It’s a bit late in the week, but I’ve covered the events in Leagues One and Two.
Barnet have played their last game at Underhill, home of the famous sloping pitch; Portsmouth have been deducted points this season rather than next, despite already being relegated; Scunthorpe are all but relegated, for the second time in three years; Coventry City FC are – I’m sorry if I don’t seem to be taking it seriously, just laughably villainous.
I’ve also written about the teams still with something to play for on the last round of league matches this weekend.
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.
My latest Lower League Week is up at Bornoffside.net, though it is a little late in the week.
With last weekend being the FA Cup Second round, that’s dominated the column. In particular the MK Dons – Wimbledon match, a hectic last ten minutes between Accrington and Oxford, and the Micky Adams vengeance match between Sheffield United and Port Vale. (Though I’m not entirely sure if that’s Adams seeking revenge for his sacking, or Sheffield United seeking revenge for him not being a very good manager.)
On the flip side, he does have very sexy legs.
There were some big non-cup related news, such as Fleetwood sacking Micky Mellon and the sad and premature passing of Mitchell Cole.
After missing last week, this week sees a Lower League Fortnight on BornOffside.
Bournemouth have been in form under their new manager (but don’t seem to have properly disposed of the old one), David McGoldrick is in form for Coventry, Carl Fletcher’s job isn’t in danger at Plymouth, a Leyton Orient youth striker has been involved in a robbery, and Hartlepool United are all but confirmed as the first English team to be relegated this season. Oh, and Scunthorpe manager Brian Laws compared his team’s defending to the holocaust.
I’ve written an article over at Born Offside this morning. MK Dons were drawn against AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the FA Cup, and, having both won first round replays, the tie will now go ahead at the start of December.
If you’re a football fan you may know why this is a big deal. In 2002 the owners of Wimbledon, in the second tier of Englishfootball, not happy with the decent but not amazing crowd figures, pushed to be allowed to relocate to Milton Keynes, one of the largest towns in the country not to have a professional team.
Unlike in America, ‘franchising’ teams in this way is generally looked down upon, with many Wimbledon fans and neutrals considering their team to have been stolen away.
With the move all but confirmed, Wimbledon fans set up a new side, AFC Wimbledon, with Milton Keynes Dons being born from the carcass of the former club. AFC have been steadily climbing their way through the football pyramid, and now, for the first time, the teams will meet in the FA Cup.
I’ve wrote about the history, recent form of both sides, fans’ feelings, and the implications for both clubs’ seasons and the wider awareness of the conflict.
Once again I’ve written a Lower League Week for BornOffside.
It’s not relevant in any way at all, but isn’t this guy cute?
Andy Thorn has been sacked by Coventry after three games. MK Dons have had four red cards in their first four games, so, in footballing tradition, are clearly the victims of an injustice/Illuminati conspiracy. Wimbledon have, twice in the last week, been four goals down at half time, and Hartlepool United failed to make it to a game after being stuck in traffic.
Looking back at the dates of recent posts, I’ve been neglecting the blog in the past few weeks, and, like the alcoholic father I am in this metaphor*, I intend to overcompensate dramatically in a way that embarasses everyone.
So, in the next few days I intend to polish off a few things I’ve been working on, and get them up either here on the blog or elsewhere (and remember to link to them this time).
So in the next few days there should be a follow up to my earlier Life’s Too Short article in a shameless attempt to cash in on the show’s American debut. I intend to write reviews of the books I’ve read since my last review was posted, and more.
That is, if my day job of rocket scientist/rockstar doesn’t get in the way.
Hard at work
Since my last post here at the blog, I’ve written two entries for Born Offside. The first of the two, filed on the 15th, went into depth on the lovely cuddly Steve Evans, while covering Torquay’s remarkable winning streak, Kettering not being able to afford to pay police for their matches, and more.
Despite his crimes, this is the closest he gets to a prison these days
Then, last week, I covered the reasons for Stevenage’s rise and congratulated them on holding Tottenham to a draw, the reasons why Lee Clark’s sacking at Huddersfield was reasonable, and once again giving Darlington sympathetic press.
Really, as a Hartlepool fan, I hope they sort their finances out so that I don’t have to be sympathetic to them so often.
Nine days without posting – if I don’t write more often, I’ll never clog up people’s inboxes.
Right. After spending a few days away, I missed a week of lower league column for Born Offside, and compensated with Born Offside’s first ever Lower League Fortnight.
Knowing my issues with reliability and consistency, I’m sure it won’t be the last time that happens.
This issue covered transfer movements, changes in management, Bournemouth paying a huge £800,000 transfer fee…it’s crazy, a tell thee.
I’m so happy to have signed for Bournemouth. Yayyyyyyy.
This past week, Fabio Capello, the Italian manager of the England national football team, walked out. It was the culmination of a long series of irritating events – the media attacked Capello for not walking on water, Wayne Rooney did something stupid and Capello didn’t stop him from doing it so is therefore dangerously incompetent, John Terry may or may not have said something potentially hugely offensive and faces a trial for it, Capello wanted to stick by him, his bosses didn’t, Capello told Italian television he wanted Terry to remain as captain.
SciFiFootball 