|
|
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
Fantasy League News: Superior
News Cups:
Bits & Bobs: Manager
of the Month League
Events Opinion: Rogues Gallery
thefogghorn ©
Martin Pearce and Steve Pearce 2001
|
 |
Just the FA Cup league remains to be sorted...
The Roy Pearce Trophy Grand Final:
Skonto Reefa 16 Partick Thistle Nil 8
Something of a surprise in the Trophy as Jon Ward’s Skonto Reefa collected some consolation for his being relegated from the top flight: The Roy Pearce Trophy will go north after this upset. The season was a week too long for Paul Rabbitts, who has the consolation of promotion to the Inferior Division, but not the Inferior title.
As predicted in these pages last week, it was van Persie who was instrumental in this result – two goals and an assist proving enough to demolish Partick Thistle Nil’s dreams of cup triumph.
29/05/09.
The Chalice – Final:
The Undef*ckables 3 Never Knowingly Undersold 6
No surprises in the Chalice in a low scoring affair that saw John Lewis pick up yet another piece of shiny metal.
In a week that saw teams struggle to play their best line-ups, it was NKU who fared marginally better in a dour affair. Joby Hodgson’s The Undef*ckables were barely in this one and were lucky to go all the way to Fantasy Wembley anyway. And John won’t mind how he won it – a trophy is a trophy is a trophy – plus he gets to compete at the highest level after winning the Inferior Division: a remarkable double.
29/05/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Third place Play-off:
Liversalts FC 3 Hull Tigers 4
A close scoring game this and definitely not an empty fixture: An assist from Gareth Barry was enough to ensure a free franchise for Mark Fogg, even if he was edged out of promotion in his division by the Chairman.
29/05/09.
The Chalice Third place Play-off:
Bobs Boys 16 Stockport C*unty 2
A totally unexpected free franchise goes to Dan Hooper after he walloped Stockport C*unty in this play-off. An astonishing tally of five assists for Bobs Boys helped – they also saved their sorry skins for the season to come in the Nursery Division, surviving against the odds.
29/05/09.
Prize money and Free Franchise Allocation, 2008-09
(Subject to all Prize Fund contributions being received.)
Approximately half the total prize fund is allocated to Free Franchises (free entry for next season) and half to cash prizes – at present there are 15 Free Franchises – down two on last season as we have one division less.
Free Franchises:
1 Superior Division Champions
2 Superior Division Runners-up
3 Inferior Division Champions
4 Inferior Division Runners-up
5 Nursery Division Champions
6 Nursery Division Runners-up
7 Xtra Division Champions
8 Xtra Division Runners-up
9 Conference Champions
10 Conference Runners-up
11 The Roy Pearce Trophy Winners
12 The Chalice Winners
13 Highest Monthly Score
14 Highest Weekly Score
15 FA Cup League overall Champions
Secondary categories in the event of a manager securing more than one of the above criteria:
16 The Roy Pearce Trophy Runners-up
17 Chalice Runners-up
18 The Roy Pearce Trophy Third Place
19 Chalice Third Place
20 Highest Scoring 3rd Place in League
21 Highest Scoring 4th Place in League… etc.
Cash Prizes Breakdown:
The long established prize fund allocation is as follows
Champions each division: 50% of total prize pot – or 8.335% each.
Runners-up each division: 24% of total prize pot – or 4.8% each.
Third placed each division: 8% of total prize pot – or 1.6% each.
Roy Pearce Trophy Winners: 7% of total prize pot.
Roy Pearce Trophy Runners-up: 2% of total prize pot.
Chalice Winners: 7% of total prize pot.
Chalice Runners-up: 2% of total prize pot.
Prizes: 2008-09
This is how it panned out. The FA Cup league will be decided tomorrow, but it will no doubt be Steve Ferguson, who already has a free franchise.
15 Free Franchises winners – as of 5.00pm, 29/05/09 - shown in bold:
1 Superior Division Champions Julian
Partridge
2 Superior Division Runners-up Stuart Watt
3 Inferior Division Champions John Lewis
4 Inferior Division Runners-up Steve Ferguson
5 Nursery Division Champions Barry Thompson
6 Nursery Division Runners-up Paul Rabbitts
7 Xtra Division Champions Sam Lewis
8 Xtra Division Runners-up Corinne Thornton
9 Conference Champions Marcus Downs
10 Conference Runners-up Guy Paling
11 The Roy Pearce Trophy Winners Jon Ward
12 The Chalice Winners John Lewis*
13 Highest Monthly Score Barry Thompson (103pts – Nov)*
14 Highest Weekly Score Barry Thompson (53pts)*
15 FA Cup League overall Champions Steve Ferguson (76pts)*
* Ineligible as one Free Franchise already secured
The FA Cup League remains to be sorted…
This leaves two – and potentially, four - Free Franchises to be claimed:
18 The Roy Pearce Trophy Runners-up
Paul Rabbitts*
19 Chalice Runners-up Joby Hodgson
20 The Roy Pearce Trophy Third Place Mark Fogg
21 Chalice Third Place Dan Hooper
22 Highest Scoring 3rd Place in League Jon Pavey (431pts)
Cash Prizes: £
Total Prize Fund: 705.00
Total Free Franchises (x15 @ £27.00): 405.00
Total Cash Prizes: 300.00
1% Prize monies = 3.00
The cash split pans out like this:
Category Prize x Total
Champion of division: 30.00 x5= 150.00
Runner-up of division: 14.40 x5=
72.00
Third place of division: 4.80 x5= 24.00
Roy Pearce Winner: 21.00 x1= 21.00
Roy Pearce Trophy Loser: 6.00 x1= 6.00
Chalice Winner 21.00 x1= 21.00
Chalice Loser: 6.00 x1= 6.00
______
300.00
All this – of course – is dependent on all prize fund contributions being received - thanks to all of those who have sent in their cash already!
