Newport County have appointed former Bristol Rovers and Mansfield Town boss Graham Coughlan as their new manager.

Irishman Coughlan, 47, will be in charge for the first time on Saturday when Newport host Colchester United.

The struggling League Two club, who have won only one of their last eight league games, dismissed James Rowberry and assistant Carl Serrant last week.

"I can't wait to get going," said Coughlan, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at Rodney Parade.

"I have had a little break [from management] but as soon as I met the chairman and the board members it really excited me.

"I am desperate to get out there and hear the noise this fanbase creates because it's always been a difficult place to come to as an opposing player and as an opposing coach or manager.

"That will be key for us, getting the crowd and that connection back."

Former centre-back Coughlan's most recent coaching job was with Sheffield United's under-23s.

"I was desperate to come back in as a senior figure," he added.

"I still believe I have a lot to offer - unfinished business if you like.

"We will be front foot, we will be high energy, high press. We will be strong, we will be physical - League Two is a physical league - but we will want to pass the ball. We will look to bring one or two of the young kids through as well.

"We will look to get a relationship with our fanbase so this becomes an intimidating place.

"Above all we want a winning team. That's what we are all in the business for."

Coughlan made more than 500 appearances in a playing career which included spells at the likes of Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Shrewsbury Town and Southend United.
He took over as Bristol Rovers manager - having previously been a defensive coach - midway through the 2018-19 season and secured the club's League One status.

Coughlan's team continued to impress the following season before he left for League Two Mansfield in December 2019. He left the Stags in October 2020 and joined Sheffield United in the spring of 2021.

Despite Newport's struggles so far this season - they currently sit 19th - Coughlan is convinced his new squad are capable of climbing the table.

"The squad is strong. You don't go to Leyton Orient and beat the league leaders 2-1, you don't go up to Harrogate and be 4-0 up at half-time and be a bad squad," he added.

"Once the players buy in and give it their all, I don't think we will have a problem.

"I think that squad has got capabilities and I think we would all agree it's been underperforming points-wise and position-wise."

Newport sporting director Darren Kelly took charge of the team as they were beaten at Crawley last weekend.

He was part of the manager recruitment process alongside Newport's board of directors and former Wales international Paul Trollope, who acted in an advisory role.

Chairman Gavin Foxall says Coughlan was one of 26 applicants for the job.

"Graham's CV speaks for itself in terms of experience in this league both as a player and as a manager," Foxall said.

"But what struck us when we saw him is that he has a very infectious enthusiasm for things. He was very clear about what the team really needed and about the fact that they are a decent squad but are just not showing a consistent rhythm at the moment.

"He shared with us some of his values which are akin to the club's and he had a very clear plan in terms of what he was going to do in the short term and indeed in the medium term as well.

"We are in a position in the league we didn't anticipate being in at the start of the season and Graham has a clear plan to get us up the table, looking upwards not downwards. That's why we are sat here now."

Mark Cooper and David Artell were among other names linked with the Newport vacancy.

League Two side Doncaster Rovers have appointed former Huddersfield Town boss Danny Schofield as their head coach on a one-year rolling contract.

The 42-year-old was put in charge of the Championship Terriers in the summer but lasted just nine games before being sacked with the club 23rd in the table.

Schofield replaces Gary McSheffrey, who was sacked by Doncaster on Monday.

"This is a new challenge and one I'm ready to give my all to in order to make it a success," he said.

"I'm a Doncaster lad. I'm from the area so I know this place well. I know the supporters. I know what the ambitions of the club are.

"It seemed a really good fit for me and one I really think can work."

The club cited a "lack of progress" after sacking McSheffrey, who was in charge when they were relegated from League One last season after five years in the division.

A miserable 2021-22 carried on into the current campaign and despite initially going six games unbeaten at the start of the season results stagnated, with the club now 12th in League Two.

During his playing career, Schofield spent 10 years with Huddersfield between 1998 and 2008 and moved into coaching following his retirement in 2016.

Having coached with Leeds United alongside Carlos Corberan, Schofield went on to join Middlesbrough as their under-23 assistant coach.

From there he returned to Huddersfield as under-19 coach, and later took charge of the club on an interim basis following the sacking of Danny Cowley, and was promoted to head coach when Corberan left in July - after the club had been beaten in the Championship play-off final.

"It was important for the club to act swiftly and get the right man and we're delighted with his appointment," said Doncaster's head of football operations James Coppinger.

"Sixty per cent of our squad are 18 to 23, which is what we call a development phase. It's an important phase.

"Having a coach who has been through that, who understands what it takes, who has developed players, who has a methodology and a way of working and understanding of how he wants to play and coaches that way of playing, it's a big pull for me."

