Norwich City have sacked head coach Liam Manning following a seventh successive home defeat, which has left them second bottom of the Championship.

The 40-year-old was appointed in June, having guided Bristol City to the play-offs last season, but lasted just 17 games.

His final match in charge was Saturday's 2-1 loss against Leicester City. They have not won in 11 and have lost eight in a row at home in league and cup.

"We have tried absolutely everything possible to work through this incredibly challenging period but, unfortunately, given the recent run of results and performances, we have been left with no choice other than to make a change at this stage," said sporting director Ben Knapper.

"Liam and his staff worked tirelessly to move our football club forward. They are all fundamentally good people and we wish them the very best in whatever comes next."

First-team coach Ryan Garry has been put in interim charge, assisted by goalkeeper coach Tony Roberts and set-piece coach Nick Stanley
There were protests outside Carrow Road following Saturday's game, with fans chanting "You're not fit to wear the shirt" and also calling for Knapper to leave the club.

It is the first time a team in the second tier of English football has ever lost their first seven home league games in a season.

Knapper added: "We very much understand the frustration and criticism from our supporters at this stage. So far, results and performances on the pitch haven't been good enough.

"We accept that responsibility, but it's now imperative that we start to repair the relationship with our supporters and do everything we can to give them something to get behind."

Manning leaves Norwich 23rd in the table, the Canaries having lost 10 of their 15 Championship games under him, including a 3-1 defeat at Ipswich, their first loss in an East Anglia derby for 16 years.

They are now looking for their fifth permanent boss since Daniel Farke - now in charge at Leeds United - left in November 2021, having twice led them to promotion to the Premier League.


Manning was recruited after Norwich decided not to give the job to former England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who was in interim charge for the final two games of last season and is now manager at Luton Town.

Manning was born in Norwich and played in their academy before switching briefly to Ipswich and then dropping into non-league football.

He began his coaching career with Belgian club Lommel and had spells in charge at MK Dons and Oxford United before joining Bristol City in November 2023.

The Norwich squad was transformed by 12 signings during the summer transfer window, but the club sold Borja Sainz, who supplied 18 goals last season, to Porto for £14.25m, and Marcelino Nunez to rivals Ipswich for £10m.

United States international Josh Sargent scored six goals in five league and cup games at the start of the campaign but has none in the past 11 - and no-one else has managed more than Mathias Kvistgaarden and Jovon Makama's three.

In his final post-match interview with BBC Radio Norfolk, Manning - who was recently given the public backing of majority shareholder Mark Attanasio - said: "I don't live my life with regrets, it's part of my journey.

"I'm learning, I'm hurting, I'm frustrated and I'm hugely disappointed, because this is a club I care deeply about.

"I didn't come here to be where we are. But we are, so I will do a lot of learning as to why."

His assistant Chris Hogg and analyst James Krause have also left the club.

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 Badger gives you 2 points

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. However, if you do predict a draw and it's a match that won't be going to a replay, you can get a possible extra point by stating which of the two teams you think will eventually win.

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.  


At the end of the season, the winner of group 2 and the bottom of group 1 will swap places in what is commonly known as "promotion" and "relegation". It's something that most football fans will be familiar with, unless you're a fan of Liverpool or Arsenal or one of those other fashionable clubs.

The second placed player in group 2 will then have a play off with the player who finishes second from the bottom in group 1 to decide whether they will be going up, down or staying where they are.

We're going to have two seasons in one though, just to try and make it a bit more interesting and not so long drawn out. The first season will end on the Boxing Day fixtures, with the play offs being on the dates of the Twixtmas fixtures and the NYD fixtures.

The second season will start the following week, which is usually the FA Cup 3rd round, finishing on the last game of the League One season. Then another period of relegation/promotion play off games, taking in such fixtures as the EFL play offs, FA Cup Final, UEFA finals and such like.

Each group will have it's own set of fixtures. Both groups will have the Town games, with scorers to predict as before. Then it will be a split of League One fixtures and bonus matches, hopefully around ten, eleven or twelve games per Matchday.

The random badger is restricted to three goal scorers in any of the fixtures in your group.

Here's how that will appear at the end of the fixture list. All you have to do is fill in the blanks.......


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

Any of those will score two points if correct. No minus points for getting it wrong.

