2014/15 Prediction League - Game 28 v Northampton Town (home)

[Div3North]

Accrington Stanley

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Northampton Town

2014/15 Prediction League; Game 28 v Northampton (home)

It’s 28th December; Northampton have just lost their last five (2-0 at Southend in November and 2-1 at Carlisle, 3-2 at home to both Bury and Plymouth, and 2-1 at Tranmere in December); they’re 20th, with 24 points from 23 games. Manager Chris Wilder (who left well-placed Oxford for disastrously placed Northants last season, but don’t things change quickly in football?) said this;

• "I've told some of the players that they are free to go. Some of their agents have done outstanding jobs to get them contracts here"

Or – to put it another way – your Agent blagged the club into signing you, you’re crap, and you’re toast ……….And so they were.

Six went in January; defender Gregor Robertson (31) joined Grimsby; Kelvin Langmead (29, def, ex Shrewsbury and Posh, plus one appearance for PNE) seems to be at Ebbsfleet (remember them? “Pay your money – Pick the Team!” ); Ricky Ravenhill (MF, 34), with Doncaster, Darlington, Notts County and Bradford behind him is now at Mansfield, Connor Roberts (who?) is now goodness knows where; 20 year-old striker David Moyo was told he wasn’t going to get a game so might want to try his luck elsewhere, but didn’t so much try his luck as push his luck , signing for Conference North Brackley Town, where his team-mates now include ex Chelsea and Leicester defender Frank Sinclair, still playing at 43 (although I think he now plays walking football rather than running football ); and Emile Sinclair (27, striker) who once played for Macclesfield and Peterborough (but not on the same day) has gone to York. There was a rumour linking striker Ivan Toney (18) with a transfer to Wolves, but that fell through, as – apparently – did a proposed loan-signing of Swindon striker Miles Storey (21); it seems (according to Wilder) that the Cobblers believed that they were being asked to pay more than the wages of the player, and weren’t up for paying a “premium” for a 21 year-old ……Speaking of the Conference North, by the way, did you know that AFC Fylde top the table with 58 points from Barrow with 56 and Tamworth with 51, having 2 and 3 games in hand respectively (they’ve only lost 3, and have a +37 GD)? League Two here they come (in 18 months, happen). Hyde Utd are bottom, with 12 points from 28

The Cobblers have, though, made a couple of recent signings to augment their really quite small squad; MF Ricky Holmes (27) joined after departing from Pompey, and on the same day Tom Newey (32), a LB who played under Wilder at Oxford – well, not “under” him, but you know what I mean – did too; he counts Grimsby and Rotherham among his career achievements …….some career! Today they announced the latest addition – ex Swindon and Torquay striker Billy Bodin (22), on his way back to full fitness after nine months out with a knee injury.

Wilder’s clear-out – “creating spaces” – clearly had the desired result, at least in the short term; since the beginning of January they’ve drawn one (1-1 against Southend) and won their last three – 2-0 at Exeter, 1-0 v the Daggers, and 3-0 v Newport; three wins, six goals, none conceded and nine points ……….. As a result of their upsurge in form, which I trust is only temporary , they now sit in 14th place; P27 W10 D4 L13 F40 A38 for 34 points.

The club seems to have come into being following discussions between some local schoolteachers and a local dignitary called AJ Darnell (Solicitor and Gentleman) in 1897. Northampton Town used to play, you might recall, at the County Ground, which they left in 1994. Personally I wish clubs would stop moving around , because when I was a lad I used to know all the grounds of all the teams – the Baseball Ground and dozens of others – but know I don’t know my Cherry Red Records from my Call Two’s . In season 1919/20 they conceded 103 goals, which somehow was good enough to gain them admission to the newly-created Football League Division Three , where, in their first season they finished 14th of 22 with 38 points from 42 games; in 1921/22 – now in Div 3 South – they went down to 17th with 37 points, and the year after (22/23) they managed 8th with 45 points; Nelson won Div 3 South that year , from Bradford Park Avenue, and Aberdare finished 21st (but were re-elected!)

