Goes to Wycombe

Gets Wycombe gig

Gareth Ainsworth has left Wycombe Wanderers after more than a decade in charge to become head coach of Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

The 49-year-old has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract and replaces Neil Critchley, who was sacked after just 12 games in charge.

He will be replaced at Wycombe by Colchester boss Matt Bloomfield, who has "agreed in principle" to return.

Bloomfield, 39, left Adams Park in September to take charge of the U's.

Ainsworth spent almost seven years as a QPR player before joining Wycombe in 2010, becoming their manager two years later.

Before his exit from Wycombe, he was second in the list of longest-serving managers in England's top four divisions.

'Absolutely rocking'
Only Harrogate's Simon Weaver had been at the helm for a longer period than Ainsworth, who leaves the Chairboys seventh in League One, just three points outside the play-off places.

"This is all a little bit surreal. It has been a whirlwind two days and leaving Wycombe Wanderers was very tough because of the connection there," he said.

"But this is QPR and when I spoke about something special forcing me away from Wycombe, this was pretty special.

"This is going to be a real challenge because the club is so special to me, and so huge as well. I want to get Loftus Road absolutely rocking again."

https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/st...bernian-fc

This was a huge concern after Ron's recent statement re his illness. I'm stunned all the same. What a terribly sad outcome for him and the Gordon family. Sincere condolences. RIP

Who do you think is going to win the women's world cup? I reckon France

Looks like arsenal is winning the premier league. How can they do so bad in the other season but do fantastic in this one? It makes no sense.

Head coach Russell Martin says Ryan Manning will leave Swansea City when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Manning, 26, has scored five goals in 95 appearances since joining the Welsh club from Queens Park Rangers in 2020.

The Republic of Ireland defender turned down a new deal in December and Martin says Swansea have begun searching for a replacement.

"He's not going to sign a contract here," Martin said.

"I don't think there's any point in keeping talking about that.

"I love Ryan, he loves it here, but we've allowed the contract to go to the last year, or not addressed it properly in the summer, so we're at where we're at."

Swansea paid around £250,000 for Manning, who has been a key figure during Martin's reign.

He thrived last season - when he often filled in as a centre-back - and has been arguably Swansea's best player in this campaign having reverted to a more familiar left-sided role.

As a free agent, Manning is likely to have a number of options come the summer.

"He's given us everything he's got which is all we can ask for," Martin added.

"He's got the right to go and see what's out there for him in the summer.

"We're exploring other options for that [position] for next season already. It's what we have to do, we have to be ready. It'll be a real shame.

"The reality is you get past January and people think he may leave in January and you readdress the situation, but I don't think anything's changed from his end or his agent's end."

Joel Latibeaudiere is another Swansea regular whose contract expires at the end of the season.

The former Manchester City youngster could also move on with little prospect of him agreeing a new deal.

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.

THERE WON'T BE ANY REPLAYS FOR THIS ROUND OF THE FA CUP. YOU NEED TO PUT A WINNER IF GOING FOR A DRAW.

Saturday 25th February:
Burnley v Town
Town scorers:
Burnley scorers:

Coventry City v Sunderland (12:30)
Birmingham City v Luton Town
Bristol City v Hull City
Norwich City v Cardiff City
Preston North End v Wigan Athletic
Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Rovers
Reading v Blackpool
Sheffield United v Watford
Stoke City v Millwall
West Bromwich Albion v Middlesbrough

Monday 27th February:
Swansea City v Rotherham United

Tuesday 28th February:
Preston North End v Coventry City
Luton Town v Millwall

Bonus matches:
Sunday:
EFL Cup Final:
Manchester United v Newcastle United (16:30)

Scottish League Cup Final:
Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

FA Cup:
Tuesday:
Stoke City v Brighton & Hove Albion (19:15)
Leicester City v Blackburn Rovers (19:30)
Fulham v Leeds United (19:45)
Bristol City v Manchester City (20:00)

Wednesday:
Southampton v Grimsby Town (19:15)
Burnley v Fleetwood Town (19:30)
Manchester United v West Ham United (19:45)
Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur (19:55)

Table after Matchday 27:

1. jjamez = 660 pts
   
2. themaclad = 608 pts
   
3. theo_luddite = 602 pts
   
4. Baggiebob(BBB) = 581 pts
   
5. neonfoxinthebox = 574 pts
   
6. St Charles Owl = 558 pts
   
7. Lord Snooty = 547 pts
   
8. ritchiebaby = 537 pts
   
9. SHEP_HTAFC = 504 pts
   
10. Amelia Chaffinch = 488 pts
    
11. Devongone = 472 pts
    
12. WakeyTerrier = 171 pts

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


League Table After Matchday 42
Devon - 764
St Charles Owl - 711
Lord Snoots - 679
Spireitematt - 671
SaltergateBorn - 657
Amelia - 602
Dancing - 583