Postponed matches will only count if the match is re-played before the next Matchday is under way. Abandoned matches will be awarded half the points for the score at the time of abandonment, so 1 point if you have the correct result, 2 points if you have the correct score.

Substitute or scorer in one of the Town games:- These will be only be allowed if you change them before the match involved has kicked off.

Prediction League Archive: https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=12830

Division One table after Matchday 15:

1. jjamez = 267 pts
   
2. Baggiebob(BBB) = 261 pts
   
3. neonfoxinthebox = 238 pts
   
4. Lord Snooty = 199 pts
   
5. ritchiebaby = 199 pts
   
6. SHEP_HTAFC = 137 pts
   

Thursday 13th November:
World Cup qualifiers:
England v Serbia

Friday 14th November:
Slovakia v Northern Ireland

Saturday 15th November:
Liechtenstein v Wales (17:00)
Greece v Scotland (19:45)

League One:
Burton Albion v Blackpool
Leyton Orient v Exeter City
Lincoln City v Doncaster Rovers
Luton Town v Rotherham United
Port Vale v Wycombe Wanderers

Monday 17th November:
World Cup qualifiers:
Northern Ireland v Luxembourg

Tuesday 18th November:
Scotland v Denmark
Wales v North Macedonia

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

1. themaclad = 260 pts
   
2. theo_luddite = 256 pts
   
3. Devongone = 230 pts
   
4. Amelia Chaffinch = 194 pts
   
5. St Charles Owl = 193 pts
   
6. WakeyTerrier = 189 pts
   

Friday 14th November:
Slovakia v Northern Ireland

Saturday 15th November:
Liechtenstein v Wales (17:00)
Greece v Scotland (19:45)

League One:
Burton Albion v Blackpool
Leyton Orient v Exeter City
Lincoln City v Doncaster Rovers
Luton Town v Rotherham United

League Two:
Grimsby Town v Chesterfield

Sunday 16th November:
World Cup qualifiers:
Albania v England (17:00)

Monday 17th November:
Northern Ireland v Luxembourg

Tuesday 18th November:
Scotland v Denmark
Wales v North Macedonia

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

[I've removed the graphic from this post to comply with the new image/copyright restrictions; will try and get a written match schedule up in its place ASAP]

We are extremely disappointed at the decision made by an independent regulatory commission to sanction Milutin Osmajić and impose a nine-match suspension, following an incident which took place in a league fixture against Burnley on 15th February 2025.

We note that the outcome was determined on the 'Balance of Probabilities' rather than one that is 'Beyond Reasonable Doubt'.

We also note that The FA determined that this decision offers no moral judgement, was not premeditated nor any comment about his general character.

Milutin has always pleaded his innocence of the charge and continues to do so. We continue to be fully supportive of our player.

We are proud of our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policies and practices, and we reaffirm our opposition to all forms of discrimination.

#
Sets a dangerous precedent, not commenting on a scale of annoyance of 1-10, I'm at 19

During the Age of Sail, the office of the First Lord of the Admiralty in Whitehall had mounted on its wall a large dial geared to a weathervane on the building's roof, which allowed the First Lord to see at a glance, without leaving his desk, which way the wind was currently blowing (a device which, though rendered obsolete for naval purposes by steam power, continues to prove useful to this day in most other Whitehall offices). I only mention this because in my more fanciful moments, I like to imagine the oak-panelled walls of Lancaster Gate - if not the headquarters of Ladbrokes or Paddy Power - festooned with rows of barometers, ninety-two in total, which display the managerial pressure at every club from Brunton Park to the Amex. Thus, any employee walking the halls en route to file away the VAR footage of the Kennedy assassination (on-field verdict upheld) or pay the last installment of the bribe to Tofik Bakhramov, can instantly see the few needles riding as high as HANDS OFF! HE'S OURS, the larger number holding steady at KEEP THE FAITH, the multitudes hovering around QUESTIONS TO ANSWER, and the luckless few sinking inexorably down to IN THE NAME OF GOD, GO.

And Albion's barometer? Well, it's not going in the direction Ryan Mason would like it to, as our winless run extends to four and a goalless point at home to Wednesday is the best result of the bunch. The needle might not be in freefall yet, but frankly, it's only ninety minutes away.

Oxford are Saturday's visitors, and while last weekend demonstrated all too vividly why we can't simply expect to put relegation-battling teams to the sword even on home soil, winning is simply a necessity this time round, as narrowly or unconvincingly as it may come. With local derbies coming hot on the heels of the international break, there may not be many more chances for Mason to turn the ship around if this one goes begging.

