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‘Some kick it long, some pass it short’

As some of you know I work as a football scout for Colchester Utd, this is the 3rd club I have worked for after Carlisle & Cheltenham town (where I started off back in 05/06).  I haven’t kept an exact count, but have probably seen ~180-200 odd games in that time.

I know there’s lots of football fans here so thought I’d keep a blog/diary for this season coming 2010/2011, hopefully it’ll be a decent read for people, some will enjoy it, some may not.  :D

I’m far from a author, but as much as for people to read I’d like something to look back on over the next few years, and while it is a fun thing to do, (which it is, lets get that straight from the start), there are tedious games to go to, lots of miles covered (I went to Carlisle 5 times last year), and strangely its rather a lonely thing to do on occasions.  90% of the time I’m by myself, which suits me fine, I enjoy the time I get to think in the car, and especially look forward to Sports Report on the way home! (After leaving 5mins early and avoid getting locked in like when Millwall close the gates at 4.45!) :D

I know there’s an abundance of diaries on here at the mo, but I’d love feedback/questions you have.  I live and breath football, its an easy subject to talk about for me.

I am slightly limited about what I can say on matches I go to for obvious reasons, but its about more than that.  This one incident sticks in mind from a couple of years ago. I was up at Blackpool, the year they won the League play-off final V Yeovil (06/07 without checking) and it was April time, Blackpool were on a storming late run into the play-offs, I was working for Cheltenham at the time and had gone up there to watch  them 10 days/2 weeks or so before we played them.  I think they were playing Tranmere, I remember McAteer getting sent-off and it finished 3-2 to Blackpool.  I was sat in a section of home fans behind the dug-out (usually sat with press etc, but sitting with home fans is not uncommon), was chatting to a guy next to me, and I said something along the lines of ‘so, do you come to all the games?’, he replied ‘no afraid not, I can’t afford it, I try and come to every other’.

WHAT?, I thought, you can’t afford £20 every 10 days to watch your side?  But people can’t, it is a lot of money for people to come by the time they add the fuel/pies/programme etc.  I often think about what he said when I’m driving back from a game of ‘lump ball’ at Hartlepool.  I would gladly pay for him to go every game if I could as he genuinely looked sad/embarrassed when telling me he couldn’t afford it all the time, but I was just as embarrassed in reality

Anyway, pre-season for me starts next Saturday I think, Colchester have Exeter/Sheff Wed/Hereford (CC) & Rochdale 1st 4 games so will be seeing them soon.

Good luck all, enjoy your teams season.    :)

;popcorn;

Will be a good read.  Unless I delete it by accident...

Cool job mate.

So are you a 'next opponent kind of scout' or do you scout certain players? Who is the biggest player you have scouted that your club has signed?

Yeah its mainly team assessments I do, teams upcoming etc, each team is usually watched 2/3 times by 2/3 different staff members to get a variety of opinions, and hopefully each report will have the same theme running through it, eg picking out the same strengths/weaknesses.  Not uncommon for reports to totally differ though, some teams play well 1 week, poor the next.

The clubs I've worked for have never really had the money to sign players for £, you hear through the grapevine (for that read agents pestering the club), which players are to become available, which are looking to get out etc.

I would say I do 80% team assessments, 20% players.  For nearly all League 1/2 clubs the target players are Premiership youngsters to get on loan, or players doing well in the League or 2 below.

Players who I saw that did well last season and have made summer moves include:

Grant - Acc Stanley - Scunthorpe
Symes - Acc Stanley - Bournemouth
Dagnall - Rochdale - Scunthorpe
O'Donovan - Hartlepool (loan) - Coventry (DUCY?)

Tru dat :)

Looking forward to reading this.

My two eldest were with Reedhall? boys club when we were in Colchester, who were like a boys/youth feeder for the "U's." Is this still the case?

Does your scouting take you to the boys/youth level at all?

Geo

We had Symes at Bradford but he never really got a chance/was still too young.

Who do you see as the main contenders for League 2 this season? What chances do you think Bradford have of promotion? And what do you think of Bradfords signings?

Looking forward to this one....should be good :)

Hi Geo, to be honest I have no idea.  I don't do anything with youth football/youngsters, its all done by the academy.  I'm not fully up to sctratch with the situation as to who youngsters can sign for, but I'm sure they have to live within a 60/90 minute drive of the club that wants to sign them.  I think Tighty might know better than me.

I live in Chester so cover the North for them, basically, as far as League 1 teams go its Tranmere/Rochdale/Oldham/Sheff Wed/Carlisle/Hartlepool/Walsall etc this season.  Fixtures work in funny ways though, so there is always the odd trip down south every few weeks.

Definately, going to be an interesting read :)

Tks mate, my bad as I had assumed you were working from Colchester now.

Good luck with this

Geo

Strangely enough I have never been to Colchester, and only saw them once last season, at Oldham! :D

Fantastic stuff, I always always always love hearing about people who have cool jobs and this is a cool job, many questions:

How do you get into a job like this? There is clearly an element of footy skill/technical knowledge involved, did you play much?
How old are you? I always assumed you were really young.
Does it pay well? Or at least, does it pay well at the highest level?
Where does a job like this lead? Does it open the doors to other big footy jobs?
What sort of cool perks do you get?
Do you ever do any work for champ manager? I had a mate who was a footy scout for champ manager (the game) but it was more of a hobby.
Which Wednesday match you going to? (can you wrangle mates tickets lol?)

If I were you I would use the job as an excuse to visit blondes up and down the countries and then play poker in their locals.

I have to go out for an hour or 2, but will answer as best I can when I get back.

To Girgy's Bradford questions too.

Also, what are you like as a footy bettor. Do you ever get any inside tips? Are you allowed to bet on Carlisle?

Best you rectify that soon fella, you know where I am if you have any freebies ;) get in touch if you are ever going to be here and we can meet up.

Good luck with the job x

Some more questions for when you return....
What do you do during the summer? Do League 1 clubs scout any World Cup teams?
Colchester have Wednesday very early on. How do they go about scouting them? Just watch their first 2 games or go back and watch the end of last season games even though the squad has changed alot?
Favourite ground and game you've been to?

Colchesters first home game is against Sheffield Wednesday.

Mr Shoelace pretty much covered all my questions but...

1) Not sure how much detail you can go into here, but when you're compiling a team assesment apart from obvious things like formation, style of play, how they line up at attacking and defending set pieces etc what else is generally covered and how is the information passed on - e.g is there a 'standard' post match assesment form/template that most clubs use. Also how do you record this info during the game? Is it still pen/pad or do you use dictaphone or similar? Also if colchester are playing say Oldham away, do you only scout Oldham home games?

2) Have you ever been asked to scout a player who after watching him you didn't think was good enough (or at least you didn't reccomend him) and he's now playing at a high level?  

3) When you go watch The Grecians let me know what you think of them, i'm an Exeter exile.

4) What's the furtherst you've travelled before being told 'game's off' and do you think there should be a winter break?

5) What did you make of the BBC coverage of The Championship to div 2 e,g the saturday night show.
Thx in advance for any anwsers.

can you post an example report you might compile?

Lolz

And there was I preaching about football to OP in another thread.

Did you work under John Ward at Chelt?

I got into by chance, a friend from Uni worked for Cheltenham at the time (he literally turned up at a reserve game and said can I do some matches for you) rang me out of the blue 1 year or so after I'd finished Uni and said they needed someone in the North.  I did some trial games and it went from there, thats was feb-mar '06, 3 months later they made the play-off final at Cardiff and beat Grimsby 1-0.

28 mate, I played to an 'ok' standard, but got a bad knee injury at 19 and was never the same.  :D

It doesnt pay particularly well, I am not full-time, I get expenses and a small retainer, I if was doing it purely for the £, I wouldn't be doing it put it like that.

It could lead anywhere really, but I'd need to do more advanced coaching courses which I want to do, but are not immeadiate plans.

perks?  umm, free tickets, meeting faces off the TV, free food at most grounds!  :D

Not sure which Weds game i'll be going to, possible V Bury (CC), 10th Aug, or the 1st home game.

Inside tips, not really, I wouldnt bet on Colchester out of principle, and to be honest with not seeing them much, its still a 'normal' bet in terms of expectation.

During the summer, not much!  No, WC games are enjoyment only, not scouting done.

Watching weds will purely be on this seasons early games, lots of new signings so pointless looking at a game from last seaosn.

fave ground, umm, i'm on around the 50 number grounds wise, most of the ones I havent been to are obviously the further ones away.  Although I have done Yeovil, Orient, Brentford all there and back in a day.  Huddersfield is nice, Swansea you get a proper meal before the game, so there!  :D

1. Thats about it info wise, Colchester use a system/website called scout 7 where I login, fill the online templates in, and the club have the info straight away.  I think its costs them approx 15k a season for this software, its also taops into EVERY player report done by anyone with scout 7, some high up names write the most basic things put it like that.

2.  I cant think of any obv ones at the mo, will think.

3.  I saw exteter at Tranmere in April, Tisdale loves his continental formations!

4.  Ive been sat in the car park at Doncaster & Acc Stanley when games have been called off.  Stanley was 'on' when I arrived, Doncaster was called off before I'd get past Manchester.  [ ]  Had 5Live on.

5.  I though it was great, ok the budget limits the show, but any football is good in eyes.  :)

+1

yes mate, and with John at Carlisle, then when he joined Aidy Boothroyd as assistant lats September, moved with him again.  I did one off games for Bristol Rovers and Stockport at the start of last season too.  He's a good guy John, he's not the all singing all dancing manager some ppl like, but boy does he know the game at a lower level.

Really looking forward to reading this Dwayne.

Does John Ward ever ring you up for a chat about anything you have put in your scouting report?

Is it easy watching a match and having to purely concentrate on one side, or do you find yourself drifting off and just enjoying the game sometimes?

If you spot a young player who you think has huge potential do you inform your team or just keep an eye on his progress?

I wouldnt make Bradford the faves for the League like they are, but the leagues are so open, first 10 games are always key, get some momentum and its xmas before you know it with 50 points.

I like the look of Chesterfields signings at a glance.

Fairly uninteresting point about Bradford, 1st time I went there my sat nav showed up the roundabouts by the ground and I got disasterous lost even with the ground in site!

Rarely will I speak to John, I deal 95% of the time with the chief scout.

Drifting off and checking other scores on my phone is far from uncommon.  :D

Unless the young player is from a league or two below its highly unlikely a league 1 club will ever sign another youngster from a league 1 club, so not really, unless of course they may be looking to swicth clubs for whatever reason.

Excellent manager in lower leagues as you said, a bit like Gary Johnson but not so chopsy.

Ward done a great job for both Bristol clubs, I wish him and all his management team well.

This thread will be very interesting, nice one!

Liking the looks of this thread, should be a cracker. Good Luck with it Chip.

Really looking to forward to this thread as a football geek myself.

Good luck with the thread m8.

I don't really care much about football unless it's a team I'm really interested in.  But you've put a new twist on it with this diary and already I'm enjoying it.

Omg what an ace job, your my new hero can't wait to read this! GL with this season mate

I cannot think of anything worse than watching lower league stuff all the time and travelling around the country. You must reaaally love footy!

Good luck with the season.

Best job in the world if you love football well for me it is anyway. The dream is to become world scout for boro!

It sounds great, but I bet chip gets bored as fuk and sick of driving. The quality is gash and if you have a family its worse. Not having a go at all just props to anyone that does it for the love of the game.

Good luck with this Dwayne, looking forward to it.

Few questions.

What is the best game you have seen whilst scouting?

Who do you support? And have you had to scout a game that involved them? If not, and you had to one day do that, would you give a load of false info to try and assist them? :D

Are you related to Michael Owen?

Who were you named after?

What a sick job. Shame you have to watch the most boring team in L1.

Where in Chester are you? I was in Harbledown for a while right near the city centre.

Have you seen any Brighton games in past 3 years? Who has impressed you most?

Favourite stadium for atmosphere outside of the premiership?

Gonna be a good thread!

mate, you need to make sure your on the next Footy Manager.

sort it out.

Are you joking!!! for the kids who never made it as a footballer its the dream job! FACT  You go and watch a football match find an teams weakness and the  weak player then repot back the next day, Then once your report is done the managers team talk and team that plays that day could be based on your report how can you call that boring???
i live in the same village as john Hendrie and he is a football agent and ever time i see him i always want to asked him for a job but i never dare

Right

Have you ever watched a match and made a tip on a player and after your tip he was signed??

How would some one off the street get into this job? is it a job where you have to be in a magic circle or know some body?

Could you make a living off the pay or do you need 2 jobs?

Can you quit and i have your job?

Were you at carlisle when they picked up Tom Taiwo, When he left chelsea i try to tip Bradford off but on one replay to my e mail (twats) is he a good player?

It's not a dream job because he gets little more than expenses so you have to work at something else to pay bills (A dream job is both good pay and fun to do). The travelling must be really long and time consuming, you get in really late, see you wife/gf kids alot less if you out virtually 3-4 nights a week. I didn't actually say it was boring did I? what i am saying it it sounds more glamorous than I bet chip actually finds it and that you really must love the game alot to do it at the lower league level (where pay is fukall).  Writing the reports and scouting teams sounds cool yeah, again I never called it boring.

I guess it takes alot of skills to properly assess players and teams to a certain standard and write about it so it can be used by managers and coaches, that must be really exciting.

I am really looking forward to  most of my questions have been covered really just a few more,

Much is the highest and lowest earner at Colchester first team?

Any kids on the books from N Ireland?

Do youse have a feeder club to bring the kids through?

Good luck.

Sorry 1 more 

Whats the next step? can you get onto the coaching staff asstent managers job from this??

what an amazing job!!  sounds brilliant!!  Really looking forward to this!

Jus lying on sofa on phone, will answer all later if I get on comp, may be tomorrow.

Few questions for you mate:

1) How did you get into scouting?

2) Do you get paid a lot?

3) What could you go on to do from this? Coaching?

Plz answer tonight.

Adore this thread alread, unsurprisingly


Dream job plus geekdom alert=bookmarking!

yeah hurry up, just because you have answered this already we want to know again and NOW!

just a quick one from me, could you please tell us all how much money you earn, i know its normally rude to ask but seen as everybody else has asked i really want to know the exact money you are on, including any pension benefits and sick pay provided by your employer.

ty for doing this.

hahaahaha A+

Who was the best Leeds player you saw last season?

Can Billy Paynter make it as a 1st choice championship striker?

Looking forward to reading this thread

Cheers

I'm gonna be pretty useless on this one to be honest.

Lowest/highest earner.  No idea, i'm not privy to that info.

Youngsters, again I not clued up on that side of things, I could certainly find out in there are any youngsters from NI, but again thats all done by academy, which is seperate top what I do.

I saw Billy in April against you, when they deservedly beat you 3-0, and he got 2.  He played above himself that day, confidence sky high at the time, goals galore from everywhere.  He is decent certainly capable of good things, I could be wrong, but he's had very inconsistent spells through his career where he's flattered to deceive.  Not his last chance, but if he 'wants it', hes gotta grab this chance.

best pie?

my fave was at blackburn, it was incred.

Harbledown's in Canterbury, not Chester!!

Good questions though.

I could lie and say loads, but in simple terms, no.

I will go and watch a player only really after the club has seen something they like/heard off someone respected.  Me, along with 1/2 others will watch them in seperate games, form and opinion and give feedback.  In fact sometimes it can be difficult to say 'no thanks' on a player.  The easy option is to say 'did ok, watch him again', which is often true, but sometimes you have to say no good if thats what you've seen on 90 minutes, not of the pre-conception you have of a player you've seen on tv, heard he has a great left foot etc.  Its about fact mainly, sure through a little opinion in a teams strengths/weaknesses, but what you are watching is fact, ''can he come inside, can he look up in tight spots, can he organise his right back better than himself''.

A lower league player I went to watch last season, 3 times I went to watch him and his team-mate, each time I thought, get him in League 1 now, 18 months time he'll be in the Championship I thought.   Joe Bloggs from the club goes to watch him, ''worst League player I've been recommended to watch in a long time''.

Fair enough.  End of season he moves to a Champ side for 200k+.  Thats the way it goes sometimes, perhaps he played like a donkey on that day.  Signing players is perhaps more opinion than team assessments, the facts are still there, but the variance of seeing a player solely play 90mins are there.  watch him 10 times, highly likely your opinion will be more accurate.

lol, gonna say, Ive never heard of it!

Lasange @ Swansea.  ;)

Pie, umm, rarely have to be honest, not for wanting tho.  Chicken Balti at Oldham I remember fondly.

Thought he meant Handbridge or Hawarden or something like that.

Have you ever been mistaken for Matthew Stevens?

FML

i lived in canterbury thats why i got confused, ill find the place in chester lmao

handbridge!

also, you didn't answer my Q's!

Balti pies at Villa are pretty good as well.

Hollands pies at Burnley FTW !!

Chip butties at Hillsborough used to be the nuts, they were shit this season though.

Chipprince - do you have a second income then based on what you are saying and what is it/how do you juggle it?

Not quite sure what you mean by the Bolded piece, I watch different teams every week.

I lived in Westminseter Park which is walking distance from handbridge for 18 months, then last Nov I brought a house in Upton, by the zoo.

I saw Brighton at Hartlepool on easter Monday.  Harlepool won 2-0 and Poyet spat his dummy big style, boy does he love a sarcstic applause at the officials.  I think that day will live with him when planning for this season, Lee Hendrie started that day, tried to nutmeg a 6' 4'' CB, clack, sub please.  You can play your way out of League 1, but you've certainly got to be up for the fight too.  Might be a couple there who dont fancy cold midweek trips down to Yeovil, should be certs for top 10 though.

Satdium, Huddersfield in League 1.

Umm, sorry, lost me here.   ;ashamed;

Oh also, where abouts do you sit? Do you have to sit in the away end/press area/near the dugout etc?

Do the teams you visit do anything to make your job harder, ie put you somewhere with a restricted view to stop you scouting their players?

Hi


Have you seen much of Barnet's ex player Albert Adomah ?

cheers

I work as a product designer for a company that makes childrens playground equipment, mon-fri 9-5.

The scouting is obviously every saturday, then most weeks a midweek game, Prem reserve game, league fixtures etc.  On some occassions I will do 3 games a week, but only rarely.  I'd say I average 7 games a month.  With midweeks I am a bit restricted travelling wise, last season Leeds was about the outside edge of distance I could make, this season probably Wednesday.


You usually get the best seats at the ground, right behind the dugout smack bang on the halfway line, some grounds your with press who tend to be at the back, for obvious reasons, eg logistics of all there equipment.  Some, like Scunthorpe your in with the home fans, literally anywhere.  Some like Huddersfield your in the directors box, never forget your tie there!

Restricted views no, all clubs do let you have 2 tickets, but a small % do charge for the 2nd one...!

I saw Barnet at Acc Stanley in the FA cup in Nov, 2-2.  I'll be perfectly honest, I cannot really recall how he played, signed for B. City hasn't he?  Tribunal fee?

Yep

They want £400,000, so they will probably end up with £250k.

He is a big lad 6ft 2', winger who plays either side and sounds quite a prospect, youngish still.

Also just signed Cisse for Reading, another big lump.

Thanks for the answers.. Hudders is a pretty nice ground, our new one will be similar. I found Reading and Derbys to be better though.

Sorry the boring comment referred to Colchesters hoof style, but then realised i got mixed up!

What has been the best chant you have heard at a game?

Aidy Boothroyd has that reputation, and with Platt & Odejayi up front its probably true to an extent.

Saw a pic of you somewhere, you looked like Matthew Stevens IMO in that pic.

Anyway i think someone already asked but dont know if you answered , who do you support...... Is it Liverpool , i was under the impression it was.

Yes mate its Liverpool, growing up in North Wales everyone either supports Liverpool, Everton or Utd.   I did go and watch Wrexham a lot when I was younger and kind of suppported both.  I don't really get to see either now, I only went to 2 Liverpool games last season.

so how does this work, is it a reciprocal agreement between clubs to let a certain number of scouts from other clubs into each match?

Yeah thats about it.  rarely will I be going to a game thats sold out, but some clubs do 'cap' the number for each game, but id say on average there is only 15-20 at each game I go to.  I find out wed/thu which game i'll be at for definate, someone from the club books the tickets and I pick them up at the ground, usually from reception or the press aisle at ticket offices.

Don't you ever get "game fatigue"? I struggle to sit through all the WC matches...how much of a struggle is it to show up for 7 league 1 or 2 games a month?

lol, not really.  i think you have to absorb yourself in it, its kind of irrelevant if the game is good/poor, if its 0-0 you can highlight why its 0-0, why is no goals, good defences, poor attackers, combo of both etc.  If its 3-3 the opposite.

Some days theres lots to write, some you really do struggle.

 ;indestructable;

Thread has potential, gl.

I didn't know you had this job Dwayne.

Lucky man and potential to be epic thread.

juuuuuune, living for and watching all the WC matches has been incred!!

lol..I love good footie but bad footie (Greece etc) makes me want to slit my wrists..

don't get me wrong, I'd trade jobs with Chippy every day of the week but I reckon you really have to love it as you'll be watching plenty terrible games.

best game is a tough one, think 5-2 is the most goals.  Fave was probs watching Liverpool reserves at Many city res about 18 months ago.  City res normally play at sportcity too, on a small athletics track behind the main stadium, but for whatever reason they played in the main grouns this game.  Only 300 odd fans in a 50k ground, then just before kick off, Benitez, Sammy Lee and a couple of others turn up and sit the row behind me, could hear all they were saying, most in Spanish though.  As a Liverpool fan, that was enjoyable.  :)

Not related to Michael Owen im afraid.

Mum tells me I was named after a name she saw in the credits of a cowboy film when she was pregnant.  :D

A bit of a sorta random question, Have you ever watched Bashley FC or do you know much about them, Standard of league and level?

Just a friend of mine that i used to play with is playing for them now and is on decent money for being part time.

How much money exactly, what kind of pension benefits does he get.

No sorry, conference north/south would usually be the lowest, but ive probs only seen 10-15 non league games in the last 4-5 seasons.

If you would like somebody to attend a game or two in the north (anywhere near Leeds) give me a shout, you can provide feedback on the team I will do the same on the pies.

I know Bashley as they are in the same League as the team I am involved with, Southern League Premier/Zamaretto.

Near Southampton they are essentially a village team that has had Chairman investment on and off the field to rise to this level. I'd compare them to say a Histon who were a tiny team that got to the Conference over 5 years with a similar profile

They were competitve last year and with Farnborough and Nuneaton out of the league into Conf South should be right up there this season having signed the likes of Mark Gamble who is a proven scorer at this level.

Dwayne how much do u get paid??

Mark is the very lad i was talking about went to Uni in Southampton, I think he was at Farnborough smashing player very strong and quick and always will score goals.

No pre-season games this week for me, fixtures not really relevant just yet, or to far away distance wise.

Not sure about sat yet, but should def have one from sat 24th onwards, then League on 7th, will all be here very soon.

Players to look out for in League one this season?
Who do you think will go up and down and where will Colchester finish?

Should be a good read. Having held a season ticket at Pittodrie for a number of seasons I can empathise with going to watch shockingly bad football most weekends.

PS. How much do you get paid?

Players, umm, like a lot Weds signings, how can Mellor & Morrison not score goals in League 1?  Injury is the only reason I guess.

Southampton obv the faves, no surprises there, certainly dont think they'll have it their own way, wouldn't be surprised to see Pardew not lasting the season either.

Peterborough have lots of good players at this level, think they'll score a lot of goals.

Swindon have just signed a player a seasons loan from City, David Ball, could get a few.  They've lost Greer though, probs in the top 3 CB's in the League last year.

Plymouth I really dont know much about, and doubt I'll be seeing too much of them.  :D

Oldham I think will struggle, Dickov could implode, and the squad is not great anyway.

Colchesters aim is the same as 75% of the teams, Play-offs, top 10 a must.

Sick job,good read

PS I've been to a few grounds and Villa do the best food imo

I've only been to Villa once, and that was as a fan.

All this is completely from memory, but I think it was 18th December 2004.  Worthington Cup tie, Liverpool 4-3 after extra time, it was absolutely freezing, the game didn't kick off until 9, can't remeber if it was floodlight failure, and something else, but some sort of problem in the ground.

Remember Baros getting at least one, Murphy as well maybe.  Finished about 11.30, and got back to North Wales about 2.30.

Good times.  :)

Have you seen anything of John O'Flynn from Barnet? I think Colchester were looking at him at one time.

I think clubs are linked with 100's of players constantly, I would reckon at any one time the club has a list of 200+ players and the relevant situation they find themselves at a club.  Lots of the time the background of players is important, what they're like off the field etc, personality.  When your generally making free signings this is as, if not more important, than on-field ability, as lots of lower league players are much of a muchness.

Excuse going off on a tangent, O'Flynn turned down a move to Shrewsbury last season didnt he?  Think League 2 is around his level, reasonable goal tally, but not sure how many were PENS.

Not sure about Shrews, but he is on trial with Bristol city in Sweden at the moment.

I don't think he will make the step-up, I watched high-lights of Adomah play yesterday as well he looks a possible to make the grade.

Villa Park is my favourite ground as it's where I seen my first win after going to about thirty odd away games.Incred day we had Babayaro sent off and held on to win 2-1.

yeah just looked, 100k to Shrews.  Is he out of contract?  be suprised if he jumps 2 divisons, Adomah's pace makes the jump a lot easier.

Bit of an off the wall question but are scouts bound by an exclusivity ie. can they only provide the info they provide to their clubs or could they (and would they) be able to give the same info to someone else that paid them??

In theory there is probably no reason why I, or anyone, couldn't give out info except for respect/decency/honesty etc.  I have all the info on my computer from loads of games/players, I am not contracted, and have never 'signed' anything so there isn't really.

I don't know of, but I pretty much expect people do dish out info left right and centre, probably on the phone more than email etc, think a lot of the older generation (of which most are, I'd say the average age is about 60!), probably dont write up/log anything on a computer post-match, it will simply be a phone call to the club the next day after the match.  Most clubs are moving towards systems like Scout 7 though.

So, my season starts tomorrow.  Fleetwood V Inverness Caley Thistle.  Never been to Fleetwood, its about 80 miles for me so not too bad. Just been looking at the ground, its called Highgbury no less!

Alan Wright plays for Fleetwood, and by all accounts was different gravy in the Conf North last season, through which Fleetwood won promotion via the play-offs.  They're relatively big spenders at this level, and had 2,000+ for some important games last season.  They're getting ready for the conference so a big game for them, getting set.

If you feel like downloading they're latest news, they've a Codcast...!

Are you going to eye up Alan Wright then?? or whats the point for your trip?

lol, I don't think Colchester need a 41 year old 5' 2'' left back.  :)

It's just to have a look what's about, couple of players etc, nothing major, perhaps tick a few yes/no boxes and go from there

Joined Exeter today, will get 10 goals, no more, no less

Finished 2-1 on saturday, was a little late getting there, but did manage my usual walk around the whole ground if its a new one to me.  You can't see much of the ground to be honest, its surrounded by houses.  They're building a new £4m stand on one stand, which will bring them up to League standard.  They've signed Ian Craney in the summer and he was decent on saturday, I wouldnt like to guess what £ he is on, a lot for non-league I'd imagine.  Alan Wright played the 1st half, they have numerous ex-league players playing, Mark Beesley & Wayne Curtis played as trialists.

Invervess CT were poor, Butcher said so.  They didn't have names on their shirts which was a little awkward as I don't know a great deal about them, couple of foreign looking chaps (trialists?) who didn't really fancy a dull day on the Fylde coast by all accounts.  Big CB, skinhead kept tripping over his own feet and bellowing in a rather scary Scottish accent was bizarrely moved to RB in the 2nd half.

Not sure how much of it was their 1st team though.  A bizarre 'Cod-like' mascot watched on.

Probably Ross Tokely, horrible footballer.

Altrincham V Macclesfield tonight, another new ground, clocking up the BSP grounds fast!

Finished 2-1 to macclesfield last night, was surprised there was quite a difference between the sides, Macc much better, didn't think there would be a lot between them.

Was a really nice summer evening, love games on summer nights, remember I always used to look forward to April time when I played, when you had like 12 fixtures left to fit in between start of April and mid-May because of all the postponments, when you sometimes went a month without a fixture Jan/Feb time.  tue/thu/sat every week for 5 weeks, great stuff!

Got to ask and I'm sure you've probably answered it before but from your signature, what does RIP- TheChipPrince - $17,165 mean?

tyia

lol, when blonde cardroom (ipoker) snuffed it, thats what my sharkscope was...  God bless Ipoker.  :D

ah,

nice going though, not to shabby :)

Fleetwood are owned by a geezer that plays poker at Blackpool.

He's got a few quid and is prepared to apend it on making the Football League.

Just received confirmation for the 1st League game tomorrow, Sheffield Wednesday V Dagenham & Redbridge.  Whod've thought that would be a league fixture a few years ago?

I have never been to Hillsborough before so always look forward to new grounds, would love to do the 92, but to be honest its highly unlikely I ever will, being based in Chester I would need to at least 20+ 350 mile+ round trips to do all the ones down south, will proabaly get stuck around the 60-65 mark eventually when I do get to all the grounds within a 100 miles or so.

Being a Liverpool fan also want to have a wander around Hillsborough pre-game.  I don't quite recall the disaster in 1989, but obviously I know all about it.

Free buffet would also be nice too please.  :D

You will love it, the theater of dreams, a place where magic happens.

Well, the chip butties are nice

It's funny how things work out. The first competitive game of the thread will be at the home of football. Enjoy.

I loved it the last time i was there  ;)

I did give you the tip last season Dwayne!


Peterborough United sign winger Lee Tomlin

Lee Tomlin

Tomlin can play upfront or as a winger

Peterborough United have signed winger Lee Tomlin from Rushden & Diamonds for an undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old has been registered in time to feature in Gary Johnson's squad for the League One opener against Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

Tomlin joined the Diamonds from the Leicester City academy in 2005 and went on to play 162 games at Nene Park.

Posh boss Gary Johnson told the club's website: "We have pulled off a bit of a coup to get him here."

I know!

Unfortunately even then he was well out of the price range, which albeit, was not that much.

Definately the strongest League 18 I've seen on paper for a long time.

Some photos from staurday.

What did you think of the Owls and their prospects for the season Dwayne?

I always found this on the toilet wall!  :D

Good. Very good I'd guess, if there isn't success then someone's getting the sack.

Very difficult to see any weak areas.  Spurr played well at LB, Purse will just shove anyone out the way in this league, and cry when he has to turn and run.  

Weaver?  Not 100% convinced, but didn't have much to do on sat.

Tudgay I like, Coke did well.  Sedgwick needs games by the look of it, Irvine knows him from previous though so should be fine.

I don't by into all this clapping/gesturing of Clinton Morrison, seems fake to me.  

Key man?  O'Connor I'd say.

What was the att?

23 and change I think.

Where I've put the arrow was, I think, where tango man (who Sherriff mentioned in another thread) was sat.

He spent most of the 1st half down at the front facing the crowd, leading the chants.  :D

Nice report Chip. Hopefully Weaver is just match rusty and can get back to form. He was good for us on loan when we had him a few years back.
Don't rate Purse but watching Leeds last year i can imagine him being similar to Naylor.

What was the thing with Morrison? Fans clapping him or him clapping fans?

Imagine the scene, 2-0 up at home V a small side.  Every little pass he receives, in the 10-20 seconds after, say when the ball has gone out for a throw or a goal-kick etc, he claps, jogs to team-mates/high 5's, getures/points etc.

It gets the crowd onside for him, it doesn't look right to me, 'fake'.  Lapping up the applause when subbed etc.

If he thinks he's still billy big-time in League 1 he's in for some shocks come the cold tuesdays in Jan/Feb.  may prove me completely wrong and get 25 goals though.  :)

I much prefer Mellor, someone who'll keep his head down, work hard, not get carried away and score a fair few.

The vast majority of Wednesdayites know Tango is a ****.

Barnsley V Rochdale tonight.

Another new one for me, 4 games so far, 4 new grounds, albeit 2 Conference ones.  I think I only went to 3 new grounds all last season, MK Dons, Accrington Stanley & Morecambe, so i've been treated so far.  :D

Do you get car park passes as well as comp tickets?

what other perks does the job come with? half time refreshments? free programme?


lol geek alert.

Yeah get parking at most grounds, only grounds Ive ever paid at are Leeds (Ken mfkin Bates) and Millmoor a couple of years ago.  I'm a tightarse though and if somewhere doesn't offer parking I will find street parking.

Free programme at around half the places, team sheet everywhere.

Half-time refreshments at everywhere I think, most places just a hot drink, some, like Wednesday on sat It was sandwiches or/and soup as I was in the guest lounge, and seats were in the directors box.

You get a meal at Swansea, worth the drive alone! :D

On parking, for tonight i'm told theres a little old lady who will make you buy a draw ticket before letting you park.  :D

In turn she'll sort you out with a quick-getaway space. :)

I was at Walsall/Leicester at the Bescot two years ago season in a directors box seat (brag)

The list of scouts watching the game ran to two sides of A4..from most championship and league one sides, plus a few Prem. Mostly scouts, some managers. Lambert was there for example.


Obviously future opponents will be scouting both teams, some will be there watching a particular player....


In your experience for a typical L1 game how many fellow scouts would you see there?

Is there a fraternity of scouts? Active comparing of notes or is it very secretive where you need to guess why so and so is there and who they are watching?

In a league 1 game I would normally see 15-20.  I generally recognise faces, and would recognise maybe 2/3 a game, but I know few to talk too.  Theres one other young chap who I see regulalryl but dont know who he works for, we always exchange a polite hello and if we're on some kind of crusade to lower the average age of scouts, which is about 60.

A lot of the older guys know everyone bar me it seems at lots of games, but I generally keep myself to myself.  Assessment wise I much prefer to go by myself even though I get 2 tickets if needed, far easier to really watch the games finer details if you havent got someone chatting away.  On the flip its nice to have another opinion there.  Except when I take my girlfriend who's more interested on what the half-time refreshments will be and if she'll get a padded seat.  She also likes going to Crewe, as theres always a flock of birds that circles the ground which she watches for most of the game.  Took he to a 3-3 draw there, 1 goal she saw. lol

I wouldn't say its secretive, most are there scribbling away, the odd one has a dictaphone.

Some I think, well know, simple go for a natter with old friends.

Back from Barnsley an hour ago, awful news about Adam Stansfield.  Pretty poor there's nothing on SSN imo, 31, jeez.

RIP

RIP

RIP, saw him play for Exeter a couple of times and rated him for the level he was playing at.

Some pics from last night.  Gordon McQueen there last night, works for Middlesborough these days.

I'm dreading hearing the report of the game as, by all accounts, we were awful.

Heard lots of good things about Rochdale though, especially the centre half pairing (one rumoured to be off to Burnley for c£1m).

Also, you must have been sat fairly close to the guy who does Celebrity Monkey at each game.  I'm surprised he sees any of the match doing this (although that wouldn't have been a bad thing on Tuesday) but he's been doing these for well over a season now.

Link to his Rochdale report below.  Probably very similar to yours I guess!

http://www.barnsleyfc.org.uk/bbs/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=172868&mid=1181380#M1181380 (http://www.barnsleyfc.org.uk/bbs/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=172868&mid=1181380#M1181380)

Not sure he wants everyone to know but (who cares) Mr Chip became a daddy today Thursday 12th Aug 2010 to a baby boy Braydan..

Congrats Bud, im sure you will want matches gallore now, u might be able to kip in the Car...

 :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: ;mexicanwave; :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Great news, Congratulations Dwayne, best wishes to all three of you

congrats mate.

Congratulations!

tyty all, I couldnt be happier to let everyone now believe me, im just not the spalash it all over Facebook kind of guy.  :D

Dont know when my next game is, but by a week tmorrow i'll be glad to get out the house I imagine.  :)

grats

Congratulations.   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Congrats Daddy Dwayne.

And thread definately delivers.

Geo

Congrats!

well done you old dog, nudge nudge, wink wink, knew you had it in you, cigars all round, so you're not gay, knew you werent a Jaffa, he'll be playing for Liverpool one day

and other generic blokey well done messages

this. nice one Dwayne.

ty all again.  Sherrif, Barnsley was a funny one for me, me and my girlfriend knew we were booked in for thursday so I had to get the all clear off her for tuesday.  :D

I think I'll remeber my 1st visit to Oakwell, lets just say it was a thoughful drive over the Woodhead pass.  As for the game, Barnsley were poor really, I cant see Dickinson being good enough for the Champ, is it Andy Gray past it?  If so you need a frontman I think.  Hume obviously will never be the same, racehorse with a broken leg etc...

Dawson for them is good yeah, Hammill was most lively for you, big year for him I think, in 18 months he could be playing League 2 football or Prem, its his choice, needs to buck up his ideas I think, not sure who Butterfield or Lovre are for you, but they were both poor.

As for Sheffield Wednesday last sat, my girlfriend came with me, so its fair to say my little boy has probs been to more Owls games than Shoelace already!  :D

So your son is a Wednesdayite? Even happier for you now.

 ;nemesis;

congrats m8!

Last saturday off today and back on it from tuesday.  Colchester away to Rochdale today who I saw at Barnsley last tuesday.  2 draws from 2 so far, need to start turning these into wins.

Just seen this, congrats mate.

Had the pleasure of attending 2 non-league games over the last week.  All the relative assessments needed seem to be teams down south, or northern teams playing away down south.  Think the next 3/4 fixtures are Walsall, Plymouth, Southampton, then Tranmere (they were at Dag & Red on sat), so we have some guys down south save me doing a monster round trip.  *Awaits the 1st one of the season*

I'll set the line at 0.5 to people who've been to this ground  :)

Bernard Manning is an honourary life member here too...!

Its Radcliffe Borough v Skelmersdale Utd, last tuesday night, 24th Aug.

A new line for this one, how many people have even been to a League of wales game?!  We'll go 2.5 for this one :D

This was Newtown v Prestatyn Town on saturday, the 28th Aug.

The LoW is about Blue Sq North/South standard, crowds and facilities are about the same too.  I'm not sure how they can take steps to improve the league etc?  Theyve split it into a 12 league thing this year, like Scotland, splitting near the end, not sure how this will go.

Just looked on this article on the Welsh Premier website coincidentally.

http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/2547-davies-braced-for-scouts-influx


Wolves have signed a young 17 year old lad from Airbus after he scored against them in a pre-season friendly so there is the odd one there.  Lee Trundle has gone full circle and is now back playing and scoring for Neath (he had offers from league 1 clubs, but loves being the big fish in a small pond).  Lots of ex-Wrexham/Cardiff/Swans players end up here too.

Watched the highlights on Sgorio (Welsh match of the day type thing) does that count?  I think this was the featured game.  One of the keepers was somewhat portly but pulled off one or two decent saves.

lol yeah, Prestatyn keeper, think he was a former hockey goal minder at a decent level.  Theyve been promoted up the leagues the last couple of years and hes been right through the divisions with them.  he is decent for his size tho.  :D

Back to League action on saturday, but only to one of the closest grounds for me, Tranmere.  Tranmere V Peterborough had the ingredients of an away goal glut, Tranmere are not a particularly strong League 1 side, in fact I think they're certs for a bottom 6 finish at least.  Peterborough were the only team I had a tickle on pre-season in League 1 at Sat was the first time I'd seen them this year.

Unfortunately football matches aren't won on paper are we wouldn't bother going.  Tranmere had several old school lower league players out injured, Alan Mahon, Marlon Broomes, Paul McLaren, John Welsh, and a few more too. 

The 'Mac/Mc attack' for P'Boro was poor on sat, Aaron McLean, who I exchanged a couple of PM's with Chompy over the 25/1 on offer for t/scorer pre-season was poor, very por, offered nothing, so much so that Johnson took him off at 0-1 down with 20mins to go for a CM player.

This wont mean much to most but after an early injury he played 3 up top, Mackail-Smith/McLean/Hibbert (who'd come on as an early sun for Davies), he played M-Smith centrally, Hibbert wide left, McLean wide right.  V V strange for me, Hibbert is a target man, and McLean has anything but savvy to get back in a 4-5-1 when out of possession.  M-Smith would have been my least likely to play through the centre V Tranmere with their 2 6'4'' CB's.

Leeds fans, the young lad on loan from you darville did well for Tranmere too.

Anyway...  Colchester had a decent away win at Walsall and are now 5th, having won/drawn 3 and only losing to Sunderland in the Carling cup.  Plymouth, Southampton, Tranmere next.

We've drawn Colchester in the (Johnstones Paint??) cup.  Be great to hear if you see any of our games beforehand being a Wycombe fan living in Swansea I don't get much news on the actual games anymore.

Yeah its not til the 1st week in october I think so a while yet.  Having had a quick glance through the fixtures I doubt i'll get to see them, they're down south in all their away games too.

No drama.  From what I've read you seem quite detached from the clubs you scout for, do you know much about the rivalry over the years between the teams or does that sort of stuff not filter out to you?

I suppose I am 'detached' in a way, but when you know the people your working with personnally, and know how hard they work at the club you obviously want them to do well, but you always know that this time next week you could be back on the scrapheap.  :D

I'd be lying if I said I knew too much about the rivalry, although I do know a lot of it stems from non-league times.  Feel free to educate me.  :)

The loan window has now re-opened so for a club in League this is now crucial, the transfer window is a lot less important than at Premier League level, as clubs will buy a lot less players for money, most will be out of contract players of lower league freebies.

I went to watch Wigan Reserves V Sunderland Reserves last tuesday night, you'll see lots of scouts/managers/staff at these.  Last tuesday, all in the 'brew room' pre-game were Gary Speed, Paul Dickov (and his lad who was more bored than most the 150 crowd :D), Roberto Martinez himself, Gordon McQueen, Andy Dibble, Pearson's assistant from Hull who proceeded to tell the whole world and his wife that they were signing Kyle 'X' off spurs, but Spurs wanted 20k a month loan fee.  ''We're doing them a favour for fook sake, giving the lad games, you think they'd let him come over and mark Bellamy on saturday (Hull lost 2-0 at Cardiff on sat)''  Kyle Walker signed for QPR yesterday.

Andy Reid was playing for Sunderland, right little barrel he is now.  Mainly youngsters otherwise, look out for Callum McManaman if he gets a few games for Wigan this year, Steve' cousin, pace and tricks, could be good.

Pearson's assistant? Steve Walsh or Craig Shakespeare Dwayne?

It wasn't Walsh, at the time I thought it must have been Shakespeare, but I've just checked his pic online and I'm now doubting myself if it was him.  If it wasn't him it must have been another member of the staff there, as he certainly knew everything and spent the whole game on his phone in my ear.

Tonight I was scheduled to go to watch Wales u23 v England u23 (semi-pro) at Newtown, but have just had an email saying I may have a change of games, not sure yet.  Here are the squads.


Squad: Lee Idzi (Haverfordwest County), Stephen Cann (Aberystwyth Town); Lee Surman (Port Talbot Town), Michael Johnston (Bangor City), Kyle Critchell (Dorchester United), Rob Williams (Altrincham ), Curtis McDonald (Forest Green Rovers), Michael Pearson (Barrow); Scott Barrow (Tamworth), Craig Jones (The New Saints), James Owen (Barrow), Luke Sherbon (Aberystwyth Town), Ashley Williams (Airbus UK Broughton) Craig Moses (Llanelli AFC); Alex Darlington (The New Saints), Jamie Reed (Bangor City), Jack Christopher (Haverfordwest County), Marc Williams (Kidderminster Harriers).

Stand-by: Craig Williams (Aberystwyth Town), Mike Williams (Kidderminster Harriers), Ryan Edwards (Airbus UK Broughton), Sion Edwards (Bangor City), Drew Fahiya (Port Talbot Town), Chris Jones (Neath FC), Jordan Follows (Llanelli AFC), Luke Bowen (Port Talbot Town).

Meanwhile, England C boss Paul Fairclough has named nine new faces in his squad, with a number of more established names being kept on stand-by.

Squad: Dale Roberts (Rushden & Diamonds), Pat Gambe (Alfreton Town), Sam Hatton (AFC Wimbledon), Aden Flint (Alfreton Town), Kyle McFadzean (Crawley Town), Greg Taylor (Kettering Town), Curtis Osana (Rushden & Diamonds), Danny Rose (Newport County), Charlie Henry (Newport County), Max Porter (Rushden & Diamonds), Steven Gregory (AFC Wimbledon), Jake Howells (Luton Town), Matthew Barnes-Homer (Luton Town), Ben Wright (Crawley Town), Michael Gash (York City), Michael Coulson (Grimsby Town).

Lots of players here worth a look at.

Barnes-Homer and Porter I know and have seen regularly, going to be good. Barnes Homer especially can play up top, out wide, big strong and quick.

got the teamsheet for wigan/sunderland? got a few m,ates who play for sunderland.

Sure, this was the side.

Starting Lineup

1 Carson, Trevor       
2 Bagnall, Liam
3 Adams, Blair
4 Reed, Adam   
5 Kay, Michael       
6 McCartney, George     
7 Luscombe, Nathan       
8 Wilson, Nathan       
9 Noble, Ryan   
10 Cook, Jordan   
11 Reid, Andy       
     

Probably can't rmember but how did Nathan Luscombe play?

How did George McCartney play and did he play full back?

I cant to be honest, If I would have put the pics up a day later like I should have I might have had you asked then...! 

No mate he played in the centre, he may have been  captain, cant remeber to be honest.  Obviously he's not a player we'd be looking at so didnt pay too much attention to him really.  Is he coming back from injury or just completely out the picture?

out the pictur iirc, he just isn't premiership quality imo.

I'm off to google when the last time Andy Reid started a Prem match too, wonder how surprisingly it'll be.

9th Feb, thought it would have longer ago than that.

He was different class when he was at Forest. Just a level above everybody else in the team. Never the fittest though.
Does he still look good despite his weight? Reckon he could still do a job in the Prem?

no doubt he has the talent, just far too overweight, still bringing him on for he last 15 mins of a game I think he can make a difference. good delivery off set pieces etc. Probably more useful when Kenwyne Jones was in the team.

different class at charlton too, def one of the best we've had despite his chubbiness. huge loss when we sold him

yeah he was ok, as you'd expect. Not quite sure he put in 100%, but still had enough in the tank to look decent.  Top off he's probs got a 6-pack, but just looks fat for some reason.  :D

Surprised he's only just turned 28 too.

Confimed I am going to this game now so looking forward to seeing these two.

Completely unrelated, but I see Cardiff have drifted from 2.84 this morning to 3.15, so assume Bells/Chops/Boths are all still out for cardiff tonight Tighty.  You going?

Yes here mate. You never know!

Andy King looks incred, any idea if any prem clubs looking at him? I'm guessing so.

How early?!  Autograph hunter!  :D

Not disappointed with Porter, looks very tidy and did well.

The game itself was decent, really competitve and very worthwhile for all I imagine.  England went in 2-0 at half-time, both their CB's scored from corners at each end of the half.  Wales came back into in the 2nd half and it finished 2-2.

Oh, Barnes-Homer was injured 1st half and came off, but played up top alone before that.

Now this allows me to get on a hobby horse I've been on for two years.


Sensational last night, scoring 2 and lovely finish against Coventry last Saturday

Released from the Chelsea Youth system at 17. Came to us, stormed into first team at 19 when we were horrible under Megson and Holloway. Blossomed under Pearson.

A major talent...has played a lot as the holding midfielder, but also as the playmaker and most recently in the hole behind the one up top in a 4-2-3-1, whereas previously he was one of the "2".

Lacks a bit of pace but has the rest of it..105 appearances, 25 goals...can play but also break play up. Fantastic temperament, hardly ever gets booked. Leicester fans describe him as "the Championships Frank lampard" which isn't as fanciful as it sounds

Rejected the chance to go to Villa just after Delph..preferring to stay rather than spend two years in the reserves as Delph has done

I think he'll be in the Premiership if not in January then in the Summer, assuming we don't get there ourselves 

Going to be a star, only 21 and is almost ready for the step up

oh and those pics..Newport County's ground?

Is King Welsh? They actually have a few players who can trouble England when we play them. Bellamy/Bale, kind of players England are sooo bad at dealing with, fast direct players eg. Ozil in the WC.

My pic above?  It was at Newtown AFC, 10 miles over the border from Shrewsbury, Newtown are an average LOW side but there ground is good for the level there at, its one of only a couple in the LOW to have UEFA accreditation or something of that ilk, so LOW teams mainly play there European ties here or at Wrexham (possibly Llanelli in the south). 

Its a nice 60 mile jaunt for me, straight down the A483 past Wrexham & Oswestry and one I can easily 'do' on midweeks after finishing work at 5.  For sleep deprivavtion reasons (!) midweek games are slightly on the back burner at the mo but last nights was a 'must-see' really, and I was by far the closest to go.

King is from Maidenhead but qualifies for Wales. Part of their very good U21 team with Church and Ramsey etc he recently got into senior squads, and scored on his debut in a friendly.

The Welsh manager, Flynn or whoever...has Ramsey, Collison, Ledley and King to fit in when they are all fit..with Bale out wide and presumably Bellamy the other side. Now if they had some top class defenders....

& a central striker

Wales v Luxembourg was played at Llanelli at the new Scarlets rugby ground. An odd decision, no? when you can go to City of Cardiff, Liberty etc?

Yeah, no idea what the logic behind it was, maybe just to spread the games around?  Think there going to be playing most of there Euro 2012 games at Cardiff's ground as opposed to a 20% full Millenium, Eng game apart.

On the off chance anyone actually likes non-league football, here is a match report off the FAW website.  :D


News - Boyle's Welsh side draw against England
Posted: 14 September 2010

Wales came from two goals behind to gain a good draw against England in the Under 23 semi-profesional friendly at Newtown on Tuesday evening.

Late goals from subs Craig Moses (Llanelli) and Lee Surman (Port Talbot) wiped out England's two goal advantage in a useful friendly in Mid Wales.

Wales 2-2 England

Kyle McFadzean, 2'; Alex Rodman, 45'

Craig Moses, 83'; Lee Surman 87'

England took the lead after just two minutes when their skipper Kyle McFadzean rifled the sweetest of volleys in from the edge of the box, leaving Welsh 'keeper Steven Cann with no chance.

The Welsh were under a lot of pressure from a very talented English side, but they found their way back into the game by slowing the English tempo down.

The visitors scored their second on the stroke of half-time though, which was a real blow as a deflection frim Alex Rodman's strike left Cann with no chance again.

After both sides made changes, Wales got a deserved goal for their efforts, as Scott Barrow came in from the right to beat two defenders and his shot was only parried by Seb Brown into the path of sub Craig Moses who tapped home for his thrid goal in five caps at this level.

Wales then got themselves level even later on, when sub Lee Surman of Port Talbot volleyed in from a half cleared corner following good work by Moses again.

Jack Christopher and Marc Williams both had chances to win it for Wales and Michael Gash also did for England, but it was honours even.

Wales: S. Cann (L. Idzi, 46'); M. Pearson, C.McDonald, M. Johnston (c) (L. Surman), Mike Williams, A. Williams, J. Reed (J. Christopher), C. Jones (C. Moses), L. Sherbon (R. Williams), A. Darlington (Marc Williams), S. Barrow.

England: D. Roberts (S. Brown, 46'), S. Hatton, G. Taylor, A. Flint (B. Saah, 46'), S. Gregory (B. Wright, 46'), K. McFadzean, C. Henry, M. Porter, M. Barnes-Homer, J. Howells, A. Rodman (D. Rose, 46')

Referee: MA Jones (Wrexham)

Assistants: M. Farrington (Newtown), SM Williams (Abergavenny)

4th Official: B. Markham-Jones (Wrexham)

if giggs came out of retirement they could really give qualification a good go imo.


giggs - king - ledley -  bale

bellamy - ramsey

pretty good attacking 6.

Not sure where Collison plays but definitely one for the futre and could probably do a decent job around the "senior pros".

I'm off to the 3rd highest football league ground above sea tomorrow!  Googleless anoraks??

Oldham? Huddersfield? Rochdale? Bury?

Port Vale or Oldham, I forget which

As it's the same division lets go Oldham, and Mr Paul Dickov.

Girgy beats Tighty in 10/1 shocker!

Yeah Oldham v Bournemouth.  Probably one of my least favourite grounds that I go to regularly, parking is a free-for-all, the ground always seems to depress me, always rains and generally seems the most miserable place in Britain!  Also the main stand seats, when designing, I think they forgot to include gangways, the rows must only have access every 40 odd seats, and when the seats are old wooden ones with no leg room its a right pain, your bang in with the home fans here.

One bright spot is where you pick the tickets up from, a very elderly gentleman always hands the programme and team-sheet out, he must be at least 90, always smartly dressed, he may even have a war medal or two on his blazer, i'll check tomorrow.  I always wonder how many games he's actually seen at Oldham.

Wasnt hard tbh! Well its close to the highest motorway in the UK the M62 at saddleworth ;)

I think Port Vale is the 2nd highest behind West Brom.

I have never liked boundary park either, pretty sure it must be in the arctic circle.

The elderly gentleman was not there on saturday, hope he's well.  :(

The game itself was not much more inspiring, plenty of guts as you'd expect off Dickov's team, but low on quality overall, they did very well to win after being 0-1 down though.

The pictures are dark, the day was as drab as predicted.  :D

On the one of the left hand goal you can see the fire damage caused by local kids appartently a few weeks ago.

Alos after moaning about seating, I got the end of row seat, happy days.  :)

What did you think of Chris Taylor the Oldham Winger?


I thought, when I saw him that he was a real talent, and surprised he hadn't got a move higher yet?

oh, and Josh McQuoid while you are at it of Bournemouth. Hearing a lot of noises about him

18 months I agreed, not now I dont think, he's missed the boat I suspect.  I've seen a lot of Oldham, 12-15 times over the last 2 years and he's right footed, but always plays on the left, I mean always, never even has 10 minutes on the right for different ideas.  He's one of their better players, but goes for periods too long without doing anything.  He didn't do much at all on sat.

He played as the central striker on sat, I know they have Symes injured and have just lost Pitman so are desperately short here.  A central striker he is not, and was bullied out the game on sat by a big bruiser of a CB on loan from Sunderland M'Voto.  1st time I've seen him, not sure where he normally plays in midfield?

Also, Bournemouth's regular right back these, Lee Bradbury, I mean wtf happened there?!?!?

Chip got another question for you.
Was talking to my housemate (who is playing FM while i work) about scouts. I remembered that when i lived in Holland that there was a lad at my school who was out there as his Dad was a football scout.
His Dad was stationed out there permanently and scouted Holland, Belgium, Germany and probably more.
This was probably 10 years ago. He was a scout for a Prem team but not a top one. Maybe Coventry.

Would this happen these days? Was that early prem days money being spent and now cost cutting means people go on specific scouting trips?
I am assuming it was his only job, does that sound realistic?

Is the head scout of top clubs in the clubs home country and thats where all scout reports would go or are they still "active" even when they reach the top?

McQuoid generally plays wide, but presumably needs must at the mo


Lee Bradbury? Liked pies, liked pints..a wasted talent

I meant more about him now being a right back!!

I read somewhere that Chelsea have 68 full-time scouts around the world, but I think most if not all the top clubs have someone in every worthwhile country.  The chap that I work with at Colchester worked with John Ward under Dave Jones at Wolves and did a couple of Euro games, fly over, catchmaybe a sat & sun game then fly back, 1 night stay.  I think then, this was the season they won promotion to the Prem, 03/04 without checking he said they had 15 scouts, 4 full-time, although he said that was just before the technology caught on, which Prem clubs use mostly now, video footage etc.

I really don't know how 'active' the main Prem guys are, very I'd Imagine.  I know the chap at Colchester catches at least 4 games a week, all levels & lots of reserve games.  I think 154 games in a season he said is the most he's done, but usually 120-130.

Did Joe Colbeck feature for Oldham? If so what did I think of his performance?

How did Rhoys Wiggins (Bournemouth LB) play?

He never really got a shot at Norwich, but deffo got the impression he was doing the business at Bournemouth.

No mate, he moved to Hereford Utd in the summer.

He did well, and scored their goal.  An inswinging free-kick from out left, not 100% convinced he intended but it picked out the top corner like a dream.

I think I saw Chompy got +32 on them on the seaons handicap, real shame they literally have no strikers at the mo, they're a useful side.

oldham are a completely different team from last season, they're still not particularly good but at least dickov's got them trying to play football though you can see he's been coaching them at times as they can get very physical. all much better than last year when they were probs the most boring team in the league, happy to park the bus and play for a point away from home.

if chris taylor played against us then I can't say he impressed as I don't remember them having a winger that stood out

Shows how much I get time to keep up with football these days!!

and thats just Gregan jogging up and down the touchline!  :D

Bradford's 3 most important players this season Girgy please?

They are all injured mate! I'd say ramsden, Flynn and hanson!

We got an inexperienced keeper and no out and out striker!! Hendrie is a good coup but he's only on a short term deal!

I saw Lee Hendre playing for Brighton back end of last season at Hartlepool, seemed to think that day he has some divine right not to be tackled, gl!! :D

Is a full time scouting job the dream or is coaching where you really want to go?

there isn't a lot of money bring a full-time scout for a league 1/championship club, relative to what you might think, ~30k a year maybe, plus a car...  Nothing to be baulked at I know, but a fraction of player wages.

I need to get more coaching badges really, just so I've got a stronger cv etc...  Really don't know if I'll ever do it full-time, big step...

What level you at with your coaching m8?

Ive only done up to the old style equivalent of level 2, several years ago.  Need to get that sorted.

A lad i know from our local town plays for Scunthorpe Utd. His name is Martyn Woolford and started off in non league before moving York City before being signed by Scunthorpe.

He had a very good game against Man Utd in the cup the other night and wondered if u caught the performance? What did u think of him? Does a good performance in a game against Man Utd in the cup get you noticed more?

I didnt see the game the other night no Girgy, but I do know off Martyn Woolford, quite tall? Slim? ginger hair?   Strawberry blonde hair?

A performance against Utd would certainly do him no harm, but TV can provide deceptive opinions of players, especially when commentary is involved.  I think players who play well get over-praised to the hilt, vice-versa, players playing poorly get slated.

I think I saw him for Scunthrope at Stockport a year oir two back, came on as sub, left midfield.  Theyve signed a lot of lower league players and survived brilliantly imo in the Championship.

IF anyone was impressed the other night they would probably then watch him at least another 3/4 times to get a fair opinion.

Woolford is a good lad, got overshadowed a bit by Hayes and Hooper though. Sweet left foot.

I fear for Scunthorpe under Baraclough though, Adkins pulled off miracles to get them and keep them in the Championship last season

On the same note I think he'll struggle at Saints, whole different kind of pressure.

Aparantly he had trials at Bradford! Sigh

FA Cup football for me today, in September...!

Colwyn Bay v Guisely.

League 1 is definately Southern biased this season, required team assesments are at Peterborough, Swindon, Charlton & Brighton, so another foray into non-league to try and find the next bargain.

I was unfortunate enough to have to go to a funeral last thursday back in Wales, and as funerals usually do ended up in the pub.  Thought I'd take this for Longy, this is a Norwich City signed shirt from the Championship winning season of 03/04 (i think), organised by Iwan Roberts whose cousin does a lot with Bala Football Club.  

So now you have a team to support in the Welsh Prem Longy, Bala Town!  :D

Colwyn Bay was a lovely sunny day on sat, not a ground for a cold tuesday in Feb, very wind exposed.

1-1 it finished, I hadn't realised Guisely were in the Blue Sq North before the game so a pretty decent side.  John Newby plays for Colwyn Bay these days, everyone Tighty will remember him from several lower league clubs.

They play FC United I think next, so at that level, its a 'big' game.

Just snapped up £28 worth of Will Hoskins @ 40/42 of Betfair for League 1 topscorer, 4 goals so far, think he'll get a fair few for Bristol Rovers this season if he can stay fit.

Ha cheers, I already support Porthmadog though.

Yeah 03/04 is correct, Iwan's last season at the club.

McCartney joined Leeds last week, now the young stirker Noble has joined Derby, so plenty of talent in these Prem reserve teams.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/derby_county/9037268.stm

Weird world is football. Derby have taken a striker on loand from the prem while their striker, Luke Varney is on loan to a prem team?

Yep, and they dont have a striker of their own full stop at the club.

They have 4 on loan...!

Kuqi, Bueno, Luke Moore, now Noble.   Can't be successful like that surely?

I'm off to Rochdale V Huddersfield tonight, Colchester are playing Huddersfield a week on saturday. 

In most if not all places they're faves for the title, although I haven't seen them, I think they concede far too many goals, but I suppose so do Peterborough and both have lots of goals in the team.

Last time I went to Rochdale was by accident rather than design.  I was down to go to watch Accrington Stanley V someone, can't remember who, last November, I get to the Crowne ground, lights off, no one home, great, game off.  Quick check of the fixtures, dash over to Rochdale V Notts County, paid on wrong turnstile and sat with the away Notts County fans!  It finished 2-1 to Rochdale, one of the few games that Hans Bakke (sp?) was in charge.

Rochdale was a strange one last night, annoyingly strange.  I'm within 3 miles of the ground at 6.45, and miss the kick off for the 1st time in a long time, piles of roadworks near the ground, coupled with a big travelling support.  Only missed a couple of minutes but with unreserved seating had to settle for a seat in the 2nd row from the front, not ideal.

The game?  Rochdale were on the back foot for virtually the whole 90 minutes and won 3-0, go figure.  I always leave at around 80-85 minutes to get away, never when I go and watch Lolpool, but always at these games, it was 1-0 when I left, but heard both the cheers on the way back to the car.  :D

what do you make of the refereeing standards in the lower leagues at the moment? we`ve had 5 games at the valley this season and I reckon I`ve seen 5 of the 10 worst performances of my life by refs in those games. are they getting worse or are we just running bad? thankfully we`ve not lost yet or there would have been riots

What were Huddesfield like? Lee Novak play? From what I've saw Huddesfield play good attractive attacking football and thought they'd be there or there abouts come March.

To be honest I haven't had any bad ones this season that I can think of, last night was a good competitive game, no bookings or anything though.  Don't think I've seen a red card, or a pen yet either!

Will keep an eye out.

Huddersfield are obviously a decent team, but like I said yesterday morning they concede to many for me, I cannot make them faves for the league.  They have goals in their side, but lacked some quality from the wide areas last night, they dominated the 2nd half, and when I heard the cheers I initially thought it was Hudd as they had as many fans as Rochdale there.

Will be thereabouts for sure, but don't win anywhere near enough 'tuesday night away games' at smaller sides for me.

Novak came on for Rhodes around the 65th minute, didn't do too much.  He chops and changes his strikers virtually every game, not sure he even knows his best 2.

My impression of Huddersfield last season (saw them play Norwich home and away) was that they were a very neat side going forward but were shakey at the back. Also seemed to get mentally/physically late in games, both games they dominated the 1st half against us and we went through them like a knife through butter in the 2nd half.

Did Lee Croft (on loan from Derby) play? How did he do?

Unused sub, disinterested half-time kicking it about, 3 keepie-uppies then thumped it away, think hes had it...

Widdowson?


Chris O'Grady? (another leicester lad turfed out at 19yo, a touch early)

Not seen, presume injured.



Good, scored a late goal.  Playing mainly on left of a front 3, but does all the tracking back you would want of a left mid player.  Much improved over the last 12 months I think.

Sigh, talented

I've just wiki'd him and hes not as old as I thought, only 25.  Perhaps he just needs to find a club that loves him. Apparently he's the most capped England u-20 (and below)  International ever, with 40 caps.

Best player in the championship? Adel Taarabt? (sp)

Bellamy obv.

Davids.

 ;sark;


Off the top of my head some players I think are decent/have seen at a lower league, but I havent seen a Championship game in the last 12 months.

Westood - Cov
Pratley - Swans
Sincliar - Swans
Kebe - Reading
Lawrence - Pompey
Williams - Reading
king - Bottom of the league Leicester

I had the priviledge of going to see a Johnstone's Paint Trophy game last night, Huddersfield V Peterborough.  It was everything you'd expect off these two, you could have wrote the script before hand and it would have looked pretty much exactly like it was, great goals, awful defending, and the usual low crowd for this competition.  Bet the overs in the 2.5 goals market every sat when these 2 play.  :D

Barry 'effin 'n jeffin' @ 0-3 down was quite amusing.  :D

and just for the Wednesdayites, big Al scribbling away...

Now we are nearly 1/4 the way the through the season, how do you see League One going from here on?

I've got some pretty huge long term positions, thinking about taking some profits.

Basically I'm with Brighton and Peterbrough and against Sheff Weds, Charlton and Southamption.

Your mob and Huddersfield are basically a wash.

Appreciate your insight.

Too shrewd, re Brighton & P'boro.

As I've mentioned previously, P'boro were the only team I took pre-season, I've seen them twice, and they've lost twcie, last night (near full-strecngth team, obv missing their most influential player, McCann), and at Tranmere when they were poor, and lost 1-0.  They will score so many that they'll have too much for most teams, they will lose 6/7/8 away games though, they simple are not good enough at the back, I don't rate either CB they have.

Brighton I haven't seen yet, but I admit I didn't think they'd be doing so well, I didn't think they'd have the knuckle for tough away games, but so far so good for them, rate Poyet, just thought he'd need more time.

Charlton I didn't fancy at the start, but expect them to finish 4th - 7th.

Saints i think will be there or thereabouts, I think there the only team that could win 7-8 games straight when they get into form.  Sheff Weds probs play-off certs too, not sure where those 4 straight loses came from.

Also very surprised you can still get 11/1 on Mackail-Smith to be top-scorer, I think he's really decent and has 6 in the League already.

Relegation wise, be surprised to see D&R stay up, 6/5 best price, although within 3 hours of putting up £100 @ 2.84 on Betfair on monday it was matched, may go bakc for more there.

Walsall, Tranmere, Yeovil all pretty poor too.

Oldham have surprised me & Huddersfield just need something to click and I'd have them as play-off certs.

Colchester's aim is the same as the start, a play-off place would be taken now if offered I'd think.

How would you price up League One?

Peterbrough favourites? Or Southampton?

I want to get out of my Southampton position, but I still think they are somewhat underpriced.

Ok I wont look at prices before I write, but IMO, Saints will catch and overtake P'boro, i think theres 7 points between them and I think they'll make that up.

Can Brighton sustain their start?  I really don't know.

If I had to guess the final positions now  it would vaguely be

saints
P'Boro
Hudd
Brighton
Sheff Weds
Charlton
Colchester
Swindon

I dont think theres any team that will run away with it though.  Much clearer by xmas.

Thanks mate. Appreciate it.

Forgot to add, he played up front on saturday, went again to Oldham to see them V Leyton Orient, did a lot better playing just off the main striker, perhaps he's back on the boat!  :D

John Campbell still on form, scored 5 on Wednesday night. snap him upppppp.

How long do u give Peter Taylor as Bradford Boss??

 ;whistle;

Good question, I really don't know, I haven't seen a League 2 game this season so know no more than you.

Does he still 'have' the fans?  Thats a biggie imo, once they turn on him they the board is put under instant pressure.

have you seen them at all?

The fans are deffo turning! Was booing em off at the weekend!

I saw em pre season at Rochdale, we looked well organised and i had a buzz about the forthcoming season! Week after i went down to Shrewsbury, we played pretty well for 40 mins then they got a goal just before HT after a foul on our keeper. After HT the hit us with 2 quick goals to sink us. I went the week after to Stevenage at home and they were the better side but we nicked it 1-0. We followed that up with some decent battles in the carling cup but with injuries recently were in a slide!

Hows Rhodesy's tip of Jake 'he may get 20 goals, watch this space' Speight doing? ;)

TBH mate he looks like a decent finisher! Hes just not been getting the starts or the service!

lol, love the 'hes a great player that one, he just doesnt get the starts'.  :D

Good to read and soon I"ll get back to this.

Thanks mate, hows the world of kitchens treating you?

I have a dash tonight, a real dash.  Going to Wolves reserves V Wigan reserves.  The game was originally down to be played at Telford which is fine for me coming down from Chester, but because Telford drew 1-1 on saturday in the FA Cup its now being played at Molineux, 7 pm kick off.  Hopefully the extra 20 miles down the M54 wont add too much time.

Stephen Hunt making his 1st appearance for Wolves I think, suffice to say I'm not going specifically to see him.  Slightly disappointing that I'm missing the Internationals, although they always flatter to deceive anyway.

Haven't been to Molineux for about 7 years, and that was in the away end with a bunch of Forest fans, long story!  :D

Adam Proudlock scored 2 that day, how he fell.

Good read this bud.  Will keep my eye on it!  hows the little fella?  Sleepless nights??

Cheers.  Yep he's doing great thanks, sleep getting better too, 2 months old now!  :)

The game last night was seen by about 450 I think, finished 2-1 to Wigan, who played the better stuff throughout, they had a stronger team out on 'paper' too.  (more on this in the next post...!)

McCarthy & Martinez were both there, big Gerry taggert too!  :D

Eerie atmosphere there last night, this is the 2nd Prem reserve game I've seen in the 'proper' stadium, it just doesn't feel right, very flat, the game looks slow paced too in these big arenas, especially like at Wolves when your a good way from the pitch anyway.

Wolves scored early against the run of play really, a good goal too.  You cannot help notice the abundance of SportingBet signs Molineux, everywhere.  SO had a quick look on the SB app on the iPhone after the 1st goal, see how they priced up in running, bear in mind Wigan looked the better side.  Got a little tickle on Wigan next goal & Wigan to win (draw no bet).  They equalised around the 75th minute after dominating the 2nd half, and when in the car driving back up the A41 had a nice suprise when I checked the Wolves website. :)

Daniel De Ridder, you may never play another Prem game on last nights showing, but I owe you a beer.  :D

Thoughts on Jason price? Signed for Bradford on a months loan!

Obv his best days are behind him, heading to retirement town, stopping at Bradford on the way I think, should do a job for you for a month or 2, don't expect any miracles.  Looks slower than he is but will do a decent job of bringing others around him into the game, never scored lots, but a a 'managers player'.

Sigh

We need somebody to hit the onion bag!

66 career league goals in 14 seasons, less than 5 a season says it all.

Pretty sure i could knock in 5 in a season!

after watching them today I'm gonna say they can. they have the perfect game for this level, pass the ball around for 90 minutes and score on the break, if you don't get one on the break go for it in the last 10 when the oppo are knackered from chasing after you for the previous 80

apart from when we were in the prem and we used to clap off non league/lower league teams who'd played well against us in the cup today is the only time I can remember the valley giving a standing ovation to the visitors as they left the pitch

That reminds me of the Dennis Bergkamp goal against us when he scored an incred goal turning Nikos Dabizas with sick skillz,I was sitting in level 7 so couldn't really see but the bloke behind me started clapping,I turned round and gave him a look to say WTF ?? and he said "what it was a class goal" I was steaming,then got home saw the goal on MOTD and thought wow sick goal fair enough lol.

The Goal

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IicmCu47pMo

Would be fun to have Poyet as your manager I think. Forces players to pass not get rid, probably destined to be a top division manager I would think

ChipPrince how do you rate Leon Knight? I know he has had his problems way clubs and stuff but do you think he could still do job in England and what level?

He has signed for an Irish League team Coleraine FC and scored two on his debut yesterday i think he will score loads in the IL, The reason is to do way his registration way Rushen and Diamonds but im sure you know that already.

and ironically his son plays for England under-16, and is on Charlton's books!!

He played in the 4-0 loss to Wales on Friday night, Diego Poyet.

Big chip on his shoulder, upsets staff wherever he plays.  Always had talent, just perhaps not the brain cells in his 'noggin.  Darlington were trying to sign him off Rushden, so I think there's his level right there, Conference, maybe League 2 if someone could put up with him.  Doubt he'll score loads for Coleraine, simply won't last there long enough IMO.

