2023-24 Prediction League; Game 46 v Tranmere Rovers (home)

[Div3North]

Accrington Stanley

V

Tranmere Rovers

2023/24 Prediction League Game 46 v Tranmere Rovers (home)

Starter for Ten; what’s the connection between Nottingham Forest FC and Squashed Fly Biscuits?

So ………. Not the best season we’ve ever had, but I suppose not as bad as last season when we got GreasyPoled …………. We seem to be a club which perhaps presents more class than we were doing – nice, for example, not to have the manager (whose post-match round-ups were enough to make you cut your wrists) saying we needed to do better but not doing better, and certainly I haven’t read “we wuz robbed” or “every decision went against us” even once…….. good news today about Alex’s new contract – now let’s see who stays, who goes, and who comes in ……. August is a world away….

Second Starter for Ten then …………. Stenhousemuir have won Scottish League Two (11 points ahead with two to play) ………… how long is it since they last won a league title?

Looks like there’s some consternation in Scottish Two and the Highland & Lowland Leagues; you’ll remember that the winner of the Highland and Lowland play each other, and the winner plays the bottom team in Scottish Two – whoever wins that game playing in the League next season ……… At the moment that’s Clyde, but with two to play it still could be Stranraer or Bonnyrigg Rose ………. However, the Highland League was won – on GD! – by Buckie Thistle from Brechin, but Buckie have been excluded – a la Gateshead in the Bananarama – because the Scottish FA say that they failed to meet licensing requirements ….instead of replacing them with Brechin, though, they’ve simply been excluded from competing further, so that East Kilbride, as Lowland Winners, will meet Clyde/Stranraer/Bonnyrigg Rose for the League Two slot next season …… Watch this space!

And for Pub Quiz trivia, remember the name “Axel Lindahl”, who plays/played for Degerfors in Swedish League Two; in a game in 2019, he was substituted, went to “high five” Mattius Ozgun who was coming on, accidentally missed, and poked him in the eye! More than one way to avoid being subbed off! ……

Tranmere is sort of Scouse-ish ….. Tranmere Rovers Football Club was founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club and adopted their current name in 1885. Their regular kit is an all-white strip with blue, or occasionally blue and green trim which have been their main colours since 1962. The club moved to its current home, Prenton Park, in 1912.

They played in regional leagues until they were invited to become a founder member of Football League Third Division North in 1921. They finished as champions (but not until the 1937–38 season), though they were relegated out of the Second Division the following year. They dropped into the Fourth Division in 1961, before winning promotion back to the third tier at the end of the 1966–67 season. Relegation in 1975 was followed by an immediate promotion in 1975–76 under the stewardship of manager John King, and this time they survived for just three seasons in the third tier until being relegated once again in 1979. During the 1980s, they were beset by financial problems and, in 1987, went into administration.

Owned by Mark Palios and his wife, and currently managed by Nigel Adkins, they’re very originally nicknamed “The Rovers” (well done, Scouseland) ………..In 1924, local boy Dixie Dean made his debut aged 16 years 355 days. He played 30 games for Rovers, scoring 27 goals, before being transferred to Everton for £3,000 (overpriced, you might think?) In the 1927–28 season, Dean scored a record 60 League goals for Everton. After his departure, several talented young players also left for Division One clubs; among those sold was Pongo Waring who – having scored six goals in the 11–1 victory over Durham City – went to Aston Villa for £4,700. As of 2010, Waring retains the record of scoring most goals for Villa in a single season.

After a poor start to the 2014 season, the home loss to Plymouth Argyle on 11 October 2014 saw Tranmere in last place in the Football League for the first time since 27 August 1987. Rob Edwards was sacked as manager on 13 October; Mickey Adams took over a week later, with the aim of saving the club from relegation to the Bananarama; however on 25 April 2015, after another defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the reverse fixture, Tranmere were relegated, ending their 94-year stay in the Football League ………

Their 2017–18 season got off to a poor start, with 3 wins from the first 12 games, and they slipped to 18th in the table, their lowest ever league position. A spectacular winter turnaround saw them move into the play-offs, where they remained for the rest of the season. This turnaround included a record-breaking run of 9 consecutive home league wins; this stint was ended in February by a 4–1 defeat to eventual title winner Macclesfield Town …… Tranmere responded to this defeat by winning 8 out of their next 9 games, finishing the season as National League runners-up for the second time in as many years, qualifying for the play-offs. In the play-off semi-final, Tranmere met Ebbsfleet United at home. Tranmere came from behind twice to take the game to extra time, the full-time score being 2–2, James Norwood with the first goal and Burnley loanee Josh Ginnelly with the second. An extra time free kick from James Norwood, followed by a goal from Larnell Cole saw Tranmere run out 4–2 victors after extra time, a result which sent them to Wembley for the Bananarama play-off final; on 12 May 2018, a crowd of 16,306 were at Wembley for the final against Boreham Wood. Tranmere won 2–1, their first trophy in 27 years, and were promoted back to the Football League.