The contribution is £15 and helps reward those who have excelled! You may have been rewarded in the past! You may be rewarded this time around, or in the future! Whatever, your contributions are not just welcome, but required for the league to continue!
If you are considering leaving the league please let us know!
Auctions
The Auction Weekend is the First Weekend of August.
PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE:
SATURDAY 1 AUGUST 2009:
CONFERENCE
XTRA DIVISION
NURSERY DIVISION
SUNDAY 2 AUGUST 2009:
INFERIOR DIVISION
SUPERIOR DIVISION
NB To be confirmed.
29/05/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy Grand Final:Skonto Reefa v Partick Thistle Nil
You look at their respective positions in their respective tables and you have to say it: How can Paul Rabbitts not win this one at a canter?
There. That’s put the mockers on that, then.
I expect a high scoring game – big plusses for Paul, big minuses for Jon. Van Persie might be a joker in the pack for Jon, but is surely to be outgunned by Rooney. Come five o’clock on Sunday, though, the defences may have been what swung it on the day.
Well, we will find out.
22/05/09.
The Chalice – Final:
The Undef*ckables v Never Knowingly Undersold
Was there ever a greater mismatch in any cup final since the league started? I seriously doubt it. This one is surely over before a ball has been kicked.
John Lewis’s squad have class all over – the third highest scoring team in the league all season.
Joby Hodgson’s mob aren’t the lowest scoring team in the league, just the 41st. You know what that means don’t you?
UPSET!
But I can’t see it happening. The Undef*ckables can only win this if Never Knowingly Undersold lose it. It’s as simple as that.
22/05/09
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Third place Play-off:
Liversalts FC v Hull Tigers
Not an empty fixture by any means – the winner could well bag a free franchise for next term!
The Chalice Third place Play-off:
Bobs Boys v Stockport C*unty
Not an empty fixture by any means – the winner could well bag a free franchise for next term!
Prize money and Free Franchise Allocation, 2008-09
(Subject to all Prize Fund contributions being received.)
Approximately half the total prize fund is allocated to Free Franchises (free entry for next season) and half to cash prizes – at present there are 15 Free Franchises – down two on last season as we have one division less.
Free Franchises:
1 Superior Division Champions
2 Superior Division Runners-up
3 Inferior Division Champions
4 Inferior Division Runners-up
5 Nursery Division Champions
6 Nursery Division Runners-up
7 Xtra Division Champions
8 Xtra Division Runners-up
9 Conference Champions
10 Conference Runners-up
11 The Roy Pearce Trophy Winners
12 The Chalice Winners
13 Highest Monthly Score
14 Highest Weekly Score
15 FA Cup League overall Champions
Secondary categories in the event of a manager securing more than one of the above criteria:
16 The Roy Pearce Trophy Runners-up
17 Chalice Runners-up
18 The Roy Pearce Trophy Third Place
19 Chalice Third Place
20 Highest Scoring 3rd Place in League
21 Highest Scoring 4th Place in League… etc.
Cash Prizes Breakdown:
The long established prize fund allocation is as follows
Champions each division: 50% of total prize pot – or 8.335% each.
Runners-up each division: 24% of total prize pot – or 4.8% each.
Third placed each division: 8% of total prize pot – or 1.6% each.
Roy Pearce Trophy Winners: 7% of total prize pot.
Roy Pearce Trophy Runners-up: 2% of total prize pot.
Chalice Winners: 7% of total prize pot.
Chalice Runners-up: 2% of total prize pot.
Prizes: 2008-09
This is how things stand at the moment – bear in mind this might change in the next few days:
15 Free Franchises winners – as of 2.00pm, 22/05/09 -
1 Superior Division Champions Julian
Partridge
2 Superior Division Runners-up Stuart Watt
3 Inferior Division Champions John Lewis
4 Inferior Division Runners-up Steve Pearce
5 Nursery Division Champions Barry Thompson
6 Nursery Division Runners-up Paul Rabbitts
7 Xtra Division Champions Sam Lewis
8 Xtra Division Runners-up Jon Pavey
9 Conference Champions Marcus Downs
10 Conference Runners-up Guy Paling
11 The Roy Pearce Trophy Winners Jon Ward/Paul Rabbitts*
12 The Chalice Winners Joby Hodgson/John Lewis*
13 Highest Monthly Score Barry Thompson (103pts – Nov)*
14 Highest Weekly Score Barry Thompson (53pts)*
15 FA Cup League overall Champions Steve Ferguson (76pts)
* Ineligible as one Free Franchise already secured
The FA Cup League remains to be sorted…
This leaves two – and potentially, four - Free Franchises to be claimed:
18 The Roy Pearce Trophy Runners-up
Jon Ward/Paul Rabbitts*
19 Chalice Runners-up Joby Hodgson/John Lewis
20 The Roy Pearce Trophy Third Place Sarah Pearce/Mark Fogg
21 Chalice Third Place Dan Hooper/Trevor Thornton
The next two will miss out – in all likelihood:
22 Highest Scoring 3rd Place in League
Corinne Thornton (423pts)
23 Highest Scoring 4th Place in League… Paul Fogg (417pts)
Cash Prizes: £
Total Prize Fund: 705.00
Total Free Franchises (x15 @ £27.00): 405.00
Total Cash Prizes: 300.00
1% Prize monies = 3.00
The cash split pans out like this:
Category Prize x Total
Champion of division: 30.00 x5= 150.00
Runner-up of division: 14.40 x5=
72.00
Third place of division: 4.80 x5= 24.00
Roy Pearce Winner: 21.00 x1= 21.00
Roy Pearce Trophy Loser: 6.00 x1= 6.00
Chalice Winner 21.00 x1= 21.00
Chalice Loser: 6.00 x1= 6.00
______
300.00
All this – of course – is dependent on all prize fund contributions being received - thanks to all of those who have sent in their cash already!