[align=center]No one likes them but they don't care


The Old Den, never visited it, mores the pity really, howevere it's replacement isn't bad, although being lumbered with a 12.30 kick off is more than a piss take by the league, the coach leaves at 5.30 am, luckily the Avanti West Coast leaves at 8am, barring, any landslips. Lord Mayor's show tomorrow as well, so London likely to be rammed.

https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/

MANAGER

Alexander Francis Neil (born 9 June 1981)[2] is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is currently head coach of EFL Championship club Millwall.

Neil began his professional career at Airdrieonians in 2000, playing half a season in the Scottish Football League First Division before moving to Barnsley. He played 142 games across all competitions in his four-year spell at Barnsley, and then signed for Mansfield Town on a free transfer. After a season at Mansfield, he returned to Scotland's First Division with Hamilton Academical, featuring in 246 matches across a decade and winning promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 2008.

He became Hamilton's player-manager in 2013 and led them to promotion to the Scottish Premiership in 2014. In January 2015 he was appointed manager of Norwich City, as the second youngest manager in the Football League at the time. Neil guided Norwich to promotion to the Premier League, by winning the 2015 Football League Championship play-off final. Norwich suffered relegation the following season, and in March 2017, Neil was sacked. He was appointed Preston North End's manager on 4 July 2017 and led the team to seventh place in the 2017–18 Championship. On 11 February 2022 Neil was appointed manager of Sunderland. They were promoted from League One to the Championship, winning 2–0 in the play-off final. He left later that year to become the manager of Stoke City.

Alex was a decent manager although did end up boring me to death with style of play, still lives up here



FORM GUIDE



LIONS 13 PNE 11

Both sides in decent nick although they got bang at Brum

New and netters



South Bermondsey's history is shaped by its industrial past, including early railway viaducts built in the 1830s and a later role as a center for leatherworking and food processing, earning it nicknames like "Biscuit Town". The area has undergone significant transformation, moving from an agricultural landscape in the 1840s to an industrial hub by the late 19th century, followed by residential and commercial redevelopment in the latter half of the 20th century. Today, the area continues to evolve, with a focus on maintaining its industrial character while also accommodating new uses.

THE MATCH

SATURDAY 8TH NOVEMBER KO 3:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



We got a point but probably should have had all three. We were nearly behind after 1 minute but Sargent shot wide. A few minutes later we were ahead, Bannan firing in from 30 yards. Bannan nearly made it 2 a few minutes later but the keeper saved. We had a couple of other chances but we went in 1-0 at the break. Onto the 2nd half and Ingelsson had a shot saved and then we had a great chance to make it 2 but Lowe somehow fired wide. Norwich then went down the other end and and Sargent fed Kvistgaarden who tapped into a empty net. Both sides had chances to win it but it was Horvath who saved the day with a good stop in injury time.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

THE MATCH



Next up and we travel south to take on Southampton before the next international break. The Saints have made a poor start to the season and currently lie in 19th place in the Championship, but they did win there last match 1-2 at QPR after going 5 without a win. Will Still had been in charge but was sacked a few days ago. The Saints should be doing much better than they are with the squad they have. If they can get the right appointment, you would expect them to move up the table and maybe have a shot at the playoffs. There leading scorer so far this season is Adam Armstrong, who has 4 goals and 1 assist.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 33
SOUTH 29
DRAW 24

CURRENT FORM

OWLS   D D L L L L                                                             

SOUTH W L L L D D

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  



THE TEAM

Horvath
Fusire Palmer Iorfa M Lowe Amass
Valery Ingelsson Bannan
McNeill Cadamarteri

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

3-1 Ingelsson

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

56

ATTENDANCE

N/A

BML LEAGUE

Owlkev 9
Maddix 8
Imre 4
SCO 3
Washington 3

BMPL

Stateside 6
Pei -4
Wereham -11
Southey -12

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

West Ham v Burnley
Swansea v Ipswich
Doncaster v Barnsley
Newport v Walsall
Boston v Rochdale

HAAAA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC

i`m in no way calling for the manager to go:
but as we all know things have taken a turn for the worst
from being promotion contenders we are now looking over our shoulders at the bottom of the table.

yes the manager will get the brunt of the flak

is he out of his depth?

