Number 9 December 20th
2016
Do you know that there is a FC Santa
Claus? They are from Rovanievi, a town close to the Arctic Circle. They play in
Finland’s Kakkonen league (don’t ask), the country’s 3rd Tier of football. Fortunately their season ends in October so
no gloves or tights required.
I
have a litmus paper test for predicting which sides will be relegated. If (in a
normal season) you have three more points than games played you will probably
be safe. It is a touch hit and miss but it generally works. Therefore according
to my less than scientific calculations, 15 of our Red Rose County clubs from
Tiers 1-10 are either in or perilously close to the mire at the moment. The
clubs are Burnley, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic, Bury and Oldham
Athletic, Morecambe and Accrington Stanley plus Southport from the top five
leagues. Skelmersdale United, Mossley, Prescot Cables and Burscough, AFC Darwen
and Nelson plus AFC Blackpool are our non-league clubs similarly close to the abyss.
There
are two more games left for your team in 2016 and as staunch North-Westerners
we surely do not want to see any of them relegated……….do we? So let us hope for
a six point present as we wish a very Happy Christmas to each and everyone’s club.
“Oh what a…….48 hours, Late December
back in ‘63”.
With apologies to Frankie Valli and
the 4 Seasons
“Turn
around” is a rarely used football term to describe results with contrasting scores
between two teams in one season. These include either two-legged matches or the
normal home and away league fixtures. They happen regularly when the home team
wins on both occasions, far less frequently when the away team wins both games.
What is extremely rare is when the score line is massively in one side’s favour
the first time and equally in the opposition’s favour in the return game. What
happened between the 26th and 28th in “late December back in 63” has
probably never happened before and may never again. The odds against the two comprehensive
away victories in the Rovers v Hammers fixture must be so long; the odds
against all three sets of scores….. gargantuan. Boxing Day was a Thursday and the
two results concerning our clubs that day were;-
Burnley 6 (4 for Andy Lockhead and 2
for Willie Irvine) Manchester United 1
West Ham United 2 Blackburn Rovers 8 (hat
tricks for Andy McEvoy and Fred Pickering)
David Herd; prolific goal scorer with Arsenal
and then Manchester United
Two days later the fixtures were
exactly reversed and the scores were……...
Manchester United 5 (Two apiece for
David Herd and Ian Storey-Moore) Burnley 1
Blackburn Rovers 1 West Ham United 3
This resulted in turn arounds of 9
goals in the Burnley fixtures (United lost by 5 and won by 4) and 8 in the
Rovers’ games. And then on the same 2 days, Ipswich Town turned around a 10-1
deficit at Craven Cottage to beat Fulham 4-2 back in Suffolk. That is an 11
goal turn around. Will we ever see the like of this again within a two day
period?
Fascinatingly from a personal point of
view, I was on Turf Moor as a neutral for the United game. Two days later I wandered
away from Ewood Park feeling baffled and bemused along with 28,000 others,
wondering how so much could have possibly changed within 48 hours.
The best Manchester United XI we have had the privilege to watch.
The team has been chosen by 2 members
of the Academy at Manchester United. They are Tony Whelan who is Head of
Academy Coaching and Dave Bushell, Youth Development Officer/Head of Education
and Welfare.
League appearances for Manchester
United in brackets
Peter Schmeichel (292)
Gary Neville (400) Nemanja Vidic (367)
Rio Ferdinand (312) Denis Irwin (368)
George Best (361) Paul Scholes (499) Duncan
Edwards (151) Ryan Giggs (672)
Bobby Charlton (606)
Denis Law (309)
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson Captain:
Nemanja Vidic
Combined total of International Caps:- 803
They said that
their toughest decision was between Duncan Edwards and Bryan Robson but they
recalled a conversation they had once had with Bobby Charlton where he said
that Edwards was “the best player I ever saw and the only player who ever made
me feel inferior”. What a witness testimony!! The Munich disaster robbed us of
so much.
Duncan Edwards; destined to be England’s greatest player but tragically
killed at 21
The feedback
from Alan Reddin’s Liverpool XI indicates just how many great forward players
have represented the club in the last 40 years. The striking triumvirate of Ian
Rush, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen had to play second fiddle to Dalglish,
Suarez and Keegan. What a choice to have to make. Going further back, the great
Scot Billy Liddell and ‘66 World Cup star Roger Hunt would have certainly
pushed for a place. The one current player to receive a mention is Coutinho. It’s
all personal opinion of course but it certainly sparks a debate.
Performances of last week
Everton 2 Arsenal 1 (Premier League)
It
has been a long time coming but Everton at last managed to produce a result
worthy of the club’s great heritage. Of course there was controversy and,
surprise surprise, Arsene was rather disgruntled with the standard of
refereeing. He ought to have been more
annoyed conceding two headed goals but Coleman is as good as any full back in
the land when going forward, something the Gunners should have planned for. One
swallow maketh not a summer but no doubt Koeman slept far more soundly on
Tuesday night than of late.
Seamus Coleman; the rampaging Irish
right back
Bristol City 1 Preston North End 2 (Championship)
This
was a game where 2 mid-table sides were attempting to push closer to the
play-off places and PNE’s victory leaves them 5 points away from their target.
With an 18.000 plus crowd roaring them
on, City started quickly but the star of the show was North End’s Callum
Robinson who set up Makienoc for the first goal, Johnson, somewhat
fortuitously, netting a late winner. With only 2 defeats in their last 10
games, Preston can march confidently into the 4 festive games.
Southport 4 Eastleigh 3 (National
League)
It
is difficult to find space on a pitch but it helps when there are only 19 men
on the field. Southport lost a player early doors and Eastleigh had 2 dismissed
later in the game but this was a vital victory for the Sandgrounders, hauling
themselves out of the relegation mire courtesy of goals from Andrai Jones, Liam
Nolan, Declan Weeks and a Jamie Allen penalty.
Bootle 0 Squires Gate 2 (North West Counties
Premier League)
The
win of the day occurred at Bootle’s Delta Taxis Stadium. The high flying
Merseysiders are locked in an enthralling 5 way battle for the one promotion
place into the Northern Prem, but enter the unheralded Squires Gate from the lower
reaches of the league. They had travelled down from the Airport area of Blackpool and scored once
in each half through Ben Sear and Seydou Bamba, a scoreline which even the
Bootle FC web site said was fully deserved.
Games
to look forward to on Boxing Day
Rotherham United v Wigan Athletic (Championship)
3.00
It
is a clash of the bottom two at the New York Stadium. Rotherham’s situation is
critical whereas Wigan still have opportunities to break clear. Yanic Wildschut
was on fire as he scored twice against Ipswich on Saturday but they sadly
conceded three at the other end. Clubs trying to escape relegation simply have
to win this type of fixture; the sort of game which can determine Championship
survival for the Latics…..or not.
Yanic Wildschut; a Dutchman at Wigan Athletic
AFC Fylde v Chorley (National League North)
3.00
It’s a local derby but it is much more
than that. Although Fylde are inexorably widening the gap at the top of the
league, the chase is still on to catch them and Chorley are in pole position to
book a play-off spot. Rumour has it that the Mill Farm ground attendance record
will be broken for this game. Both sides are unbeaten in league games in
November and December and the result is paramount to both clubs. I suspect that
Chorley will be happy with a draw but for Fylde, it is a gap-stretching
opportunity not to be missed.
Clitheroe v
Colne (North West Counties League Premier Division) 3.00
Pendle Hill, once populated with cauldrons,
broom sticks and covens is the only thing separating the two small Lancashire towns of Clitheroe
and Colne; well that and a matter of 7 points. Colne has coped well since
promotion and is comfortable in 11th place. Clitheroe FC, in 5th
place and long time Division 1 residents, is close enough to smell promotion in
a congested top seven. They will serve up a witches brew of a game at
Shawbridge.
Radcliffe
Borough v Ramsbottom United (Northern Premier League Division 1) 3.00
Bury Metropolitan Borough bragging rights are
up for grabs as the 2nd and 3rd ranked clubs (separated
by a point) clash at Taurus Park. Both sides are in the league’s bottom half
but fairly safe from relegation. The
local community has rallied around Radcliffe following the arson attack and
away supporters will be able to shelter under the newly constructed stand
should the local weather be its usual inclement self. “Rammy” has disappointed
this season following relegation and this looks to be a close encounter;
probably a well contested draw.
Quiz
of the Week (Answers at the foot of the
Blog)
All of the answers have Red Rose
County connections
1
John
Aston won a FA Cup winner’s medal in 1948 and his son Johnny Aston won a First
Division Championship medal in 1967, both playing for which club?
2
Stephen
Robinson, current manager of Oldham Athletic, won 7 International caps playing
for which country?
3
Former
Burnley centre back Chris Brass has just been appointed manager of which Red
Rose County Football League club?
4
Which
England International was signed from Tottenham Hotspur by Everton for
£4.5million in September 2015?
5
Roque
Santa Cruz scored 19 Premier League goals for Blackburn Rovers in 2007-08
before being transferred to which Red Rose County rivals 12 months later?
Roque
Santa Cruz, Paraguayan legend
6
Which
6’7” Danish striker scored for Preston at Notts Forest last Wednesday?
7
Which
is the only Red Rose County Division 2 side to reach the last 16 of the EFL
Checkatrade Trophy this season?
8
Which
Greater Manchester Northern Premier League club play at Hurst Cross?
9
Which
Republic of Ireland International made 362 league appearances for Liverpool
between 1981 and 1994?
10
Manchester
United’s Michael Carrick started his Premier League career playing 136 times
for which southern club?
Post Weekend
Musings
Jay
Rodriguez is a Burnley boy and he played for the club all the way through the
junior ranks. Always a gifted player, he was however considered too tiny to
represent Lancashire Schools’ U/16s. Burnley FC took a gamble on him and what a
good call. They received £7million for
him from Southampton, he made his International debut v Chile in 2013-14, them was
injured and spent 16 months out of the game. He
stuggled to re-discover his form but Claude Puel is now believing in him,
particularly as he notched a couple of goals v Bournemouth on Sunday. Not all
clubs are prepared to wait patiently for boys to develop so full marks to Jeff Taylor, Vince
Overson and Terry Pashley for keeping the faith 10 years ago.
The
Red Rose County’s one remaining 100% record fell on Saturday when Lower Breck
from the Anfield area won 3-1 at Aigburth People’s Hall. The Aigburth side had won 11 straight in the
Liverpool County Premier League but their lead has now been cut to 2 points.
December 26th should be all about local derbies.
It is a pity that the Premier League and Football League computers struggle to
come to terms with this particular concept. Not so the non-league game which
has worked hard to produce a fixture list fit for Boxing Day.
If
the Premier League can be likened to a Steeplechase, then the commentator would
be describing the runners and riders approaching the Chair fence on the first
circuit at Aintree. In other words there is still a long way to go, so talk of
Chelsea running away with the title is somewhat premature. City’s come from
behind win this weekend has kept them in the race and it may well be that by
the time you read this, Liverpool will have edged above their North West rivals
to sit 6 points behind the leaders. Chelsea are in a good position but there is
still plenty of time for them to be caught.
Raheem Sterling; scorer of City’s winner v
Arsenal
Top
footballers say that they are often unaware of the crowd’s reaction during a
game and I am certain that nearly every pitch in the professional game plays
the same. So why do Burnley find it almost impossible to win away from home? It
can only be psychological, so should Sean Dyche consider bringing in a Sports
Psychologist….for the players and himself?
Tier 11 Club of the Week
Rochdale Sacred Heart. Now Rochdale’s
second club.
Founded
in 1955, the club plays at Fox Park, Rochdale. Currently 2nd in the
Manchester Premier League, their strip is the Southampton FC red and white
striped shirts and black shorts. The club joined this league in 1993 calling themselves
Sacred Heart but added the Rochdale prefix in 2001. They have experienced life
in both Division 1 and the Premier Division over the years but performances
have improved slowly but surely. They are now in a position to battle it out to
the finishing line with Wythenshawe Amateurs and now that Rochdale Town has disbanded,
Sacred Heart is the number 2 club in the borough.
Quiz Answers
1 Manchester United, 2 Northern Ireland, 3 Bury, 4 Aaron
Lennon 5 Manchester
City, 6 Simon Makienok, 7 Blackpool, 8 Ashton
United, 9 Ronnie
Whelan, 10 West
Ham United, 
No comments:
Post a Comment