The contribution is £15 and helps reward those who have excelled! You may have been rewarded in the past! You may be rewarded this time around, or in the future! Whatever, your contributions are not just welcome, but required for the league to continue!
If you are considering leaving the league please let us know!
22/05/09.
The end is nighOnly two weeks of fixtures – or three blocks of fixtures, as it is probably easier to think of it – remain to the 2008-09 season, and a tight race seems to be in the offing in most divisions. Go to the Divisional pages for more details.
Week what?
I have given this edition the number 38.39 this week as there has been a lot of confusion regarding the numbering of weeks at Fantasy League. This has not affected the recent calendar, despite what managers may think. The recent dearth of fixtures for cup weeks was entirely down to the big teams’ progress in the Premier League. It still corresponded to our original schedule which is done by date, not week number and is drawn up at the start of the season according to what the fixture list states. However, somebody at Fantasy League skipped a week numerically earlier in the season.
This will not have affected anyone, other than my record-keeping. Each week I receive a report from FL and I draw up my archive from it.
08/05/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy Semi Final Replay:Hull Tigers 17 Skonto Reefa 17*
Skonto Reefa progress on goals scored, 3-2.
From Competition guidelines:
“If ties finish level, a replay will be played. If scores still finish level, ties will be settled on goals scored, then assists, then clean sheets, then fewest goals conceded over that week’s scores.”
Skonto Reefa will meet Partick Thistle Nil in the Grand Final on the final week of the season.
01/05/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy Semi Final Results:Liversalts FC 0 Partick Thistle Nil 4
Skonto Reefa 0 Hull Tigers 0
Replay to be held this week.
24/04/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Quarter-final replay:Emmas Orbs 7 Partick Thistle Nil 11
The Roy Pearce Trophy Semi Final Draw:
Liversalts FC v Partick Thistle Nil
Skonto Reefa v Hull Tigers
Matches to be played this weekend.
16/04/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Third Round Results:Fortuna Huggies 12 Liversalts FC
16
Partick Thistle Nil 16 Emmas Orbs 16
Hull Tigers 13 Skonto Riga Reserves 9
Skonto Reefa 8 The Drunken Slobs 7
Partick Thistle Nil and Emma Orbs must replay this week.
Draw for semis to take place later this weekend.
10/04/09.
Deadline day passesThe last deadline for Transfers is always the last Tuesday in March. This has now passed. No more transfers are now permitted. If you forgot it – tough – so did I! I meant to make one more change, but lost the plot! We must all do or die with what we have now.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Draw
Fortuna Huggies v Liversalts FC
Partick Thistle Nil v Emmas Orbs
Hull Tigers v Skonto Riga Reserves
Skonto Reefa v The Drunken Slobs
Matches being played this week!
03/04/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Second Round results:Skonto Riga Reserves 7 Hugo ‘N
Botty -1
The Drunken Slobs 8 Treading Water 3
Emmas Orbs 13 Random Rovers 3
Fortuna Huggies 21 Los Intergalacticos 18
Matty The Camel HIC 7 Partick Thistle Nil 9
Warmley Wombles 1 Skonto Reefa 6
Liversalts FC 18 Ornamental Brown Star 13
Mandrake Slappers 10 Hull Tigers 15
Quarter finals to be played 31 March – 6 April. Draw coming soon.
20/03/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Second Round Draw:Skonto Riga Reserves v Hugo ‘N
Botty
The Drunken Slobs v Treading Water
Emmas Orbs v Random Rovers
Fortuna Huggies v Los Intergalacticos
Matty The Camel HIC v Partick Thistle Nil
Warmley Wombles v Skonto Reefa
Liversalts FC v Ornamental Brown Star
Mandrake Slappers v Hull Tigers
Matches are being played this week!
Steven Wilson: Solo album
It’s a cracker. Didn’t I tell you it would be?
The Chairman also got tickets for Porcupine Tree at the Colston Hall this week, so we can officially dub this week: A Good Week. Hurrah.
14/03/09.
Not a lot ......to report this week, so here are some extra items that might let you peer into the solitary life and peculiar habits of your Chairman...
Chairman’s Playlist
I haven’t played the new Steven Wilson solo album yet, but here is what has been on my playlist this week!
