MK Dons have appointed Gateshead manager Mike Williamson as their new head coach.

The former Newcastle centre-back replaces Graham Alexander, who was sacked on Monday after a run of eight League Two games without a win.

Williamson, 39, was in charge of Gateshead for four years and leaves them sixth in the National League.

He is the fourth head coach appointed by the Dons, who were relegated last season, in the past 10 months.

Although also registered as a player at Gateshead, Williamson only made a handful of appearances over the past two years - the most recent in a 2-1 win over Oldham in February.

They won the National League North title under him in 2022 and last season reached the FA Trophy final, but lost 1-0 to FC Halifax at Wembley.

"It's been a quick turnaround and it was a tough decision to leave Gateshead but when a club like this comes in, it's a no brainer," he told the MK Dons website.

"We have a talented squad, with strength in depth, and we'll come in and start getting to know the group.

"They've got to trust us and buy into what we stand for - we have a lot of ideas that we want to implement, but it will be one thing at a time. It is going to be an evolution."

Williamson will be joined at MK Dons by assistant head coach Ian Watson and first-team coach Chris Bell, who both worked with him at Gateshead.

Chairman Pete Winkelman said Williamson would be given "every ounce of support" at Stadium MK.

"Mike is a winner," Winkelman said.

"He has achieved promotions throughout his playing career and already as a manager."

MK Dons, who are 16th in League Two, next visit Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

THE MATCH

SATURDAY 21ST OCTOBER KO 3:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



Our first game without Xisco, a switch to a familiar formation, players playing in there right positions but still no one to put the ball in the net and we end up with a point and a clean sheet on DM return. It wasn't a game full of chances, with only one shot on target the entire match. Huddersfield did get the ball in the net but was ruled out for a foul on Dawson, who was back in goal. A couple of the youngsters made the bench but didn't get on.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

THE MATCH



So our first game with DR in charge takes us down to Vicarage Road and Watford. Watford have made a poor start to the season and currently languish in 20th place. I would expect them to recover from the poor start but probably a mid table finish might be the best they could finish. They are managed by Valerien Ismael who used to manage Barnsley and WBA. There leading scorer is Bayo with 4 and have a couple of noticeable players in Livermore & Ince.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 16
WATF 23
DRAWS 10

CURRENT FORM

OWLS              -                                                                                            

WATF              -                                                                                  

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

DEAN WHITESTONE
Daniel Leach and Andrew Dallison
Fourth Official : Sunny Singh Gill

THE TEAM

Dawson
Palmer Bernard Iorfa Ihekwe James
Vaulks Bannan Byers
Gregory Windass

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

1-1 Gregory

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

55

ATTENDANCE

N/A

BML LEAGUE

Washington 6
Maddix 4
Owlkev 1
SCO 1
Imre 0

BMPL

Stateside 2
Wereham 2
Pei -11

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Chelsea v Arsenal
Norwich v Leeds
Shrewsbury v Derby
Bradford v Wrexham
Rochdale v Oldham

DDAAA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC

Gamball:
Norwich - Leeds

Others:
Bournemouth - Wolves
Chelsea - Arsenal
Blackburn - Cardiff
Bristol City - Coventry
Huddersfield - QPR
Hull - Southampton
Middlesbrough - Birmingham
Stoke - Sunderland
WBA - Plymouth

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. St Charles Owl = 218 pts
   
2. Baggiebob(BBB) = 198 pts
   
3. jjamez = 181 pts
   
4. neonfoxinthebox = 179 pts
   
5. theo_luddite = 164 pts
   
6. themaclad = 161 pts
   

Friday October 20:
Rotherham United v Ipswich Town POSTPONED

Saturday October 21:
Town v QPR
Town scorers:
QPR scorers:

Preston North End v Millwall (12:30)
Blackburn Rovers v Cardiff City
Bristol City v Coventry City
Hull City v Southampton
Middlesbrough v Birmingham City
Norwich City v Leeds United
Stoke City v Sunderland
Swansea City v Leicester City
Watford v Sheffield Wednesday
West Bromwich Albion v Plymouth Argyle

Tuesday October 24:
Town v Cardiff
Town scorers:
Cardiff scorers:

Bonus matches:
Saturday:
Premier League:
Chelsea v Arsenal (17:30)

Champions League:
Wednesday:
Celtic v Atlético Madrid
Newcastle United v Borussia Dortmund


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

1. Lord Snooty = 183 pts
   
2. ritchiebaby = 161 pts
   
3. WakeyTerrier = 161 pts
   
4. Amelia Chaffinch = 148 pts
   
5. Devongone = 142 pts
   
6. SHEP_HTAFC = 141 pts
   

Saturday October 21:
Town v QPR
Town scorers:
QPR scorers:

Tuesday October 24:
Town v Cardiff
Town scorers:
Cardiff scorers:

Millwall v Blackburn Rovers
Norwich City v Middlesbrough
Swansea City v Watford
Leicester City v Sunderland
West Bromwich Albion v Queens Park Rangers

Wednesday October 25:
Birmingham City v Hull City
Bristol City v Ipswich Town
Plymouth Argyle v Sheffield Wednesday
Preston North End v Southampton
Rotherham United v Coventry City
Stoke City v Leeds United

Bonus matches:
Saturday:
Premier League:
Liverpool v Everton (12:30)

Champions League:
Tuesday:
Sevilla v Arsenal

Wednesday:
Young Boys v Manchester City


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

Scotland secured their trip to the Euro 2024 Championships without playing a game. After beating us 2-0 on Thursday, Spain went on to beat Norway 1-0 tonight to top the group on goal difference over Scotland. No matter what happens from now on, Scotland can't be caught and still have a chance, however small, of topping the group. Congratulations to Steve Clarke and his team, who are looking like a side who can perform efficiently and confidently.

