Accrington Web - 2013 Prediction League; Game 6 v Chesterfield FC (away)

Chesterfield FC

Accrington Stanley

2013/14 Prediction League – Game 6; v Chesterfield (away)

You know that you’re in for a rare old clear-out if your club lets its kitman go :cool:; Chesterfield ‘dispensed’ with the services of assistant manager Tommy Wright (appointed when John Sheridan (now Plymouth) took the long walk of shame :eek:), plus Mark Crossley (reserve team coach), development coach John Dungworth, and the afore-mentioned kitman Kurt McDermott, and replaced TW by heading north, for the second time in a season, and nicking Leam Richardson to become, once again, Mr Cook’s assistant …………… You sort of think, on current impressions, that we got the best of the deal when we replaced him with James Beattie (In Whom We Trust) :D ………….Perspicacious or what? :p:p:p

They lost a legend at the end of last season; striker Jack Lester :D (37) – scorer of 149 in 558 games over 19 seasons for Grimsby, Notts Forest (twice), the Blades and the Spireites, for whom he made 195½ appearances (getting sent off at our place on the day Bobby Grant scored his first League goal); the club retired his number 14 shirt in recognition of his efforts :)

In 1921/2 they were Founder Members of the Third Division North :rolleyes::rolleyes: finishing 13th of 20 (Stockport County :o winning the League); they’ve never played in the top flight, but were twice promoted to the second tier of English football, in 1930/1 and again in 1935/6; in 1958/9, when reorganisation took place, they were placed in the Third Division; one Gordon Banks (remember him? :D) made his professional debut for them in November 1958, being sold on to Leicester City at the end of the season ;) ……………… They’re famous for winning the FL Trophy (now the Cap One Cup) in 2011/12, beating Swindon 2-0, for winning Division 4 (in one or other of its many guises ;)) in 1969/70, 1984/5 and 2010/11, and for winning the Anglo-Scottish Cup in its final season (1980/81) when they beat Notts County 2-1 (in 11 years, it was only won once by one of the Scottish sides – that being St Mirren in 1980, when they beat Bristol City 5-1) ………..They’re infamous for ………………..well……………….nicking our Manager twice in the same season! :mad:

Seven went in the summer; ex Oldham, PNE and Rochdale defender Neil Trotman (26) went to join Rommy :D at Plymouth; MF Craig Clay (21) signed for York; 19 year-old Jack Waddle (Chris’s Lad :p) left after one season (much of which was spent on loan at Sheffield FC) and is rumoured to be trying his luck in Sweden (and why wouldn’t he? :D); veteran MF Danny Whittaker (32) went back to Macclesfield, where it all started over 440 games ago, and where he was joined by striker Scott Boden (23), who started at Sheff Wed before going on loan to Finnish Premier League (Veikkausliga) side IFK Mariehamn – the current home of GK Peter Enckleman (36), whom you might remember for his spells at Villa, Blackburn, Cardiff, St Johnstone and Hearts, or more probably for the throw in taken by team-mate Olaf Mjellburg which he allowed to go under his boot (via his studs) into the net for the silliest own goal of many a season :p:p:p……..GK Richard O’Donnell (24), having Oldham, Grimsby, Macclesfield and Stockport on his P45s over the years, signed for Walsall; finally, striker Jonathan Wafula (19, and no, he’s English! :)) was released after a career which consisted of one (winning) appearance (v Northampton in January 2013) :D

Their player signings mirrored their managerial signings (ie they took on several of our exes :D:D); MF/W Gary Roberts :D:D:D (29) joined from Swindon; Jimmy Ryan :D:D:D (now 24) arrived from Scunthorpe; and Jamie Devitt (23, MF) came in from Hull. They also persuaded Hibs striker Eoin Doyle (25) to put pen to paper, as did ex Port Vale MF Sam Morsy (21), Hartlepools’ DMF Ritchie Humphreys (35), Blackburn CB Ryan Edwards (19) on loan, and former Blackpool CB Ian Evatt, now skipper at the Proact ……………

Famous ex players include all-time leading scorer Ernie Moss (192 in 539 games) whom those of my era might remember :o, plus Sean Dyche :cool: (Burnley manager), striker Kevin Davies :rolleyes: (for whom they got £3/4 million), Nicky Law, and Jason Lee – apparently named by Chesterfield fans recently as the club’s worst ever signing :confused:, and best remembered for the “pineapple” haircut which attracted the attentions of Baddiel and Skinner :rolleyes::mad:…………Ooooops! :(

They departed the Capone this season in Round One, losing 2-1 at Elland Road; in the League, though, they’re currently out in front (it won’t last! :D); wins over Bury and Pompey away, and Cheltenham at home (all by 2-0), plus a 2-1 victory at home to Southend and a 2-2 draw at Rochdale have them on 13 points after 5 games – 4 wins and the one draw, with a GD of +7 and – as you’ll have noticed – a record of 2 goals scored in every League game (it won’t last! :D); Gary Roberts has 3, Eoin Doyle, Marc Richards and French-born Ivory Coast u20 international Armand Granduillet each have 2, and Jay O’Shea and Tendayi Darikwa have one apiece.

Level pegging in games between us since 2006 – each side has 4 wins, with the other two games drawn; oddly, when we win, they don’t generally score :D (1-0, 1-0, 2-0 and 2-1); when they win, generally, it’s a goal-fest (0-1, 2-4, 3-4 and 2-5) :D; make of that what you will …….but we haven’t scored in 5 :eek:, and they’ve scored two in each of their 5 in the League :eek:, so the smart money’s on a 2-0 defeat :eek: …………………….Like hell it is! :D:D:D

The deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 7th September 2013. We probably do need to start picking up the odd point here and there, pending James’s loan-signings and the return to fitness of our back four :D………otherwise it’s trouble, not excluding penury! :p:p:p

Good luck to everyone :) ……………….Remember; passion overcomes logic :D ………..Keep the faith ……………………. And thanks for playing! :D

:alright: