Accrington Web - 2014 Prediction League; Game 23 v Burton Albion (homeAccrington Stanley)

Accrington Stanley

Burton Albion

2014/15 Prediction League – Game 23 v Burton Albion (home)

This week’s starter for 10 ……………… Burton were promoted to the Football League in 2008/9, never having been League members in this guise before; in the five seasons that have followed, how many of the Conference Champions have similarly made the League for the first time, and what else do they have in common which Burton don’t share? :):):)

Answer – believe it or not – is three (actually the next three after Burton – Stevenage, Crawley and Fleetwood ;)) – and all of them then won promotion to League One :D:D(which Burton failed to do :p), although Stevenage are now back in the Basement ……………… I used the expression “in this guise” on purpose, because in the 1890s and 1900s Burton actually had three teams in the Football League – Burton Swifts (1892 – 1900), Burton Wanderers (1893 – 1897) and Burton United (1901 – 1907) ……………..Burton Wanderers only lasted four seasons before being kicked out, but they managed, in that time, to beat Newcastle 9-0, which is still their record loss in the League …. And Burton Albion (known in Scotland as “Perfidious Albion” :confused::confused:), in their short tenure to date, have managed to lose 7-1 not once, but twice (Bristol Rovers in April 2012, and Port Vale 12 months after ………….) :o

Phil Edwards stayed :D; Billy Kee (“Rodders”) moved on to Scunthorpe :D; Gary Rowett went to Birmingham (P9 W5 D2 L2 – which have included consecutive home games resulting in a 6-1 win (Huddersfield) and a 4-0 defeat (Derby), following on from the 8-0 home thrashing by Bournemouth just before he arrived :o:o), and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink arrived from Chelsea via Royal Antwerp, where he was Manager last season in the Belgian 2nd Division ………His 7 games in charge have resulted in a 100% home record :D (Luton 1-0, Hartlepool 4-0 and Tranmere 2-0) but a less thrilling away spell – one win (3-1 at Wycombe), two draws (1-1 at Exeter and 0-0 at Southend) and a single-goal defeat at (now) top of the table Shrewsbury ……………As a measure of how tight it is up there, Shrewsbury are top with 43 points and a goal difference of +18, Wycombe have 43 and +17, and Burton have 43 and +9 …. :rolleyes::rolleyes: Jimmy Floyd, you might like to know, is only the 5th Manager of the Brewers since 1998 (Nigel Clough was there 10+ years, Roy McFarland followed him, then Paul Peschisolido (Mr Karen Brady) and Gary Rowett

A number of signings since J-F arrived; Suriname-born defender Kelvin Maynard (27) followed him from Antwerp; Norwich’s 20 year-old Remi Matthews (I know his 25 year old cousin, Remy Martin! :p:p:p) joined on loan, as did Middlesbrough’s 18 year-old u19 international def Bryn Morris; and Yeovil GK Chris Weale (32) – once of Leicester – came in as cover for the unlucky Dean Lyness, who broke his leg in a freak training-ground accident (why are they always “freak” accidents? Why can’t soccer players have ordinary accidents?) :confused::confused:

They’re out of all the Cups; the League Cup did provide some sport (Wigan dispatched 2-1 and QPR 1-0) before Brighton – now in search of a new Manager, James Beattie In Whom We Trust :D – did them 3-0 at the Tyre Depot :p:p; Donnie came, saw and conquered 3-0 in the FLT; and Barnsley comfortably stuffed them 5-0 in the FA Cup just before J-F H rolled into town ………..Overall their League record is P23 W13 D4 L6 F32 A23 ………..add three cup goals to 32 in the League gives you 35 goals in 28 games (1 ¼ goals a game) ……..Leading scorers are ex Burnley, Falkirk, Callies and Plymouth MF Alex McDonald (24) with six, Leicester loanee striker Jacob Blyth (22) – loan spells at Notts Co and Northampton – has 5; 25 year-old striker Lucas Akins (Huddersfield, Hamilton Accies, Tranmere and Stevenage) has 4, as does ex Wycombe and PNE forward Stuart Beavon (30) ………next in line stands one Phil “Sunbeds” Edwards :D:D, with two ………..

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00 pm on Sunday 28th December ………. I did a check on our Sunday performances last season, and the conclusion was that we’re crap on the Lord’s Day :rolleyes:; perhaps someone could have a word? ;);) Head-to-head is even; P10, W4 D2 L4 F14 A12 …………………. sadly, we lost to them twice last season (1-0 to a 98th minute “steal” chez nous, and 2-1 away) …………..Our turn, then ……..Seemples! :D:D

Good luck to everyone :):)……………Keep the Faith! …………..Happy New Year :D:D………….and thanks for playing! :)

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