If you have not noticed the season creeps in tonight witha League Cup tie between Barnet and Newport, one of the extra two cup games due to the league not wanting to upset the 75 Premier League sides who are in Europe. First league game on Friday when Luton entertain Wimbledon.

Just had our TV games confirmed 12.30 away at Millwall and Oxford, but pray for Norwich fans who have been given a 12.30 kick off at Deepdale on the Saturday before Christmas.

Will try as much as I can to keep this thread going but by the second week of the season may be struggling

Welcome to the Chesterfield Prediction League 2025/26


Past winners of the Chesterfield Prediction League include:

2024/2025 Maclad
2023/2024 SaltergateBorn
2022/2023 SaltergateBorn
2021/2022 Lord Snoots
2020/2021 Lord Snoots
2019/2020 Amelia
2018/2019 Devongone
2017/2018 St Charles
2016/2017 Lord Snoots
2015/2016 Spireitematt
2014/2015 Amelia

Rules:
1. Anybody can enter
2. I will update the table after each matchday

That's it those are the rules.

Scoring:

5pts = Correct score line
3pt = Correct outcome

Bonus Scoring

Joker:

The Joker is optional you can play it if you want but don't have to. If you play it and get it right then you'll double your score. You can only play it ONCE. So if you predict 2-0 but the outcome is 3-2 you'll double your outcome points. If you predict 2-0 and the outcome and correct scoreline is 2-0 then you'll double both your outcome points and correct scoreline points.

Example: Chesterfield 3-0 Real Madrid
Correct Outcome: Chesterfield 2-1 Real Madrid = 6pts

Example: Chesterfield 3-0 Real Madrid
Correct score/outcome Chesterfield 3-0 Real Madrid = 16pts

If you play the Joker and get it wrong you'll get -3 points.

With only a few days left before Chesterfield's first game of the season I thought it was time to say that our Prediction League seems to have met its maker.

There were only four of "us" on here. I haven't seen/heard anything from Matt who ran the League. He's still young and I imagine he has got a life! Salts, our other friend, well, I hope he is still alive and kicking or waddling, but he is even older than me and I would doubt he wants to take over the running.

I'm 73 and though Dancing and I helped out last year, I don't want to take it on, and I wouldn't bet on myself to see the end of the season to be frank. Dancing lives most of the time in Spain and he has got a life! So I'm afraid it is not much of an announcement, or even if it is an announcement ......

I'll keep failing with predictions in Snooty's Huddersfield version and I'm sure he (they) would welcome anyone who feels a pressing need to fail.

Whow!
What spirit, determination and togetherness.
What skill!
If only men played with the same level of all this, like they used to before money spoiled it all.

(BUT.... sad to see the Spanish ladies beginning to dive and feign injury in that final. And their sulking faces, without exception, at the presentation!?!
Stamp THAT out!!)

Started off with a 2-0 win over Port Vale
Then 1-1 with dynamo Kyiv
Then 2-1 defeat to Blackpool
Then 1-0 defeat to Fulham
Now four minutes in and we are 2-0 down to Lincoln.

Is it just me or does the season prep seem along way from being ready?

We're just a couple of weeks before the start of the new season so an early request to see who is up for doing this again this year? Post if you are in and it would be great to see some new blood (or returning old blood) to inject some competition!

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 players for 2025/26:

1. Baggiebob(BBB) = 0 pts
   
2. neonfoxinthebox = 0 pts
   
3. Lord Snooty = 0 pts
   
4. jjamez = 0 pts
   
5. ritchiebaby = 0 pts
   
6. SHEP_HTAFC = 0 pts
   

Saturday 2nd August:
Town v Leyton Orient
Town scorers:
Orient scorers:

Cardiff City v Peterborough United (12:30)
Blackpool v Stevenage
Bradford City v Wycombe Wanderers
Burton Albion v Mansfield Town
Doncaster Rovers v Exeter City
Lincoln City v Reading
Plymouth Argyle v Barnsley
Rotherham United v Port Vale
Wigan Athletic v Northampton Town

