Tag: football

FootballOpinion

A Noticeably Delayed Link to a Lower League Week

David Stringer

I’ve neglected the blog recently, although I have been writing for other places. I’ve written a short story from start to finish, which I intend to try and get published soon (and will write more about in a day or two), and I’ve had promising discussions with a couple of sites about writing for them.

But I’ve also been writing my weekly Lower League Week for Bornoffside, which I’ve not quite got round to linking to from the blog for some reason. I’m going to catch up now, both in this post and another to follow shortly after.

On Thursday March 7th I wrote about Swindon’s new manager, seemingly chosen for his dullness; Coventry being placed under a transfer embargo; Plymouth’s supporters association picking a bad time to criticise the board; Port Vale hitting a rocky patch as they challenge for the League Two title; and Gary Mills, who led York City to two Wembley wins last season, being relieved of his position as manager.

Click here to read The Lower League Week – Noticeably Less Exciting

FootballOpinion

Kick and a Punch for the First of the Month. And a Column on Leagues One and Two

David Stringer

Another Lower League Week has been published at Bornoffside, again quite late in the week.

This week I’ve written about the tightness of the races to get out of and remain in League One; after Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo was apparently released by Bury after one game, he’s given his side of the story; Chris Kiwomya has been given the Notts County job until the end of the season; Bradford and Oldham have both been knocked out of cups; Southend are in trouble with HMRC; John Still has left Dagenham & Redbridge after nine years to take over as boss at Luton; and Oxford’s match was delayed because the goalposts weren’t put in straight.

Click here for The Lower League Week: Moving On And Staying Put

Comedy, FootballOpinion

New Links!

David Stringer

A couple of new links, to things that have been published over the last two days.

I’ve written for Wearegoingup.co.uk, a Football League website, about Hartlepool United’s bad start to the season and recent turnaround. If you’ve not been following Pools (you should have been) the first three or four months were consistently awful. Hartlepool sunk to the bottom of League One, with only a single win, and relegation seemed inevitable. But Hartlepool are now one of the division’s form teams, and seem to have half a chance of survival.

You can read my thoughts at We Are Going Up – Fighting Spirit Restored at Victoria Park

 

Meanwhile, Bornoffside.net have published John Nutter’s Month in Football, which may be the ramblings of an idiot, or which may be me writing in character with the intent of creating laughter.
John Nutter, like all of us who watch football, has opinions on the game. Problem is, he’s not the brightest.

It’d make him happy if you click the link and read John Nutter’s Month in Football

FootballOpinion

Today’s Week

David Stringer

Earlier today I published a brief blog post linking to last week’s Lower League Week at BornOffside: here I link to the edition that was published today.

There’s large sections on Paolo di Canio’s departure from Swindon, and Coventry’s conflict over their stadium.

English football’s most successful twin brothers were both sacked as managers this week,Oldham marched a bit further on in the FA Cup, and Preston North End have appointed a new manager already.

Bilel Mohsni returned to Southend after throwing a Tevez, only for them to wish he’d stayed away, the area finals of the Johnstone Paint Trophy were both this week, and I looked forward briefly to Bradford competing in the League Cup final this Sunday.

You can read all that in The Lower League Week – Unreasonable People

FootballOpinion

A Late Link to a Large Lower League Week (I Love ‘Literation)

David Stringer

I’ve been intending to link from here to everything I write elsewhere, but occasionally I have a massive memory lapse. So, seven days later, here is a short post linking to last week’s Lower League Week.

League Two’s bottom teams were fighting fiercely to break away from the relegation zone, while League One’s top sides seem intent on falling away from the top.

Mark Robins walked away from Coventry, Graham Westley was sacked by Preston, and Notts County spent about two minutes in court as a result of HMRC proceedings.

Hartlepool’s draw with Portsmouth made it seem that relegation had became a formality for both, and Torquay  have been without manager Martin Ling because of a ‘mystery illness’.

Click here to read The Lower League Week: Impossible to Predict

FootballOpinion

I Sort of Remembered to Leave a Link This Time…

David Stringer

Yesterday there I wrote a new edition of the Lower League Week for Born Offside.

