2014 Prediction League; Game 14 v Hartlepool Utd (home)

[Div3North]

Accrington Stanley

V

Hartlepool Utd

2014/15 Prediction League – Game 14; v Hartlepool (home)


This week’s starter for 10; managerially speaking, who or what connects the Monkey-Hangers and the Stanley?

The answer is one Paul Stephenson , who played 147 games for Hartlepool in five years at Victoria Park (1998 – 2003, being the fans’ Player of the Year in 1999 – 2000) but who then – in 2006, following the sacking of manager Martin Scott– was appointed Caretaker manager on 2nd February, remaining in post until 13th June. He was undefeated in his first five games , but unable to prevent the side from relegation – although many felt that Rotherham, who are said to have delayed a CVA meeting until the end of the season, thereby avoiding administration and a 10-point deduction, should have gone instead. He appears to have preferred to remain a Coach, and was replaced as manager by Danny Wilson, eventually moving to Norwich, Huddersfield and the Stanley – for whom, For One Week Only – he was also Caretaker manager …………

We do share another Managerial “coincidence” ; on 1st April 1983, John Duncan – ex Dundee, Spurs and Derby - was appointed manager of the Pool; on 1st June he left to join another club …………………Any guesses? Well done all of you who said “Chesterfield” …………..Duncan was replaced, by the way, by Mick Docherty – son of Tommy!

So; what else do you need to know about Hartlepool, the better to enjoy the game? Well …………They were dis-united in 1968 (they changed their name from Hartlepools United (note the “s”) to “Hartlepool”, but they were re-united in 1977; in 1992/3 they achieved one of their best-ever results, beating Crystal Palace 1-0 at home in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, but found themselves in such financial trouble that they had to release and/or sell for nominal sums some of their better players, in consequence of which they achieved an unwanted record, going 1,227 minutes without scoring a League goal (13 games plus 57 minutes, to save you working it out ); on 1st January 2007 they equaled a League record by winning their 8th consecutive game without conceding a goal (only to be beaten by Stockport County (whatever happened to them? ) who won their 9th consecutive game without conceding on 3rd March the same year).

They were perennial (or so it seemed to their supporters) re-election candidates, but always – by the skin of their teeth – succeeding (Wimbledon replaced Workington in 76/77, you may recall (Hartlepool were 22nd), and Wigan got the nod over Southport the season after ……..Their greatest moment, conversely, came in 2004/05, when they finished 6th in League One, beating Tranmere 6-5 on penalties after each had won their home semi-final match 2-0, to face Sheffield Wednesday in the Playoff Final; they were 2-1 up with 8 minutes left , but a controversial penalty and a sending-off resulted in a 2-2 draw, the Owls making greater number tell in extra time to win 4-2 ………..But they so nearly made the Championship ………………

They finished last season 19th, having collapsed in the second half of the season from a reasonable start; in the summer they did the usual re-designing of the squad, releasing three, including Greg Rutherford, who I thought was a long jumper (which may have been why they finished 19th! ); leading scorer Luke James (19, striker) – the Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year - submitted two transfer requests, and joined Posh on Deadline Day ; MF Anthony Sweeney (31) left after 14 years, 390 games and 53 goals, signing for Carlisle (which is jumping out of the frying pan if ever I saw it! ); Simon Walton (MF, 27) – once of Leeds, QPR and Plymouth (plus loads of loans) – went to Stevenage; and James Poole joined Bury.

They ProperSigned two or three – defender Matthew Bates (27), once of Middlesbrough (see below), later of Bristol City and Bratfud; RB Stuart Parnaby (32), twice of Middlesbrough (see below) and once of Birmingham; and Bury’s 35-year old MF Tommy Miller (Ipswich (twice), Sunderland, the Owls, Huddersfield and Swindon) went back home where it all began. Apparently Tommy Miller was born in Shotton Colliery, but what his pregnant Mam was doing going down a pit in her condition I can’t find out ……………..

In, on loan, came teenage Newcastle United GK Freddie Woodman; Sunderland defender Scott Harrison (21); and half of the Middlesbrough squad ………Northern Ireland u21 international winger Ryan Brobbel (21), striker Charlie Wyke (also 21) and “utility man” David Atkinson (yet again 21), who can play anywhere across the back four, or in midfield, apparently ………There does seem to be some sort of Tyneside/Wearside nepotism going on here, but what the heck!

