Accrington Web - 2015/16 Prediction League; Game 27 v Portsmouth FC (home)

Accrington Stanley

Portsmouth FC

Prediction League 2015/6; Game 27 v Pompey (home)

Ok, so John Sheridan didn’t leave Newport for Notts County (who appointed former Palace MF Jamie Fullarton to his first Managerial post), but I said that Sheridan would be gone within the fortnight and he is – back to Oldham, who he managed up to 2009, replacing the less-than-fortunate David Dunn (who was given just 20 games, which is harsh even by DAV007’s standards) ......... Newport – who probably didn’t need that right now – have appointed Warren Feeney (Sheridan’s Assistant Manager) and 1st Team coach Michael Flynn until the end of the season; Sheridan was there three months, taking charge of 17 games (slightly fewer than David D, who might now be looking to join the Club he Loves, who might now think – having been left standing at the Altar in the Summer – that it’s Too Late).

Oldham Chairman Simon Corney – who seems to get through Managers like some people get through underwear – damned Dunn with the following Faint Praise;

• "I would like to place on record my thanks and gratitude to David for his tireless efforts over the past four months under what have been extremely difficult circumstances.”

But actually it’s worse out there in the job market than we all thought; Charlton Athletic (who lost in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup on Saturday at desperate Colchester – whose reward is Spurs in Round 4) sacked Israeli (that’s his nationality, by the way, not his first name) Guy Luzon last October; they placed Karel Fraeye – a Belgian - in charge as interim Head Coach ...... now, my definition of “interim” is “short term”, and it was, because they’ve just sacked him as well, replacing him with the lady who makes the tea in the Directors’ Box – a place, not a cricketing item – and a random ex-pro footballer (Jason Euell) ...........so even being temporary isn’t a guarantee of anything, these days ....In confirming that he had been relieved of his duties, they out-did Mr Cornet in the “Faint Praise” department with this gem: Monsieur Fraeye was thanked for

• "...his tireless work and the many positive contributions he made to the wider football set-up at Charlton"

Anyone know what a “wider football set-up” is?

Having brought in, like, 300 new players, and having got rid of, like, 299, they’ve been at the old LoanSignings since the season kicked off ......apart from signing one Romuald Boco from newcomers Baharat FC in the Indian I-League (he was apparently their Marquee Signing when they got him out there), they also added GK Aaron McCarey (23) from Wolves, forward Caolan Lavery from the Owls, and fellow forward Marc McNulty from the Blades (just to even things up) ......They now have more players than there are pegs in the dressing room (so three of them are having to pop round and change into their kit in Chimer’s Spare Room) ...... McCarey’s gone back home to The Lair (aka Molineux), Rommy seems to be out on loan at Havant and Waterlooville (although the best info I can find suggests he’s back at Fretting Park), and Kal Naismith, as you’ll have seen elsewhere, has just returned from his loan spell at Hartlepool.

They’re 4th in League Two at the moment – P25 W11 D11 L3 GF44 GA22 Pts44; 44 goals scored is joint best in the Division (alongside Northampton), and a GD of 22 is the best in the Division; we’ve scored 38, and have a GD of +12, which is 5th best, bettered only by the top 4 ......saying that, our form over the last 8 League games is actually better than theirs; we’re on W5 D2 L1 (Northampton 1-0 away, after we battered them for most of the game); they’re on W4 D3 L1 (Leyton Orient 3-2 away on Boxing Day) .............They lost, you may recall, in Round One of the PaintyThingy 2-0 at Exeter, and Round Two of the Carling 2-1 to Reading having seen off Derby by the same score in Round One ......In the FA Cup they beat Macclesfield 2-1 at home in Round 1, and us 1-0 in Round Two, before drawing at Ipswich in Round 3 with a Desmond (their 86th minute goal being wiped out by Mick McCarthy’s side’s 88th minute equaliser) .......... the replay is next Tuesday, winners play Bournemouth at home ......... You might think that might be in the corner of their minds come Saturday; Paul Cook, though, says;

• "While a replay is a bit of a distraction from the league campaign, I'm sure Fratton Park will be rocking on the night. We should enjoy good days like this as a bad one could be just around the corner .......”

Distraction? Yes .........Bad day just around the corner? It will be if we have anything to do with it!

In each of their last five away games they’ve scored twice; that earned them three draws (Ipswich, Wycombe and Carlisle), one win (2-1 at Northampton) and one defeat (3-2 at the Orient); P5 W1 D3 L1 GF10 GA10 ...their other two League defeats were by 2-1 v Exeter at home, and by the same margin at Notts County (see “Jamie Fullarton” above)......they’ve scored three goals five times, four once (4-0 v Hartlepool), and six once (v York, all in the last 38 minutes); if you add in the Cup games, they’ve P31 GF52 GA30 ............... Leading scorers are 18-year old striker/winger Connor Chaplin with 8; ex Burton striker Adam McGurk with 6 (did anyone see that their former GK is now signed up with the WWF Wrestling, and apparently wearing a pink outfit, if I read it right); winger Gareth Evans has the same (6 goals, not a pink outfit), as also has loan striker Marc McNulty (see “Blades” above ..........)

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 16th January ............Head-to-head in league games since we came back and they came crashing down through the Leagues is even-stevens; one win each, three draws, and a GD of zero ...........discounting their FA Cup win, the fact that they’ll have one eye on the Cup replay, and that a couple of our current players might have one eye on avoiding injuries, it could be a good game with loads of goals ...........or it could be crap ...............or – given the falling temperatures on top of all the water - it could be postponed because of a frozen pitch; and I know someone (well, I know of someone) who would think that was a DISGRACE, and might even pen a letter (“Dear Santa ......”)

Good luck to everyone! ............ Keep the Faith! ................... Come on the Gers! (or not, depending on your point of view)................And thanks for playing!

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