Tangerine Dream – Rubycon; Sigur Ros – several albums, all of which have titles in Icelandic, so search me what they mean; Kraftwerk – Autobahn; Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto, No. 1 (the classic 1958 Van Cliburn recording for those of you who can hang a bucket off your noses); Mike Oldfield – Crises and Tres Lunas; Greenslade – Bedside Manners Are Extra; Joni Mitchell – Taming the Tiger.
Hmm. Heavy on the ambient this week – a sure sign of stress relief!
Reading List
Just read: Arthur C. Clarke/Frederik Pohl: The Last Theorem – poor.
Just starting: Susan Hill: I’m the King of the Castle.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Final Group results:
Match #5 – Wk 29 (24 Feb – 2 Mar 2009)
Gary Linekers Legs XI 4 Smug XI 4
Skonto Reefa 5 Nermals Eleven 6
Treading Water 6 Chasers Chancers 6
Keirlys Wurleys 2 The Partridge Family
10
Mandrake Slappers 12 Partick Thistle Nil 4
Courage Haddock 7 Never Knowingly Undersold 5
The Memorial Marauders 3 The Undef*ckables
2
Chadwick-Freak Or Unique 2 Fortuna Huggies -2
Blue Army 8 Hull Tigers 12
Los Intergalacticos 2 Skonto Riga
Reserves 10
Mount Morget Gas 3 Fugly XI 4
Real Galacticos 14 Leedslads2
Matty The Camel HIC 7 Greasy Chip
Butties 14
Bobs Boys 6 Warmley Wombles 7
Totalled Football 4 Seven Of Nine -2
Argyle Sweater FC -2 The Drunken
Slobs -1
Bobo United 6 Random Rovers 7
Stockport C*unty 8 The Minus Touch 9
Hugo ‘N Botty 0 MC Hammerheads
2
Limping Club 5 Liversalts FC 8
Real Madyid 3 Moody Blues 6
Buffy Muff Club 2 Ornamental
Brown Star 11
Emmas Orbs 10 JC Lives 5
Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds – no fixture.
The second round will be played during Week 31 (10-16 March).
06/03/09.
The Roy Pearce TrophyMatch #4 – Wk 28 (17-23 Feb 2009)
Nermals Eleven 17 Gary Linekers Legs
XI 8
Chasers Chancers 5 Skonto Reefa 10
Treading Water 25 Smug XI 8
Partick Thistle Nil 17 Keirlys Wurleys
12
Never Knowingly Undersold 9 Mandrake Slappers 17
Courage Haddock 10 The Partridge Family 21
Fortuna Huggies 12 The Memorial Marauders
2
Hull Tigers 17 Chadwick-Freak Or Unique 11
Blue Army 12 The Undef*ckables 7
Fugly XI 5 Los Intergalacticos 17
Leedslads 13 Mount Morget Gas 15
Real Galacticos 12 Skonto Riga Reserves 23
Warmley Wombles 20 Matty The Camel
HIC 15
Seven Of Nine 7 Bobs Boys 4
Totalled Football 12 Greasy Chip Butties 14
Random Rovers 11 Argyle Sweater FC
0
The Minus Touch 9 Bobo United 16
Stockport C*unty 6 The Drunken Slobs 12
Liversalts FC 15 Hugo ‘N Botty
11
Moody Blues 3 Limping Club 15
Real Madyid 6 MC Hammerheads 7
JC Lives 4 Ornamental Brown Star
19
Emmas Orbs 18 Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds 14
Buffys Muff Club – no fixture.
Match #5 – Wk 29 (24 Feb – 2 Mar 2009)
Gary Linekers Legs XI v Smug XI
Skonto Reefa v Nermals Eleven
Treading Water v Chasers Chancers
Keirlys Wurleys v The Partridge Family
Mandrake Slappers v Partick Thistle Nil
Courage Haddock v Never Knowingly Undersold
The Memorial Marauders v The Undef*ckables
Chadwick-Freak Or Unique v Fortuna Huggies
Blue Army v Hull Tigers
Los Intergalacticos v Skonto Riga
Reserves
Mount Morget Gas v Fugly XI
Real Galacticos v Leedslads
Matty The Camel HIC v Greasy Chip
Butties
Bobs Boys v Warmley Wombles
Totalled Football v Seven Of Nine
Argyle Sweater FC v The Drunken Slobs
Bobo United v Random Rovers
Stockport C*unty v The Minus Touch
Hugo ‘N Botty v MC Hammerheads
Limping Club v Liversalts FC
Real Madyid v Moody Blues
Buffy Muff Club v Ornamental Brown
Star
Emmas Orbs v JC Lives
Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds – no fixture.
27/02/09.
FA Cup weekendThe Premier League has a break this week as the FA Cup takes over for Week 27. Be sure to field your best for those cup games, there is a Free Franchise going for the highest place team in the FA Cup League. Top at the moment is Skonto Riga Reserves (42pts).
Prize Fund Contributions
The £15 Prize Fund Contribution is now due. This is payable by all and ensures that everyone receives what they are due when the laurel wreathes and plaudits are handed out at the end of the campaign. If you pay by standing order you need do nowt; you are already paid up and looking big.
Cheques should be made payable to “Martin Pearce” and sent to the usual offshore address: 164 Brynland Ave, Bristol BS7 9DY.
For those of you who did not collect cheques and are still owed money from last season, please contact me at your earliest convenience to arrange payment.
13/02/09.
