Tag: Preston North End

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

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

Milk!

David Stringer

A new edition of The Lower League Week has just gone up at BornOffside.net.

In it, I cover Tranmere starting to struggle, Sheffield United hitting form, Paolo di Canio whinging, Chesterfield take two months to appoint a manager, Scunthorpe taking less than a day, own goals, a red card, dangerous milk, and a really quite horrific injury.

Den ern, den ern, DER DER DER!

Click here for The Lower League Week – Starting to get Serious

FootballOpinion

How Bloody Cool is Edgar Davids?

David Stringer

Seriously. I mean, just take a look at how cool and laid back he looks, even when he’s not leading European teams to continental glory:

I think I may have a man-crush on him.

There is a sort of reason for the above. Davids has just been named as the Joint Head Coach of Barnet, currently sitting 92nd in the English league structure, whcih I’ve written about for BornOffside in the Lower League Fortnight.

I’ve also covered Peter Ridsdale’s tax dodging, Bournemouth’s surprise managerial appointment, Portsmouth’s secret boardroom history, more accusations of racism (yey, navel gazing!) London Orient, transfer embargoes, and Tranmere’s confusingly good start to the season.

Come this way to read The Manager in the Coloured Glasses

FootballOpinion

Matches against Portsmouth and Brazil

David Stringer

A little late, as this post went up on Born Offside on Thursday night.

This week’s Lower League Week focuses on Port Vale, whose financial woes have deepened, with prospective owner Keith Ryder no longer returning the administrator’s calls.

No matter how long they waited, the call just wouldn’t come.

Harry Redknapp returned to football with Bournemouth, di Canio refused to stop talking, Preston have put together a decent run of results, an Oldham player made his international debut against Brazil, and Martin Allen took Gillingham to Barnet, who decided against appointing him manager in May.

Click here for the column in which I ask Where in the World is Keith Ryder?

FootballOpinion

The Football League Returns

David Stringer

The football season in England is now well underway, and I’ve written the first ‘regular’ weekly recap for BornOffside.

I’ve written about the latest in the financial omnishambles at Portsmouth (isn’t omnishambles a great word, by the way?); the draw for the Football League Trophy; Doncaster’s and Northampton’s starts to the season; Sheffield United cutting back on their budget while Preston North End spend more; and Ryan Gilligan and Jake Robinson causing a bit of carnage for Northampton and Yeovil via the nefarious method of talking to people on twitter!

This thing is evil. Evil I tell you!!

Click here for The Lower League Week: Bright Beginnings

FootballOpinion

The Football League Season Starts Today!

David Stringer

I’ve been interviewed by It’s Round And Its White on my feelings for Hartlepool’s new league campaign, and written a lengthy recap of the summer’s big events in League One and League Two for Born Offside.
If you hurry, there’s probably just enough time to read it before rushing out to whatever match you’re off to watch…

I’ve neglected this blog recently – just one post in two months, but there should be more to come soon.

FootballOpinion

And So, The End is Nigh

David Stringer

The English season has finally came to a close, with the playoffs finals of League One and Two coming last weekend.
There’s also been serious economic troubles for Kettering Town and Darlington, in both cases the culmination of a series of struggles both on the pitch and the ledger book.
In addition, for reasons that are beyond me, a number of goalkeepers have moved club, including two former England internationals.

I’m also going to try something a little different with this link – I’m going to tease the start of the article here at the blog, so readers have the ability to read before clicking over to Born Offside, just to see if that has any effect on clicks.
Basically, I’m treating you as my guinea pigs.

Do you think they're used for science because they seem really curious?
Do you think they’re used for science because they seem really curious?

You can read The Lower League Week – Dramatic Endings here.

 

 

 

Kettering Town Rolls Downward

It was starting to look like Kettering would, relatively speaking, be alright. Although relegated from the Conference, new owner George Rolls has already poured some of his money into paying off the club’s debts.

However, Kettering still have debts of £1.2m, and the Conference authorities demand all the debts of teams in their leagues (Blue Square Premier, North and South) are repaid in full. By reaching an agreement to pay creditors 10p in the pound, Kettering have guaranteed that they’ll be relegated an additional division.

There is an unusual complication to Rolls’ ownership. When in charge of Weymouth…

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