Sunday 3rd August:
Stockport County v Bolton Wanderers (12:00)

Bonus match;
Sunday:
Scottish Premiership:
Dundee v Hibernian (15:00)

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

1. St Charles Owl = 0 pts
   
2. themaclad = 0 pts
   
3. theo_luddite = 0 pts
   
4. Devongone = 0 pts
   
5. WakeyTerrier = 0 pts
   
6. Amelia Chaffinch = 0 pts
   

Friday 1st August:
Luton Town v AFC Wimbledon (20:00)

Saturday 2nd August:
Town v Leyton Orient
Town scorers:
Orient scorers:

Blackpool v Stevenage
Bradford City v Wycombe Wanderers
Burton Albion v Mansfield Town
Doncaster Rovers v Exeter City
Lincoln City v Reading
Plymouth Argyle v Barnsley
Rotherham United v Port Vale
Wigan Athletic v Northampton Town

Sunday 3rd August:
Stockport County v Bolton Wanderers (12:00)

Bonus match:
Saturday:
League Two:
Chesterfield v Barrow

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

A consortium looking to take over beleaguered National League club Morecambe is being led by an investor called Jonny Cato, the Shrimps' current owner has said.

Cato's consortium is separate to that of Panjab Warriors, who had their own takeover bid approved by the English Football League shortly after the club's relegation from League Two last season.

Shrimps owner Jason Whittingham had previously said terms had been agreed with Panjab Warriors, with a deal set to be formally completed earlier in July, before a "last-minute bid" came in from Cato.

In a statement, external on Friday, Whittingham said Cato would be part of "an impressive group being built around him to develop the club over the coming seasons".

"Neither Jonny or his team have any connection to Jason or [his] Bond Group [firm] of any kind," the statement continued.

"Sales agreements will be completed today (Friday) and will include a generous payment from the buyer to pay staff and players while the National League approval process is completed. We are grateful for this gesture of goodwill when the club and its stakeholders needed it most."

A further update will be given later on Friday, the statement added.


The announcement of Cato's identity comes a day after former co-chairman Rod Taylor said he was "fearful" for the club's existence, with June's payroll only partially paid after a turbulent summer.

Taylor and the former board of directors had threatened to put the club into administration at the beginning of July if a deal to sell the Shrimps did not go ahead.

Whittingham then sacked the board in response but brought them back days later in order to help finalise a deal to sell the club to Panjab Warriors.

When that deal did not go through, the board resigned from their posts, and former board member James Wakefield told BBC Radio Lancashire on Thursday he was amazed the club was still operating and predicted it could have only days left.

Morecambe are scheduled to begin their 2025-26 National League campaign against Boston on 9 August.

No further update was provided , the only Johnny Cato anyone can find is a Swedish politician. The owner of the club was previously owner of Worcester Warriors Rugby Union team who went bust, this is going the same way

Morecambe's former co-chairman Rod Taylor says he is fearful for the existence of the club as a prolonged takeover continues.

The Shrimps had looked set to be bought by the Panjab Warriors group when the EFL approved their takeover in June.

With the deal still to go through, however, the board of directors threatened to put the club into administration and later resigned, with owner Jason Whittingham then opting to sell the club to a different party in a "last minute deal" which is still to take place.

Morecambe are scheduled to begin their 2025-26 National League campaign against Boston on 9 August but an embattled summer off the field, which has included incomplete wage payments from June's payroll to staff and the remainder of the playing and coaching staff, has overshadowed pre-season preparations.

"It's extremely serious. It's critical. We're right in the last throes of this now. You just don't know where to go next," Taylor told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We're doing all we can as ex-officials, we can't play any part beyond that. We're right in the throes of we may not have a club this time next week.

"I think it could be as serious as that. There has to be movement rapidly.

"I'm fearful. As we stand today I am fearful for the existence of the club. I hope and pray that he [Whittingham] sees sense and gets the papers signed."

BBC Radio Lancashire have contacted Whittingham for comment.

Whittingham previously said terms had been agreed with Panjab Warriors with a deal set to be formally completed shortly after.

The club's board of directors had stepped down with the deal still to be concluded, having previously tried to put the club into administration in early July when the deal dragged on.

Despite Panjab Warriors looking set to take over Whittingham last week said an unidentified buyer had worked to pay outstanding wages as well as agreeing contracts pending the approval of a sale by the National League.

The identity of the new party is unknown, and in a statement issued by Whittingham on Thursday, he said that the club were looking to complete a deal "as quickly as possible".

"We can confirm that a takeover deal is near completion with a consortium of individuals headed by people with genuine football experience, to acquire Bond Group's interest in the club," the statement said., external

"We can also confirm that despite speculation on the buyers' identity, nobody from the consortium has yet been named publicly and recent guesses are not accurate.

"The buyers have funds available to bring payments for the club up to date and we are working to conclude the transaction as quickly as possible."


Former board member James Wakefield said he was surprised the club was still in existence and, when asked by BBC Radio Lancashire how long the Shrimps could continue operating, he theorised that they could have just "days" left.

"I'm amazed it's still alive today. We as a board decided that the only responsible course of action was to put the club into administration and that was on 1 July, 16 days ago," Wakefield said earlier on Thursday, before the latest club statement.

"It's still dragging on. It's days. It's literally days. There will be payroll again quite soon and the club's not meeting its obligations at the moment, the most important of which is staff wages.

"But I'm amazed it's still alive quite frankly."

Burton Albion are being investigated by the Football Association over deals made during their British-record transfer spree last summer.

The League One club have confirmed they are working with the FA and the English Football League over the issue, but would not comment on the specifics of the case.

However, BBC Radio Derby understands the investigation concerns the level of involvement and potential conflicts of interest relating to the outsourced recruitment which was relied on, following Burton's takeover by the Sweden-based Nordic Football Group (NFG).

With a complete rebuild demanded by the new owners, Burton recruited 23 players last summer to set a new British record for players signed in a single transfer window.

Burton's chief operating officer (COO) Tom Mahon, who took up the role in May, said the focus of the investigation is "purely on last summer" and has so far had "no material impact" on the Brewers' ability "to do business" ahead of the forthcoming season.

"It hasn't stopped us recruiting so far - we have had a number of players come through the door and a number of players have gone out," he told BBC Radio Derby.


Mahon, a club administrator who worked at Manchester City for 15 years before becoming COO at Stockport County, has also spoken about how Burton have made a number of off-field staff redundant in recent months and how last season's narrow escape from relegation gave the Brewers' hierarchy a lot to learn from.

It is understood the redundancies are a reaction to significant financial losses, with the structure of player contracts - which sources have said came with a 20% bonus for every player for every point earned - a major drain.

Mahon said layoffs had been made to "streamline the organisation" and to make it as "efficient as possible", while adding that the club is "absolutely fine" financially going forward.

"That obviously comes at a personal cost to some people who have been around the club for a long, long time and to people who have done nothing but serve this club with real passion and distinction for years," he said.

"It's never easy, but it's a decision we had to take as best for the needs of the football club."

Among those to be moved on is Ben Robinson Jr, the son of long-time former owner Ben Robinson who remains involved as honorary chairman.

"In terms of Ben Jr, the role he performed was one that we couldn't justify in the wider plan, and again it is very much about the role and not the person," Mahon said.


Having a continued link to the Robinson family was something NFG highlighted as being important to help ensure the historic achievements of Burton's rise from non-league levels to the heights of the Championship were preserved.

Fleur Robinson, daughter of Robinson Sr, was brought back to the club from Wrexham to take over as chief executive.