Currently they’re 22nd, with a record of W3 D2 L8 GF 8 (yes, eight! ) GA 20, for 11 points and the worst GD by some distance in League Two (next worst to their -12 is -7!) They ceased to have any interest – if they ever had any anyway – in the Capital! One Cup, Please!, losing 6-2 at Port Vale, and similarly went out of the PaintingEasel TinPot 2-1 against the Blades ……….Not only have they lost 8 of 13 in the League , they’ve also failed to score in 8 of 13 as well …..they did manage one against Northampton (in a 5-1 thrashing), 1 against Luton in their most recent defeat (2-1 at home), and 2 against the Wombles (away – a 2-1 win), against Exeter (away, also a 2-1 win), and Shrewsbury at home (a 2-0 win)………..from which you will conclude that if they score 2, they win ………except when they play Port Vale, of course ……………In 15 games they’ve hit the net just 11 times ; five players have one goal each (so should get new contracts at the end of the season ); Neil Austin (not related to Ethel, as far as I know ) has managed two penalties, and Charlie Wyke from Middlesbrough (see above) has four ………..

Our record against them – sporadic as it is – is pants; last year we lost 2-1 away and drew 0-0 at home; in 2006/7 we lost 1-0 away and 2-1 at home; we last beat them on 25th February 1961 (3-0), although they’d done us 4-1 in the return fixture. Time – Gentlemen – that we did something about that ….N’est-ce pas?

Deadline for entries is scheduled kick-off time, which is 7.45pm on Tuesday 21st October. This, surely, we have to win, else the honeymoon is well and truly over ………….. it’s fine and dandy the Manager saying things like;

• “ The first goal is a car crash – firstly the way we conceded a corner from kick-off, which was ludicrous and you wouldn’t see that in Sunday under nine’s football and then the defending from a corner which you wouldn’t see from under sixes.”

……but he picks the team, signs the midfielders and dictates the tactics ………Folk have been known to call for the head of our Manager on a plate before now for performances like the last two …………….

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

[AccyMad]

Hope I'm wrong but going for a nil apiece draw for this one

[smobile]

2-0 Stanley

[accybeme]

keeping the faith Stanley 2 Pool 0

[Outback Ozzy]

someone is due a tanking by the Stanley, will it be the monkey hangers - I hope so. 6-2 to Stanley.

[Tommy McQueen]

Stanley 2 Hartlepool 1 please

[Redash]

3-1 to The Stanley, naturally.

[Tom D]

3-1 to Stanley please

[Chimer]

Originally Posted by Outback Ozzy

someone is due a tanking by the Stanley, will it be the monkey hangers - I hope so. 6-2 to Stanley.

Quick Ozzy, get on to the Mods, Wynonie's hacked your account ......

[Chubbyman]

Accrington Stanley 2 - 0 Hartlepool....Lets hope we hang the monkeys out to dry !!!

[Chubbyman]

Originally Posted by Div3North

Accrington Stanley

V

Hartlepool Utd

2014/15 Prediction League – Game 14; v Hartlepool (home)


This week’s starter for 10; managerially speaking, who or what connects the Monkey-Hangers and the Stanley?

The answer is one Paul Stephenson , who played 147 games for Hartlepool in five years at Victoria Park (1998 – 2003, being the fans’ Player of the Year in 1999 – 2000) but who then – in 2006, following the sacking of manager Martin Scott– was appointed Caretaker manager on 2nd February, remaining in post until 13th June. He was undefeated in his first five games , but unable to prevent the side from relegation – although many felt that Rotherham, who are said to have delayed a CVA meeting until the end of the season, thereby avoiding administration and a 10-point deduction, should have gone instead. He appears to have preferred to remain a Coach, and was replaced as manager by Danny Wilson, eventually moving to Norwich, Huddersfield and the Stanley – for whom, For One Week Only – he was also Caretaker manager …………

We do share another Managerial “coincidence” ; on 1st April 1983, John Duncan – ex Dundee, Spurs and Derby - was appointed manager of the Pool; on 1st June he left to join another club …………………Any guesses? Well done all of you who said “Chesterfield” …………..Duncan was replaced, by the way, by Mick Docherty – son of Tommy!

So; what else do you need to know about Hartlepool, the better to enjoy the game? Well …………They were dis-united in 1968 (they changed their name from Hartlepools United (note the “s”) to “Hartlepool”, but they were re-united in 1977; in 1992/3 they achieved one of their best-ever results, beating Crystal Palace 1-0 at home in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, but found themselves in such financial trouble that they had to release and/or sell for nominal sums some of their better players, in consequence of which they achieved an unwanted record, going 1,227 minutes without scoring a League goal (13 games plus 57 minutes, to save you working it out ); on 1st January 2007 they equaled a League record by winning their 8th consecutive game without conceding a goal (only to be beaten by Stockport County (whatever happened to them? ) who won their 9th consecutive game without conceding on 3rd March the same year).

They were perennial (or so it seemed to their supporters) re-election candidates, but always – by the skin of their teeth – succeeding (Wimbledon replaced Workington in 76/77, you may recall (Hartlepool were 22nd), and Wigan got the nod over Southport the season after ……..Their greatest moment, conversely, came in 2004/05, when they finished 6th in League One, beating Tranmere 6-5 on penalties after each had won their home semi-final match 2-0, to face Sheffield Wednesday in the Playoff Final; they were 2-1 up with 8 minutes left , but a controversial penalty and a sending-off resulted in a 2-2 draw, the Owls making greater number tell in extra time to win 4-2 ………..But they so nearly made the Championship ………………

They finished last season 19th, having collapsed in the second half of the season from a reasonable start; in the summer they did the usual re-designing of the squad, releasing three, including Greg Rutherford, who I thought was a long jumper (which may have been why they finished 19th! ); leading scorer Luke James (19, striker) – the Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year - submitted two transfer requests, and joined Posh on Deadline Day ; MF Anthony Sweeney (31) left after 14 years, 390 games and 53 goals, signing for Carlisle (which is jumping out of the frying pan if ever I saw it! ); Simon Walton (MF, 27) – once of Leeds, QPR and Plymouth (plus loads of loans) – went to Stevenage; and James Poole joined Bury.

They ProperSigned two or three – defender Matthew Bates (27), once of Middlesbrough (see below), later of Bristol City and Bratfud; RB Stuart Parnaby (32), twice of Middlesbrough (see below) and once of Birmingham; and Bury’s 35-year old MF Tommy Miller (Ipswich (twice), Sunderland, the Owls, Huddersfield and Swindon) went back home where it all began. Apparently Tommy Miller was born in Shotton Colliery, but what his pregnant Mam was doing going down a pit in her condition I can’t find out ……………..

In, on loan, came teenage Newcastle United GK Freddie Woodman; Sunderland defender Scott Harrison (21); and half of the Middlesbrough squad ………Northern Ireland u21 international winger Ryan Brobbel (21), striker Charlie Wyke (also 21) and “utility man” David Atkinson (yet again 21), who can play anywhere across the back four, or in midfield, apparently ………There does seem to be some sort of Tyneside/Wearside nepotism going on here, but what the heck!

Currently they’re 22nd, with a record of W3 D2 L8 GF 8 (yes, eight! ) GA 20, for 11 points and the worst GD by some distance in League Two (next worst to their -12 is -7!) They ceased to have any interest – if they ever had any anyway – in the Capital! One Cup, Please!, losing 6-2 at Port Vale, and similarly went out of the PaintingEasel TinPot 2-1 against the Blades ……….Not only have they lost 8 of 13 in the League , they’ve also failed to score in 8 of 13 as well …..they did manage one against Northampton (in a 5-1 thrashing), 1 against Luton in their most recent defeat (2-1 at home), and 2 against the Wombles (away – a 2-1 win), against Exeter (away, also a 2-1 win), and Shrewsbury at home (a 2-0 win)………..from which you will conclude that if they score 2, they win ………except when they play Port Vale, of course ……………In 15 games they’ve hit the net just 11 times ; five players have one goal each (so should get new contracts at the end of the season ); Neil Austin (not related to Ethel, as far as I know ) has managed two penalties, and Charlie Wyke from Middlesbrough (see above) has four ………..

Our record against them – sporadic as it is – is pants; last year we lost 2-1 away and drew 0-0 at home; in 2006/7 we lost 1-0 away and 2-1 at home; we last beat them on 25th February 1961 (3-0), although they’d done us 4-1 in the return fixture. Time – Gentlemen – that we did something about that ….N’est-ce pas?

Deadline for entries is scheduled kick-off time, which is 7.45pm on Tuesday 21st October. This, surely, we have to win, else the honeymoon is well and truly over ………….. it’s fine and dandy the Manager saying things like;

• “ The first goal is a car crash – firstly the way we conceded a corner from kick-off, which was ludicrous and you wouldn’t see that in Sunday under nine’s football and then the defending from a corner which you wouldn’t see from under sixes.”

……but he picks the team, signs the midfielders and dictates the tactics ………Folk have been known to call for the head of our Manager on a plate before now for performances like the last two …………….

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

DAVS not going to do that to his pal...he's gone quiet for the last two results though, but I think its Tranvestite Week so maybe he's tied up in more ways than one.

[Chubbyman]

Accytom101... Stanley 2 - 1 Hartlepool please

[LongLostSon]

Stanley 4 'pool 0

[Exile on Spencer St]

This is the first, and possibly the last time I enter this 'game' but, after Saturday's result, I need to make a sacrifice to the Voodoo Gods of Football - so it's 1-2 to Hartlepool for me.

[Stevie R]

4-2 to Stanley please