Analysis - 'Schofield needs a good start'
BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton

This is a big appointment for Rovers. The fans need a lift after a run that has seen the club drop from League One play-off contenders to mid-table in League Two.

Many wanted an experienced boss and Schofield doesn't tick that box.

But he is from the region and supporters will back club legend James Coppinger to have got this right.

Schofield needs a good start though. It didn't go well at Huddersfield and he needs to prove this is going to be a different experience.

A bit of history created tomorrow night with the introduction of VAR to Scot footie for the first time - we'll see how that goes eh!! And Hibs announcing a sell out crowd and they'll have the biggest crowd at ER Stadium in 33 years. I've no idea what Hibs team will show up for this match. I just hope they have recovered from that 6-1 thrashing at Celtic Park. Will a recognised Hibs centre forward finally score a goal in this fixture? I'd like to think so, but I'm not optimistic at all!! Hopefully somebody will "step up to the plate" and score the requisite goals - we really need to "get back on track" pronto and the guys will have a huge Hibs support backing them!! C'mon Hibs, no excuses!

GGTTH

LAST TIME OUT



FORM GUIDE

BLACKPOOL 7 PNE 13

MANAGER

AGENT APPLETON



West Bromwich Albion
"Having had my playing career taken away from me prematurely, I am all the more determined now to make a success of my coaching career."

Michael Appleton[12]
After the knee injury, Appleton stayed with West Brom in a coaching capacity. He worked in the club's youth side for five years. He worked with different age groups before moving up to the senior squad as assistant manager. In June 2009, Appleton was appointed first-team coach. After the board sacked Roberto Di Matteo and placed him on gardening leave on 6 February 2011, Appleton was placed in temporary charge of first-team affairs.[13] In his only match in charge, West Brom drew 3–3 at home to West Ham, having been 3–0 up at half-time.[14]

Portsmouth
On 10 November 2011, Portsmouth unveiled Appleton as their new manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract; his first official managerial role.[15] Appleton's first League game in charge was a 2–0 defeat against Watford.[16] Appleton made two new signings in Joe Mattock and George Thorne on loan from West Bromwich Albion.[17] He had previously worked with them when on the coaching staff at West Brom.[citation needed]

Appleton made his first permanent signing by bringing in Kelvin Etuhu on a free transfer after Etuhu spent eight months in jail for carrying out an assault outside a Manchester casino in February.[18] Following Portsmouth's fall into administration, Appleton insisted that he would not walk away from the club, vowing to "fight on until the end".[19] Portsmouth were relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2011–12 season.

Blackpool
On 7 November 2012, Appleton was appointed manager of Blackpool on a one-year rolling contract.[20] His first game in charge was on 10 November 2012, a 2–2 draw at home to Bolton Wanderers.[21] He earned his first win as Blackpool manager on 1 December 2012, beating Peterborough 4–1 away from home, extending his unbeaten start to five games.[22] He was in charge for a further six League games, of which he won one, drew three and lost two.

After his resignation, he became the shortest-serving Blackpool manager in their history, with just eleven Football League games under his belt.[citation needed]

Blackburn Rovers
On 10 January 2013, Appleton was given permission to speak to Blackburn Rovers, and it was announced a day later by Rovers that he had agreed to join the club as manager after 65 days in charge of Blackpool. Appleton said of his move across Lancashire to Blackburn: "I am delighted to be joining such a historic club. This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I am excited about the challenge we have ahead of us."[23]

Appleton's first match in charge of Rovers was on 19 January 2013, a 2–1 defeat against Charlton Athletic at Ewood Park.[24] He earned his first victory on 26 January 2013, a 3–0 win against Derby County at Pride Park in the FA Cup fourth round.[25] A week later, he recorded his first league victory, a 2–0 win at home against Bristol City.[26] On 16 February 2013, Appleton's Blackburn team defeated Premier League team Arsenal in the fifth round of the FA Cup at the Emirates Stadium;[27] however, the victory was followed by a run of eight games without a win, with Rovers losing an FA Cup quarter-final replay at home to Millwall.[3]

On 19 March 2013, after poor results in the Championship, Appleton was relieved of his duties as manager of Blackburn Rovers, having won four of his fifteen games in charge. A brief statement on the club website said: "Blackburn Rovers FC can confirm that Michael Appleton has been relieved of his duties as manager along with assistant manager Ashley Westwood, first-team coach Darren Moore and head of senior recruitment Luke Dowling."[28]

Appleton's tenure at Blackburn lasted 67 days, two days more than his time in the Blackpool hotseat. At his time of departure, Blackburn were eighteenth in the table, four points clear of the relegation zone, thirteen points adrift of the play-off places with only nine games to go.[28]

