c4countdown

Steve Durney wrote:The football season's over. Time to go into hibernation until the start of pre-season!

Not for us it ain't! 61st game coming up tomorrow. Where's the smiley for "nerves gone to pot"?

Gutted Newcastle are down . Another fantastic end to yet another memorable season

David Roe wrote:Right, this is it. Two domestic games left this season, and only one matters. COME ON YOU CLARETS!

Really rooting for the clarets tomorrow . Would be good to see another North West club in the top flight . The region is certainly taking over the League! Not to forget a bitter derby with Rovers and of course Bolton Wanderers too

Steve Durney wrote:The football season's over.

Thank feck for that. I can concentrate on the Super League and cricket for the summer now.

Ian Volante wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:The football season's over.

Thank feck for that. I can concentrate on the Super League and cricket for the summer now.

Can one of the moderators delete this post please?

Matt Morrison wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:The football season's over.

Thank feck for that. I can concentrate on the Super League and cricket for the summer now.

Can one of the moderators delete this post please?

Careful, you're starting to sound like a Manchester U fan...

Ian Volante wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:

Ian Volante wrote: Thank feck for that. I can concentrate on the Super League and cricket for the summer now.

Can one of the moderators delete this post please?

Careful, you're starting to sound like a Manchester U fan...

I really used to like you Ian.

David Roe wrote:Not for us it ain't! 61st game coming up tomorrow. Where's the smiley for "nerves gone to pot"?

Nice to know there's at least one other Claret on here. I'm still struggling to comprehend it all, just so surreal.

btw I think the smiley you're looking for is this one or maybe this one or maybe this one

Congrats to you Burnley fans. Very fucking pleased we don't have to put up with Sheffield United back in the Premiership again. Let's just hope Stoke go down next season.

just about covers it, I think. Though they should all be about sixty-one times larger.

What do you Clarets think of Owen Coyle being linked with the Celtic job? Would you like him to have his chance in the Prem given that he got you there or gladly let him go in the hope that a more experienced manager can keep you up?

Why on earth would we get rid? We don't need experience, we need talent, and especially talent at working with a low budget. He's not going to Celtic, he's our man!

I wouldn't want a more experienced manager, I feel quite confident that OC is the best we could ask for at the moment (he is God, remember).

In fact, I'd go as far as saying I'd be happy with just 2 signings this summer (Anderson and Williams seem nailed on).

Although we're still a bit thin on the ground squad-wise I'd be happy to let this team carry on - they've earned the right after all - and to be honest there are 8 or 9 teams we could finish above, therefore every chance that 3 would finish below us.

All that said, if we did lose OC (and it now looks like we won't) then it would considerably destabilise us and we'd really struggle.

Cup Final predos anyone? I'm going for Chelsea, 1-0. Can't see it being a goal-fest. Hope I'm wrong of course. A nice punch-up would do me nicely.

Neil Zussman wrote:Cup Final predos anyone? I'm going for Chelsea, 1-0. Can't see it being a goal-fest. Hope I'm wrong of course. A nice punch-up would do me nicely.

The 2nd half has started now and the last time i looked it was 1-1. Think Chelsea will probably edge it 2 or 3-1 now. I'm strangely not at all bothered about this final.

Steve Durney wrote:I'm strangely not at all bothered about this final.

Which epitomises the mood around top-end football these days.

Let's be honest, anything involving the 'Big 4' has become tedious, I'm more interested in who comes 5th, 17th, or whether Leeds stay down

Phil Collinge wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:I'm strangely not at all bothered about this final.

Which epitomises the mood around top-end football these days.

Let's be honest, anything involving the 'Big 4' has become tedious, I'm more interested in who comes 5th, 17th, or whether Leeds stay down

No, i think it's more because it was two rather dour teams that were contesting it. As an Arsenal fan i'd obviously wished they'd been there, but otherwise i would like to have seen a Manure - Liverpool final. I agree about Leeds though!

Steve Durney wrote:

Phil Collinge wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:I'm strangely not at all bothered about this final.

Which epitomises the mood around top-end football these days.

Let's be honest, anything involving the 'Big 4' has become tedious, I'm more interested in who comes 5th, 17th, or whether Leeds stay down

No, i think it's more because it was two rather dour teams that were contesting it. As an Arsenal fan i'd obviously wished they'd been there, but otherwise i would like to have seen a Manure - Liverpool final. I agree about Leeds though!

I agree, that would be a fair final, turd vs turd!

Phil Collinge wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:I'm strangely not at all bothered about this final.

Which epitomises the mood around top-end football these days.

Let's be honest, anything involving the 'Big 4' has become tedious, I'm more interested in who comes 5th, 17th, or whether Leeds stay down

What, down your local pub? That's a pretty wide-ranging statement, and doesn't seem to tally with actual tangible things like TV audiences, merchandising sales, match-day support etc.

Non Manchester United fans might appreciate my new avatar.

The dirty b******s

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Phil Collinge wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:I'm strangely not at all bothered about this final.

Which epitomises the mood around top-end football these days.

Let's be honest, anything involving the 'Big 4' has become tedious, I'm more interested in who comes 5th, 17th, or whether Leeds stay down

What, down your local pub? That's a pretty wide-ranging statement, and doesn't seem to tally with actual tangible things like TV audiences, merchandising sales, match-day support etc.

If you're a supporter of a 'Big 4' side then obviously it won't tally. Your primary interest will always be just that, but for supporters beyond the PL elite I am secure in the knowledge that what I said was correct.

As a supporter of Burnley, and disregarding the almost unbelievable notion that we are now in the PL, I can assure you that there is very little discussion on our boards about the top of the PL or the FA Cup final, whereas the issues surrounding PL relegation, League Two play-offs, the imminent implosions of Newcastle Utd/Southampton etc, the ground proposals for AFC Wimbledon etc. generate far more discussion.

My only interest in the 'Big 4' this season will be whether I can get a ticket, or whether we can get any kind of result there. Other than that I really don't care.

In the PL we all know who the top 4 will be before we even start. We could all guess the bottom 10 and get at least 8 right.

In the Championship we could all guess the top 6 or 12 and probably get half of them wrong.

In League 2 most of us wouldn't have a clue.

Football needs unpredictablity, and for that I am grateful to be a supporter of a club that has demonstrated unpredictablity over a number of decades. I'm sure Chelsea didn't get the same buzz from winning the FA Cup as they would have had 10 years ago, just as I'm sure Man Utd didn't get the same buzz from winning the league this year as they did in 1993, or Leeds in 92 or Blackburn in 95.

What every sport needs is competition. Look at any field where the top 1,2,3 or 4 has been locked out and you create disdain and generate animosity and apathy.

Phil Collinge wrote:
the ground proposals for AFC Wimbledon etc. generate far more discussion.

I know this may sound like heresy, but as a resident of Kingston-upon-Thames, I'd prefer it if we stay at Kingsmeadow, at least until we need a bigger ground. It's much better for me as I live so close to the ground.

Phil Collinge wrote:
Football needs unpredictablity, and for that I am grateful to be a supporter of a club that has demonstrated unpredictablity over a number of decades. I'm sure Chelsea didn't get the same buzz from winning the FA Cup as they would have had 10 years ago, just as I'm sure Man Utd didn't get the same buzz from winning the league this year as they did in 1993, or Leeds in 92 or Blackburn in 95.

What every sport needs is competition. Look at any field where the top 1,2,3 or 4 has been locked out and you create disdain and generate animosity and apathy.

I agree. English football has such depth of interest (Division II being the sixth-best supported league in Europe, which, frankly, is stunning) because it was forced into having a level playing field for a long time with the maximum wage. Since that restriction was removed, we've had two broad and unprecedented (Huddersfield and Arsenal only dominated for relatively short periods pre-war) periods of hegemony (Liverpool and Manchester U), and the more money is concentrated at the top, the less predictable things get.

I'm of the opinion (to an extent) that the huge interest in lower teams is only sustained by the saturation coverage and resultant social/tribal pressure, although the dogged determination to support an underdog may also help. How long before the big second tier crowds dwindle as the tedium of yo-yoing in and out of the Premier League (or indeed fighting endlessly to survive in the PL with little prospect of winning anything)? Is this process already happening?

A c4c fantasy league sounds like a bit of craic... i'd be happy for it to be on that official budweiser one, as i was on it last year and i could enter our local league and this one without having to have two teams.

Fixture lists for the next season come on this Wednesday, already. Always a good read. The anticipation starts here...

Neil Zussman wrote:Fixture lists for the next season come on this Wednesday, already. Always a good read. The anticipation starts here...

Who do you support Neil? I did know, but I have now forgotten.

Matt Morrison wrote:

Neil Zussman wrote:Fixture lists for the next season come on this Wednesday, already. Always a good read. The anticipation starts here...

Who do you support Neil? I did know, but I have now forgotten.

The mighty Leyton Orient.
League 1 is looking pretty tasty next year, with several former premiership clubs joining us- Charlton, Southampton, Leeds, Swindon, Norwich and probably more that I've forgotten.

AFC home to Luton on the opening day
Exciting times

Andy Wilson wrote:A c4c fantasy league sounds like a bit of craic... i'd be happy for it to be on that official budweiser one, as i was on it last year and i could enter our local league and this one without having to have two teams.

I second this motion. I've been playing that game for a while. Any ideas for a league name? I've been trying to think of a pun involving a countdown word. The best I can come up with is La Leotard.

I'd like to join a league. Suppose I might set one up on my usual venue fantasyleague.com and persuade some you you there.

Last year's team, 214th overall, but second in my friends league

http://classic.fantasyleague.com/Team/T ... amid=26475

There was a very limited turn out for the C4C league on the Official Premier League Fantasy Football.
Just four or so of us, I walked away with it (didn't even need to run).
Not sure who set it up (not I) but go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and sign up and join the league (code: 336517-73468).

Matt Morrison wrote:There was a very limited turn out for the C4C league on the Official Premier League Fantasy Football.
Just four or so of us, I walked away with it (didn't even need to run).
Not sure who set it up (not I) but go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and sign up and join the league (code: 336517-73468).

I had a team on this site last season but got a bit bored with it. I didn't like the fact that you could swap a player each week. It would be better if you picked a squad, of about 16 or so, and stuck with that the whole season. If some of your players get long term injuries or just have a crap campaign, then tough. I also had two teams in The Sun's game. There you could swap 3 players at two points in the season. I remember during the first transfer window everyone signed Hull's Michael Turner, who was only £1m but had scored a shit load of points. It would be much better if you had to stick with the same side for the whole season.

Steve Durney wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:There was a very limited turn out for the C4C league on the Official Premier League Fantasy Football.
Just four or so of us, I walked away with it (didn't even need to run).
Not sure who set it up (not I) but go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and sign up and join the league (code: 336517-73468).

I had a team on this site last season but got a bit bored with it. I didn't like the fact that you could swap a player each week. It would be better if you picked a squad, of about 16 or so, and stuck with that the whole season. If some of your players get long term injuries or just have a crap campaign, then tough. I also had two teams in The Sun's game. There you could swap 3 players at two points in the season. I remember during the first transfer window everyone signed Hull's Michael Turner, who was only £1m but had scored a shit load of points. It would be much better if you had to stick with the same side for the whole season.

For me, the weekly transfers ensure that it is an ongoing game. If you pick a bad team at the start of the season or your players all get injured, the game is still worth playing, as you can still recover. Not allowing transfers makes the game far more about luck and encourages people to set up a team and then ignore it. The one transfer a week also allows you to build a team strategically to have certain players in place according to the fixture list.

Matt, I promise it will be more competitive next season.

Martin Bishop wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:There was a very limited turn out for the C4C league on the Official Premier League Fantasy Football.
Just four or so of us, I walked away with it (didn't even need to run).
Not sure who set it up (not I) but go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and sign up and join the league (code: 336517-73468).

I had a team on this site last season but got a bit bored with it. I didn't like the fact that you could swap a player each week. It would be better if you picked a squad, of about 16 or so, and stuck with that the whole season. If some of your players get long term injuries or just have a crap campaign, then tough. I also had two teams in The Sun's game. There you could swap 3 players at two points in the season. I remember during the first transfer window everyone signed Hull's Michael Turner, who was only £1m but had scored a shit load of points. It would be much better if you had to stick with the same side for the whole season.

For me, the weekly transfers ensure that it is an ongoing game. If you pick a bad team at the start of the season or your players all get injured, the game is still worth playing, as you can still recover. Not allowing transfers makes the game far more about luck and encourages people to set up a team and then ignore it. The one transfer a week also allows you to build a team strategically to have certain players in place according to the fixture list.
Matt, I promise it will be more competitive next season.

The trouble with that system is that teams quite often end up looking very similar, and the game becomes less about your knowledge of the game to just who's doing well that particular week. I picked John Terry in his breakthrough season years ago when nobody had heard of him. I knew a bit about him and that he was one for the future, and that that particular season he would get a fair few chances. As it turned out, he had an amazing season and scored a lot of points. Thanks to that, i won our mini-league that year. If you can bring in any player you like on a weekly basis, then the advantage of having a strong knowledge of the game becomes less important.

Totally agree with Martin on the reasons why the official game works well.

The obvious pros of having a weekly-changing game are the competition being more intense, with more decisions to be made, and more control to be had.
I do understand that that same intensity is what can make it too much for some (even I tend to forget to do my transfers by the deadline at least a handful of weeks per season).

Steve, think you're wrong that more transfers ends up meaning more similar teams. In The Sun's version where you only get two transfer periods all season, surely teams are more similar because you have to make all your judgements pre-season, when there is very little to go on except reputation - so obviously everybody is generally going to focus on having a few of a particular bunch of elite players. With weekly transfers, the incentive to take risks on lesser-known players is much greater, as if things go tits up you can take them out again in forthcoming weeks. Plus you also get to make decisions as the season progresses - say, a Birmingham striker comes out and gets 5 goals in the first 3 matches - do you take a risk on him being a bit of a surprise package the whole season and pop him in your team, or think it's just a quick flurry and he'll go back to being shit and leave him out? Furthermore, if you don't transfer him in and he scores two the next week, you can make that decision all over again. It just gives a depth that you could never hope to achieve with so few transfer periods. Of course, remember you're only allowed one transfer per week for free, further transfers cost points, which once again adds yet more decision making.

Looking forward to the challenge Martin by the way - did you have a team this year, how did you do?

The reason I like fantasyleague.com is that the transfers are limited, so ou can do them at any time, but you get 25 for the whole season, and 5 per month. This is a good balance, and while you do get a few players in everyone's teams, it's not wise to swap for form players constantly simply because you don't have the resources for that.

Matt Morrison wrote:Plus you also get to make decisions as the season progresses - say, a Birmingham striker comes out and gets 5 goals in the first 3 matches - do you take a risk on him being a bit of a surprise package the whole season and pop him in your team, or think it's just a quick flurry and he'll go back to being shit and leave him out? Furthermore, if you don't transfer him in and he scores two the next week, you can make that decision all over again. It just gives a depth that you could never hope to achieve with so few transfer periods. Of course, remember you're only allowed one transfer per week for free, further transfers cost points, which once again adds yet more decision making.

Looking forward to the challenge Martin by the way - did you have a team this year, how did you do?

Also, the prices for players change according to how many people buy/sell them, so if you don't purchase someone one week, you might not be able to afford them the next.

Last year, I finally won my private league with some old uni mates, scoring 1901. Having looked at last year's table, I would have still been 68 points behind you, but that's much better than a gap in the hundreds.

Martin Bishop wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:Looking forward to the challenge Martin by the way - did you have a team this year, how did you do?

Last year, I finally won my private league with some old uni mates, scoring 1901. Having looked at last year's table, I would have still been 68 points behind you, but that's much better than a gap in the hundreds.

Good work! Last year was the only time I have ever done well on a fantasy football game, so sadly I'm prepared to be far less successful this season!
Looking forward to it though, and hoping that Ian and Steve and others will join in too.

As a slight aside, I also run The Facebook Posse, a league of about 20 friends and friends-of-friends. The 1st year it was £5 to enter with 55% going to 1st place, 30% to 2nd and 15% to 3rd.
Last season, we doubled the entry fee to £10, £5 of which went to the same end-of-season awards, and £5 went to Manager of the Week awards, which worked out at £2 per week for the player who gets the most points each week. It mixed it up nicely, with the vast majority of all the players getting at least some kind of recognition. You're welcome to join that too if you'd like some financial incentive, I'm pretty good at organising these sort of things thanks to my analytical mind! Links: League table on the fantasy site and the Facebook group.

Hmm, changing player valuations is one feature that really puts me off. I don't have the time to manage a team that closely to take advantage, and I find it just introduces too much guesswork.

Martin Bishop wrote: I second this motion. I've been playing that game for a while. Any ideas for a league name? I've been trying to think of a pun involving a countdown word. The best I can come up with is La Leotard.

My team name for the Fantasy Premier League is Fellaini't no Bevins.

Non countdown related ones - The Fuddy Ruckers and The Cereal Killers

Sporting Lesbians and Imaginary Madrid

Marc Meakin wrote:Sporting Lesbians and Imaginary Madrid

Isn't that a Harry Potter novel?

If anyone is interested in having or have made a team already in The Mirror 'You The Manager' Fantasy Football, I have set up a league.

League Name : Countdown (Ir)regulars

Password : Countdown

Matt Morrison wrote:Not sure who set it up (not I) but go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and sign up and join the league (code: 336517-73468).

I've tried, but

fantasy.premierleague.com wrote:336517-73468 is not a valid code to join a league

I'm in another league on there with non-Countdown people anyway, but if there's going to be a Countdowny league running too, I'll join. Are you sure this code is correct, Matt? The code for the league I'm already in was two six-digit numbers, not a six and a five.

JimBentley wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:Not sure who set it up (not I) but go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and sign up and join the league (code: 336517-73468).

I've tried, but

fantasy.premierleague.com wrote:336517-73468 is not a valid code to join a league

I'm in another league on there with non-Countdown people anyway, but if there's going to be a Countdowny league running too, I'll join. Are you sure this code is correct, Matt? The code for the league I'm already in was two six-digit numbers, not a six and a five.

Thanks for the heads-up Jim. This was Mike's original post with the league code in. As you can see, I didn't make a copy-and-paste error, so I think the reason is that Mike (as the league admin) hasn't renewed the league and so it is currently dormant. This is my best guess as I just had to renew the league-among-Facebook-friends that I run myself. If Mike doesn't respond to this by tomorrow or so, I'll set up a new C4C league and post the code here.

Matt Morrison wrote:

JimBentley wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:Not sure who set it up (not I) but go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and sign up and join the league (code: 336517-73468).

I've tried, but

fantasy.premierleague.com wrote:336517-73468 is not a valid code to join a league

I'm in another league on there with non-Countdown people anyway, but if there's going to be a Countdowny league running too, I'll join. Are you sure this code is correct, Matt? The code for the league I'm already in was two six-digit numbers, not a six and a five.

Thanks for the heads-up Jim. This was Mike's original post with the league code in. As you can see, I didn't make a copy-and-paste error, so I think the reason is that Mike (as the league admin) hasn't renewed the league and so it is currently dormant. This is my best guess as I just had to renew the league-among-Facebook-friends that I run myself. If Mike doesn't respond to this by tomorrow or so, I'll set up a new C4C league and post the code here.

Is this still going ahead?
I hope so

Although i'm not a huge fan of the weekly transfer thing, i've entered a team anyway!

Only 5 of us so far though. 11:30am is the shut off point for week 1.

Is anyone else watching the Football League Show on BBC1? With its echoey, warehouse-like set, glass screens everywhere and the invitations for fans to call in and give their views, it feels like I'm watching Crimewatch.

Martin Bishop wrote:Is anyone else watching the Football League Show on BBC1? With its echoey, warehouse-like set, glass screens everywhere and the invitations for fans to call in and give their views, it feels like I'm watching Crimewatch.

Yeah, i thought it looked a bit odd, especially with that annoying text thing on the wall that you normally only see in Post Offices!
Not as bad as the disallowed Palace goal though!

West Ham's Callum Davenport and his mum were stabbed and he has serious injuries.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:West Ham's Callum Davenport and his mum were stabbed and he has serious injuries.

As sad as that story is, I loved the way Gary Lineker broke the news on Match of The Day last night and seamlessly segued into a plug for MOTD2.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:West Ham's Callum Davenport and his mum were stabbed and he has serious injuries.

Another fantasy league manager loses it...

In case people aren't aware, the Women's European Championships start today. I've become a bit of a fan of the women's game since we hosted the Euros four years ago. It also helps that I'm an Arsenal fan. England start off their campaign against Italy on Tuesday (all matches shown on Eurosport). Today there's Ukraine-Netherlands and Denmark against the hosts Finland (whose team seems to be picked entirely on looks. It's amazing).

Martin Bishop wrote:I've become a bit of a fan of the women's game since we hosted the Euros four years ago. It also helps that I'm an Arsenal fan.

Well everyone knows they're a bunch of girls. Ahahaha.

Ian Volante wrote:

Martin Bishop wrote:I've become a bit of a fan of the women's game since we hosted the Euros four years ago. It also helps that I'm an Arsenal fan.

Well everyone knows they're a bunch of girls. Ahahaha.

A bunch of girls that are top of the league!

Well, West Ham/Millwall looked a bit tasty didn't it? I can't believe the papers are up in arms about it- when you pair two of the most passionate sets of supporters with two of the most notorious football firms in the ICF and the Bushwackers, added to the fact it's a bitter local derby in the evening which means fans will have been drinking all day, you have to expect carnage. The police reaction was, as usual at these events, absolutely shit though.

By "most passionate" presumably you mean "most obnoxious, unpleasant, antisocial, violent"? It's a throwback to the 70's, which by the tone of your comment, presumably you're in favour of?