Official Coca Cola Leagues Thread 07/08

[TAFKA Castroneves]

I rated Boyd myself, pity he's left you guys really as he is capable at Championship and L1 level. Well he's better than Drew Talbot anyways. Norweigen Peter Crouch eh? Sounds either a great idea or a huge fuck up. The funny thing about L1 is that it's not so much hoofball, Carlisle last year did very well playing along-the-ground attacking football.

[Farmer Reil]

Pfft, he's only 6'4, and he can actually USE his head. He's not like Peter Crouch at all ¬_¬

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

He's 6 ft 8 actually. We like to play proper football, when we went up we were known for our good football, same in the Championship, unfortunatly however with our new manager i'm not sure what to expect.

[Matt]

He's 6 ft 8 actually. We like to play proper football, when we went up we were known for our good football, same in the Championship, unfortunatly however with our new manager i'm not sure what to expect.

If he's anything like he was at Leeds, all out attack first 5 minutes, then play really boring football, get a lucky goal or two and then hold on for dear life.

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

Well last year it was all backs to the wall until two down and then play some football and actually looked good. When he attacks he does it though, unlike Newell who would stick to his 4-4-2 no matter what.

[new_era]

The Championship will be close again this year, not as close as last but i can see the Auto Promotion spots being close with 3rd-9th being pretty close as it was last year.

Out of the three relegated Premiership teams, Sheffield United will struggle the most. I think it will be Charlton and West Brom taking the automatic places. I no order, Leicester, Ipswich, Palace and Southampton will be in the play-offs with Colchester, QPR and Scunthorpe taking their exit from the league.

I have my season ticket for Ipswich this season already and i think they have a very good chance at making the play-offs this year, through luck and the devolping managerial brain of Jim Magilton.

Town recieved 2.5million from Darren Bent moving to Spurs and yet we haven't spent a penny, is that a bad thing? No. We've failed on the captures of Richard Wright, Titus Bramble and Francis Jeffers, bad thing? No. Wright opted for a 15 grand a week to sit on a West Ham bench behind Robert Green and Jeffers wanted to much for wages and the board weren't willing to break the wage scale for him. Bramble i think gets a lot of stick and was the scape goat for Roeder, unfairly. The first season he broke in the first team, our first season in the Premiership a few years back, the guy was handed Henry's shirt personally after Bramble kept him in his back pocket the whole game. I was there, witnessed it, Bramble will turn out to be one of the best defenders in the Premiership, YOU READ IT HERE FIRST! He is the only one i was disappointed at losing out at. My dog is also named, Titus, after him so....

Three have been signed on a free Scotland International Goalkeeper, Neil Alexander from Cardiff. Tommy Miller from Sunderland and Pablo Coungago from Malaga. The latter two were at Ipswich in previous years, Pabz was here to see the rise and fall of the Ipswich in the Premiership through two seasons but i think he's class and to have him back two years late ras a more experienced player is beneficial. Miller is a proven goal scoring midfielder and another guy i'm happy to have back as the pair never wanted to leave the club anyway. Alexander is solid and exactly what the defence needs to keep them in shape.

Arsène Menessou and César Navas are two trialists playing in a friendly this evening, Navas was at Malaga last season with Pablo and started his career at Real Madrid, can't be a bad player, a very commanding center back with pace, another thing we need as both our CB's are aging, this will be De Vos's final season. Arsène Menessou i've never heard of but is a solid right back who plays for Le Harve i believe, in France.

Matthew Bates, Malcolm Christie, Tomasz Radzinski and Claus Jensen have all been linked with a move here loan or permanent also in the previous weeks.

We'll end up being one of the top scoring teams in the league with Alan Lee, Danny Haynes and Billy Clarke also on the books. Gary Roberts and Miller will supply the goals from midfield also. But, we'll also have one of the worse defenses in the league unless we spent the windfall from Bent on making that a solid unit

An un-needed Ipswich update for you Coca Cola League followers.

We're still the best passing team in the league by far

Edited July 24, 2007 by new_era

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

Wow, someones confident. I hope someone remembers this post when they go down.

Good luck to you though, always liked Ipswich, good friendly club. Do want the Foxes to go up this year though, because I like Martin Allen.

Edited July 24, 2007 by L.C.S

[TAFKA Castroneves]

Interesting update, I didn't see Ipswich doing too much this year myself but it does sound like from you you've got some interesting players coming in. Counago could be a hell of a signing if he's anything as good as the last time he was in the Championship. I remember him nicking a last-minute winning goal against us at the Walkers a few years ago. Cesas Navas I have heard of before - I think in good regard so if you land him he could be a little starlet. As for my predictions:

I can see Charlton and Watford making a good go of it next year, Watford have made some very good signings in preperation for this season - Poom, McAnuff and Jackson from Wigan so I can actually see them have a go at the automatic promotion places. West Brom will also be up there, although they have sold more good players than what they are actually getting back in. Got to say my boys will be in the top six, it's been the most encouraging pre-season in goodness knows how many years, plus some great signings.

