nPower Football League Thread 2011/12

[Lineker]

I'm amazed that you managed to sit there and watch TFLS.

[Jimmy]

I just fast forwarded to out match and then deleted the show after that

[Starvinho]

1-0 West Ham, Carlton Cole.

[Matt]

Gradel: you tosser.

[Matt]

Absolutely brilliant performance from Adam Clayton, deserved his goal and was a definite MOTM before his well-controlled equaliser. Barring two 5-10 minute spells I thought we were the better team without creating too much. Both had a nailed-on penalty turned down. So yeah, a draw was probably about a fair result. Happy with that, an away draw at probably the best side in the league.

[IAceI]

Bournemouth away at your Carlisle today Ace. Hopefully the good Bournemouth will show up, not the Bournemouth which just rolls over and capitulates now.

That is a right long old poke though - Bournemouth to Carlisle!!

A dead fox has been found in Brian Clough Stand at the City Ground, before Forest are set to meet the Foxes, Leicester City. Omen much?

I didn't make it as I was at the Sunderland match but I asked my friend how it was and he said "Aye alright, well actually it was quite poor, to be honest it was shite.." which probably says more about Carlisle v Bournemouth as a football match than anything too sinister. But yeah, has to be one of the longest journeys in the country does that.

Considering Brunton Park is approximately 60 miles away from its nearest stadium in the top 4 divisions (St. James Park) - it is always going to be a bit of an arse to get to, no matter what. Such to the point Carlisle think that Preston are their biggest rivals.

[jack95]

Peter Jackson resigns as Bradford manager. Shame things didn't work out for him.

[MDK]

Can't wait to lose against Carlisle on the weekend!

[Lineker]

Former Charlton Athletic manager Phil Parkinson is set to become the new Bradford City manager.

[jack95]

Former Charlton Athletic manager Phil Parkinson is set to become the new Bradford City manager.

I liked Parkinson when he managed us, and I think he got a raw deal with the sacking. He was unlucky not to get us back to the Championship at the first time of asking as well, so I think Bradford have made a very good appointment, and I hope he flourishes.

[EddieG]

David James saved a Hayter penal at the Keepmoat.

[IAceI]

Replace the r's with s's - change a couple of other letters, add some in, swap some around and from Lee Miller you sort of get Leo Messi.

Go on United.

[MDK]

FFS, this is awful, 2-1 at home to fucking Carlisle. Oh well, at least we're still in all cup competitions >_>

[The Pub Landlord]

another 4 goals scored away from home for West Ham

[Matt]

So Megson named Weaver as goalkeeper then substituted him immediately to avoid a fine for naming too weak of a side in the JPT, then on 17 minutes Prutton and Semedo get injured. I'm sure they don't really care if they get eliminated but still makes Gary Megson look pretty stupid for trying to be a smart arse.

[Lineker]

Steve McClaren's representatives are in talks with Nottingham Forest to discuss his future at the City Ground, BBC Radio 5 live understands.

McClaren, who took over from Billy Davies in June, is understood to be disappointed at a lack of transfer activity at the club.

The Championship side have signed five players this summer, and have only confirmed a spend of £1.8m in total.

No new deals were completed on the final day of the transfer window.

"McClaren's adviser Colin Gordon is believed to be talking to Forest chairman Nigel Doughty and the chief executive Mark Arthur to broker a compromise," BBC Radio 5 live's Pat Murphy said.

"He's understood to be dismayed at the lack of activity in the transfer market, having spent less than £2m since taking over in June.

"McClaren warned last weekend that the next few days leading up to the transfer deadline would determine Forest's immediate future and Wednesday passed without even a loan signing.

"Forest are training today, with no first-team game tomorrow, so McClaren has the weekend to decide if he stays at the City Ground."

Senior members of the Plymouth Argyle squad have agreed in principal to play in Saturday's match at Burton Albion.

Players had threatened to strike after not being paid yesterday, as the club looked to complete a takeover deal.

But the BBC understands that Argyle's administrators have agreed to pay players 40% of their wages with the squad waiving the other 60%.

However, players say they have reserved the right not to play should the money not arrive by Friday afternoon.

The squad have not been paid for nine months by the club, which is in administration.

Argyle have insisted to the Football League that the match will take place.

Administrators are still trying to finalise the sale to preferred bidders Bishop International Limited.

Argyle are currently in administration, but Gibraltar-based property firm Bishop International plan to buy Argyle's Home Park ground and the land surrounding it for around £6m, with acting chairman Peter Ridsdale then buying the club for a nominal fee.

Argyle's longest-serving player and club captain Romain Larrieu told BBC Radio Devon earlier on Friday: "If the money comes we will reconsider the decision [to strike].

"I know the vast majority of supporters are supportive [and] that is pleasing when you are taking such a dramatic stand.

"But we have been in this dreadful position for too long."

He added: "I believe something positive will happen before too long and the club will stay in business."

The announcement comes less than a week after news that funding for a takeover of the League Two club was in place.

Some players have not been paid in full since December last year.

Manager Peter Reid is sticking by his players and says he understands why they are considering taking the action.

The Plymouth Argyle Fans Trust is calling for a meeting with the administrators of the club to look at contingency options should the Bishop International deal not happen.

Argyle's administrators were unavailable for comment.

Southampton footballer Dan Seaborne has suffered serious head injuries in an attack outside a nightclub in the city.

Seaborne, 24, was found collapsed on the pavement outside Junk nightclub, London Road, in the early hours.

The defender, who signed from Exeter last year, was treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital.

Hampshire Constabulary said the man was found with "serious and potentially life-threatening" injuries and that two men, aged 35 and 29, had been arrested.

Southampton General Hospital said it was a "police matter" but that Seaborne was now in a serious but stable condition.

The area around the nightclub has been cordoned off.

A police spokesman said: "Investigating officers are trying to establish the circumstances that led to the man sustaining the injuries.

"Although they have identified a number of witnesses they are appealing for others to come forward."

Southampton have yet to comment on the attack but said they would release a statement later.

Exeter City have sent the player their best wishes.

Seaborne began his career at the club before moving to the Championship side in January 2010.

Swindon Town manager Paolo di Canio says striker Leon Clarke will never play for the club again.

The two came to blows on the pitch after the Robins' Carling Cup defeat by Southampton on Tuesday night.

"Fortunately, he's out now even if he's under contract. He's never going to play with my team, never," Di Canio told BBC Wiltshire.

Former QPR forward Clarke, 26, had only been with the club 11 days when the incident happened.

It started on the pitch when Clarke got into a disagreement with fitness coach Claudio Donatelli and as Di Canio appeared to try and diffuse the situation, Clarke and his Italian boss started to row and it continued into the tunnel.

"I discovered that two days [before the game] he asked to leave. I didn't know that before because I wouldn't play a player in a Swindon shirt who asked to leave.

"He doesn't deserve to wear a Swindon Town shirt in front of the fans."

Clarke arrived at the League Two club on a free transfer following his release from QPR in the summer.

He had struggled for form at Rangers and at previous club Sheffield Wednesday, and spent much of his time on loan.

With Clarke likely to be sent out on loan when the window opens next week, Di Canio, whose Swindon side have not won in the league since the opening game of the season, said he is now keen to move on from the incident.

"We have to go through this moment and then we will be OK," he added.

"I hope he can find a club because as a man I know that everyone can make a mistake."

[Adam]

I'm glad you put the McClaren story next to the Plymouth one.

Because it highlights how fucking stupid the first story is. McClaren is an idiot. Crying because he ONLY got £1.8 million worth of transfers!? We're in the same league and spent, if I rightly recall, about 200k on players this summer. Because it's all we could afford. And the fact there's another team in the football league who can't even afford to pay its own staff...well, the ginger fool needs to shut the hell up and get on with it.

[IAceI]

I don't particularly feel for Schteve, but he will no doubt have been told that the club were willing to spend to attract him as a manager and have gone back on that. That said, even spending £2m in the transfer window isn't too bad. Sure, Championship teams can command fees of £5-10m for some of their players now, but there are a lot of teams - like Doncaster - who are fumbling around the back of the couch to ensure they can sign a player.

[Matt]

How can he complain at spending £1.8m, apart from Leicester, West Ham and Ipswich, I can't think of anyone that's spent much more than that. I could understand maybe if he'd sold 2 of his better players for 7 figure sums and only replaced them with freebies, loan signings and one £250k fee.

Leon Clarke sounds like a massive cunt.

[IAceI]

Got outplayed by MK Dons really. They get the ball down, barely gave us a touch and just knock it about in a nice way. Karl Robinson's a good manager as well, sexy bastard