowbray spent five years in charge of Blackburn Rovers before being appointed Sunderland boss last season.

He guided Sunderland to the Championship play-offs, but they were beaten by eventual winners Luton Town in the semi-final and he was sacked after a run of just two wins in nine league games before Christmas.

This is Mowbray's third job in the Midlands, having guided Albion to the Championship title in 2008 before later leading Coventry City for 18 months between March 2015 and September 2016.

Is losing to Watford in the 3rd round a blessing in disguise? If we had got a draw then it would have meant a replay and another extra game. We've got Gateshead at home on Wednesday and then back in cup action at the weekend against Welling in the FA Trophy, where I guess we will send out a mixture of youth players and rotational first teamers.

We had a real chance to get into the 4th round of the cup but I think getting back into the Football League has to be a main priority. We might have lost to Watford in the cup but Bromley could only muster a draw against our bogey team Maidenhead. We are still 6pts clear of Bromley with a few games in hand and if we win them then it would mean the lead over Bromley will be stretched.

The game against Gateshead on Wednesday will be a complete different team because they've lost there keeper, Archie Mair (remember him? Notts saviour in the playoff final) who has been recalled by Norwich to be sent on loan to Morecambe. They also have several players out injured and one of there player's has been recalled from Blyth Spartans to offer cover. There former keeper James Montgomery (Former Spireite as well) is not that far away playing for Spennymoor Town, so wouldn't surprise me if they end up signing him for his 3rd spell.

Tuesday

Fylde 1-2 Hartlepool
Barnet 2-2 Dag & Red

Wednesday

Chesterfield 3-1 Gateshead

League Table After Matchday 28

Spireitematt - 602
SaltergateBorn - 585
Amelia - 513
St Charles - 473
Dancing - 471
Lord Snoots - 453
Devon - 376

Championship side Plymouth Argyle have named former England Under-20 manager Ian Foster as their new head coach.

The ex-Liverpool academy player, 47, was working as Steven Gerrard's number two at Al-Ettifaq, in Saudi Arabia.

Foster replaces Steven Schumacher, who left for Stoke last month after getting the Pilgrims promoted in 2022-23.

He led England Under-19s to the European Championship title in 2022 and was assistant to Steve Cooper's Under-17 World Cup winners in 2017.

"He was the perfect candidate to lead our great football club forward as we embark on our next five-year mission," Pilgrims chairman Simon Hallett said.

"Ian showed a passion and knowledge for the club throughout the interview process, and showcased in some detail how he sees the best way to take forward our exciting and dynamic young squad.

"Having worked with some of the best players this country has produced, he has a passion for developing young footballers, as well as playing expansive, attacking football which fits perfectly with how we want the club to progress."

Director of football Neil Dewsnip and assistant coach Kevin Nancekivell, who will remain part of Foster's coaching team, had overseen first-team affairs during the festive period following Schumacher's departure on 19 December.

Plymouth, in their first season in the second tier since 2009-10, are 18th in the table and seven points clear of the relegation zone.

A former striker, Foster's playing career included spells with Hereford, Barrow, Chester and Kidderminster,

His coaching career began in the League of Ireland where he replaced former Southampton and Blackburn defender Jeff Kenna as Galway boss in 2009.

He guided Dundalk to the Europa League in 2010 before returning to England and coaching roles at Coventry and Portsmouth.

In addition to acting as Phil Neville's assistant in the England women's set-up, Foster led England Under-20s in the 2023 World Cup, where England suffered a last-16 exit to Italy last May.

He left the Football Association in July to join Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, who are mid-table in the Saudi Pro League.

Ian Foster is the sort of appointment most of those close to Argyle felt the club would make.

While not a household name he is well known to director of football Neil Dewsnip from their time together with England's age-group sides, as well as being well-respected within the game.

Success with England at the European Under-19 Championship has seen him coach some of the country's brightest talents, which will be a boost to a squad with a large chunk of talented young players such as Morgan Whittaker, Bali Mumba and Michael Cooper.

He also has coaching experience at Coventry and Portsmouth, alongside his recent stint in Saudi Arabia, so could bring a fresh perspective to Home Park.

While he has not managed a side in the EFL before, neither had his predecessor Steven Schumacher, and the Argyle hierarchy will hope he can be just as successful as the now Stoke City boss was.