They ended last season 12th in League Two, with 58 points from 46 games …… currently they’re 15th with 57 points and a record of 17 wins, 6 draws and 22 defeats, with 66 goals scored and 66 conceded ………….on the road, they’ve won 5, drawn 3 and lost 14 (GF22 GA34) ………… they did, though, beat us earlier in the season, one of their three wins, ne draw and 12 losses in their first 16 games – all the points being scored at home …. In the Winter Window they signed Senegalese DMF Ousmane Kane from AS Douanes (in Senegal – that’s quite some scouting set-up!) …. and they re-loaned Blackpool RW Rob Apter to the end of the season …….

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 27th April …………. Still some play-off places to resolve, and will you all please say one for my Colchester side, who've managed to string out relegating Sutton to the last game of the season; Colchester play Crewe at home and need a point ……… Sutton are at MK Dons, need to win and reverse a four goal GD (-21 plays -25) ……… nothing is impossible with Colchester, though …………….

And the connection with Notts Forest and squashed fly biscuits is Giuseppe Garibaldi – who, with his Red Shirt Army – led a conquest of Sicily and Naples in the early 1860s ……… he was hugely popular, and was treated as a hero when he came to Britain in 1864, so when Notts Forest was formed in 1865 they decided to play in the same shade of red as that worn by GG and his men ………. The hue has changed, but the red remains ……… and when Jonathan Dodgson Carr invented a Victorian biscuit of currants sandwiched between two crispy layers, they were called “Garibaldi Biscuits” – "Squashed Fly" biscuits to every kid whoever walked the earth ………………. And the last time that Stenhousemuir won a League title in Bonny Scotland was, believe it or not, 140 years ago

And so ………….. Another Closing of Another Show ……… and if I’ve made any of you smile, ever, I’m pleased ……………… and if anyone wants another season, I’ll give it some thought over the summer, but that comes without promises (it's hard grafting away to fewer and fewer people, TBH – but we’ll see ……………….)

Good luck to everyone! ……….. Keep the Faith!.................... Good luck to Altrincham in the Bananarama Playoffs (they’ve deserved something for many years, and they’ve hit form at the right time) ………………. And thanks, of course, to all my friends, the loyal PL Players ……. There will be a final table, but I’m excluding those who voted with their feet and expunging their records (if you missed the odd game you’re safe)

And as they say in Guernsey patois …………..

“A la Perchoine” ………………

[ossy kid]

Stanley 2-1 please

[Watchdog]

Accrington Stanley to win 2-1

[choirboy]

Stanley 2-1 for me please.

[MikeA]

3-2 Stanley, please

[AccyMad]

2 nil to Stanley please

[Div3North]

Stanley 3 Tranmere 1

[Greger]

3-1 to Stanley, please!

[VALAIRIAN]

I did know about the biscuits and the 140 years - first time I have known two

It has been great to read the openers and play the game again this season and as I said to Mab, it must take up sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much of your precious time

Thanks ever so much for doing this again my good friend

[VALAIRIAN]

Just do not know what to expect today, but I will go for 2-1 to Rovers

Thanks so much mate and hope to see you all in August...

[nige b]

2-1 Stanley for both myself and Ange please and thanks for doing this again mate!

[Kiwi John]

4-0 Stanley...And PLEASE keep this going Div 3 Nth-your ramblings are the best. Many thanks mate.

[mab]

Accrington Stanley 2 - 1 Tranmere Rovers Please for me and Thank you Div3North for doing the p/game

[VALAIRIAN]

Originally Posted by Kiwi John

4-0 Stanley...And PLEASE keep this going Div 3 Nth-your ramblings are the best. Many thanks mate.

Brilliant guess Kiwi, you must have paid the man in black

[choirboy]

Superb celebrations after the match in Coley’s. The whole squad came in and mixed with fans and posed for photos. Great bunch of lads and I personally thanked the loan players and wished them every success in the future. After the match John Doolan shook hands with everyone and thanked us all individually for our support. Great guy! I am already looking forward to next season!
ON STANLEY ON!