Swindon’s new owners have pissed of Paolo di Canio, Bournemouth are doing quite well, the Dalai Llama has declared his support for a League Two side, Hartlepool United won (remarkable in itself) with the goals scored by Hartley and Poole, Dickov and Curle were sacked by Oldham and Notts County, while Graham Westley praised himself in the Daily Mail, in the week his Preston side set a new club record for home games without victory.

You can read all of that in The Lower League Week – Things Fall Apart

FootballOpinion

Things I Forgot to Link To

David Stringer

You know how sometimes you plan to do something, keep intending to go back to it in just a few hours, regret not doing it yesterday, and then intend to do that thing in just a few hours for a second day in a row? Then a third?
Yeah, I meant to link to my Lower League Fortnight column when it went live last Thursday. I make it a principle of sorts to make sure everything I write is linked to from here, so I’m catching up, even if it is out of date.

Last Thursday’s Lower League Week (written before the frantic last two days of the transfer window) covered Swindon’s new owners, Bournemouth’s impressive form, Sheffield United hitting a rough patch, Zoko being a bit daft for Notts County, Keith Hill’s return to Rochdale, and a banana.

You can read all of that by clicking on The Lower League Fortnight – Of Money and Managers.

Speaking of things I haven’t linked to, a couple of weeks ago there was a bit of a furore over the ballboy in the Swansea – Chelsea match. At BornOffside we wrote some quick reactions, myself included.

These can be reading by clicking through to BornOffside Reacts…

And… that’s me pretty much up to date for today!

FootballOpinion

Bornoffside Bits

David Stringer

After missing the first scheduled Lower League Week of the year due to other commitments, today a Lower League Fortnight has gone up at Bornoffside.

In it, I write about lower league involvement in three different cups, Dean Saunders waiting for the moment he starts being quite good to leave his job (again) Port Vale spending money, Notts County’s chairman surfing the web, and Graham Westley was booed by his own fans on his anniversary.

Click here to read The Lower League Fortnight: Glory of the Cups

Not THAT kind of cup, silly!
                                                        Not THAT kind of cup, silly!

I’ve also had another in the series of African Cup of Nations previews published, this time for Togo.

Click here to read African Cup of Nations Group D Preview : Togo

All Bornoffside previews for the competition (and subsequent coverage) can be found at the Africa 2013 section

FootballOpinion

A Tournament For All of Africa

David Stringer

Over at Bornoffside.net, the plan is to cover the forthcoming African Cup of Nations in South Africa. With the tournament due to start in a week, previews have started going up this weekend.

Africa_Cup_of_Nations_037 by Schubi-uetersen Taken from Wikimedia Commons

Previews for Group A went up on Friday – previews for South Africa, Angola, Morocco and Cape Verde.

Previews for Group B have started going up today, including my look forward to how the Ghanaian national team will perform, despite having left many of their star players with their club sides.

Click here to read what I have to say about Ghana’s chances in this year’s tournament.

FootballOpinion

T’was the Season to Be Jolly…

David Stringer

Over at Bornoffside.net, my weekly round-up of Leagues One and Two, the Lower League Week, has returned for the first time this year, cleverly disguised as The Lower League Christmas. (Okay, maybe not so clever).

Football in the midst of World War One. Back in the days when players wore their international caps while representing their nation.
Christmas day football in the midst of World War One. Back in the days when players wore their international caps while representing their nation.

In it, I covered the form of Gillingham, Port Vale and Tranmere over Christmas. All of them are battling for the title in League Two, Two, and One respectively, and all of them surprise challengers for one reason or another.

Leon Clarke has signed for Coventry, Hartlepool United have broken two club records in the last month, and Barnet’s management team have broken up. Bristol Rovers have appointed a new boss, who’s helped to force his Plymouth equivalent out of the door. Rotherham have a transfer target which is either delusionally ambitious, or a sign of how far the Scottish league has fallen, dependent on how things turn out.

And there’s evidence that it’s not Lazio, Roma or Millwall who have the most extreme fans in Europe, but Oldham. I also round up the other significant news over Christmas.

All of that can be found in The Lower League Christmas