Premier League

Derby        17pts 3CS 4CR 10GB -3BB 0SB
Sanjay      15pts 3CS 5CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
SCO          11pts 1CS 3CR 10GB -3BB 0SB
Stairs          8pts 1CS 2CR 0GB 6BB 0SB
Zinman        5pts 1CS 2CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
Blue Baggie  3pts 1CS 3CR -3GB -3BB 1SB
Minizin        -1pt 0CS 2CR -3GB -3BB 1SB
Snooty        -1pt 0CS 2CR -3GB -3BB 1SB

Well this may have changed things up a bit! A wide variation of scores with that last minute equaliser for Preston causing both great anguish or joy (or utter irrelevance for those of us predicting a Preston win!)

Derby is battling to hang on to his prediction league title and won't have done his chances any harm with a table topping performance thanks to 3 correct scores including the gamball. He is closely followed by Sanjay as he continues to climb towards safety - 15 points after losing on his gamball was a great return as he scored on the week's high of 5 matches. SCO was another beneficiary of Preston's late goal scoring a maximum on his gamball. Sadly he didn't get a lot else but that goal was enough to put him into double figures to help in his fight against relegation.

A bit average - or worse - after that. Stairs is in a familiar mid-table position thanks to avoiding the gamball and scoring a bonus maximum, his 2nd in a row after a season of failure with that ball. Zinman also secured a rare bonus point, but not a lot else as his bid for the title suffered while Blue looks to be on the beach though he could yet be pulled into the relegation battle.

A disaster for Minizin and Snooty in their efforts at both ends of the table. Both scored on just 2 games with no correct scores and losses on the major balls. They did however both collect the scoreball point - could that be vital as we approach the end of the season?

Derby 296
Minizin 289
Zinman 288
Stairs 271
Blue 245
Sanjay 237
SCO 221
Snooty 213

All change at both ends of the table. Derby leaps to the top of the table and with Zinman closing on Minizin just 8 points separate the top 3 as we enter the fianl 2 weeks of the season. We will have to check the rule book to see what happens if there's a tie - I seem to remember that it goes on reverse alphabetical order but SCO may have other ideas. Stairs isn't out of it but may have to play his gamball if he is to have any chance of crashing the title party - Derby's move this week shows what is possible so will he be tempted?

A few weeks ago Blue Baggie looked safe in mid-table but Sanjay's resurgence means that he is just 8 points away from being dragged into the play-offs. SCO's gamball maximum lifts him off the foot of the table but still some way off safety - both he and Snooty will need a couple of very good weeks to avoid the trap door.

Zin


Championship

Lady Jane 17pts 3CS 1CR 10GB -3BB 0SB
Themaclad 17pts 1CS 3CR 10GB 3BB 0SB
AAA 15pts 1CS 3CR 5GB 3BB 1SB
BaggieOne 7pts 1CS 2CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
Twerton 6pts 1CS 2CR -3GB 3BB 0SB
Amelia 2pts 0CS 2CR -3GB 3BB 0SB
BBB 1pts 1CS 1CR -3GB -3BB 1SB
Dingle -1pts 0CS 2CR -3GB -3BB 1SB

Well the rollercoaster season for many predictors continues!!!  Lady Jane puts in a much needed good result in joint first place with 17 points.  She was one of two players to get a spot on Gamball and backed that up with 2 other CSs but missed out on a great result by missing on the Bonus.  Themaclad, the epitome of a rollercoaster player, was the other one in joint first level on points with LJ, also getting a spot on Gamball and getting a CR on the Bonus.  AAA rounds out a solid top 3 with 15 points, he actually played the Gamball and scored a CR on it as well.

Big drop to BaggieOne with 7 points and Twerton with 6 points, both missed on the Gamball but scored on the Bonus, B1's scoreball kept him a point ahead in the end. 

Another drop off to the bottom 3.  Amelia, after a couple of good weeks drops to just 2 points, BBB drops to his standard form of missing on his balls and Dingle posted his worst score of the season with -1!!  He looked to have the title in the bag but as an Owls fan I know thats never the case unless the fat lady is actually singing!!!

319 Dingle
301 Lady Jane
295 AAA
293 BaggieOne
277 BBB
208 Themaclad
197 Twerton
189 Amelia

After a few weeks of no positional changes we see a number of them this week.  Dingle is still top but his lead has shrunk to just 18 points, exactly half what it was last week!!  LJ is up to 2nd place and is the second player to crack the 300 points mark.  AAA is up a place to 3rd place and the PO spot, while BaggieOne has dropped 2 places to now sit outside the promotion places!!  2nd, 3rd and 4th are separated by just 8 points going into the final weeks!!

