Hibs first home game after the World Cup break and I must say I'll be surprised if they attain any positive result v the Lions with Johnson "running the show". We need a "lift" now, a good victory v a team Hibs should be beating albeit with an element of difficulty as they are well organised and their players play for their manager, no doubt - not sure that is the same scenario with all Hibs players under Johnson's stewardship!! I can only hope that the likes of Kevin Nisbet "steps up to the plate", scores the requisite goal(s), and dispels my serious concerns re the direction Hibs are going in under a manager with a worse record of failure than previous incumbents like Jack Ross. The Lions have been "run ragged" by Celtic in their 1st match back last night and fortuitous to only lose by one goal with the Hoops IMO not "fully finding their scoring boots" yet. I'm hoping Hibs can take advantage of a possible lack of match fitness and "weary legs" with a hi-press strategy that produces a win. We desperately need a win to boost everybody at the club incl the huge number of fans who will be showing up to back the guys through this festive period. C'mon Hibs and you as well Mr Johnson!! Lets focus on winning a footie match at home, a game that we should be winning with the resources and backing we have at ER Stadium!! Stop making it look difficult in a footie league that isn't exactly anything close to an exemplary standard when compared to lotsa other decent footie leagues in Europe.

GGTTH

Huddersfield Town travel to Preston to Deepdale on Boxing Day and then welcome Rotherham United to the John Smith's Stadium on Thursday night for what we hope will be the start of the Great Escape revisited.

Personally, I've given up. Lost all hope. Can't see us winning again all season. And I didn't even feel this pessimistic when we were getting relegated from the Prima Donna League.

Ah well. Merry Christmas. 

Oh and apparently, the Preston game is on the Sky red button. Don't know about Rotherham.

Head to Head



Preston lead the head to head with 38 wins to Town's 36, with 24 draws.

Don't put too much expectation on a Town win. This is a ground where we never win. We haven't won there since 1969 when two goals from Frank Worthington and one from Jimmy Lawson gave us a 3-1 victory. That was under the management of Ian Greaves in the 2nd Division Championship winning season. Since then Bobby Collins, Mick Buxton, Eoin Hand, Ian Ross, Lou Macari, Simon Grayson, David Wagner, Danny Cowley and Carlos Corberán have all led Town teams to Deepdale and landed in deep do do, with none of them managing to get a Town victory. Can Mark Fotheringham finally break that hoodoo? 

1. Casual Stan
   
2. Elsie Mott
   
3. Killy Shop Blank
   
4. Choralists Scram
   
5. Tiny Pay Vital 
   
6. Boldly Faxing Taboo
   
7. Horned Pyjamas
   
8. Armrest Ethics
   
9. Kuwait Syndrome
   
10. Notify Men
    

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.

Happy New Year, dudes. Don't know why I'm saying that, it's still before Christmas and I'm posting early.

Sunday 1st January:
Town v Luton
Town scorers:
Luton scorers:

Blackburn Rovers v Cardiff City (12:00)
Blackpool v Sunderland
Coventry City v Bristol City
Millwall v Rotherham United

Monday 2nd January:
Birmingham City v Middlesbrough
Norwich City v Watford
Stoke City v Preston North End
Swansea City v Burnley
West Bromwich Albion v Reading
Wigan Athletic v Hull City
Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United (20:00)

Bonus matches:
Sunday:
National League:
Chesterfield v Scunthorpe United

Monday:
Scottish Premiership:
Heart of Midlothian v Hibernian

League One:
Sheffield Wednesday v Cambridge United

Table after Matchday 19:

1. jjamez = 456 pts
   
2. neonfoxinthebox = 392 pts
   
3. themaclad = 390 pts
   
4. theo_luddite = 389 pts
   
5. Baggiebob(BBB) = 367 pts
   
6. Lord Snooty = 367 pts
   
7. Amelia Chaffinch = 364 pts
   
8. ritchiebaby = 352 pts
   
9. SHEP_HTAFC = 344 pts
   
10. St Charles Owl = 336 pts
    
11. Devongone = 310 pts
    
12. WakeyTerrier = 171 pts

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.


Merry Christmas to one and all. Sorry this is late. I'll be honest, I did forget. Started a new job on Monday, when I usually post these.

Monday December 26th:
Preston v Town
Town scorers:
PNE scorers:

Watford v Millwall (12:00)
Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers (12:30)
Bristol City v West Bromwich Albion
Hull City v Blackpool
Middlesbrough v Wigan Athletic
Rotherham United v Stoke City
Sheffield United v Coventry City
Cardiff City v Queens Park Rangers (17:15)
Luton Town v Norwich City (19:45)

Tuesday December 27th:
Reading v Swansea City (17:15)
Burnley v Birmingham City (20:00)

Thursday 29th December:
Town v Rotherham
Town scorers:
Rotherham scorers:

Queens Park Rangers v Luton Town (18:00)
Blackburn Rovers v Middlesbrough
Coventry City v Cardiff City
Millwall v Bristol City
Wigan Athletic v Sunderland
West Bromwich Albion v Preston North End
Blackpool v Sheffield United (20:15)

Friday 30th December:
Birmingham City v Hull City
Norwich City v Reading
Stoke City v Burnley
Swansea City v Watford

I shall post the New Year's Matchday as well , so you can get them all done early if you so wish.