League Two's bottom side Sutton United have appointed former Cardiff City boss Steve Morison as their new manager.

The 40-year-old dropped five levels of the English football pyramid after his Cardiff exit in September 2022, as he most recently took charge of non-league side Hornchurch in the Isthmian League.

Morison now takes the helm of a Sutton side that has won just one of their past nine league games.

He replaces Matt Gray, who was sacked on 19 December.

Morison's move to Gander Green Lane followed Sutton's 3-1 FA Cup third-round defeat by Championship side Plymouth Argyle.

At the same time Morison was guiding league-leading Hornchurch to a 1-1 draw with Horsham, after which the club said he announced his departure to fans in the clubhouse.

"I'm disappointed to confirm that Steve will be leaving us after six months, following probably the most impressive first half of a season we have ever seen," Hornchurch chairman Alex Sharp told the club website.

"I am delighted that he has got an exciting opportunity to return to the Football League so quickly and feel proud that Hornchurch has provided the platform for that return."

Morison, a former Millwall, Norwich and Wales striker, was handed his first job in senior management after taking on a caretaker role at Cardiff following Mick McCarthy's departure in October 2021.

He helped steer them to Championship safety, which earned him a contract as boss.

But he survived only 10 games of the 2022-23 season, leaving the Bluebirds when they were 18th and facing another relegation battle.

Morison's first match in charge of Sutton will be at home to high-flying Barrow, with Anthony Fenton to join him from Hornchurch as assistant.

Happy New Year. Great result for the Jambos at Easter Road. Shanklands ‘the man’

Here lies Huddersfield Town, thrice champions of England, the club that made Herbert Chapman, Bill Shankly, Dennis Law and Mark Fotheringham what they were in the footballing world. Proud parent of FA Cup medals and one of the worst defensive records in the top four divisions over the last however many years. They finally succumbed to the might of a footballing goliath.



Obituary aside, this week has been surprisingly positive for the club, forget the new years day pounding at Leicester, we won't be the first to suffer that fate, nor the last and the positive aspect of it all was we apparently didn't roll over and die unlike normal. Then came our first foray into the transfer market, the loan signing of Alex Matos from Chelsea. The 19 year old signed for the pensioners in the summer after leaving David Wagner's Norwich. At the Canaries he was viewed as a winger and as such was used there in the u21 squad, never making his debut for the first team. Upon joining Chelsea he found himself in the u21's yet again, but this time he featured out of position in the center of midfield operating in a slightly more dynamic role. Having impressed the set up at the Blues, Matos found himself promoted to the bench of the first team, making the solitary appearance for the side, coming on as a stoppage time sub in their 2-0 victory away at Fulham. Now converted to a midfielder, Matos has been compared to and identified as the long term replacement to Ngolo Kante who left for Saudi money in the summer. This will be his first real taste of professional football, but it could be promising if he turns out to be more Emile Smith-Rowe and Levi Colwill rather than Luke Mbete.



Then came our second foray into the market as we Finnish-ed the week off with the signing of Bojan Radulovic from Finnish Premier League champions HJK (thats easy to find on a keyboard). The Spanish born Serb has had a fairly adventurous career to date. He began as a youth product with Lleida in Spain before having a successful trial with Brighton, earning a deal to play in their age group sides. Whilst at Brighton Bojan had loan spells back in Spain with the likes of Espanyol B and Alaves B, where his combined 14 appearances yielded just the 1 goal. He departed Brighton having not played for the first team, to move to Swedish side AIK in 2020, here managed to get more games under his belt, but in a two year period, the big Serb only managed 3 goals in 29 appearances and finished his time there out on loan at HJK. His loan spell in Finland saw him score 5 goals in 15 appearances and was enough to convince the side to pay £150k for his services. He rewarded them finishing last season as the leagues top scorer, scoring 18 in 24 with a further 6 goals in 13 European appearances including goals against current Greek Super League leaders PAOK. Unlike Matos, he may be unavailable to feature in the game against Man City due to not having international clearance.