BBB has lost touch a bit now with the top 4 but is still well clear of the bottom three.  After seeing it all get tight at the bottom, this weeks scores saw each gap stretch a bit, still all to play for in terms of the wooden spoon!!

Cheers
SCO

Hartlepool United have been put up for sale by chairman Raj Singh, citing supporter disenchantment and abuse, with Pools on the cusp of relegation from the English Football League.

Singh said selling the club was a "tough decision" and stated he was "hurting" at the on-field failure to compete in League Two this season.

The businessman reiterated he will be "fully committed" during the process.

John Askey will also continue as manager under Singh's stewardship.

Pools are currently second bottom of the division, six points behind Crawley - who they lost to on Saturday - with an inferior goal difference.

Latest League Two table
They would need to win both remaining games against Barrow and Stockport, Crawley to lose both of theirs and overhaul a minus-six goal differential in order to survive.

The Teesside businessman, who was previously involved with Darlington, took over Hartlepool in April 2018 and oversaw their last promotion back to the EFL in 2021.

"Plans have been put together and the manager will receive a budget of around one-third higher than the one that got us promoted a few years ago if we go into the National League," Singh said in his statement.

"We will back John and his team in either scenario to turn this situation around and we believe the ingredients are there to do so. In many ways the club is in a stronger position now.

"I have also given my assurances to the off-field staff that it will be business as usual and that they should continue with their good work and progress. The commercial team have a lot planned this summer.

"As long as the fans allow me the courtesy and don't force my hand, I will not just walk away and leave this club in a mess as some prior regimes have unfortunately done. My aim was always to leave Hartlepool United in a better position than what I found it, and I firmly believe that can still be done."

'Right intentions'
Singh's arrival in 2018 followed a period of upheaval at Pools, with two separate owners, relegation and multiple winding-up petitions lodged between Ken Hodcroft's sale of the club in 2014 and Singh taking over.

"As a local person I stepped in to help Hartlepool United when it was in danger of ceasing to exist and I have done my utmost," he added.

"Despite what some people might want to believe or portray, the club is in a much more secure position behind the scenes than when I arrived.

"I find some of the comments that are being made and the abuse that myself, my family and some staff have received incredibly difficult to hear and digest.

"I have dedicated my time, energy and money to help the club with the right intentions."

'One thing being up for sale, quite another to find buyer' - Analysis

Mark Drury, BBC Radio Tees Sport

It's not been a great few days for Hartlepool United's fans with defeat to Crawley at the weekend signalling a return to the National League and now the news that their club is up for sale.

In a club statement, chairman Raj Singh made reference to the calls for him to go - voiced by fans on Saturday - but maintains he will leave the club in "a better place" than he found it.

Singh also pledges to keep John Askey as manager and says his budget for next season will be a third bigger than the one that saw Pools to promotion in 2021.

One line of Singh's statement strikes an ominous tone when he says "As long as the fans allow me the courtesy and don't force my hand, I will not just walk away and leave this club in a mess as some prior regimes have unfortunately done".

As Pools fans know all too well, it's one thing to put a club up for sale, it's quite another to find a suitable buyer.

THE MATCH

SATURDAY 29TH APRIL KO 3:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



It was back to back wins for us, but after the results on Tuesday night, and although still in with a chance mathematically its going to be the playoffs for us. We were poor in he first half and never looked like scoring tbh and it was no surprise to go in at 0-0. Early in the second half Exeter's 2nd string took the lead, Key heading in from close range. It took us 10 minutes to equalize,  Gregory heading in Bannan's cross. Exeter had a couple of chances to take the lead but couldn't take them. We got the winner when Pato turned in Johnson's shot. We could have had a third in injury time but couldn't force the ball in.

THE MATCH



Next up and our final away fixture of the season and a trip to one of our bogey teams, Shrewsbury. We have only won once in eleven visits to Shrewsbury and that was 41 years ago. The Shrews are safe this season currently in 13th place in the league but have lost 6 of the last 7 games, a perfect time to play us then   There leading scorer is Luke Leahy, whos has 11 goals and 4 assists. They are managed by Steve Cotterill, who has been in charge since 2020.

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 4
SHREWS 7  
DRAWS 13

CURRENT FORM

OWLS              -                                                                                   

SHREWS          -                                                     

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

DEAN WHITESTONE
Lee Venamore and Andrew Aylott
Fourth Official : Darren Handley

THE TEAM

Dawson
Palmer Famewo Flint
Adeniran Bannan Shipston Vaulks Johnson
Gregory Smith

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

1-1 Gregory

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

26

BML LEAGUE

Owlskev 34
Stateside 27
SCO 24
Imre 21
Wash 21
Maddix 19
Peiowl 16

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Brighton v Wolves
Reading v Wigan
Derby v Portsmouth
Northampton v Bradford
Boreham Wood v Yeovil

HAHHH

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC

Aldershot 0-4 Altrincham
Barnet 2-0 Dag & Red
Boreham Wood 0-5 Yeovil
Chesterfield 2-0 Maidstone United
Dorking 3-3 Scunthorpe
Halifax 2-1 Eastleigh
Gateshead 2-0 Maidenhead United
Notts County 3-1 York
Oldham 2-0 Bromley
Solihull Moors 2-2 Woking
Southend 3-3 Wealdstone
Torquay 1-0 Wrexham

League Table After Matchday 59
SaltergateBorn - 1079
Devon - 1040
St Charles Owl - 1018
Spireitematt - 917
Dancing - 882
Lord Snoots - 870
Amelia - 764

https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/to...-confirmed

Three home fixtures and two away ones with the last one v Hertz at Tynecastle. Hibs must try to win as many fixtures as possible - give it their best shot!!

Gamball:
Cardiff - Huddersfield

Others:
Crystal Palace - West Ham
Hull - Swansea
Reading - Wigan
Sunderland - Watford
WBA - Norwich
Crawley - Walsall
Bournemouth - Leeds
Man Utd - Aston Villa
Rangers - Celtic

Usual cup rules for the Scottish game.

Boreham Wood 2-1 Gateshead
Wealdstone 3-0 Solihull Moors
Woking 0-2 Halifax


League Table After Matchday 58
SaltergateBorn - 1077
Devon - 1040
St Charles Owl - 1018
Spireitematt - 899
Dancing - 880
Lord Snoots - 870
Amelia - 764

2 points for each correct scorer
Correct joker doubles your score      
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.

Friday 28th April:
Blackpool v Millwall

Saturday 29th April:
Bristol City v Burnley
Coventry City v Birmingham City
Hull City v Swansea City
Reading v Wigan Athletic
Sheffield United v Preston North End
Stoke City v Queens Park Rangers
Sunderland v Watford
West Bromwich Albion v Norwich City (17:30)

Sunday 30th April:
Cardiff v Town (12:00)
Town scorers:
Cardiff scorers:

Monday 1st May:
Rotherham United v Middlesbrough (13:00)
Blackburn Rovers v Luton Town (17:30)

Bonus matches:
Scottish Cup semi finals (both at Hampden Park):
Saturday:
Falkirk v Inverness Caledonian Thistle (12:15)

Sunday:
Rangers v Celtic (13:30)

Table after Matchday 36:

1. jjamez = 844 pts
   
2. Baggiebob(BBB) = 815 pts
   
3. themaclad = 806 pts
   
4. theo_luddite = 783 pts
   
5. St Charles Owl = 776 pts
   
6. neonfoxinthebox = 758 pts
   
7. Lord Snooty = 728 pts
   
8. ritchiebaby = 701 pts
   
9. SHEP_HTAFC = 684 pts
   
10. Amelia Chaffinch = 672 pts
    
11. Devongone = 638 pts
    
12. WakeyTerrier = 171 pts

Another Championship being played Gangnam-style in Korea, this time at the Gangneung Curling Centre from Saturday 22 April to Saturday 29 April.

Divided into two round-robin groups, the 20 teams are:
Group A: Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Korea, Netherlands and Scotland.
Group B: Austria, England, Spain, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and United States.

Both group leaders will qualify direct for the semi-finals, while the second and third teams from Group A will play the third and second teams from Group B in qualification games, with the winners also proceeding to the semi-finals. Qualification games, relegation games and semi-finals will take place on Friday 28 April. The bronze medal game and the gold medal final will be staged on Saturday 29 April, at 2am and at 6am, respectively.

Scotland's games this weekend are versus Canada at 2am on Saturday, Denmark at 10am on Saturday and Netherlands at 6am on Sunday.

England start against Switzerland at 6am on Saturday, then Sweden at 2am on Sunday and Spain at 10am on Sunday.

SCOTLAND - Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat

Scotland have won the previous two Championships, in 2021 with Jen and Bruce and in 2022 with Eve Muirhead and Bobby Lammie.

ENGLAND - Lina Opel and Michael Opel

The Opels are father and daughter with 13 year-old Lina needing time off from school to curl for her country. Michael is a 4-time English Champion.