Manager of the MonthManager of the Month for January was Stuart Watt. Hugo ‘N Botty scored an impressive 78pts in a month noted for its injuries and post-Christmas lethargy, so applause all round for that.
A bottle of bubbly would be on the way to Stuart, but it would only get frozen or damaged in the post, so I’ll just have to pour it down the plughole. Shame, really.
The Roy Pearce Trophy
Match #3 – Wk 25 (27 Jan – 2 Feb 2009)
Skonto Reefa 19 Gary Linekers Legs
XI 9
Smug XI 26 Chasers Chancers 25
Nermals Eleven 13 Treading Water 32
Mandrake Slappers 39 Keirlys Wurleys
19
The Partridge Family 13 Never Knowingly Undersold 15
Partick Thistle Nil 27 Courage Haddock 7
Chadwick-Freak Or Unique 28 The Memorial
Marauders 16
The Undef*ckables 0 Hull Tigers 18
Fortuna Huggies 28 Blue Army 26
Mount Morget Gas 25 Los Intergalacticos
25
Skonto Riga Reserves 9 Leedslads 23
Fugly XI 8 Real Galacticos 25
Bobs Boys 10 Matty The Camel HIC
8
Greasy Chip Butties 20 Seven Of Nine 22
Warmley Wombles 31 Totalled Football 24
Bobo United 15 Argyle Sweater FC
22
The Drunken Slobs 35 The Minus Touch 12
Random Rovers 48 Stockport C*unty 17
Limping Club 27 Hugo ‘N Botty
42
MC Hammerheads 6 Moody Blues 20
Liversalts FC 15 Real Madyid 5
Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds 12 JC Lives
23
Buffys Muff Club 6 Emma Orbs 7
Ornamental Brown Star – no fixture.
05/02/09.
FA Cup LeagueLest we forget: the FA Cup League is now well underway and is no empty fixture on your team sheet. The winner of the FA Cup League wins a Free Franchise for next season, representing free enrolment for next season, worth £27.
Skonto Riga Reserves lead the way at present with a handsome 37pts, 9pts clear of their nearest rivals, Warmley Wombles (28pts), and 14pts clear of The Partridge Family, Nermals Eleven and Bobo United (all on 23pts).
The Chairman only has 9pts – in case you’re interested – 4pts behind Matt Wood (blimey, when you’re down, you’re really down) and bottom place goes to Totalled Football with just 3pts. There is still a long way to go, but some of you – Chris Norman, are you reading this? – may wish to concentrate on the FA Cup!
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Phase One results:
Match #2: Wk 23 (13-19 Jan 2009)
Chasers Chancers 11 Nermals Eleven
5
Treading Water 9 Gary Linekers Legs XI 7
Smug XI 12 Skonto Reefa 18
Never Knowingly Undersold 9 Partick
Thistle Nil 20
Courage Haddock 4 Keirlys Wurleys 13
The Partridge Family 15 Mandrake Slappers 7
Hull Tigers 15 Fortuna Huggies 10
Blue Army 15 The Memorial Marauders 11
The Undef*ckables 4 Chadwick-Freak Or Unique 6
Leedslads 4 Fugly XI 6
Real Galacticos 19 Los Intergalacticos 20
Skonto Riga Reserves 18 Mount Morget Gas 14
Seven Of Nine 12 Warmley Wombles
20
Totalled Football 4 Matty The Camel HIC 14
Greasy Chip Butties 3 Bobs Boys 8
The Minus Touch 5 Random Rovers 14
Stockport C*unty 0 Argyle Sweater FC 17
The Drunken Slobs 18 Bobo United 10
Moody Blues 9 Liversalts FC 12
Real Madyid 5 Hugo ‘N Botty 14
MC Hammerheads 6 Limping Club 4
Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds
5 Buffys Muff Club 9
Emmas Orbs 3 Ornamental Brown Star 16
JC Lives – no fixture.
21/01/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy – Phase One FixturesMatch #1: Wk 22 (6-12 Jan 2009)
Nermals Eleven 9 Smug XI 12
Gary Linekers Legs XI 6 Chasers Chancers 9
Treading Water 11 Skonto Reefa 4
Partick Thistle Nil 14 The Partridge
Family 5
Keirlys Wurleys -1 Never Knowingly Undersold 6
Courage Haddock 9 Mandrake Slappers 11
Fortuna Huggies 14 The Undef*ckables
0
The Memorial Marauders 10 Hull Tigers 8
Blue Army 13 Chadwick-Freak Or Unique 5
Fugly XI 6 Skonto Reefa Reserves
10
Los Inter Galacticos 7 Leedslads 9
Real Galacticos 10 Mount Morget Gas 19
Warmley Wombles 18 Greasy Chip Butties
10
Matty The Camel 9 Seven Of Nine 2
Totalled Football 12 Bobs Boys 3
Random Rovers 16 The Drunken Slobs
16
Argyle Sweater FC 3 The Minus Touch 3
Stockport C*unty 10 Bobo United 6
Liversalts FC 10 MC Hammerheads 6
Hugo ‘N Botty 24 Moody Blues 6
Real Madyid 6 Limping Club 3
Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds
5 Ornamental Brown Star 9
Buffy Muff Club 0 JC Lives 3
Emmas Orbs – no fixture.
Next fixtures:
Match #2: Wk 23 (13-19 Jan 2009)
Chasers Chancers v Nermals Eleven
Treading Water v Gary Linekers Legs XI
Smug XI v Skonto Reefa
Never Knowingly Undersold v Partick
Thistle Nil
Courage Haddock v Keirlys Wurleys
The Partridge Family v Mandrake Slappers
Hull Tigers v Fortuna Huggies
Blue Army v The Memorial Marauders
The Undef*ckables v Chadwick-Freak Or Unique
Leedslads v Fugly XI
Real Galacticos v Los Intergalacticos
Skonto Riga Reserves v Mount Morget Gas
Seven Of Nine v Warmley Wombles
Totalled Football v Matty The Camel HIC
Greasy Chip Butties v Bobs Boys
The Minus Touch v Random Rovers
Stockport C*unty v Argyle Sweater FC
The Drunken Slobs v Bobo United
Moody Blues v Liversalts FC
Real Madyid v Hugo ‘N Botty
MC Hammerheads v Limping Club
Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds v Buffys
Muff Club
Emmas Orbs v Ornamental Brown Star
JC Lives – no fixture.
15/1/09.
The Roy Pearce Trophy DrawBy now you should have all received the draw for The Roy Pearce Trophy, the league’s premier cup competition. The action starts from next Tuesday with the first group game. Go to The Roy Pearce Trophy page for more details.
01/01/09.
HolidaysThe Webmeister is presently enjoying Christmas in Scotland near the Mull of Kintyre, so this latest missive is being dropped into your Mailbox instead of going up on the site.
Transfers
All this week’s transfers will be actioned in time for you to tinker with Saturday and not before, as with any week, just in case anyone was wondering. This is in line with league rules.
The Roy Pearce Trophy
The draw for the first phase of The Roy Pearce Trophy will be taking place presently. Groups and fixtures will be sent out shortly afterwards.
Happy Christmas to all our managers!
26/12/08.
Chairman returnsThe Chairman is on the mend and back at the helm. Thanks for your patience and your get well messages! Oh, alright – your get well message.
19/12/08.
The Chalice ResultsSemi-finals:
The Undef*ckables 13 Bobs Boys 9
Never Knowingly Undersold 19 Stockport C*unty 12
Congratulations to Joby Hodgson and John Lewis. The final will be played over the final week of the season.
The Chairman is still under the weather. Normal service should be restored next week – hopefully! I have now swapped the flu for a chest infection, but am improving gradually – fingers crossed!
11/12/08.
Chalice: Quarter-Final Results:Bobo United
7 Stockport C*unty 9
Bobs Boys 11 Ornamental Brown Star 7
Fortuna Huggies 9 Never Knowingly Undersold
16
Smug XI 8 The Undef*ckables 13
Draw for Semi-finals:
The Undef*ckables
v Bobs Boys
Never Knowingly Undersold v Stockport C*unty
Matches to be played 2-8 Dec 2008.
Chairman still poorly
The Chairman is still laid low with flu. We hope to return to normal service soon.
28/11/08.
Chalice: Quarter-Final Draw:THE DRAW FOR THE CHALICE QUARTER-FINALS HAS BEEN MADE:
Bobo United
v Stockport C*unty
Bobs Boys v Ornamental Brown Star
Fortuna Huggies v Never Knowingly Undersold
Smug XI v The Undef*ckables
MATCHES TO BE PLAYED THIS WEEK. GOOD LUCK TO ALL.
Apologies for late notification
of this and the non-appearance of The Fogghorn this week. The Chairman
currently has flu.
We hope to return to normal soon.
21/11/08.
Chalice: Third Round results:Bobs Boys
21 Hull Tigers 7
Bobo United 13 Fugly XI 9
Skonto Riga Reserves 11 Stockport C*unty 14
Never Knowingly Undersold 15 The Partridge Family
6
Moody Blues 5 The Undef*ckables 13
Fortuna Huggies 26 Warmley Wombles 8
Skonto Reefa 9 Ornamental Brown Star 13
Smug XI 16 Emmas Orbs 9
Bobs Boys, Bobo United, Stockport C*unty, Never Knowingly Undersold, The Undef*ckables, Fortuna Huggies, Ornamental Brown Star and Smug XI go into the hat for the next round.
The draw for the Fourth Round will take place this weekend.
14/11/08.
Nick Lloyd-JonesIt was with great sadness that we learnt this week of the death after a long illness of Nick Lloyd-Jones, former manager of Megans & Owens Clarets, (information relayed from a post by Barry Thompson on the League Noticeboard at fantasyleague.com).
Nick was the first member of that infamous sub-genre, the so-called Northern Monkeys, and was led to us by Barry Thompson; as such he was our first “Out of Area” manager. He and Baz had been long-time friends since training at Nursing College together and he was a natural recruit to our ranks.
Nick managed his team from 1994-97 during which time he took his squad to a best-place of eighth. Over 103 weeks of competition, Megans & Owens Clarets accumulated 693pts, an average of 6.728 per week. He also picked up one Manager of the Month Award during his time as a manager.
Nick spent most of his short life living. You only had to spend a few minutes in his company to realise that here was someone who liked to wring as much as he could out of life; put him in the same room as Mr Thompson and the mangle was in for a torrid time! The world is less of a party without him.
Nick is survived by his wife and two children. Our thoughts are very much with them at this time.
06/11/08.
Chalice Second Round replays:
Buffys Muff Club
16 Hull Tigers 38
Blue Army 15 Fortuna Huggies 53
Chalice: Third Round Draw
Bobs Boys
v Hull Tigers
Bobo United v Fugly XI
Skonto Riga Reserves v Stockport C*unty
Never Knowingly Undersold v The Partridge Family
Moody Blues v The Undef*ckables
Fortuna Huggies v Warmley Wombles
Skonto Reefa v Ornamental Brown Star
Smug XI v Emmas Orbs
Some interesting ties in this one – Steve Ferguson takes on the role of underdog against Mr Thornton, whilst newcomers Bobo United meet fellow novices, Fugly XI. However, the stand-out tie has to be Jon Ward’s Skonto Reefa pitted against Paul Harding’s Ornamental Brown Star: the grudge match of the season if ever there was one. As the fireman said as he hurled the moggie out of the tree, fur will fly...
06/11/08.
Chalice Second Round results:Smug XI
9 Hugo ‘N Botty 6
Ornamental Brown Star 11 Chasers Chancers
10
Bobo United 15 Totalled Football 14
Bobs Boys 9 Seven Of Nine 0
Warmley Wombles 18 Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds
15
Los Intergalacticos 2 Emmas Orbs 11
JC Lives 2 Never Knowingly Undersold 28
Keirlys Wurleys 11 Moody Blues 18
Skonto Riga Reserves 11 Treading Water 9
Fugly XI 20 Mandrake Slappers 7
The Partridge Family 16 Greasy Chip Butties
15
Skonto Reefa 12 Matty The Camel HIC 3
Gary Linekers Legs XI 9 The Undef*ckables
11
Stockport C*unty 21 The Memorial Marauders
2
Hull Tigers 16 Buffys Muff Club 16
Fortuna Huggies 11 Blue Army 11
Hull Tigers and Buffys Muff Club, Fortuna Huggies and Blue Army, could not be separated; in the absence of a bucket of water, they must replay this week.
Draw for the third round takes place this weekend; matches to be played 4 – 10 November 2008.
28/10/08.
Chalice: First Round replay:Chadwick – Freak Or Unique? 2 Warmley Wombles 19
So: a right old spanking for Alex Chapman in this first round replay; a richly deserved result for such a diabolically named team.
Chalice Second Round Draw:
Smug XI
v Hugo ‘N Botty
Ornamental Brown Star v Chasers Chancers
Bobo United v Totalled Football
Bobs Boys v Seven Of Nine
Warmley Wombles v Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds
Los Intergalacticos v Emmas Orbs
JC Lives v Never Knowingly Undersold
Keirlys Wurleys v Moody Blues
Skonto Riga Reserves v Treading Water
Fugly XI v Mandrake Slappers
The Partridge Family v Greasy Chip Butties
Skonto Reefa v Matty The Camel HIC
Gary Linekers Legs XI v The Undef*ckables
Stockport C*unty v The Memorial Marauders
Hull Tigers v Buffys Muff Club
Fortuna Huggies v Blue Army
Matches are to be played this week!
23/10/08.
Sportsman’s Chalice – First Round results:Partick Thistle Nil 10 Blue Army 12
Argyle Sweater FC 2 Fugly XI 3
Courage Haddock 7 Gary Linekers Legs XI 8
Emmas Orbs 11 The Minus Touch 3
Warmley Wombles 12 Chadwick – Freak Or Unique? 12
Hull Tigers 7 Real Madyid 1
Matty The Camel HIC 9 Mount Morget Gas 4
Bobo United 16 Liversalts FC 6
Leedslads -2 Bobs Boys 4
Limping Club Toostokes 8 Keirlys Wurleys 9
JC Lives 7 MC Hammerheads 4
Random Rovers 1 Fortuna Huggies 21
The Drunken Slobs 2 Moody Blues 4
Nermals Eleven 4 The Undef*ckables 12
Greasy Chip Butties 12 Real Galacticos 4
Warmley Wombles and Chadwick Freak Or Unique? must replay the week after next (Week 10) after being locked 12-12 this week.
Skonto Reefa, Mandrake Slappers, Ornamental Brown Star, Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds, Seven Of Nine, Los Intergalacticos, Stockport C*unty, Treading Water, The Partridge Family, Hugo ‘N Botty, Smug XI, Buffys Muff Club, The Memorial Marauders, Skonto Riga Reserves, Never Knowingly Undersold, Totalled Football and Chasers Chancers all join the winners of Round One in the hat for the Second Round.
Manager of the Month: September
It was a first in the league this week. For the first time ever The Manager of the Month Award was shared by Father and Son. 49pts for September earned Adrian Downs and Marcus Downs the right to sneer at the rest of us whilst holding their champagne flutes on high to catch the last rays of the setting September sun. Well, done to them!
08/10/08.
Chalice gets under wayThe First Round of the Chalice kicks off this week. Fifteen matches in the preliminary round, with the winners of those fifteen games going through to meet the seventeen teams that were given byes due to their position last season (i.e. the top seventeen teams by divisional ranking).
Sportsman’s Chalice – First Round
Partick Thistle Nil v Blue Army
Argyle Sweater FC v Fugly XI
Courage Haddock v Gary Linekers Legs XI
Emma Orbs v The Minus Touch
Warmley Wombles v Chadwick – Freak Or Unique?