Oxford United
On 4 July 2014, Appleton became the new head coach of Oxford United, replacing Gary Waddock.[29] In his first season, Oxford finished in thirteenth place in League Two. The following season, however, they finished second with 86 points, achieving automatic promotion to League One,[30] and reached the final of the Football League Trophy at Wembley.[31] In his third season in charge, Oxford again reached the final of the EFL Trophy, but again finished runners-up.[32] They finished in eighth place in League One.[33]

Leicester City
On 20 June 2017, Appleton was confirmed as the new assistant to manager Craig Shakespeare at Premier League club Leicester City, signing a three-year contract.[34] After the dismissal of Shakespeare in October 2017, Appleton took over as caretaker manager[35] for two matches, both Leicester victories,[36] before the appointment of Claude Puel. On 30 June 2018, it was announced that Appleton had left his position at Leicester with immediate effect following a restructure of the coaching staff.[37]

Return to West Bromwich Albion
On 26 April 2019, Appleton agreed to act as first-team coach to West Bromwich Albion caretaker manager James Shan until the end of the 2018–19 season,[38] speculation having arisen in previous weeks that he could become the new manager of the West Midlands club.[39] The move saw Appleton return to the Baggies following an eight-year absence,[38] where he linked up with former associate Steven Reid, who was acting in the same role as Appleton.[40] On 5 August 2019, West Brom announced that Appleton had been appointed as the coach of their under-23 squad.[41]

Lincoln City
On 23 September 2019, Appleton returned to management, after being appointed at recently promoted League One club Lincoln City on a four-year deal.[42] He replaced Danny Cowley, who left to take over at struggling Championship club Huddersfield Town.[43] He signed a new four-year deal on 25 February 2021.[44] On 30 April 2022, following their victory over Crewe Alexandra on the final day of the season, it was announced that Appleton would be leaving his role as manager.[45]

Return to Blackpool
On 17 June 2022, Appleton was appointed head coach of Blackpool, his second stint at the club. He signed a contract until June 2026, succeeding Neil Critchley, who left two weeks earlier to become assistant to Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa.[46]

CULTURE



Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. When it opened, Blackpool Tower was the tallest man made structure in the British Empire.[1] Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is 518 feet (158 metres) tall and is the 125th-tallest freestanding tower in the world.[2] Blackpool Tower is also the common name for the Tower Buildings, an entertainment complex in a red-brick three-storey block that comprises the tower, Tower Circus, the Tower Ballroom, and roof gardens, which was designated a Grade I listed building in 1973.[3]

Premier League

SCO 14pts 2CS 6CR -3GB 3BB 0SB
Sanjay 14pts 2CS 4CR 0GB 6BB 0SB
Derby 12pts 1CS 5CR 5GB -3BB 0SB
Minizin 11pts 3CS 4CR 0GB -3BB 0SB
Stairs 9pts 0CS 4CR 0GB 3BB 0SB
Zinman 5pts 1CS 2CR -3GB 6BB 0SB
Snooty 3pts 0CS 2CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
Blue Baggie -2pts 0CS 2CR -3GB -3BB 0SB

Tight at the top this week with the top 4 players separated by just 3 points. Just the one positive gamball score with the score ball proving equally as elusive - only 4 of the fixtures had both teams scoring. For once, the bonus ball helped the cause with a total of 12 points from it equalling the season's best return so far.

Unusually the gamball didn't decide the week's table with neither of the top 2 scoring from it. Top o the table is shared by SCO and Sanjay though both had very different routes to the top. SCO scored on 6 games - the best this week - with 2 scores spot on, while Sanjay only scored on 4 but got a maximum on his bonus an wisely avoided the gamball. Derby is 2 points back helped by being the only player to get anything from the gamball. Minizin achieved double figures to sit in 4th - he also got the gamball result correct but.....you've guessed...wasn't brave enouigh to play it.

Stairs had an OK week but his failure to turn any correct results into maximum's kept him away from the leaders. The remaining players had poor weeks - Zinamn at least managed to avoid a negative score thanks to a max bonus, while Snooty was grateful for a correct bonus result and the week's only scoreball. No such consolation for Blue as, with only 2 correct predictions and a wipe out on his balls, he achieved a mighty minus 2 points and will remain firmly at the foot of the overall table.

Minizin 82
Derby 77
Snooty 75
SCO 67
Zinman 66
Stairs 64
Sanjay 57
Blue 38

All change at the top with Minizin and Derby climbing above Snooty but with small gaps between them we can expect this to keep changing week by week. SCO climbs 2 places in a very tight midtable with Sanjay continuing to accumulate points after his slow start. Blue has a bit of a gap to close as he is beginning to get isolated at the foot of the table.

A balls report: Derby remains, like last season, the king of the gamball having amassed 23 points from it so far (50 more than Blue Baggie!). Zinman heads the bonus league (well, I have to win something!) with Snooty edging ahead with h score balls.