Scotland play Georgia away on 16 November, while Spain have Cyprus away on the same date. On 19 November, Scotland host Norway with Spain at home against Georgia.

Is anyone out there still breathing?

We scored another five as World War Three continued its inevitably horrific approach.

Levi Amantchi banged in two more for Maidstone in the Cup at Torquay. We should swallow our pride and get him back ASAP. Some nasty EFL team whose forwards keep getting injured will otherwise come in for him. Maybe Mansfield, or even Gillingham, they need goals. But who doesn't want a big strong young striker who can't stop scoring?

Even Huddersfield ..........?

Wakey WakEYE! Yes it's the Billy Cotton Band Show! Followed by Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe with some appalling easy listening Sunday Lunchtime music from Forces' Favourites, an' it's 1 2 3 what're we fighting for? Oh no I don't give a damn. Next stop Vietnam. Billy Joe and the Fish? Next stop Beirut or Tehran?

Was Cliff Michelmore the most boring broadcaster of all time? Am I the only person old enough to remember him? He'd have made Keir Starmer seem interesting.

And so it's back to John Craven on Newsround, imitating the teacher you never listened to, but who it turns out has discovered the secret of immortality.

Don't Sunday jus' drive you mad?

Former Liverpool winger Jordon Ibe has joined National League club Ebbsfleet.

The 27-year-old has made 119 Premier League appearances and featured in the Europa League while at Anfield.

The former England Under-21s player spent four years at Liverpool, making 41 appearances, and had loan spells with Birmingham and Derby before a move to Bournemouth and a spell in Turkey.

"I just want to get back out there, show people what I can do again and play football," he said.

Ibe was an unused substitute on Saturday as Ebbsfleet drew with Slough in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round.

He was just 15 when he made his English Football League (EFL) debut for Wycombe in 2011. After signing for Liverpool the following year, he made his Premier League debut aged 18.

In 2021 Ibe spoke out about how he had been in a "dark place" and suffering from depression.

He told the Ebbsfleet website: "I've worked hard to be in a position where I am able to focus on football and believe in myself and my ability to contribute on the pitch.

"Being back out there is where I love to be and where I'm most happy but I needed to be healthy and prepared to give myself that chance. The way Ebbsfleet have helped me and put a process in place so I can be ready has been really supportive."

Fleet boss Dennis Kutrieb added: "This is a signing that will generate a lot of discussion outside our club but for us and for Jordon it is only about Ebbsfleet United and getting him back on the pitch to show us what we know he can do.

"Like many of us in our club and the world generally, Jordon has had his personal battles and setbacks, but he has made brave decisions to talk about those issues, made a genuine effort to seek assistance and applied tools daily to improve his overall health."

Oldham Athletic have appointed former Tranmere Rovers boss Micky Mellon as their manager on a three-year deal.

Mellon, 51, had two spells with Rovers, the most recent of which came to an end in March this year.

The Scot has twice won promotion from the National League, with Fleetwood Town as well as Tranmere.

"This is a hugely exciting opportunity at a wonderful club and I am determined to deliver the success that everyone here craves," he told the club website.

"The aspirations of the club and the developments in recent times mean it is a genuine privilege to be joining Oldham Athletic at this juncture. There is so much potential here and the scope to achieve something very special.

"The supporters of this club deserve success and together I want us to embark on a journey that will create lasting memories for us all."

Mellon takes over from David Unsworth at Boundary Park after the former Everton defender was sacked last month after a poor start to the season.

Steven Thompson and Neil Redfearn took over on a caretaker basis and led the team to three wins and three draws to lift them up to 12th in the table.

They both left the club on Thursday and academy manager Paul Murray will take Saturday's FA Cup qualifying tie at Altrincham.

Mellon, who has also had spells in charge of Shrewsbury and Dundee United, will lead the Latics for the first time in the trip to local rivals Rochdale on 21 October.

The 930 of us who turned up for the 4th Qualifying Round FA Cup match saw in the end a closely fought game although the scoreline doesn't quite tell the tale of the game. Fylde bottom of the Conference against a Leek side who at the start of the game were just above the drop zone in the Northern Premier League West division although in fairness they had only played 6 games and had 4 games in hand on other sides.
A heavy shower as I arrived at the ground although that hadn't put off visiting fans who looked to have taken in every pub in Kirkham. Having potted their manager Adam Murray this week, head of football Chris Beech was in charge. The first half was all Fylde had the vast majority of possession although in truth didn't do a lot with it, strangely reluctant to shoot when in a good position however when they got corners that was a danger time for the Tangerine shirted visitors.
The visitors had survived fairly easily for 13 minutes when Fylde got their first corner of the game, the corner was cleared to the left side of the box but was chipped back into the danger zone by Haughton, Ustabasi got a touch on it and in it went, try as they might they couldn't get a second and at the break Leek were still in the game



The second half was a complete turnaround Fylde looked like the lower of the two clubs, in the space of five minutes Leek had missed two sitters, one brilliantly saved by Richardson and the second hit the side netting from very close range, could have been costly but on 55 minutes they were deservedly level, Opoku received the ball in the inside left position dummied a defender before chipping over Richardson into the net. Cue delirium with the away support. Fylde retaliated immediately with a header flashing narrowly over the bar but momentum had changed and the visitors looked to be denied a penalty although from 100 yards away couldn't tell if it was the correct decision.
Then the corner curse struck again corner from the right Graham nodded home easily to put the home side ahead, this time there was no comeback the third also came from a corner ex Crewe player Steve Davis headed home think possibly the keeper could have done better. In the nine minutes of injury time Scully of Leek picked up his second yellow card followed by a red. Fylde went close a couple of times but that would have been harsh on the visitors who all put in a fair shift