Started following him on Twitter when he started shouting about his Rushden registration problem..they held his registration and asked for £30k off him to release it, he says

I lasted three weeks listening to his rants before I unfollowed

Must be a dressing room nightmare!

i was there too. we are playing well at the moment, basically carrying on from last season. we are the best footballing side by a long way in the division we just do not have a clinical striker. charlton fans were rather friendly too, always good, shame u have some bad players, your cb are too slow and you miss bailey. racon is decent tho we had him on loan before.

also the guy with the leon knight Q, there is a massive thread on our forum northstandchat about him. basically he came back answring any questions from our fans (brighton)

heard nothing but good things about diego, apparently a real prospect

How are Charlton doing do you think Gatso?  Not including yesterday.

Another team I don't get to see that often.

terribly tbh. a team of very talented players who on paper are a match for pretty much anyone in this league but have completely failed to gel

racon/semedo/reid/wagstaff should be a top half championship level midfield, all are ridic talented, but they're just not working together

as anthony says above our CBs are very slow but it hasn't really mattered until yesterday as positionally fortune/dailly/docherty are all excellent, we've not really looked like conceding many. yesterday's problem was we didn't have a fullback on the pitch so the slow CBs were having to cover wider than normal and looked exposed

up front waiting for one of the strikers to go on a run, if none of them do then we'll have problems. currently our top scorer is a right winger who starts from the bench most of the time

time for a new manager really, parky's not getting the best out of this lot. a decent boss could get this lot out of league 1, parky's going to get us to mid table and we'll have to sell all the gooduns in the summer. bit of a sickener that poyet interviewed for the job and got turned down

Benson gives his all and does a good job, Antinsah was good every time I saw Carlisle last year.  But he plays Abbott.  You see anything in him?  Don't rate him at all.

abbot looks to have dropped about a stone since the start of the season and looks a bit sharper because of it but still not good enough right now

our use of anyinsah is frustrating, I really rate him and would start him or use him as an impact sub seeing as there can't be many quicker forwards in the division whereas parky sees him very much as a 4th choice bench warmer

I haven't been to a game since last tuesday, the Wolves reserve game.  With the little one now here I kinda wanted to do one game a week rather than 2, or say 5-6 a month as opposed to 7-8.  So I've had the last 2 saturdays off and been as prior to this tuesday I've done 4 of them on the bounce.

This saturday I'm heading to Crewe V Aldershot, no team assessment, just 'having a look' at one or 2.  I was down for an assessment, Swindon V L.Orient but one of the other is doing that one now.

Saw this story just now on BBC, where the hell have/are Crawley getting all this money from, they crowds are only around 1500 a week at home, and thats when they're doing well, imagine if they were struggling, they may well get into the league, but when it blows up down there, be that this season or in 3, somethign will give/break.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crawley_town/9112362.stm

Is the owner doing a Gretna?

I dont know who the owner is, or how rich he is, or more importantly, how geniunely interested he is.  Making some statement tho.

Bruce Winfield I think his name is.

Bradford have been drawn away to Colchester in the F.A Cup first round propper. SIGH at yet another first round exit of a cup! FFS

Will you be scouting at Bradford before the cup game? If so can i please acompany you for free and generally annoy you etc? Kthnxbye

Lol yeah I see, will 95% be either at Bradford on sat, or at Bury next Tuesday, both games will need covering.

If I get 2 tickets I'll poss give you a buzz.

Crewe on saturday produced a first for me, ever I think, in my life.  I caught the train to a game!  :)

This wasn't exactly an option when I lived back in North Wales, where the nearest supermarket is 18 miles away, and the local shop prices over self-priced items to eek out a bit of extra profit.  But since moving to Chester 2+ years ago, I've never really thought about doing it to be honest, saturday though I checked the times from Chester station, 19 minutes, yes please.  20 minute walk to the station in the sun, pre-saturday bets on the train and walk just around the corner to Gresty Rd (actually now called the Alexandra stadium I think), all this in the time it would take to drive to Crewe on a saturday afternoon.

Tikay would be proud of me, if he ever ventured onto the sports board.

3-1 it finished to Crewe, Dario Gradi has them playing some real attacking football there, the best thing that can happen in a Crewe game is Crewe scoring early, as they will attack no matter what the score, plus it then forces the other team out.

I AM proud of you Mr Prince, what a fine Post, & set of photographs.

Tighty signalled the thread to me, or I would never have seen it. To save me reading 20 odd pages of potentially myopic football supporters guff, is the rest of the Thread equally interesting, is it worth my time have a look through it?

I hope you took the time to investigate the old Crewe Railway works whilst in town? The Station, for one which sits at such a strategically important point on our Railway Network, & is so busy, is frankly a bit of a disappointment, but the Railway Works were something special.

How long has Dario been at Crewe, now? He must be an institution there, & what a fine man he is, with excellent morality, very different to most football managers. And why is he still there, & not been poached, is he not as good as I think?

Dario is an absolute ledge. Crewe academy were best team I ever played against, just played incred football.

Quite ironic that he started his mangerial career at the original Wimbledon! (I think)

http://theseventytwo.com/2010/10/04/dodging-the-bullet/#more-435 Dario Gradi and others

Dwayne....the blog...any thoughts on this on there?

The sentence I've bolded is awkward to answer, in the same way you probably think your own thread lacks the quality, I often tweak a post before finally posting it, rarely am I 100% happy with it though.  I'll try and make more train journeys though that I promise.  :)

Crewe station was miserable, a cold wet day anyway, it was covered in scaffolding and leaky roofs, wet walkways and puddles, and not much busier than Chester on saturday.

Dario has been at Crewe 27 years!  Thats nearly as old as me!  A legend there, although I think some fans think its time he stepped aside altogether, I don't think he's able to sit still and retire though, perhaps would send him to an early grave if he stopped.  Tighty might know better if any club has ever tried to take him, perhaps he's just loyal?  Fancy that in football!!

Pre-Strachan leaving then.  :D

I think what those 4 lower league managers you've mentioned DO have in common is that as well as reaching the level of expectation at there clubs, Like Dag & Red under John Still, I think if they lost all 46 games this season they would have still over-acheived, I think most 'true' fans realise the expectation at there own club is not to win the league, like Accrington Stanley, what a job he's done, they absolutely love him there simply for keeping them a league club.

But aswell as reaching expectation, I think its importnant to say each of those are decent, realisitic and well respected managers, all good guys, certainly helps big time.

Standard.

That's astonishing. 27 years, good grief.

I have some assorted football guff I read & think about, but I'm never quite sure where to Post it, so I generally fail to. It's slightly odd stuff, though. Is there any appropriate thread for it, or should I best stick it on my Diary, where the occasional reader knows to expect left-field geeky stuff?

I read a candid interview with Dean Ashton recently, where he said in the Crewe youth academy Dario managed every youth side down to U12's. So Ashton's manager from 11 years old was Dario.

Tikay I would recommend reading the whole thread, it certainly isn't your average football thread. More an insight into lower league football for geeks.

OK, that'll do for me. I can't be arsed with the "Chelsea (or whoever) are scum" nonsense, but a wider & more balanced view interests. I have peculiar interest in behind the scenes detail.

When Teams travel to Europe, do they have chartered flights, how are "home & away" gate receipts divvied up these days, (all divisions), do Agents exist at the lower levels, what is the process for agreeing when a Team needs to wear an "away" kit? Anyway, I'll have a peruse.

I was an avid Brentford fan for 20 years, home & away, so I've paid my lower league dues, & some. ;)

When are you watching Brighton?

Just looked at fixtures, playing Colchester 4th December.

Your fixtures prior to that are away at Saints & Hartlepool, a home game and the FA cup 2nd round.

Would never be going to Brighton or Southampton, and we have a part-time guy who lives 10 miles from Hartlepool, so an outside chance in the FA cup game, a) if you get there & b) its up north.

Or possibly a random away game for yourselves I might come across you. 

Be interesting to see Brighton.

Hows the stadium coming along?

How did Bradford do on Saturday night then? What do u think of our chances tomorrow and how do you think the game will play out?

Can you see Colchester playing a weak team?  i really think we can sneak a 1-0 win if you do we are playing well at the moment and tails are hight after oxford and Bury

ok before I answer the Bradford Q's, last saturday I went to a game in the Birkenhead & Wirral league, this was the lowest level league I've seen in a long time, and tbh it was a complete waste of time, 4-1 after about 10mins, no linesmen, 2 corner flags (pic shows corner flag being put in after 30mins), 10 players on 1 team, nets hanging off the posts, you know the score.

Only bright note was I took my little lad to his 1st game, 11 weeks old, he wasn't impressed though, slept all 1st half and went to Co-op 2nd half with Mum.  :D

Bury V Bradford on tues was a nightmare from start to finish really, M56 was blocked, had to gamble and go through Frodsham over to Northwich and up the M6, took 2 1/4 hours as oppsed to an hour as it would normally be & got there 5 mins before kick off.  Got drenched running from street parking (permit zone too, gambled no wardens out getting soaked), and got to seat just in time.  had 5Live on during the trip there incase any games were off, and this nearly was apparaently, but didn't know that until I'd arrived.  Puddles galore, cold wet and miserable it.

Bradford fans in good voice to be fair, not a far trip for them either.

The words 'Bradford' & 'saturday night' is not a combination I ever hope to witness.  :D

But on tuesday night they did well yeah, nullified the Lively Lowe & Ajose (on loan from Utd, young Michael Owen anyone?), scored with a well taken Pen, which was a pen, and held on during the 2nd half.  It was very even though for most of it, but Bury are one of the better League 2 teams so that bodes well for Bradford.

Daley very lively, never know what your going to get with him do you?  Price is decent in League 2, but like I mentioned before very unselfish, no killer insticnt.

Oliver played well, did well on the deck for someone about 9' 2''.

No Threlfall?  Surprised with that, coming back from injury?

Lee Hendrie missing too, Doherty been around the block and back but still going, not too much running these days though.

Would have liked to have seen Louis Moult, Stoke think highly of him.

Colchester don't have a 'weak team'.  Think I know the side he'll play, wouldn't expect lots of changes.  Both teams of good runs, Wycombe won 2-0 in the JPT about a month ago so no reason why you can't win.  Teams will be 'told' by chairman not to play weaker sides, too much money there for a run.

I meant Tuesday night ldo!!

is gigg lane all seater now?

your pics don't look like the ground I remember though I've not been there since their playoff semifinal vs PNE in about '94. stood on a terrace along one side of the pitch iirc

all seater now.

Nice ground for League 2 level, very nice

Old main stand is a beauty, both ends new and seats on the old side terrace

I can't say I noticed any standing areas to be honest, and can't see any of the photos no.

Taken from Footballgroundguide.co.uk

The ground was completely re-built in the 1990's with the last 'new' stand, the Cemetery End, completed in 1999. The new stands have vastly improved the overall look of the ground, whilst at the same time making it an all seated one. The Manchester Road End is a fair sized stand that is covered and has an electric scoreboard; however it does not run the full width of the pitch, one side ending with the edge of the penalty box. Apparently the scoreboard was bought from Leicester's old Filbert Street ground. The other end, the Cemetery End, is a former terrace that has been demolished and replaced with a relatively new all seater stand. This stand extends around one corner to the South Stand and looks quite smart. There is a small police control box suspended beneath the roof in this corner of it. On one side is the Main Stand, with raised seating meaning that supporters have to climb a small set of steps to enter it. Part of the front has a small box like structure, with a number of windows running along the front. It particularly caught my eye, as with the windows being almost at pitch level, I wondered just how many broken windows they get each season. Opposite is the South Stand, similar in design to the ends with a TV gantry suspended below its roof. The one open corner of the ground has a small block of flats situated behind it, but the rest of the ground has a number of trees visible behind and above the stands, making the ground more attractive.

why were you sent to watch this?

a player in particular?

or just on your own initiative?

A contact in the north that John knows from previous gives him shouts now and again. 

To see a particular player, but always on look out for any of the 22 really.  Off to see another tomorrow, gulp.  Few Leagues higher up though.  had some decent ones in the past, on this said day its far too down the Leagues, wasted day really.

Have my own 'list' if nothing pressing from the club, and generally work thorugh that over a season and report back.

To add, I'm doing more player assesments this season than ever before because so many League 1 fixtures are down south, maybe 50/50 this season, normally would be 75% team assessments, 25% player reports.

Bradford have dipped into the non league quite a few times in the last couple of seasons!! Syres, speight  and Hanson.

Certainly players 1/2/3 leagues below League 2, below that theres very little.

Daley took a lot of stick from Bradford Fans at the end of last season cos we all know what he can do and after his two goals vs Oxford has shown us again how good he is, i think Daley now playing his best again now and has a lot to prove

oliver for me is his and miss can make a lot of missakes
Threlfall would come in for Luke O'b and O'B was outstands on saturday so you could never drop him after that

Lee Hendrie calf strane back Saturday, but we will lose him in Jan away

What did you think of the young CB steve Williiams?  heard that Notts forest and PNE are both been looking at him??

Steve Williams

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1326747/Sven-Goran-Eriksson-goes-head-head-Nottingham-Forest-barber-Steve-Williams.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Any ideas of a figure? I'd sell him!!

Have you ever watched Anthony Grant playa for Southend. His knows how we still have him!

Another young great player Ricky Holmes, recently joined Barnet from Chelmsford city! amazing finisher!

Pass Antibes details on to Paul Sturrock would be nice for him to actually see his son is shit!

Ta in advance

Sam

Grant having a good season I hear down there?  I probbaly have seen him a couple of times but nothing stands out from what I remember.  Blair Sturrock yeah, never rated him to much.

Havn't heard of Ricky Holmes myself, someone at the club will know him though with the geographical closeness of the teams.

Does Zaaboub still wear gloves in the summer?!  Saw him on the opening day for Swindon at Northampton, think it was start of 07/08, he had gloves on, start of Aug, hot day.

if holmes is the player I'm thinking of then I'd be amazed if he does much in the league, just looks far too small to compete against the big lumps in league 2. looks to be about 5'6"

Stfu been our best CB all season!!!

Sorry missed your original question about him, but yeah he did well at Bury, played some good balls into forwards feet too which was noticable.

I never said he hasn't been our best CB!! If the price is right tho we should sell him right??

Zaaboub, Rubbish FACT! One of the worst footballlers I ave ever seen.

Granty is having an amazing season, he will be gone to Championship side in January I would guess, I know he has had Bristol City, Leicester and Norwich watching him this season.

Ricky, Amazing young fella, just missed out on getting to a big league club due to Chelmsford not being willing to let Peterborough or Leeds buy him out of his contract. His pace is amazing, plays both wings or up top. Southend United missed out on him big time. He is about 5ft 10 I think.

Also if Col "Sc*m" Ewe need a LB, Jonny Herd, over at Southend, great young player and is being mugged of by the gaffer. He should go far should of left Southend in the Summer.

Any thoughts on Franc Moussa, Daryl Flahavan, Freddy Eastwood (sigh) and Adam Barrett (some of my most loved blues from previous years)

Not as much as we are massively going to miss Steve Tilson & Paul Brush, watch Lincoln's progress over the next 3 years.

really? he definitely looked short on saturday but it's not easy to judge from a distance. didn't see him do anything special but he only came on 5 mins from the end

I may over praise him! His a local lad! I am sure he will go far given a regular first team place!

Also as he is now up birth ever watched Judas Nicky Baily, now at Middlesboroufh! Great footballer just a selfish Pratt! Everytime he has been sold he has forced the deal and told the fans it wad due to he dreamed of playing for said club who the he'll from London dreams of playing for Middlesboroufh

I saw Southend at Oldham, either start of May or end of April, might have been the day you got relegated.  

The team was a dead ship by then, Tilson screamed from the sideline all game, but the spirit was non-existent, a team who knew they were gone.

That is the only memory I have of them from the last 12 months, unfortunately its not a very positive 1!  :D

I went down to the Evo Stik League again on saturday, Marine FC v Halifax Town, it finished 0-6 to Halifax.  They're big fish in this league, and most of the 800 crowd where Halifax supporters I think, they had 2 sides of the ground to Marine's one anyway.  Marine play in Crosby, Liverpool, not far from Southport.

The clubs social club is called the 'Scouse House', reasonable in there too!  :D

Oh, and I went again on the train, which after getting throughly drenched walking to the station and back from the ground, and back from Chester station to my house, my love affair with trains may ended before it really begun...

Off to another new ground tomorrow, Colchester have been drawn against Swindon Supermarine in the FA Cup 2nd round, which a complete trip into the unknown (well, there at home but SS are unknown).  The game is not til the 27th so its a 1st look at them tomorrow.  They're playing away at Evesham, who in turn play at Worcester as (I think) they're own ground is being re-developed at the mo.  So Chester to Worcester about a 100 miles or so, furtherest I've been in a while.

Then tuesday night I'm off to Vauxhall Motors v Hartlepool FA Cup 1st round replay after the 1st game finished 0-0, which is only up the road for me outside Ellesmere Port.  I think historically all the players worked at the massive Vauxhall plant which is acorss the road from the ground, but I don't think thats the case anymore.  Colchester are playing Hartlepool the following week.

Busy few days.

Sorry if this has been asked before... What percentage of matches do you go to scout upcoming opposition as opposed to looking at a specific player of interest?

I think I have mentioned it before, but no problem, it'll be mixed it mire somewhere here!

This season its been around 50/50, I think its about 7 team assessments, 8 or 9 player assessments.  But this main reason for this is League 1 is Southern dominated, Brighton, Yeovil, Saints, B'mouth, Plymouth, Dag & Red, L. Orient, Charlton, Brentford, B .Rovers, even Swindon, MK Dons and probs a couple more ive missed are all 300+ round trips for me, and we have 3 other guys all closer to them grounds than me (and they took on an extra chap this season).

Previous seaons have been about 80/20 team assessments.  Player assessments are 'easier' in one way though, a lot less writing.  :D    BUT do require a more thoughtful and in depth look at a player.  Will also involve his history if poss, on and off field, where he lives, if poss, and how open he would be to moving if it would require him moving house, so even knowing family situation, kids etc.   Pointless going to watch a homebird in Scotland if he has no intention of ever leaving there.  usually a call to agent, but this is more of a club thing, not done by me.

For the 1st 1 1/2 years I was doing this it was 100% team assessments I did at Cheltenham Town.  There was literally 2 of us then doing it, so we didn't even have chance to look at players.  

Histon (conference, not sure if there part or full time, part i think)), who are now managed by David Livermore have no scouts I heard him say in an interview, so they go into every game 'blind'.

Histon rose through the non-leagues (tiny stadium, small village) supported by wealthy businessmen. They fell out earlier this year, the money ran out and Histon are now on a shoestring and set to fall back through the leagues


Swindon Supermarine I know as they are in the Southern prem, same as my non league team

Huge team. Giant centre halfs. Direct style. Been in the lower reaches of that league since promotion a few years ago. Known as a dour attritional side 0-0,1-0 type games but in the last month have been banging goals in. No dea why!

You don't want a replay there. Small ground, poor floodlights.

Ok thanks, you know a lot more than me at the mo about them!  :D

Right, 3 games to catch up on.

Saturday the 12th I went down to Worcester to see Evesham (who are groundsharing at Worcester) play against Swindon Supermarine.  Finished 1-0 to SS, an injury time winner.  Was a morgue like atmosphere though, 94 spectators is very poor even for this level.

Tuesday night I went to an FA Cup replay, Vauxhall Motors V Hartlepool.  VM is only 10 miles up the road for me so easy to get to, I'm not sure if this was a record attendance for them though without checking, but there was 2,400+ there and it was heaving, lucky I found a parking space in a lay-by 1/2 mile from the ground and got an early escape in.

Finished 1-0 to hartlepool so no shock here.

Saturday I got the train (check me out) to Stockport to watch them V Torquay.  Finished 1-1.

were you at stockport really early or was it a really bad attendence? looks like there's noone there

I got there at 2.30 so those were taken about 2.35 so not that early.  There was 3,700 there in the end, probs about 100 from Torquay!

reason for going to Stockport please?


Lathaniel Rowe-Turner Torquay CB report please

Rowe-Turner was an unused sub.

To watch a couple from Torquay, and Stockport hasn't been 'ticked off' as a team to watch again/write off as far as any interesting players may be concerned.  Its again, just adding to the database of players covered, getting various opinions of players and keeping everything up to date.

No game tomorrow, didn't even get the chance to be scheduled for one before having it postponed, bacame obvious as the week went on that few, if any lower league games would get the go ahead.

Went to Bury v P'boro last saturday, FA Cup 2nd round action.  Colchester play P'boro on boxing day, which still seems miles away, but is actually only 3 games ahead I think, plus with games now liable to go off then early looks at teams are certainly better than no look at all.

Also been drawn against Swansea in the FA Cup 3rd round, so might be at a Championship game somewhere over xmas.

Seeing the words FA Cup and Vauxhall Motors close together still sends a shiver down my spine. :(

lol, Camel 'tweeted' me exactly the same thing. :)

Was meant to be going to Oldham v Swindon tomorrow (Colchester playing Oldham on the 28th I think), but thats been called off already because of the pitch, waterlogged after the thaw.

So been switched to Stockport V Crewe, the pitch there is awful at the best of times, so I'll have to keep an eye on that one incase it goes off too.

Please be on though, told I'm going Xmas shopping if I've got no game.    ;shame;

Cheers for the words about the thread.

1.  I was due to watch Swindon for the 1st time on sat at Oldham but it was called off so havent seen them this season.  He's good, really good at this level, seems humble and trouble free so far, havent heard anything bad about him.  Certainly his last season in League 1, but hell of a jump to the Prem, who knows though, he made in theory an even bigger jump from way down the leagues to League 1.

Hammill I said earlier in the thread his career now goes 1 of 2 ways, he's certainly putting it back on track so far this season hasnt he?  Some great goals.

2.  Coaching work, sorry I'm probably not best quified to answer this, as I dont and have never done it, having never been at the clubs on a day to day basis.

3.  Again sorry, not something I could answer with any knowledge as I don't do anything on the youth/academy side.

Sproule is now on loan at Yeovil, think he had some personal problems which have obv affected him.

Would be a great time to get Austin in I think for Blackpool, club riding high, full of confidence.  Polar opposite to when Birmingham signed DJ Campbell when they were really struggling and he couldn't really find his feet.  Confidence is such an underrate factor in football imo.

Hamill headed for Everton, I am told.

I suppose with Beckford he's shown he's not afraid to dip into the lower leagues, would be interesting to see the fee.

Great thread only just stumbled across it.

I think the point is he HAS to dip into the lower leagues as they can't compete for the bigger names

and his track record of doing so is pretty good.

£15 mil on Fellaini wasn't that long ago to be fair.

perhaps because he's actually managed in the Championship he feels he has abetter grasp than most of the gulf in class.

Seamus Coleman from Sligo Rovers seems quite a cheap fine - Has been outstanding this season.

yeah very well, think Holloway was disappinted not to get him again this season.  One of the few positives for Everton this season.

I'm down for Sheffield Utd V Swansea on saturday, another new ground for me, taking me up to nearly 50 if I get there.  I say if because of the weather thats meant to hit, plus this game is not a top priority as swansea play 3/4 more times before Colchester play them in the FA Cup on January 8th.

Oldham V Carlisle Boxing Day, then on the 28th I'm down for a player assesment, not sure which game yet, no game as yet new years day, then on monday the 3rd January im down for Huddersfield V Sheffield Wednesday which is a 12.15 kick off, perhaps for TV?  I havent checked.

Best way from Chester to Sheffield tomorrow anyone?  Assuming moderate snow showers and coldness.

Woodhead/snake pass even likely to be open?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=chester+to+sheffield&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

lol, haven't you had like 3 van crashes this year?!

I was hoping for someone who lived by either to perhaps shed some light on how the roads were looking, rather than a generic google map... ;)

It will be fine mate!! The snake pass/ woodhead pass both have signs letting u know if the road has snow and if its open of not! Just allow urself plenty of extra time for ur journey mate!

I never made it to Sheffield Utd in the end.

The game was still on, but the chap who sorts out all my games living in Peterborough, and his game at MK Dons off, it was easier for him to go up to Sheffield than me take a 40 mile detour in poor weather.

Then boxing day was cancelled, Oldham V Carlisle, then today I was down for Rochdale V Bristol Rovers, cancelled again.

New years day I was due to have a day off anyway, and I'm still down for Huddersfield V Sheff Wed on Jan 3rd.

I've only had 1 game since the 27th of Nov, Stockport V Crewe on 11th Dec.  Crazy weather, this is normally chaos for reports time, getting them done the same night usually as the games are thick and fast.

Think I'll have a lot of midweek league games coming up in Feb & Mar.

Oh, and if the Colchester V Oldham was on today, Oldham haven't played since the 27th November, we had precisely 0 reports on them so no bad thing it was cancelled in a way.

Sorry, I read this the day you posted then forgot about it.

I don't do any youth scouting as such, ive been to see the odd u-18 academy game in the past to watch teams for future FA youth cup rounds but thats about it.

I think Prem teams will perhaps try to develop more skillful players, but it could take many years to filter right down through all leagues I think, but surely the aim is to develop players with size/strength/ & skill if poss!

Match report from today pls, would be good to hear from a neutral.

Yeh would love to hear what you think of Wednesday when you have time.
Irvine reckons we need a Striker and a Defender. I reckon RB, CB, 2x CM + new manager.

Sure.

Lots of chances 1st half, somehow only 1 goal.

Like the way Huddersfield play they're too wide players, got a lot of time for both.  Irvine will have 100% told his players pre-game to watch Pilks coming inside on his left foot.  Still makes it difficult to stop though.  Hudd shaved it for me, not sure Weds quite deserved a point.

Not concinced by Rhodes, better impact sub, Novak does well, Alan Lee sweet FA.

Kay and Clarkre are clever CB's, very cynical at times, think Kay will have Mellor's shirt under his finger nails tonight.

Smithies very good again.

Kilbane will be pretty classy in L1, Arfield havent seen enough of.


IMO, Clark is under-achchieving there at the mo, a top 4 side for me, certainly shouldn't have lost as many as they have.

Still not convinced by Morrison, big time Charlie imo.  Mellor unlucky today, like him tho.

Hefferenan must be well out of fave not to even get off the bench until late if at all every game.

CM's not bad for me, Otsemobor poor, lethargic, no fuel in his runs.

See your signing a def off Plymouth?

Teale and Johnso poor today, should be bossing this league.

Sounds like the Huddersfield team of last year, in spells they were probably the best side I saw last season. Yet as soon as something went against them, they collpased.

Morrison can be good. I think if we were cruising the league he'd probably be the best striker in the league. Frustrating otherwise.
Really like Mellor. He works hard and if players get round him he will get them goals as well as getting himself some.
Don't know why Heffernan doesn't get a game and why Irvine is after a striker when he have him and JJ plays up front too.
CM's just aren't creative. O'Connor works hard and can win a lot of ball but probably shouldn't be allowed in the opposition half. Potter is okay when given time but if somebody closes him down he's useless. Don't think Miller offers much either and wish we could get an attacking creative player in the middle but I suppose if you reckon these are good enough for the league then they probably are.
I call Johnson the Black (League One) Ronaldo, most of the time he's really frustrating but can be a genius, also gets really frustrated.
Reda Johnson from Plymouth? Have you seen him? I've heard he's alright. We need some competition. We only conceded 1 today but Weaver made some great saves and has had to make alot of saves all season.

Seen Morrison tons of times, and was most impressed with him today. Did more running than usual.

Think Huddersfield have a real shot at automatic promotion. Any 2 from 3: them, Southampton and Brighton imo.

Tks appreciate it.
Re; Clark i think most supporters would agree with your comment, the lads i know that go every week etc certainly think that way.

I haven't seen Plymouth so no I don't know a whole lot about him to be fair.

Does Milan have any cash to splash?

Taylor to Newcastle good for Bradford? If he goes who's the man for the job?

He's turned it down hasn't he?

No idea and can't really grumble if we don't as just not worrying about tax bills is nice for the moment. We enquired about St Ledger though so you've got to think there is money there if we find the right people.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bradford_city/9336441.stm

Think so, don't really rate him though, plus he must be on decent money there no?

Went to Tamworth v Kidderminster yesterday was really impressed with Tamworth's forward, Adi Yussef, just checked and found out his an 18 yr old on loan from Leicester.
Very strong, with a nice first touch, turned the defence easily on a number of occasions, got an assist and a goal, but got no service second half and ended up coming deep too often and tired in the end to be taken off after 70 mins.
Potentially looks like he can play at a much higher level, have you seen anything of him Tighty?

Photos of the Weds fans from yesterday.

Decent noise, not too many grumbles I could hear to be fair.

part of our table topping and very promising Academy side. Haven't seen him personally but alongside a couple of lads, Jorrin John a striker and George Taft a LB is extremely highly rated by those who watch the U19s

Surprised to see Parkinson sacked at Charlton.