Hull Tigers v Real Madyid
Matty The Camel HIC v Mount Morget Gas
Bobo United v Liversalts FC
Leedslads v Bobs Boys
Limping Club Toostokes v Keirlys Wurleys
JC Lives v MC Hammerheads
Random Rovers v Fortuna Huggies
The Drunken Slobs v Moody Blues
Nermals Eleven v The Undef*ckables
Greasy Chip Butties v Real Galacticos
Skonto Reefa, Mandrake Slappers, Ornamental Brown Star, Scrumpy Jacks Cider Eds, Seven Of Nine, Los Intergalacticos, Stockport C*unty, Treading Water, The Partridge Family, Hugo ‘N Botty, Smug XI, Buffys Muff Club, The Memorial Marauders, Skonto Riga Reserves, Never Knowingly Undersold, Totalled Football and Chasers Chancers all received byes to Round Two.
There are some juicy ties here, but the pick of the round has to be Argyle Sweater FC meeting up with newcomers and bedfellows Fugly XI in a titanic Mr & Mrs struggle that can only reduce Strathmore Road to rubble. If only Alan Taylor had lived to see that one...
02/10/08.
Chalice First Round DrawThe First Round of the Chalice takes place next week. See below to see who you have drawn...
Draw due this weekend.
26/09/08.
League CalendarThe League Calendar for the season can be found by going to the Fixtures List in the right-hand menu. Cup draws will be made this weekend. The Chalice starts at the end of the month!
18/09/08.
Beered-up managers cock-up bidsI don’t think there has ever been as much gossip, speculation or excitement regarding the closure of the Transfer Window and who may or may not be getting on the Fantasy League Player List as there has been in the last few days. There has been a feeding frenzy – to use Paul Rabbitts’s words – and the results have been interesting, to say the least.
In part, this has been because of the sheer magnitude of some of the names arriving – Robinho, Pavlyuchenko, Reira et al. But also it has been notable how many managers must have been beered-up when they submitted their bids. Invalid bids abounded – anyone ever hear of the THREE players PER CLUB rule? Add that to the number of bids that were sent to the wrong Officer and you have a nice muddle. Just for the record the transfer officers are:
SUPERIOR DIVISION: TREVOR JONES
INFERIOR DIVISION: PAUL RABBITTS
NURSERY DIVISION: ZOND FLINT
XTRA DIVISION: ANDY WOODWARD
THE CONFERENCE: MARTIN PEARCE
You can find their email addresses in any string of emails that go out to managers.
05/09/08.
League calendar and Cup Draws due shortlyThe League Calendar is being finalised by the Chairman – whatever that means! And it should be out shortly. The Cup draws will also be taking place soon. You will be emailed with the draw as soon as it has been performed.
Week 2: The lowdown
Go to the divisional pages to check out the latest comments from The Fogghorn on what has been happening – or not...
28/08/08.
Blue Army newcomers put all to shameThe dust has settled on the first week of the new season and trends are already emerging: Those defences! Those lapses! With points being dropped all over, the squads will begin changing sooner than ever. Look out for changes activity on the Fantasy League pages to see who you got and who you were outbid on!
Meanwhile, the team of the week without any doubt was Blue Army. Marcus Downs shot to fame, stardom and prominence with a 29-point week that must have dropped jaws all over the league. Hardly surprising when you consider the identity of his dad – Marcus Downs is MiniSpawn. He is here. He is walking among you. Whatever you do, don’t draw him in the cups...
21/08/08.
Season 16 – The curtain rises!Hello everyone and welcome to another nine months of hopes, schemes, and cruelly dashed dreams. And there will be plenty of them, I shouldn’t wonder. Sometimes we end up with what we least expect. Well, that was my auction, anyway!
This campaign marks the sixteenth season we have been playing this game and I have no doubt that it will be full of the usual surprises; with Andy Stewart staying awake and not falling into his curry on the Curry Night, perhaps this will be a more unusual season than most. You never can tell... not in this game, anyway.
There will be plenty going on in the coming weeks: there is the matter of the League Calendar – the drawing up of which is nigh; the draws for the two major cup competitions – The Roy Pearce Trophy and the Chalice; the allocation of Transfer Officers – you may have already received notification of that; and coming up this week, the item I get buttonholed about more than probably any other: The Chairman’s Predictions for the Season Ahead. Every year they get more inaccurate, every year they get more outlandish. So if you go to your league pages, you will find what El Chairo thinks this time around... Peter Crouch...150pts! Trevor Thornton...150pts - one for every poppadom he could probably eat, if he could be bothered to put our own meagre gourmandising to shame!
So thanks for playing yet again. Welcome to our new managers – it might all seem a bit strange at present but by the end of August you will be as caught up in it as the rest of us.
I will be after Prize Fund Contributions in the next few weeks – I want to get them sorted by the end of September. The amount is £15. If you opted for a Standing Order last season you are already paid up.
Finally don’t forget to get those Standing Orders up and running – you need to set them up no later than the end of this month to get the full benefit – it will have you paid up for Season 17 with no head scratching or pocket emptying. Never more will you be forced to look down the back of the sofa, or empty that blasted 5p jar and sort them all up into little piles that keep toppling over when you try to count them! It is £3.50 a month – by this time next year a half of Stella will cost that! If you want more details, (what happened to that flyer I gave you?) get in touch with the Chairman.
You know it makes sense. Go on, punks! Make my day!
Now get on those bulletin boards and let the banter begin!
14/08/08.