been supporting this lot since i was 10yrs old
seen good times
and the bad

i am the eternal optimist that we can still salvage something from this season

is our manager skating (already) on thin ice?
maybe he is

if he is dismissed
who will be next?

we have so called strikers that suddenly forget where the goal is
a midfield that have no idea how to pass the ball

as i said i`m optimistic we can salvage this season

we aint going to get promoted
and i sure we wont go down....but as the saying goes...."Football....It`s A Funny Old Game"

Group A

Twerton 15
Minizin 11
BaggieVicar 9
Zimnan 8
Stairs 5
A.A.A. 5
B.B.B. 2
BaggieOne -2

Not a great week in Group A, just 53 points, the third lowest of the season. The Bonus again caused major problems with just one player scoring positive points on it!! Twerton keep us his good form in top spot with 15 points, he was one of two players to score a max on the Gamball and backed that up with another CS. Minizin was the only player to get a CR on the Gamball and he is second on 11 points. BaggieVicar was the other player to get a correct result on the Gamball but like Minizin wasn't able to add much to back it up.

Zinman finished on 8 points, he was the only player to get a CR on the Bonus. Stairs and AAA ended joint 5th with 5 points with BBB on 2 just behind them. BaggieOne, the long time leader sees his poor form continue this week and he posted his lowest score of the season with -2.

126 Minizin
125 Stairs
118 BaggieOne
108 Twerton
90 A.A.A.
90 BaggieVicar
77 B.B.B.
61 Zinman

Since Week 3 Baggie One has led the table with as much as a 22 point lead, but this weeks negative score for him sees him drop to third place after being overtaken by both Minizin, the new leader and Stairs in 2nd spot. Twerton is slowly catching up to the top 3 and all of them are over 100 points. AAA and BaggieVicar share 5th place with 90 points. BBB drops further back with another poor week and now has Zinman only 16 points behind him.

Cheers
SCO

Group B

4eva 16
Themaclad 10
Salop 8
Snooty 7
Lady Jane 2
SCO 2
Derby 1
Amelia 1

A very strange week for Group B. There can't be many weeks in the history of this competition when 2 players maxed out on the gamball but failed to reach double figures. It was also the second lowest points total of the season, but one player managed to equal his best score. Three games produced negative totals with the gamball just pipping the Bolton win to record the highest total of points.

4eva claims top spot by some distance with the weekend's stand out performance. He had the highest number of correct reults - 6, the highest number of correct scores - 2, and also scored on the gamball. Themaclad had exactly half the number of correct scores/results but his 1 correct score was his bonus which helped him into 2nd place with 10 points.

Salop and Snooty both collected 8 points from the gamball.......and not a lot else! Salop got one other correct result and a scoreball to compensate for his missed bonus, while Snooty came in with just 1 other correct result to leave him with minus 1 point from the other 9 fixtures.

A week to forget for the rest. Lady Jane has now scored 31 points from the last 4 weeks - 28 of them were in week 9! Just 2 correct predictions from her (1 perfect) and a blow out on all balls. She's joined on just 2 points by SCO - he only got 1 preduiction correct but was rescued from a negative score by it being his bonus ball. Derby scored on just 2 games and missed out on the main balls - he was able to stay in positive territory thanks to his scoreball. Amelia got 4 points from the gamball and nothing else to leave her with Derby on just 1 point for the week.

104 4eva
93 SCO
91 Snooty
79 Lady Jane
75 Themaclad
68 Derby
67 Amelia
67 Salop

A change at the top with 4eva passing SCO and becoming the first player to reach 100 points. Snooty is closing in on SCO while The maclad's return sees him climb 2 places to 5th. At the bottom Salop has caught Amelia with both of them just a point behind Derby.

Salop remains the only player yet to top any week's table, a feat 4eva has now achieved 4 times. SCO's correct bonus sees him join Snooty as the only players with positive totals from that ball.

Zin

Hi Everyone

i am new to this forum but am currently providing gift and treat boxes / snack boxes on WBA Match Days! I am situated next to greggs on the birmingham road. I have a number of snack boxes which are currently chocolate boxes available which are ideal for christmas or great to take in the game with you...

They are currently only £5 a box, if interested drop me a message and check out my instagram page which has more details on there @

thegiftandtreatcompany

All the support would be appreciated

Come on you baggies!

Cheers Guys!