I sorta expect myself Colchester to struggle more this season, relegation is a possibility although i think they will finish somewhere between 16th to 20th. QPR to go down? Could very much happen, but John Gregory is good enough to keep them in the league, perhaps they could even break into the top 12. Scunthorpe will definatly go down in my books, they've lost Richard Hinds to Sheffield Wednesday - who was a rock for them at the back, they've lost Sharp and Keogh and Beckford as well (I think) which leaves them very short of talent.

Here's how I see the table at the end of the season anyways:

1. Charlton Athletic

2. Watford

3. Leicester City

4. Sheffield United

5. Wolverhampton Wanderers

6. West Bromwich Albion

7. Southampton

8. Cardiff City

9. Ipswich Town

10. Sheffield Wednesday

11. Norwich City

12. Crystal Palace

13. Preston North End

14. Stoke City

15. Plymouth Argyle

16. Coventry City

17. Burnley

18. Colchester

19. Hull City

20. Barnsley

21. QPR

22. Bristol City

23. Blackpool

24. Scunthorpe

[Dan]

Luton have sold Adam Boyd to Leyton Orient for probably no more than a box of tracksuits. We need to make room for the 'Norwegian Peter Crouch'. So obviously we had to get rid of someone. Shame about Boyds spell here, i was quite excited, but he never proved his worth. Hope he does ok for Orient.

Good signing for Orient on a free.

Luton lost out big time - Boyd scored one goal all season and cost £500k.

[new_era]

1. Charlton

2. West Brom

_____________

3. Southampton

4. Leicester

5. Ipswich

6. Crystal Palace

_____________

7. Watford

8. Coventry

9. Wolves

10. Preston

11. Sheffield United

12. Cardiff

13. Norwich

14. Burnley

15. Sheffield Wendesday

16. Hull

17. Stoke

18. Plymouth

19. Barnsley

20. Bristol City

21. QPR

_____________

22. Colchester

23. Blackpool

24. Scunthorpe

Still along way to go until the kick off though, a little closer to the time somebody should start a Prediction Thread. I went for Blackpool over QPR in the end.

Colchester have lost Cuereton and Iwelumo(sp?) both of them kept the club up by themselves IMO. Norwich will do nothing this year, not just because i hate them, but because Huckerby is looking for a way out apparently, Earnshaw has already gone and there shit in general.

Yeah, i'm always confident when it comes to Ipswich, they always let me down though lol. I think they'll be a few more chops and changes before the big kick off, we haven't lost anyone of real value which is good. We've got the same back bone of the team that lost 1 game in their final 13 i believe, something like that I'm not sure. Magilton is somebody all of the players look up to and respect and they want to perform for him, a very interesting season lays a head.

Bookies have us closer to going down then promotion which is a bit of a shock.

Edited July 24, 2007 by new_era

[Adam]

You named your dog after Titus Bramble?

Still, that is nowhere near as bad as a friend of mine i knew a couple of years back. All his family were avid Sheffield Wednesday fans, and he told me where he got his middle name from. It wouldnt be as weird if he wasnt a really pale white lad.

His middle name was Carlton :blink:

Yes, a white boy named after Carlton Palmer, arguably the worst England defender of the last 20 years.

[Sam]

1. Charlton

2. West Brom

_____________

3. Southampton

4. Leicester

5. Ipswich

6. Crystal Palace

_____________

7. Watford

8. Coventry

9. Wolves

10. Preston

11. Sheffield United

12. Cardiff

13. Norwich

14. Burnley

15. Sheffield Wendesday

16. Hull

17. Stoke

18. Plymouth

19. Barnsley

20. Bristol City

21. QPR

_____________

22. Colchester

23. Blackpool

24. Scunthorpe

Still along way to go until the kick off though, a little closer to the time somebody should start a Prediction Thread. I went for Blackpool over QPR in the end.

Colchester have lost Cuereton and Iwelumo(sp?) both of them kept the club up by themselves IMO. Norwich will do nothing this year, not just because i hate them, but because Huckerby is looking for a way out apparently, Earnshaw has already gone and there shit in general.

Yeah, i'm always confident when it comes to Ipswich, they always let me down though lol. I think they'll be a few more chops and changes before the big kick off, we haven't lost anyone of real value which is good. We've got the same back bone of the team that lost 1 game in their final 13 i believe, something like that I'm not sure. Magilton is somebody all of the players look up to and respect and they want to perform for him, a very interesting season lays a head.

Bookies have us closer to going down then promotion which is a bit of a shock.

Edited July 25, 2007 by Sam

[britneyspearsisgod]

I dunno... you'll be down near the bottom I think. Maybe it won't be relegation, but it'll be close.

See, this year I want Bristol City to stay up, have Bristol Rovers get promoted and then have the pleasure of sending the shite back down Preferably helping send us into the Prem at the same time.

A boy can dream

[Sam]

Is 16th to 20th not near the bottom

Edited July 25, 2007 by Sam

[britneyspearsisgod]

I meant 19th - 21st

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

To the Colchester fan, you may have shot yourself in the foot by being successful, Luton did that, all the best players went for big money and now look at us. Don't be too confident. I would like Bristol City to come back down because my mate is a City fan and i wouldn't mind laughing at him when we beat them, that is if we don't go up as well.

[Mike Widdows]

Championship Opening weekend fixtures - Saturday 11 August

Barnsley 1-0 Coventry

Bristol City 0-0 QPR

Burnley 1-1 West Brom

Cardiff 0-2 Stoke

Charlton 2-0 Scunthorpe

Hull 1-1 Plymouth

Ipswich 0-1 Sheff Wed

Leicester 2-0 Blackpool

Preston 2-1 Norwich

Sheff Utd 3-0 Colchester

Southampton 2-2 Crystal Palace

Wolverhampton 1-1 Watford

League One Opening weekend fixtures - Saturday 11 August

Cheltenham 0-1 Gillingham

Crewe 2-0 Brighton

Doncaster 2-1 Millwall

Huddersfield 1-1 Yeovil

Luton 2-1 Hartlepool

Northampton 0-3 Swindon

Nottm Forest 5-0 Bournemouth

Oldham 1-1 Swansea

Port Vale 1-1 Bristol Rovers

Southend 1-0 Leyton Orient

Tranmere 2-0 Leeds

Walsall 0-1 Carlisle

Opening weekend fixtures - Saturday 11 August

Bradford 2-0 Macclesfield

Brentford 0-1 Mansfield

Chester 0-2 Chesterfield

Darlington 0-2 Wrexham

Grimsby 1-1 Notts County

Hereford 1-1 Rotherham

Lincoln City 1-0 Shrewsbury

Milton Keynes Dons 2-0 Bury

Morecambe 1-0 Barnet

Peterborough 1-0 Rochdale

Stockport 1-1 Dag & Red

Wycombe 0-1 Accrington Stanley

[new_era]

Colchester done and will do an Ipswich when they got promoted in to the Premiership, the second part for you to take part this year of course.

As for you bringing in Sheringham and Platt? Whoopy doo. Cuerton and Iwelumo kept you up and i'm afraid a 41-42 year old man and a guy that was successful in League Two for one season, i believe? Isn't replacing your top two players. Sheringham has one season left in him and Platt was brought in for the future. With Wayne Brown gone also, i can see you struggling. Platt will take time adjusting and has Sheringham got a 90 minute performance in him? He is no where near the player he was, not surprisingly of course.

Yeah, i'm confident. The last three or four years have been a disappointment. This year, Ipswich were the first team out of Premier and Coca Cole league clubs to start Pre-Season training, because last season our poor start cost us. They've been through a three day Army intensive training last week. Ipswich have brought in players who know the club and love the club. Tommy Miller got a hat-trick in a 5-1 win at Crawley a few days ago, not a big deal i know but still. Miller and Counago have already made the difference in the last 2 games, i went to Rushden the other day to watch Ipswich and they were awesome, that's why i'm confident.

Navas is set to sign in the next few days, that is if he didn't break a metatarsal(sp?) in the game at Crawley. David Norris is now being linked from Plymouth, Holloway is furious at Magilton for unsettling his key midfield player as now Norris is considering a move lol.

This year, there is real buzz and believe the play-offs are a possibility. As for considering Stoke and Cardiff being a stronger force, we'll see. The adjustment from Premiership to Championship is always a tough one, Sheffield United would of lost some believe in Warnock's descion to leave, even though i hated him. Sheffield United are cheating bastards, they fall like autumn leaves. Charlton are the only ones i believe capable of bouncing back first time of asking.

It's going to be a good season, as for Colchester finishing above Ipswich AGAIN this season, i doubt it. Relegation for The U's, you heard it here first.

Edited July 26, 2007 by new_era

[Farmer Reil]

David Norris, key midfield player? AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA.

Norris wasn't even "key" when we loaned him from Bolton back in the Friio era (before he signed for Forest, never played, then retired...).

Agreed, he is a good player, but if he does go we've still got Buzz and Wotton. Not exactly a poor replacement pair We won't be crying in our cider.

Besides, moving to Ipswich would mean.. ya know, moving. To Ipswich. You'd have to pay him a hell of a lot

Edited July 30, 2007 by Farmer Reil

[new_era]

Well, Holloway seems to hold him with high regards with his little moaning session. What i've seen of him, he's a quality midfielder and was a key part of the team last year, that's according to the boss aswell.

"It is not Ipswich who should be signing big players, it should be us - we finished higher in the league last season"... I dont know if his bald little head can remember we took 4 points of him last season including a 3-0 win. And you finished above us on goal difference i believe lol.

Who have Plymouth signed? I'm interested.

Navas is set to sign for a fee of about 600,00 in the next few weeks, even though he has a broken metatarsil and will remain in Spain for 2 months. He's rejected a trial from Aston Villa and Birmingham to sign for Town, which if is true, is a fantastic signing. Radzinski was also at a pre-season friendly midweek. Midweek results;

Bury 1 - Ipswich 6

Billy Clarke(3), Danny Haynes, Owen Garvan and Kurt Robinson

Crawley 1 - Ipswich 5

Tommy Miller(3), Alan Lee(2)

Edited July 30, 2007 by new_era