Arguably their “golden years” were the 60s, which gives me this week’s starter for 10. What – possibly unwanted – record does Northampton Town hold as regards promotion and relegation within the Football League? The answer – as those of my age and older, if there are any older, will recall - is that they went from League 4 to League 1 and back down to League 4 again in the shortest time any side has ever taken; nine years from basement to penthouse and back to the basement . Their sole season in League One was 1966/7 (they came second in League Two in 65/66); at the end of that sole season they were relegated with only one team below them (Blackburn Rovers ), and by 1969/70 they were in League 4. 1970 was also famous for their 8-2 home drubbing by Man U, of whose 8 goals a certain George Best scored 6; I remember it well! Famous ex-managers include Paddy Crerand, Dave Bowen (twice) and former Wolves wing half Ron Flowers, plus the delightfully-named Syd Puddefoot …….ex players of whom you might have heard include – indeed, consist solely of - Liverpool FB Phil Neal, who played over 200 games (at the County Ground!).

Our record against them since they came down to the present League 2 is total pants; P11, W3 D2 L6 ………..and in 7 of those 11 we haven’t scored! Before that, in 1960/61, we shared the spoils, winning 3-2 at home but losing 2-1 away ………. Our best result against them has to be 20th September 2014, when – led by DAV007’s Messiah (actually, he isn’t the Messiah, but he is a very naughty boy ) – we smacked them 5-4 at their place (which would have been 5-2 with a decent bus to park late on ……..)

They did Wolves 3-2 away in the League Cup, then going out in Round Two 3-0 at Bournemouth; the PaintyThingy Cup saw a 2-1 win at Portsmouth before a 2-0 defeat at Leyton Orient (pretty much the only game the Os have won this season ), and the FA Cup saw them fall at the first hurdle, albeit after a replay, going down 2-1 at Spotland after a goalless game at Sixfields ………46 goals in 33 games overall; leading scorers are strikers (apart from one MF); Marc Richards (32) – Barnsley, Port Vale and Chesterfield – has 13; Ivan Benjamin Elijah Toney (18) – once of Northampton but never of Wolves – has 7; MF Lawson D’Ath (22), who was on the books at Reading until the summer but only played out on loan (Yeovil, Cheltenham, Exeter and the Daggers) has 6, and Port Vale loanee Kaid Mohammed has 5

Deadline for entries – and I’ll try to remember to enter myself, this time! – is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm this Saturday, 31st January (all done your tax returns, have you? ) So; lost four of our last 5, eh? Only six points off the relegation zone, while those around us pick up points, eh? No strikers – or not enough goal-poachers anyway. No Tom Aldred, if the rumours are right …….. Why can you never find a decent Messiah when you need one ………DAV?

Good luck to everyone ……….Keep the Faith! ………and thanks for playing!

[mab]

Accrington Stanley 2 - 1 Northampton Town Please for me

[DAV007]

stanley 4 - 0 northampton

[Chubbyman]

Accrington Stanley 2 - 0 Northampton Town ....Please

[cashman]

2-0 hopefully.

[AccyMad]

Don't usually predict a draw at home but I reckon it'll be a pretty dull 0 - 0 tomorrow & to be honest right now I'd take that if it means we stop the rot & gain a point

[Chrisr]

We should beat them 3-0 at least, if not then we will not be competing in the play offs.

[deeayess]

2 1 Northampton please

[StanleyAccrington]

Stanley 1-2 Cobblers

[Leylandii]

Accrington Stanley 1 Northampton Town 1; please

[Exile on Spencer St]

Never in the field of football conflict have I hoped I'm more wrong, but 1-3 to the Cobblers.

[ossy kid]

Stanley 1 - 0 Town

[Outback Ozzy]

Cobblers to win 2-0 please. Cannot see a goal from anywhere in our team unless we win a penalty. Play Carver and Gray up front and then the result may be reversed. Oh and Aldred in defence as well.

[Wynonie Harris]

7-4 to the Stanley please.

[yerself]

Accrington Stanley 0 - 3 Northampton Town, please.