Zin


Championship

Lady Jane 20pts 1CS 6CR 5GB 3BB 0SB
Dingle 19pts 1CS 4CR 10GB 3BB 0SB
Amelia 11pts 2CS 0CR 10GB -3BB 0SB
BaggieOne 11pts 1CS 5CR NPGB -3BB 0SB
BBB 9pts 1CS 3CR -3GB 3BB 1SB
Themaclad 6pts 0CS 4CR -3GB 3BB 0SB
Twerton 5pts 1CS 1CR -3GB 6BB 0SB
AAA 0pts 1CS 1CR -3GB -3BB 0SB

Another decent week in the Championship although this week was dominated by two players. Lady Jane leads the way with a season high 20 points, the third player to get 20 or over! She managed a CR on the Gamball and Bonus and scored on 7 games in total!! In 2nd spot is Dingle, he matched his season high 19 points for the second week in a row courtesy of a CS Gamball and CR Bonus.

Bit of a drop down to Amelia and BaggieOne who both scored 11 points but had very different routes to get there. Amelia got a spot on Gamball but only scored on one other game, BaggieOne scored on 6 games including a CS on the Gamball but as he didn't play it this week this ultimately cost him 6 points!! BBB is in 5th with 9 points and his stuttering season continues.

Themaclads rollercoaster is operational again with 6 points this week, Twerton managed a CS Bonus but vitually nothing else to end on 5 points and AAA scored a big fat zero in the classic way - 1CS, 1CR and missing on all the balls!!

116 Dingle
99 BaggieOne
90 Lady Jane
81 Themaclad
73 BBB
56 AAA
50 Amelia
38 Twerton

Dingle is the first player to break through the century mark, BaggieOne should join him next week. Lady Jane jumped over Themaclad into 3rd place with BBB stuck in limbo land in 5th. AAA is now just 6 points ahead of Amelia and Twerton is rooted to the bottom.

Cheers
SCO

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.

Saturday 22 October:
Middlesbrough v Town
Town scorers:
Boro scorers:

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

Sunday 23rd October:
Swansea City v Cardiff City (12:00)
Watford v Luton Town (12:00)

Tuesday 25th October:
Coventry City v Rotherham United
Burnley v Norwich City

Table after Matchday 12:

1. jjamez = 245 pts
   
2. ritchiebaby = 228 pts
   
3. theo_luddite = 226 pts
   
4. themaclad = 221 pts
   
5. Lord Snooty = 213 pts
   
6. Baggiebob(BBB) = 199 pts
   
7. neonfoxinthebox = 193 pts
   
8. St Charles Owl = 191 pts
   
9. Amelia Chaffinch = 189 pts
   
10. Devongone = 187 pts
    
11. SHEP_HTAFC = 183 pts
    
12. WakeyTerrier = 135 pts

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


League Table After Matchday 14
Devon - 320
Lord Snoots - 291
Amelia - 268
SaltergateBorn - 249
Dancing - 244
St Charles Owl - 207
Spireitematt - 206

THE MATCH

SATURDAY 22ND OCTOBER KO 1:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



A professional/workmanlike performance as we took all 3 points. We got off to the perfect when Gregory latched onto a long band finished from close range. Both teams had a few chances with Smith being denied twice by Mitov while Stockdale denying Smith. Onto the 2nd half and we tended to keep Cambridge at bay with Stockdale not being tested while we had the odd opportunity. The in the last 15 minutes Gregory flicked in a Liam Palmer cross although what there keeper was doing I couldn't tell ya. We saw out the rest of the game fairly comfortably.

THE MATCH



Next up and a trip to Lincoln. The Imps are lying just below mid table and I can see them finishing around about mid table, not good enough to threaten the playoffs but enough to stay away from the relegation fight. There main threats seem to be House & Diamond who have 4 goals apiece. They are managed by Mark Kennedy, who took charge in the summer after previously managing Macclesfield where he only won 1 game in 12.

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 8
LINC 3
DRAWS 6

CURRENT FORM

OWLS              -                                                               

LINC               -                               

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  

ALAN YOUNG
Steven Rushton and Nik Barnard
Fourth Official : Wayne Grunnill

THE TEAM

Stockdale
Palmer Ihikwe McGuiness Johnson
Bannan Byers FDB
Windass
Gregory Smith

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

1-2 Smith

ATTENDANCE

N/A

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

26

BML LEAGUE

Imre 8
Stateside 7
Wash 6
Pieowl 5
Maddix 4
SCO 2
Owlskev 2

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Chelsea v Manchester Utd
Sheffield Utd v Norwich
Oxford v Peterborough
Salford v Stockport
Aldershot v York City

HHHHA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE

WEREHAM




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC