Bottom of the Third

i hope the only American team in the league survive personally

(Grimsby are one of the few teams to have a 100% record as far as matches at Wembley go - played two, won two. They also played in the game with the highest ever attendance at Old Trafford; an FA Cup semi back in the 30s.)

And you were lucky against the Cobblers; admittedly, Northampton were awful on the day, but Kevin Donovan wrestled Colin Hill to the ground before going on to round Andy Woodman for the only goal of the game.

the bottom 5 all picking up at least a point over the weekend!

Why is this anyway? Are two coming up from the Conference or are they just rejigging the size of the divisions again?

I think what's happened is that I've ceased to understand the whole culture of football fan masochism (oh haha I've just been on a 36 hour round trip to stand in the rain and their fans bricked our bus so the snow was coming in through our window all the way home see how committed I am). This is partly because the club continues to insist that my relationship with them is the same as my relationship to a cinema or a shop. Unrequited love's a bore.

This weekend I found myself confiding to friends that if we went down -and therefore almost certainly out of business- I wouldn't mind because then I could just go and be an Arsenal fan who made it to Highbury once a year and revelled in the glory of beautiful football magnificently played and silverware and smart little comments about the weekend over the dividers in the office. It was a lie, of course, I'm desperate for us to survive.

On Saturday I'm off to Irthlingborough. It's not all bad though because there's an art exhibition in Bedford I really want to see and there's quite a nice church near the station in Wellingborough which I might get to look inside if the Church Warden is around. Apparently.

And maybe we'll win.

Irthlingborough is such a great name - I used to think my boss was winding me up when we had to send stuff to an office there.

(Possibly displacement of other bad stuff in the world and my life just now but referred pain is still pain isn't it?)

It's the worst kind of unrequited love. You have to pay to stalk them! Though at least they don't call the police.

If it's any consolation, you overtook me in this months's Fantasy Football last night.

Some Gasheads I know are deeply depressed; they say there's never been poorer football played by the club in a long long time. They also have received loads of abuse for having contrary views to the club and the supporters clubs on the club's share issue and the comments by many in the supporters clubs and an employee that it would be great if York went bust; for gainsaying this last comment, one of them was told to 'get back to Baghdad'. Nice!

Even though I'm a far less committed supporter than Tim, I know precisely how he feels, and share it. I tried to take up supporting West Ham (I'm walking distance from the ground) as a second team, because I can see them on TV every week, and they have players I like. This was partly as a safety net, in case Rovers go under, but it's really not taking - I like them, basically, but I don't really care. I'd be slightly sorry if they go down, but I'd be heartbroken and inconsolable if Rovers do.

Obelix should be in goal!

Right now if I hear any fans of any clubs talking about 'disaster' or whatever when their club is not in imminent danger of ceasing to exist completely, I have to bite my toungue or I'll end up being much ruder than they deserve

I will dare to risk him being very rude to me by pointing out that Woking are second from bottom in the bloody Conference! And there's talk of Accrington Stanley coming up. Accrington Stanley, who're they? You know the answer.

It's an even closer dogfite than the 3rd! And Stevenage are involved too. Fortunately, I made the decision at an early age to despise my hometown, so I care not if they plummet.

17 Leyton Orient 39 44
18 Macclesfield Town 39 43
19 Boston United 40 42
20 Swansea City 40 41
21 Carlisle United 39 41
22 Bristol Rovers 39 40
23 Shrewsbury Town 37 40
24 Exeter City 40 38

can i just say that everything i don't get from plastickly ing-ger-lund tedium (bored millionaires basking in ad contract opportunities) i get from the curent dogfight. even if brfc survive (performances have improved in recent games thank f), whoever goes down (boston aside - daggers must be avenged) i will be truly sorry . whereas if leeds or chelsea or someone went bust i am not sure i would frankly care

ok it is all going wrong. rovers and exeter in the drop zone. if anyone understands why i take this as a kick in the stomach more than anything that could ever happen in any other world, please post and sympathise!!

btw it makes perfect sense to me - i have informed god accordingly.

darlington have got 9 points
shrewsbury 1
carlisle 3
boston 6
macclesfield 14
bristol rovers 7
exeter 2
swansea 6

carlisle, exeter and shrewsbury are really struggling to pick up points now, only a month ago
macclesfield were right in it, but have completely pulled away into mid table

boston and bristol rovers surely safe now. exeters win was vital for them, they have lifeline now

The thing is that saving yourself on the last day can sometimes be a springboard for recovery. Gillingham did it when Sheffield Wednesday reached two Cup finals, and look where *those* two clubs are a decade on.

The other thing that interests me is Northampton (who were 14th a few months ago) and Peterborough (who were relegation favourites for much of the season but have now completely pulled away into mid-table). Those fans *hate* each other. I can well understand if Dom Passantino has hurled himself deep into the River Nene as I write this ...

burnley also support robin's theory... but it didn't work for carlisle... i can't believe that carlisle who comprehensively outclassed us might be in trouble... fate is cruel but i guess it may yet turn as no doubt this thread will reveal next week...

oh crap, and who will want to take over at such an in the crap club? this ain't good, mind you this is what you get when you make the club physio the manager.

away winds for swansea, carlisle, and exeter!!!!! who would have thought?

BTW - above question is genuinely inquisitive, rather than 'get real and stop fretting over nothing' type stance.

I think it is still a bigger deal. No League Cup. Earlier entry in the FA Cup. Even less TV money. "Non-League" status. Even smaller crowds. Results after the Scottish leagues. Only two promotion spots, still fewer than anywhere above there. And while some clubs have bounced back well, others have crumbled.

I'm supporting Exeter to survive, because I care how Tim H feels (and can afford to, now that Rovers are safe), and Shrewsbury despite Mark S not really much caring.

Has anyone heard of anyone other than Chris Waddle putting his name forward for the Chesterfield managers job?

My Woking, who I'm managing in CM4, managed exactly the same :)

Shrewsbury v Carlisle is the commentary match on radio 5 tomorrow, which is brilliant. Does anyone know if it is on Sky too ?

all square

Shrews T 1 Carlisle U 2

Another GOAL, indeed a hatrick by Carlisle's Wake !

Carlisle United 3 Shrews T 1

It looks like Shrews are Sink[er]-ing to the Conference.

Oh well, I have been to the Medjski Millenium whatever in Reading -- Are they in the scrap heap?

Swansea V Hull
Exeter V Southend

Btw Thought listening to Shrews v Carlisle was unbearably compelling... I can't imagine greater tension this season at any level.

Heard reports tonite that even if Shrewsbury win the conference next year, that under league rules re ground capacity including seating capacity they would not be allowed back into the nationwide.

Shrewsbury did have plans of building a new 10,000 stadium, but will they still be able to do so now?

Morecambe - seaside town on the lancs coast, have done remarkably well since being promoted from the unibound some seasons ago.

Doncaster - a possible return to the football league under a new regime [remember their rogue insider arson, and the utter shambles when they got relegated front the football league - at the end of the season they were playing with teenagers.]

Chester - managed under Mark Wright, new-ish compact stadium that is half in another country [Wales], tipped and expected to do well.

Dagenham & Redbridge - narrowly missed out last season, crap start to the season but have stormed their way into the play offs.

play offs
Morecambe V Daggers
Donnie V Chester

i dreamt i was at a football match last nite, not sure who was playing, but it definately wasn't the grecians. however this did not stop me shouting "CITY TIL I DIE, I'M CITY TIL I DIE" and other ECFC songs at this other random team, who were possibly wearing red and possibly managed by peter reid...

Sorry, Tim but you need to get the road map out to find Forest Green for the nearest West of England derby match.

http://www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/images/Billy_Brewer10x8.jpg

If that doesn't cheer Tim up, nothing will. Note clue to Billy's true identity on shirt.

I see the Villa are safe then.

any of these places have art galleries?

Bowyer Free (Tottenham)
> Breen Free (Sunderland)
> Di Canio Free (Brescia)
> James £3m (Manchester City)
> Kanouté £6m (Liverpool)
> Cole £10m (Liverpool)
> Carrick £7m (Middlesbrough)
> Sinclair £3m (Portsmouth)
> Repka Free (Sampdoria)
> Moncur Free (Gillingham)
> Hutchison Free (Sunderland)
> Defoe £12m (Manchester Utd)
> Winterburn Free (retirement)

Athena must still exist because (wait for it) I get art lessons from some dude who works for them in some artistic capacity or other. So far I have drawn a plant.

You can't beat Burton for an away day - Bass Museum, Marston's Pedigree Visitor Centre, The Burton Bridge Brewery for a pre-match pint and then leg it miles for a swift half in the super-sophisticated clubhouse. And at half time Billy Brewer does his Sidebottomesque stuff with the local kids. And Brian Clough is there.

(if you've seen the July 1959 colour pictorial of it, you'll know *exactly* what I mean here)

this sounds like my dream itinerary

this is fucked up!

also, talking about football at work because you have nothing else to talk about with yr work collegues: C or D?

and classic of course.

Uri was involved with City last year (he said he was Chairman but was never properly signed on as a Director even). The others (Jackson, Blaine, Prowse) were given Honorary Associate Directorships, which meant nothing except a column inch or two demonstrating how the Club was a circus. None of the above are involved any more. The Club is in a great deal of trouble and it's not at all clear that it will even be there at the start of the season. It's being run by the Supporters' Trust just now (a good thing) but the finances are pretty parlous, as I understand.

Sorry for the serious answer. It's all a bit of a worry.