2018/19 Prediction League; Game 5 v Blackpool (away)

Div3North · 22-08-2018, 22:41

Blackpool FC

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Accrington Stanley

2018/19 Prediction League; Game 5 v Blackpool (away)

Watching Tuesday’s scores on the BBC (isn’t it SLOW!), two thoughts occurred to me as the game reached its 63rd minute; one was that ours was the only one of the ten matches in which, at that point, both teams had scored, although that did change later on as Lines equalised for BrizzleRov against Pompey (and then got sent off 2 minutes later, apparently for a studs-up tackle), Wycombe equalised at Plymouth on 84, which kept both teams in the bottom four, and the Wombles – about whom I moaned last time (0-0, 0-0 and 1-0, you may remember, and seventh place) - pulled one back on 87 (Appiah) against Walsall, which was only spoiled by the fact they were already 3-0 down by then and are, consequently, now 12th.

The second thing that I realised was that with half an hour to go I was the only member of the Prediction League who could possibly get a five-pointer, which I do on average about once every Preston Guild; thank you Billy Whizz!

And tonight? Gillingham 1 Sunderland 4, and The Iron 0 Fleetwood 5? What’s THAT about? ................. And Posh and Pompey still have 100% records, and Barnsley are W3 D1 L0 GF 10 without conceding in 6 hours (plus time added on, which these days seems to make most second-halves about 55 minutes ..........), and they've hit 4 twice already; Oxford also have a 100% record, by the way, but not the one they’d want (so who’s an Actual Donkey then?)

First lower-League Manager has gone, too (not counting the Walking Gary Bowyer), with League Two Cheltenham (1 point from four, as have Macclesfield and 24th-placed Notts County) having terminated Gary Johnson ............... well, when I say “terminated Gary Johnson”, I mean “terminated his CONTRACT” .......... but maybe you guessed that? Karl Robinson won’t be sleeping nights, nor will Steve “Dutchie” McClaren (did anyone actually see the interview with his heavily accented cod-Dutch English accent? It was hilarious!) whose pointless QPR – that’s a factual mathematical statement, by the way, not a slur on their abilities – prop up the rest on Nul Points ............ and Stoke have Deux Points from 12, so Gary Rowett might be twitching with the weight of expectation ..........and Will Grigg’s on fire - again; and Morecambe won, eventually scoring a goal but then losing a GK to a straight red; and proving that those who live by the sword die by the sword, Crewe – who did Morecambe 6-0 on the opening weekend – went to Colchester last night and came home with a better understand of Morecambe’s suffering, consequent on having got an identical 6-0 stuffing at Colchester’s hands (feet? heads?) to the one they handed out 18 days before to the Morecambers, and with the cost of reimbursing their travelling fans for their tickets on top of that, because these days that's what you do if you get a real rattling!........... And we’re now eighth, and who’d have put us there at this point, except in their dreams? Even Wynonie’s pills aren’t THAT strong (Hi Steve!)

And in pursuit still of the perfect combination of first and last names, I follow Angel Rangel with the Dover MF with the most brilliant moniker; he’s called – and I haven’t made this up – Nortei Nortey, which is a newspaper sub-editor’s dream come true .................. Any better offers?

And, back to the matter in hand, this week’s starter for ten is this; in 2009/10 Blackpool beat Cardiff in the Championship Play-Off Final, and reached the PPS (PremierPrawnSandwich) League. That victory gave them a unique record ............... what was it?

After their one-season visit down the Greasy Pole to the Basement in 16/17, Blackpool were promoted back to Tier Three by beating Luton 6-5 over two legs, and then seeing off Exeter 2-1 in the Final (we beat them 2-1 at Ours, and managed a Goalless Desmond at Theirs that season); last season they finished 12th (W15 D15 L16) with 60 points, but departed the Cups in Round One (2-1 at Boreham Wood in the FA Cup and 2-1 at Wigan – which is a tad more respectable – in the EFL Cup); the EFLTroffy saw them make Round 3 before losing to Shrewsbury 4-2 on pens after a G-Desmond in 90 mins ....... Their domestic issues seem to continue (I haven’t been at work recently, so I don’t know the state of the Fans’ Boycott this season – but I know the state of the Geoffrey Boycott, if anyone’s interested). They are, of course, known as the Seasiders because – as confirmed in “Albert and the Lion” – Blackpool is “A Famous Sea-Side Place”, but also “The Tangerines” .......... their home kit is tangerine and white; their away kit is white and tangerine; their third kit – if it’s still the same as last year – looks like signal flags on a Merchant Ship where the crew have scurvy – half diamonds/triangles in shades of blue (look it up if you don’t believe me)

They transferred out 15 at the end of last season, seven (at least) of whom they’d signed in 2016/17 and who got them promotion .......... striker Raul Correia (Angolan-born) signed from Radcliffe Borough and left for Barrow; MF Colin Daniel signed from the Port Vale and went to The Posh; Jamille Matt (known as “Welcome” to his mates) arrived from Fleetwood (£500 a week and his tram fares) and left for NewportCountyIsn’tItLookYou; Armand Granduillet turned up from Leyton Orient and left for Veruka – sorry, Baroka – in South Africa; Kyle Vassell (wasn’t he a Russian Spy?) left Posh and now plies his trade at Rotherham; LB Andy Taylor turned up from Walsall and exited to Oldham; and Danny Philliskirk joined AFC Fylde, who are currently 3rd in the Bananarama ........... and so it goes on ...............

Ten came in (one was Armand Gnanduillet, whose sojourn near the Limpopo River lasted for 18 days); also signed were Marc Bola ............ no, Bola, not Bolan ..... a LB from the Gunners; RB Michael Nottingham signed from Salford, and Michael Salford signed from Nottingham (no he didn’t!); John O’Sullivan (remember him; The Great White Hope?) arrived from Carlisle, MF Jordan Thompson from Rangers, Mark Howard from DelBoy Wanderers (Bolton – do keep up!), somebody came from Maidenhead (took a wrong turning at Crewe, I heard), someone else came from Oldham, another someone else from Wigan via Monserrat, and a few – four, to be precise – came on loan, consisting of a Bunny (Joe), a Dodo – no, sorry, that’s Dodoo (Joe) and an Irishman from Leeds called Paudie, so he is ........... three FBs and a winger; not an attacking outlook, then ..........

They’ve started their League Campaign with two away Goalless Desmonds (Wycombe and Shrewsbury), a 2-1 reverse at home to Pompey, and a 2-0 win over Coventry .............. 5 points from 4 games, a point behind the Gills and Bratfud, two behind us, Donnie and Fleetwood, and above the Wombles on GD ............ Barnsley haven’t conceded yet in the League, next lowest is Blackpool with two; worst are Oxford with 13 and Rochdale with 10; Shrewsbury have scored just once, Wycombe, Bratfud, the Wombles and Coventry have 2 each, and Burton, Scunnie, Blackpool, Oxford and Plymouth have 3. Each. We’ve scored 6 and conceded 6 ..........

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 25th August. The Tangerians have a record of P4 W1 D2 L1 GF 3 GA 2 for 5 points; we’ve W2 D1 L1 GF6 GA 6 for 7 points ............ and they’ve haven’t beaten us in the League ........... and the record that they achieved by winning the Championship Playoff was that it made them the first (and only, I think) team to gain promotion from each EFL Division through the playoffs ................... but it’s still a far cry from Sir Stan, Mortie, Jackie Mudie, George Farm et al ................ I bet some of them are spinning in their graves! ........... speaking of which, RIP Jimmy McIlroy, and thank you for the memories; you were a true star!

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