[Div3North]

Accrington Stanley

v

Slumberland AFC

2020/21 Prediction League Game 21; v All Cats Are Grey in the Dark (home)

Update

16th March - the date of this re-arranged game (before they moved it back by one full passage of the Moon) is a unique date in English Football, certainly since the Great Reformation of 1992 which led to the PrawnButtyLeague and The Rest (the EFL) ........... and it's unique because of a game played on 16th March 2002 between the Blades and the Baggies (managed by Neil Warnock and Gary Megson respectively) which became known as The Battle of Bramall Lane; you may remember it, you may have forgotten about it, or it may have passed you by, but it's worth the re-telling .....

The Blades - whose side included Paul Peschisolido and Phil Jagielka - had nothing to play for but pride; West Brom were 3rd in the First Division (second tier) with eight games to play ....Nine minutes in, Sheffield United's keeper Simon Tracey was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area; manager Neil Warnock sent on the substitute keeper, Wilko de Vogt, taking off Peter Ndlovu. Albion scored through Scott Dobie after 18 mins, and added a second in the 62nd minute through Derek McInnes.

Warnock brought on two further subs on 64 mins: MF Georges Santos, French-born but from the Cape Verde islands, and attacker Patrick Suffo from the Cameroon (whose career was littered with disciplinary problems, including an eight-month ban at Nantes for lashing out at a referee). And then the match really turned ugly in the 65th minute, when Santos was red-carded for a dreadful high two-footed studs-up lunging tackle on Andy Johnson ... Johnson had played for Notts Forest the previous season and had collided with Santos going for a high ball, fracturing Santos's cheekbone and seriously damaging his eye socket - allegedly with a swinging elbow, although Megson did say in interview that both players had said that previous clash was accidental ...

At that point the two teams started big-time; after the mêlée, Suffo was sent off for head-butting Derek McInnes; the timings suggest that Santos and Suffo had been on the pitch for under 90 seconds ............ and the Blades were reduced to eight men, with no more substitutions left. It's reported at the time that Blades' captain (Keith Curle - this week's Oldham Manager) was fortunate to avoid a sending off after appearing to throw punches at McInnes.

In the 77th minute, WBA added a third, Dobie tapping in from short range. Two minutes later, Michael Brown limped off for United, and Robert Ullathorne went off injured - possible hamstring - in the 82nd minute; Referee Eddie Wolstenholme then abandoned the game on 82 mins with West Brom leading 3–0; he was of course aware of the IFA board guideline which states

"The minimum number of players in a team is left to the discretion of member associations. The Board is of the opinion, however, that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team"

United had six .......

Megson was incensed, suggesting in terms that Brown and Ullathorne weren't injured, but that there were 'instructions' to 'lie down'; Warnock was cleared of that assertion, and indeed Brown didn't play again that season. Megson said, after the match:

"There will be no replay. If we're called back to Bramall Lane we shall kick-off and then walk off the pitch. I've never ever witnessed anything as disgraceful as that. There's no place for that in any game of football, let alone professional football."

Albion were awarded a 3–0 win and the 3 points by the Football League. Sheffield United were fined £10,000, Patrick Suffo £3,000 plus a 6 match ban (3 for the dismissal, 3 for violent conduct), Keith Curle £500 and a 2 match ban, Georges Santos a 6 match ban (4, plus 2 for violent conduct) and Neil Warnock £300 for improper conduct towards the 4th official (now there's a surprise)

Santos and Suffo never played for the Blades again; Santos moved to Grimsby, then Ipswich, QPR, Brighton, Oxford, Alfreton, Farsley Celtic and Fleetwoof; Suffo played for Numancia, Al-Hilal, Coventry, some club in Dubai, Odd Grenland (Norway), Maccabi Petah Tikva, Ashdod (Israel), Puertollano (Spain), Wrexham, Coventry Alvis FC and Coventry United ...

Sheffield United finished the season 13th in the league, whilst West Brom were automatically promoted as League runners-up ..... and it remains the only EFL game ever abandoned because a team didn't have enough players to continue .....

And well done to the Moggies for doing over the Trannies and winning the Thingummy Paintpot Cup, thus giving us all a smile at the fact that SalfordMoneybags only held the Cup for 24 hours

Having drawn way too many games in the first part of the season Los Moggies are on a roll; of their last 12 games, Sunderland have won 8, drawn three and lost one (2-1 at the Pointy-Nosed Furry Things); they haven't breaten us, though, because we haven't met yet (The Return to Roker being in five weeks time); of the last seven they've won six and drawn one (a DesmondCrewe), and kept five clean sheets which, given the goals we aren't scoring at the moment, could be a worry ..... They've brought eighteen (and a Manager) in over the season, including Kosovan CB Arbenit Xhemajli from Swiss side Neuchâtel Xamax, Scottish LMF Callum McFadzean from Plymouth, Carl Winchester from the Wild West (aka Vegan Greenpeace, who are still in the AutoPromotion slots), striker Danny Graham from the Rovers, and fellow striker Ross Stewart from Ross County .... or was it Ross County from Ross Stewart .... or maybe Rod Stewart

They've got the best defence in League One (26 in 33 games - other Duck'sArse defences include Blackpool (28 in 31) and Hull (29 in 36); they're joint third on goals scored ........ on the road their record is W8 D7 L1 GF28 GA10, and at home it's W8 D5 L4 GF23 GA16 for an overall P33 W16 D12 L5 GF51 GA26 for 60 points and 4th place, although they're on one point behind Lincoln with a game in hand, asnd eight behind Hull with three games in hand .......

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 7.00 pm on Wednesday 17th March, begorrah, so it is ..... and the nearly-end-of-season game of Musical Managers' Chairs continues apace ............ Kenny Jackett (now known to his mates as Hic Jacet Sepultus, which may well be the only Latin joke you'll see this year) is the ex-Manager of Pompey, whose players received an open letter from - I think - a fan, saying basically "You're Not Fit to Wear the Shirt", and with the rousing motto "The beatings will continue until morale improves" ... Bowyer's for sure resigned at Charlton (Birmingham-bound is the rumour), and Paul Heckingbottom (ex Leeds and Hibs boss) is charged with saving the Blades, aided by Jason Tindall (ex Cherries)

On paper, injuries and form we haven't got a hope in Hell of winning this, so we probably will ............. Nurse!

Good luck to everyone! .......... Keep the Faith! ......Stay safe and keep well! ............ And thanks for playing!