Table after Matchday 18:

1. jjamez = 420 pts
   
2. neonfoxinthebox = 368 pts
   
3. themaclad = 368 pts
   
4. theo_luddite = 359 pts
   
5. Baggiebob(BBB) = 341 pts
   
6. Lord Snooty = 341 pts
   
7. ritchiebaby = 332 pts
   
8. Amelia Chaffinch = 330 pts
   
9. SHEP_HTAFC = 318 pts
   
10. St Charles Owl = 316 pts
    
11. Devongone = 294 pts
    
12. WakeyTerrier = 171 pts

League One side Charlton Athletic have appointed Dean Holden as their new first-team manager.

The 43-year-old former Oldham Athletic and Bristol City boss was most recently assistant manager at Stoke.

Holden replaces Ben Garner who was sacked at the start of December after six months in charge.

Charlton are struggling in the league and Saturday's home defeat by Bristol Rovers left them 18th in the table, four points above the relegation zone.

Holden will become Charlton's 13th manager in the past 10 years and their fifth in two years.

He is one of four people appointed into senior roles at Charlton, with Andy Scott made technical director, former Hull and Sunderland chief executive Jim Rodwell becoming chief operating officer and Ed Warrick joining as finance director.

"Dean Holden is a talented manager, who is well-respected in footballing circles. He'll bring good experience and knowledge which will help us as we look to get our season back on track," said Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard.

"I am delighted we have been able to appoint such experienced and knowledgeable people to help us move forward.

"Each individual appointed has experience at Championship level or higher and the appointments should give us the structure and stability that we need to progress as a club."

Former defender Holden, who played for Bolton, Oldham, Peterborough, Falkirk, Shrewsbury, Chesterfield, Rochdale and Walsall during his career, joined the Potters in April 2021, working alongside then manager Michael O'Neill.

He took over as interim boss following O'Neill's sacking in August this summer, before also leaving the club shortly after following the appointment of Alex Neil.

Holden previously spent eight months in charge of Bristol City and had a brief spell in charge at Oldham in 2014-15, before returning as their assistant manager.

Caretaker manager Anthony Hayes will take charge of the team's Carabao Cup match on Wednesday against Brighton, before returning to his previous role as first-team coach.

Charlton at 'lowest ebb', say fans
Holden arrives at Charlton at a time of discontent.

Fans have described the club as being at "its lowest ebb", with owner Sandgaard coming under increasing pressure for the way he has run affairs at The Valley.

Last week, the Charlton Athletic Supporters' Trust said it will petition Sandgaard to sell the Addicks if he does not agree to abide by a new club charter.

Subjects addressed in the charter include pledges on ticket affordability, fan engagement, core traditions including shirt colours and songs, and assurances of "no ownership interference in on-field matters".

Danish-American businessman Sandgaard bought Charlton in September 2020, but the club's stadium and training ground were not part of the deal and are leased from former owner Roland Duchatelet.

Working for the BBC as a football sports reporter.
Good move for him. 

We've already had one break so we've decided to carry on over the Christmas and New Year. If anyone is likely to struggle with access over the holiday period, send me a pm and I'll give you an early sight of the New Year selection.

Gamball:
Southampton - Brighton

Others:
Brentford - Spurs
Everton - Wolves
Sunderland - Blackburn
Bristol City - WBA
Hull - Blackpool
Rotherham - Stoke
Cardiff - QPR
Luton - Norwich
Fleetwood - Sheff Wed

All matches from Dec 26th

The FIFA "dream final" is almost upon us and this is certainly an intriguing one. Will Kylian Mbappe "push on" in winning his second consecutive World Cup medal for France and even progress further to challenge Pele's record number of World Cup winner's medals in the years to come? Or will Lionel Messi "rise to the occasion" and lead his team to what appears to be his footie destiny in ending his international career with the ultimate reward - a winner's medal!? Will Lady Luck play a big part in deciding this match? Will VAR decide it in a controversial or non-controversial way? This will hopefully be a game where goals decide what side takes up the triumphant position on the winner's podium, and not goals scored in a pk competition!! Bring it on - all to play for!!

Early rounds of the Sanish cup on Tuesday
One of the matches cught my eye

Inter City Sant Joan d'alacant v Mirandes

Club de Fútbol Intercity is a Spanish football team based in Sant Joan d'Alacant, in the Valencian Community. The club plays in the Primera División RFEF – Group 2, the third tier of Spanish football. They hold home games at the Estadio Antonio Solana, which has a capacity of 2,500 spectators.
Intercity was created in 2017 by changing the structure of GCD Sant Joan d'Alacant,

In June 2018, after being promoted to Regional Preferente, the club aimed to play in Tercera División by merging with Novelda CF[1] but the Royal Spanish Football Federation rejected this.[2]

Also that month, Intercity announced its intention to be first Spanish football club to be listed on the stock market.[3]

In 2019, Intercity were promoted to Tercera División as regional champion, thus qualifying for the first time for the Copa del Rey. After beating UD Gran Tarajal[4] in the preliminary round, the club faced Athletic Bilbao in the first round, losing 0–3.[5]

Let's see how they get on