The final positive, is that Mr Nagel has tweeted or posted on X or whatever it is you do now, that further squad improvements are on their way, some thought he meant last night, but I think he's meaning this window, now personally i'd like a left footed center half, maybe a touch pacier than Helik and Lees just to offer more support for them and more in game cover like Colwill offered to Lees and Pearson. I'd also like a versatile forward with a bit of pace, whilst some might say we have that in Koroma and Burgzorg, I think maybe having one that offers something a little bit different would be a good option, as we know, in this sport and others, pace causes issues. Finally, depending on what sort of system Moore elects to use when he has got new players, another striker wouldn't go amiss, again someone that offers something a bit different, whether that be an out and out target man ala Grant Holt (so you're looking at the likes of Keiffer Moore there) or a work horse striker who scores in the mold of say a Dion Charles of Bolton. I'm not sure if someone like Macauly Langstaff or Ali Al-Hamdi (Afc Wimbledon guy) are viable for our situation or system, but i may be wrong.

Anyway, onto tomorrow and the little task of Manchester City who stand in our way of a cup run. This will be the 81st meeting between the two clubs with Town not having the best of records in the fixtures between the two sides. Town have won 22, lost 28 and drawn 30 of the fixtures that have been contested. The first was back in 1920 when Town lost 1-0 down Leeds Road, and then proceeded to lose 3-2 a week later over in Manchester. The first win came on boxing day in 1921 thanks to a 2-0 home win. 5 years would pass until our next victory. The two sides would meet regularly over the decades and even included the famous 10-1 defeat over at Maine Road, former owner Phil Hodgkinson was there or so he said, but then again he was playing squash at the time so may not have been, but we do know that Mr Nagel is set to be there for tomorrows game, whatever the result. The last time town beat Man City was way back in 1999, at the end of that season it would be a further 17 years until the two sides would meet. In the elapsing time, Town would crumble to the verge of collapse and fall into the depths of division 3 and rebuild their way up. Manchester City would find their club purchased by a Sheik, leading to masses of millions being spent on stellar quality like Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Jack Rodwell. Town would welcome this new stellar powerhouse to the John Smiths Stadium as the sides played out a 0-0 draw in the FA Cup, with David Wagner's side seeing a Phil Billing goal chalked off. The replay saw Town take a surprise lead through Harry Bunn, but that just poked the beast as they beat a Town second string side 5-1. Upon reaching the Premier League, Town managed to get one draw in the 4 meetings between the two sides, that coming after we had secured survival and they had secured the league, we even could have won it had calamity Malone made the right choice. The previous game saw town take the lead through an own goal, but two second half goals saw Man City come from behind, Rajiv Van La Parra also saw red at the end of the game. The next season, we began the campaign at the Etihad, and began with a 6-1 defeat with keeper Ben Hamer acting as no more than a dummy in goal, then again there were a further 10 of those infront of him. The return fixture saw town lose 3-0 as Mark Hudson couldn't lead the side to stop the rot.



In regards to team news, Town will be without Chris Maxwell, Delano Burgzorg, Kian Harratt, Yuta Nakayama, Josh Ruffles, plus many more, which sees Darren Moore have very little options in way of what to put out. It could be that we see a few youngsters thrown in just to merely protect some of the more senior players that have featured over all the festive period. We may also get to see the comedy factor of Man Cities defence having to stand against Kyle Hudlin, which is all that will happen, I'm not expecting much to happen in an attacking sense.

As for Man City, it is expected that Haaland and Bernardo Silva will miss out through injury, but De Bruyne could be given some minutes as he progresses with his return from injury. Argentine Julian Alvarez will be expected to lead the line with the likes of fringe player Kalvin Phillips likely to feature. It could also see Pep throw a few young players into the squad to reward performances in training. It might be prudent to watch these players as Town fans as there could be one of them joining us in the not too distant future on loan.



Their summer window makes me want to cry, so i'm going to keep it brief. They spent £90 million, yes 90, on a centre half in the shape of Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig, and a further £150 million on Nunes from Wolves, Kovacic from Chelsea and Doku from Star Wars Stade Rennais. Meanwhile, they sold Cole Palmer to Chelsea for a meagre £47 million whilst Mahrez and Laporte both went to Saudi for just over £50 million. We could but just dream of that sort of money being spent here. Then again, we would probably just waste it as we've seen when we got promoted to the Premier League.



Not doing a played for both, I can't think of that many past Aaron Mooy, Luke Mbete and Harry Bunn, oh wait the magnificent Donal McDermott, so we can just jump straight into the anagrams


1) misdated hault
2) poolside jaguar
3) Binky revenues
4) Amory oona
5) sneezy titch