Gatso, anything behind the scenes or just results?

new owners :) he a cracking person and well liked at the club but he has had a few years to turn it around and failed.

To tilting that Charlton sack their manager before Wednesday. Milan loves a good sacking - get on with it. Is Parky any good. I'd take him over Irvine at the moment.

Milan Milan Milan, oh boy you are in for a treat

S Wed assistant manager is Rob Kelly, who Milan sacked at Leicester when he took over from Levein

I don't give Irvine and Kelly long.

Milan remains close to Megson, but I would think he'd be looking more glamorous


Meanwhile Dennis wise is 1/3 to get the Charlton job, which will be the Jiminez/Newcastle connection

Glad to hear he still gets on with Megson.
Thought today was the day to sack him though. Only a cup game at the weekend so longer to find a manager and let the new man make January signings.
Milan likes to be involved in the signings too doesn't he so not sure we need to keep Irvine for current deals to go through.

not results, he's just won manager of the month, lost like 2 in 15 and we're 3 points off 2nd spot. however he's tactically inept and most results have been the result of blind luck. last night at 2-1 down he went to a back 3 consisting of a centreback, a rightback and a left midfielder, trully bizarre.

but that wasn't the final factor. he was always going to go with the takeover. it's unclear where the money's from but everything is pointing to a lot of money from a group who've tried to buy a premier league club on the cheap. parky was never going to be the man to give them the 2 quick promotions they're after even with cash to spend

now it may turn out that there's no money and all the takeover has done it kept us out of admin for another year or 2 but all signs point away from this and the sacking would make no sense

hughton and poyet are the 2 interesting names in the hat. both have a lot of history with jiminez and wise

Poyet moving would almost be as bizarre as Billy davies to Preston, no?

not only that he will sign players then tell the manager!

bizarre. obv his money is vital but it will be a rollercoster

not if the move isn't until the summer with wise in charge until then. jiminez, wise and poyet are close friends

Absolutely zero chance of Poyet going to Charlton.

He's on avery long contract at Brighton and new investment or not, Charlton won't be able to afford the compensation which would be big 7 figures.

The only place Poyet will be allowed to go is the Premiership.

Funny you should pop in Keith, I'm off to Vauxhall Motors again on saturday!  :D

Just when I was in good mood too.

Lucky Christmas has just finished, else you would have been off my xmas card list.

I learnt something new on saturday at Vauxhall Motors V Gainsborough (where Biran Little is now manager, Gavin Ward assistant, much travelled goalkeeper).

One of the VM subs was questioning when a Gainsborough player was taking long throws, ''his foot is over the line'', every time it was too, I was 5 yards away.

But the linesman simply answered him, ''the whole foot has to be over the line''.  Never knew that to be honest.  The back of his heel was an inch on the line every time, every slight advantage and all that.

Finished 1-0, the very Welsh sounding Obi Anouro, on loan from Wrexham got the winner for Vauxhall, Luke Beckett was on bench for Gainsborough, a lower league stalwart of sorts.

206 there, 2400 less than for the FA Cup tie I saw them play v Hartlepool in Nov.

Vauxhall really don't get that much support from the area they're in unless it's a big game. I lived in Ellesmere Port that night against QPR and all you could see out of houses were Vauxhall flags left, right and centre.

Problem is, people who would go and watch football from "the Port" will go and watch Liverpool/Everton/Tranmere and even Chester before VM. They'll never attract casual fans because the ground is a nightmare to get to if you don't have a car. No buses, no trains. It's taxis or someone drives, which keeps the teenagers away as well.

Yeah, like the crystal maze trying to find it.  There was a fair few from Gainsborough there too I'd say.

Colchester have lost 2 players to Chamionship clubs last day or Tierney to Norwich, Reid to Scunny.  Tierney hadn't played in a few months, but Reid played lots so a loss there.

There on Sky V Bournemouth tonight, I could have gone but didn't fancy the 480 mile round trip.  :D

I'm at Sheffield Wednesday V Charlton tomorrow, Colchester have Charlton on Feb 1st.  Bit of a forum fixture this, Gatso V Jose/Shoelace.

We're at home so we might get something out of the game but I don't have a lot of confidence in Irvine at the moment but haven't seen the 2 new defenders play so they might improve us.
I know he's not in charge till Monday but wish they hadn't got Powell this week, they should be on a bit of a high and players out to impress the new gaffer.

Both due to start do you know?

Wednesday v Charlton..who do you fancy there?

Couldnt really seperate them to be honest, got to favour the home side I guess?  Could be a banker draw in fairness.

I'd be surprised if they didn't. Think Morrison will play at right back though.

Wednesday will win

This is pretty com. In the lead up to the Col U vs Norwich game last year, Tierney said he " Would never play for Norwich City".

I can't think what possibly could have happened since to change his mind  ::)

Dwayne, will you get a bonus if Colchester go up? (If that isn't too personal a question!)

More questions the merrier!  :)

No I don't think, at least I'm not entitled to anything. Whether I got anything I don't know, perhaps just a good p*ss up if invites to a celebration party :D

If Abbott plays, for sure!!

not sure if he will, we're expecting to offload him

Will it be Anyinsah and Benson up top?  Or Anyinsah not getting in?

benson's banned. anyinsah will almost certainly start, possibly on his own with wagstaff in the hole, possibly with martin or hopefully with eccleston. tiny chance of abbot starting but it'd really surprise me

Very very impressed with Colchester tonight.

Perkins in particular.

Do you ever get any feedback on your reports? Pat on the back like "well done for pointing X out, they tried to do that all day."?

Much like yourself im at home watching on the tv and impressed, nice goal too. They're not going to set the division alight, but hard work and attitude seems spot on. Not leaving much out there ehich is refreshing to see.

John rates Gillespie highly, 400k they paid for him. Lots and lots of injuries though which is always a shame

Oi oi!!!

To add, I was sent to watch Perkins playing for Stockport twice near the end of last season to see if he was taking his loan spell well.  Adie Boothroyd never really fancied him.  I was impressed with what I saw to be fair, 100% effort.

He was easily Stockports best player when they played at Norwich last year.

Not a fan of Boothroyd as a manager personally, very ugly football and pretty much living off what he achieved in 1 season at Watford.

yes every now and then, and also say they concede a goal from something that was mentioned in dossier the players are given before games then watch out, training on Sundays!!  :D

He was good with me so that's all I can say, sent all the staff wine/choccies and best wishes when he left which he didn't have to, especially me as I'd only met him once.

Yeah wasn't saying he was a bad person, just not a fan of him as a manager.

In fact I reckon he is probably a much nicer bloke than Paul Lambert, I know who I would rather have in charge of my club.

Thought you might like this ChipPrince....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYRcS93DKRM

Irish Cup draw this evening live on tv ;djinn;

brilliant. What happened in the end?

lol, good one, the Irish eh...  ;)

Good game on sat, real good battle.  Can't deny Weds deserved a point after being 0-2 down after 6 minutes, albeit they defended shockingly for both goals.  Morrison played right back before Tighty?

Definately two of the better sides in the divison to be fair, be surprised if both don't finish in the top 6.

Didn't realise it was £26 to pay on the gate on sat, that surely the most in League 1?  Maybe not actually with so many southern teams.  Not sure I'd ever pay that to watch League 1 footy.

£26 ????..YIKES!

Not sure if thats the cheapest/dearest there, just the price on a couple of turnstiles I saw.

Bargain.

Reda Johnson look good? Commentary seems to highlight him a lot.

We've signed 4 players in January but I still think it's come too late as we've lost too many. We won the League One play-offs in 05 so fingers crossed we can get in them and do it again.

Goal obv helps, got more of a cult hero reception every time he got the ball if thats makes sense. 

Part of a shocking zigzag backline early on so has to take some responsinility for that, but did a good job on Anyinsah overall, and looked decent.

Pretty poor form to boo Purse imo from the home fans, doesnt help anyone.

Darren Bent to Villa for £18M. Discuss.

Rising to £24mil apparently.  Least likely transfer of the season?

WFT is going on, a team in Sunderland generally accepted to be on the up, to a Villa going one way.

I could undertsnad Villa making an auditous attempt to sign him, but for him to hand in a transfer request baffles me.

Huge fan of him, but whhhat?! is it for more money?

Can't be about anything else. Sunderland doing well, he has a great strike partner in Gyan and is doing very well...it's mental.

I've sent him a message on twitter asking him to retire so i'm hardly one to talk. I've never booed at a game but i think it's just a message to Irvine/Mandaric that enough is enough. Nobody wants to see him play anymore. Agree it doesn't help though.

Maybe he'll ease Morrison in over Purse in the next few weeks.

Apart from booing Purse I thought the crowd didn't get on Irvine's back, and never heard any shouts of Irvine out or anything like that, quite supportive I thought in general, even at 0-2 down.

the booing of purse was quite bizarre, I hate that sort of thing

credit to your aging CB's Gatso on sat, thought a lot of teams wouild have crumbled 2nd half after going from 2-0 up to 2-2

Hello Chip Prince - great thread - I've only just come across it.  I take it you have an in depth knowledge of League 1, so would you mind appraising my season spreadbets on this division when you have time?  I put them on some months ago, but am wondering whether to close some out so would be good to see if you can see any obvious howlers:

My positions are:

Sold Peterboro at 75 (i.e. to get 75 points or less)
Sold Huddersfield at 77
Bought Oldham at 64
Bought Plymouth at 61 (This was before their financial woes came to light so this is the one I am considering closing)
Bought Brighton at 83
Sold Sheff Weds at 74
Bought Southampton at 78
Bought Brentford at 68 (bit worried about this one as well as they seem to have gone off the boil)
Bought Hartlepool at 62
Sold Swindon at 62
Sold MK Dons at 63 (worried, although they are rubbish away from home)
Bought Rochdale at 59

Any views appreciated - at present my positions are marginally down, which is fine, but these things can blow up in your face!

yeah, neither has any pace at all but they're both incredible readers of the game and  that gets them through. they must have 35 years playing experience between them

though I'd still say a pacy CB should be our main priority now

Jermaine Easter signed for Palace last week from MK Dons.

Have you seen much of him Dwayne?

I think he was at Swansea wasn't he? (although loaned to the Dons).  I have to say I thought Palace looked poor on Saturday mate, although I hear they are better at Selhurst. 

Morrison played some RB under Pearson in L1, if required.

A good young CB though. Rate him highly, especially if next to an old head. Athletically he is immense. Mentally, not quite there yet

Find it very odd that we've sold him for £250k, not a popular move with the LCFC fans who would like some building for the future amongst the Yakubus and the bling that is coming in

He was on loan to swansea from MK, they recalled him then sold him to Palace.

Yes we are very poor away from home but much stronger at home with 4 wins and a draw in our last 5 matches

The game at Selhurst this season again us (Watford) was a cracker with some great goals if I remember.

being honest, Ive never seen much in him, and before Swans signed him never thought he was a championship player really, hasnt he only scored a couple in league 1 this year?

But, 2 champ mansgers have signed him over the last couple of months so he must have something ive failed to see when ive seen him.

Hi Dung.

When did you sell swindon price?  Seems very low.  Austin leaving too would be a bonus for you, transfer request handed in today.

Saints looks excellent price and Oldham too.  I havent looked at number of games played but most of them look about right to me.  Dont personnally rate MK, but they keep winning at home dont they.

Just looking back on where I've been this season so far, decent spread across the north west.

Sheffield Wednesday (x2)
Fleetwood
Altrincham
Barnsley
Radcliffe Borough
Newtown (x2)
Tranmere
Wigan
Oldham (x2)
Rochdale
Huddersfield (x2)
Wolves
Birkenhead (non-league game)
Bury (x2)
Marine
Worcester (Evesham play there)
Vauxhall Motors (x2)
Stockport (x2)
Crewe
Colwyn Bay

Which works out at just under 3,000 miles back and to from Chester!

http://www.bragafut.com/artigos/art18.pdf (http://www.bragafut.com/artigos/art18.pdf)

Thought you might find that interesting. Apparently a Mourinho team report on Newcastle from 2005

Yeah I have seen that before, presume it's real..

would you expect to see the words "incredible" that often in a team report?

Umm, I didnt re-read it last night but dont think the English/grammer is great in it throughout, as it probably isnt in mine.

Perhaps it was written by a foreign member of his back-room staff?  Lot of effort to make it up I think.

''Remembers its read by footballers'' I was told, ''so don't use too many big words''  :D

can you give us an example of one of your reports? change the identities if necessary

How about this 1 Tighty did a year or 2 back on 1 of his fave players?  :D

lol It does actually seem like a thorough analysis of Newcastle at the time. Fascinating reading for those of us not actually in football.

rotflmfao is yours real?

That is the old style template I used to fill, slightly altered of course.  Just on Word and emailed over.

Now we use scout 7 which is just a website ive bodged together a jpeg showing a report, obv its meant to be small and unreadable but gives you an idea of what the set up is, read it as 3 columns.  

Starts off with teams and there shapes, set pieces, then looks at def/mid/att/strength/weak, then individual bits etc

are you suggesting they're a bit thick?

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/oddballs/853141-jermaine-pennant-forgot-he-owned-porsche

Probably thought he leased it, leaving the keys on the front seat is very clever. Amazed the thing was still there.

He's no Clarke Carlisle obviously!

Thanks for the feedback Chip

Plymouth beating MK away on Tuesday was obviously a great unexpected result for me and has popped me into profit.  Swindon was one of the last positions I put on about a month ago just before the big freeze - since then they have lost 3 out of 4 but randomly beat Charlton 4-1 at the Valley.  As you say - if they sell Austin it would be great news.

I agree on Oldham - the bookies continually under-rate them and they seem to be able to bounce back even after a set back.  I think they might even make the play offs as they have games in hand.  

Thanks for the feedback Chip

Plymouth beating MK away on Tuesday was obviously a great unexpected result for me and has popped me into profit.  Swindon was one of the last positions I put on about a month ago just before the big freeze - since then they have lost 3 out of 4 but randomly beat Charlton 4-1 at the Valley.  As you say - if they sell Austin it would be great news.

I agree on Oldham - the bookies continually under-rate them and they seem to be able to bounce back even after a set back.  I think they might even make the play offs as they have games in hand.  

Thing is, Ive seen them and still dont rate them that highly, credit to Dickov I guess.

dickov's worked absolute wonders at oldham, completely transformed the most boring team in the league. they're still not very good though but at least they try and play football

We've let purse go. I was absolutely ecstatic till i read we were linked with the murderer.