It, however, was a role she left at the end of the season.

Her exit came at the end of a chaotic first year of NFG ownership, in which the group's founder and deputy chairman Tom Davidson stepped down alongside chairman Ole Jakob Strandhagen and commercial director Kevin Skabo.

Bendik Hareide, who started last season as sporting director, left in January after first taking a leave of absence for personal reasons.

Richard Dorman, the former technical director of Finnish team SJK Seinajoki, eventually came in as Hareide's replacement, while Wouter Gudde, who is said to be a 'rebuild specialist' and formerly of Dutch side FC Groningen, has taken over as interim chairman and chief executive.

"The people who were here, and who went through last year... as long as we use those things as a learning opportunity then you certainly learn more from failure, and I say that for want of a better word and not to say it was a failure," Mahon said.

"It's a learning experience that can help positively influence how we proceed going forward."

NFG arrived at Burton Albion a year ago with bright ideas and an enthusiasm that many hadn't felt before.

Over the course of the year, it became apparent that excitement had turned into naivety in moments opting for immediate sweeping changes rather than steady progress.

Hopes internally of a new pitch, building a base at St George's Park and to build on a British record 23 arrivals in the summer soon turned into a relegation fight and a sacked head coach.

Had it not been for the arrival of head coach Gary Bowyer and his assistant Pat Lyons in December, this may be a piece on rebuilding from League Two.

As I understand it, Burton overspent in their first year which has resulted in redundancies, streamlining the business and a new outlook on League One football.

Will the task be even tougher this year for Bowyer? That remains to be seen, but it certainly looks that way and the likes of Tom Mahon and Wouter Gudde have the job of picking up the pieces from those initial board members unveiled to the Brewers supporters once upon a time.

Rapper Snoop Dogg has become a co-owner and investor at Swansea City after taking a minority stake in the Championship club.

Snoop Dogg was the surprise model as Swansea launched their home kit for the 2025-26 season last weekend.

The Swans have now announced that the 53-year-old American star has followed Real Madrid and Croatia legend Luka Modric by joining the club's ownership group.

"My love of football is well known, but it feels special to me that I make my move into club ownership with Swansea City," Snoop Dogg said on the club's website.

"The story of the club and the area really struck a chord with me. This is a proud, working class city and club. An underdog that bites back, just like me.

"I'm proud to be part of Swansea City."

Swansea announced in April that Modric, who this week joined AC Milan as a player, had acquired a stake in the club following a takeover led by American businessmen Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen last November.

Now Snoop Dogg, real name Calvin Broadus, who has well in excess of 100 million social media followers, has come on board with a pledge "to do all I can to help the club".

Snoop Dogg's involvement is believed to have come about as a result of a mutual connection between him and Cravatt and Cohen.

Swansea's owners have made it clear that they want to raise the club's profile in an attempt to generate greater revenue, which will then allow them to invest more money in the team under profit and sustainability rules.

"To borrow a phrase from Snoop's back catalogue, this announcement is the next episode for Swansea City as we seek to create new opportunities to boost the club's reach and profile," the club's owners said in a statement.

"Snoop's colossal global fanbase and audience will certainly help us do that, and he has made clear to us throughout this process just how excited he is at the prospect of joining the club.

"Snoop has openly shared his love of football and his desire to be involved in the game and we expect his involvement to support us putting as competitive a team as possible out on the field."

While Snoop Dogg's involvement in the launch of the club's kit appeared to come out of the blue, Swansea hinted that he would have a bigger role to play in their future.

Swansea say Snoop Dogg has "always had a deep love of sport".

They added that a mural of the hip-hop artist has been unveiled in the Swansea.com Stadium's West Stand "to mark taking his place as part of our club ownership".

Though they are based in America, Cravatt and Cohen have visited Swansea's pre-season training camp in Spain this week, with the club posting pictures on social media of the duo alongside players and staff.