Official 2013-14 Football League Thread

[UK0wnag3]

Bristol City host Carlisle on Saturday, in the reverse fixture of the 4-2 triumph earlier in the season that ended our 21 league game winless run. Just 3 wins later, and with a Steve Cotterill at the helm, the mighty robins look for a huge three points at home as we look to stave off the threat of consecutive relegation.

Interesting side note to this game, aswell. As some of you know, I work in a four star hotel's restaurant, and I quite often look after sports teams and host their meals. This weekend of course, we had Carlisle in the hotel, complete with their two deadline day acquisitions on loan from Manchester United (Thank you David Moyes!). The head chef, who prepared their food is a Carlisle fan, and after the meal I managed to sweet talk them into giving the chef some tickets for the away end. So my Saturday afternoon will be spent in the Eastend, as the best ones are, throwing a few middle fingers at the away fans just because I can. Monday will be interesting.

[UK0wnag3]

After a first 45 minutes which I can honestly say was the worst half of football I'v ever seen, Bristol City manager brought on Wesley Burns and Marvin Elliott, hoping to find the comeback that would lift Bristol City out of the relegation zone.

[Anners]

Think you'll stay up?

As for Leeds, I have no idea what is going on. It apparently looks like Cellino is going to get his takeover completed as our owners refuse to even talk to the other consortium who have shown proof of funds to the Football League. Add to that there's a threat of administration if nothing happens as we're apparently hemorrhaging money at the moment, to which I've no idea how.

It's just a big mess.

Edit: Cellino is technically buying 9.5%, which makes him immune from the Football League's fit and proper person test. His family is buying 75%, which is putting him in charge, I think. We're going to be interesting to watch for the next few years, on and off the pitch.

[UK0wnag3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Anners

Think you'll stay up?

It's tricky. We've got a pretty strong team but we've drawn way too many games and our defence has been an abomination recently. Now we HAVE to go after teams and go for the win. A couple of weeks ago against MK Dons, we came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2. But the fact is we should have won and we didn't, thanks to Sam Baldock slamming 3 one-on-ones down the middle and missing an open-goal with a free header, all inside the first ten minutes.

In all honesty, I can't see where the points are going to come from, and I think it'll be a near miracle if we stay up. One thing in our favour is that Liam Kelly and Stepen Pearson are both on their way back from injury after being out all season.

Quote:

As for Leeds, I have no idea what is going on. It apparently looks like Cellino is going to get his takeover completed as our owners refuse to even talk to the other consortium who have shown proof of funds to the Football League. Add to that there's a threat of administration if nothing happens as we're apparently hemorrhaging money at the moment, to which I've no idea how. It's just a big mess. Edit: Cellino is technically buying 9.5%, which makes him immune from the Football League's fit and proper person test. His family is buying 75%, which is putting him in charge, I think. We're going to be interesting to watch for the next few years, on and off the pitch.

The FA needs to protect it's clubs a lot better. The fit and proper person test never seems to work, and clubs are being de-faced and abused because of it.

Football should be the fans' game, and yet we have more and more people becoming disillusioned with it everyday. Regardless of the club, I wouldn't wish this sort of situation on any team.

[Anners]

We had 3 years in League 1, so I know how weird that league is. Looking back, I still don't know how we didn't get promoted earlier. Our front 6 in our promotion season was this:

Beckford - Becchio

Gradel - Howson - Johnson - Snodgrass

And the year before that we sold Fabian Delph. Such an awkward league.

I'd say the feeling round Leeds would be one of the FA not really caring. I have huge amounts of sympathy for teams like Coventry and Portsmouth, but they're being sacrificed for the "greatest league in the world". Add to that sacrifice being the national team. There's one of the better articles here about Cellino and the whole goings on.

[UK0wnag3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Anners

We had 3 years in League 1, so I know how weird that league is. Looking back, I still don't know how we didn't get promoted earlier. Our front 6 in our promotion season was this: Beckford - Becchio Gradel - Howson - Johnson - Snodgrass And the year before that we sold Fabian Delph. Such an awkward league. I'd say the feeling round Leeds would be one of the FA not really caring. I have huge amounts of sympathy for teams like Coventry and Portsmouth, but they're being sacrificed for the "greatest league in the world". Add to that sacrifice being the national team. There's one of the better articles here about Cellino and the whole goings on.

If the FA really did care, they'd come out and say there's no way Cellino can be a fit and proper person and nip his bid in the bud. But I imagine they've had some £££ thrown their way and they're happy to turn a blind eye.

[Anners]

Quote: Originally Posted by UK0wnag3

If the FA really did care, they'd come out and say there's no way Cellino can be a fit and proper person and nip his bid in the bud. But I imagine they've had some £££ thrown their way and they're happy to turn a blind eye.

This may (and probably will) come across as arrogant, but in a way the FA may be happy there's a guy with cash throwing his money at Leeds. We're the biggest club in Yorkshire and that's a huge market that hasn't been tested properly in the "new era" of sorts (I'm defining this as post 2005 or 2006).

I give McDermott a month in the job though. Which will piss Leeds fans off again as although we were on a bad run of form, he buys into what is being Leeds. Probably the best club manager we've had for a long time.

[UK0wnag3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Anners

This may (and probably will) come across as arrogant, but in a way the FA may be happy there's a guy with cash throwing his money at Leeds. We're the biggest club in Yorkshire and that's a huge market that hasn't been tested properly in the "new era" of sorts (I'm defining this as post 2005 or 2006). I give McDermott a month in the job though. Which will piss Leeds fans off again as although we were on a bad run of form, he buys into what is being Leeds. Probably the best club manager we've had for a long time.

Arrogance from a Leeds fan? Say it ain't so! (JK).

You've probably got a point, but when a fraudster is allowed to buy a club then I'm left wondering how you could ever fail a fit and proper person test.

I've always liked McDermott as well, good championship manager. Not convinced he's any good at Premier League level though.