My kinda town - Banks part II

I recently wrote about banks and how annoying they were, well I was in Citibank last week transferring some hard earned dough back home (about $3,000, which = 47p) and I said to the chap that I needed to wire some money to London. This is how the conversation followed, no bullshit:

Bank bloke: "Ok sir, hope you are having a great day (was about 8.45am), now you said London, correct?"
Me: "Yes"
Bank bloke: "That's in Turkey then, right?"
Me with incredulous look: "Er, no. The UK"
Bank bloke feverishly typing: "Oh, of course, the UK."
Me: "Yep."
Bank bloke: "Er, U.... K?"
Me: "The United Kingdom!"
Bank bloke: "Of course. Euro's then?"
Me: "No, pounds.... GBP!"
Bank bloke scrolling down his screen: "Oh, here. GBP's."

How much for this little charade? $40 fucking dollars. Clearly not paying towards staff training, but he probably graduated with a business degree from the University of Idiotville, Ohio and will never see outside of his country so why is it important that he thinks London is in Turkey eh? Its all Europe isn't it?

Best weekly score - 25 managers hit 100+

It was only two years ago that Ready won this award by scoring a century of points in a 7-day period, and that was the first time in 8 years of N&R FL competition that the magic number was reached.

Last year Rob Beere won the 25 notes with 99 points but unbelievably this season it took a masshoosive 126 weekly points to collect the £25 prize purse.

And it was Mark Dewberry that did it in week 21, a week where amazingly 15 managers achieved a century hit. Champion Suzie and 2nd placed Paul Kelleher were next up with 121. I must mention Sweaty too who probably hit a score way beyond his best ever in that same week.

Big congratulations though to each manager, and some off you did it twice, in reaching the 100 points barrier, it is quite a fantasy achievement.

Here are the top 25 best weekly scores:
1. Mark Dewberry, 126 points, week 21
2= Suzie Syrett, 121 points, week 21
2= Paul Kelleher, 121 points, week 21
4= Lee Baughan, 117 points, week 21
4= Hilary Ryan, 117 points, week 21
6. Chris Waterman, 116 points, week 21
7. Ben Graves, 114 points, week 21
8. Peter Godfrey, 111 points, week 36
9= Rob Munden, 110 points, week 21
9= Glenn Francis, 110 points, week 21
11= Paul Kelleher, 109 points, week 36
11= Peter Godfrey, 109 points, week 21
13= Suzie Syrett, 107 points, week 36
13= Keith Read, 107 points, week 21
15. Hilary Ryan, 106 points, week 36
16= Barry Plummer, 105 points, week 36
16= Mark Simmons, 105 points, week 21
18. Barry Paull, 104 points, week 36
19= Rob Munden, 103 points, week 36
19= Ben Graves, 103 points, week 36
19= Barry Plummer, 103 points, week 21
22. Mark Wenman, 102 points, week 21
23. Kirsty Baillie, 101 points, week 36
24= Chris Waterman, 100 points, week 36
24. Lee Day, 100 points, week 21

Worst weekly score - Just tatty

It wasn't much heralded at the time, when I look back at the blog in January but managing to score -5 points in one week is quite some going, so Nigel Tatlock deserves his £25 prize, which incidentially is £15 more than he won last year by finishing 10th - there is no justice.

Alan Oakley was 2nd with a negative 1, a week after Nige's 'best' and then Rutts had a crack at it the following week but fell short.

Top 10 worst weekly scores:
1. Nigel Tatlock, -5 points, week 23
2. Alan Oakley, -1 point, week 24
2. Brian Rutter, 0 point, week 25
4= Tim Feldbruegge, 1 point, week 7
4= Tim Feldbruegge, 1 point, week 8
4= Giles Crowley, 1 point, week 37
4= Danny Rose, 1 point, week 31
8. Tony Hepburn, 4 points, week 39
9= Rob Beere, 5 points, week 25
9= Alan Oakley, 5 points, week 25

The Hall of Fame

So Super Suzie becomes our first ever female Champion, although Richard Taylor did win it one year! And AIG break Marsh's stranglehold on the Team Challenge Trophy with a well overdue but thoroughly deserved victory. Here are 10 years of champs:

League Champions
2005 / 06 Ping Pong Yo-Yo - Suzie Syrett
2004 /05 Ginger (not so) Athletic - Peter Doyle
2003 / 04 Chang Noi's Ham Yai - Keith Read
2002 / 03 2Infinity & Beyond - Barry Plummer
2001 / 02 Read 'em & weep - Keith Read
2000 / 01 Brighton Revenge - Jonathan Poole
1999 /00 Cowboys Ride Again - Brett Davey
1998 / 99 Millennium Buggers - Richard Taylor
1997 /98 Flo's Champs - Godfrey, Rose
1996 / 97 Flo's Army - Godfrey, Rose

Team Challenge Winners
2005 / 06 AIG -
2004 / 05 Marsh - Simmons, Doyle
2003 / 04 Marsh - Simmons, Doyle
2002 / 03 Allianz - Jenkins, Day
2001 / 02 Avon - Godfrey, Rose
2000 / 01 HSBC - Waters, Murrell, Ready

Results soon. Video now.

The results are in but work is not being conducive to writing the final Nobby & Ready FL newsletter of the season just yet. Hold tight, it won't be long as will news of a return trip home and hopefully some after work city beers.

In the meantime you might enjoy this 4 minute video clip of a take on the continuos footie adverts on television at the moment.

It was made by 8 students at Manchester Metropolitan University for a laugh over 3 days. Click here to see.

The Road to Cardiff nearly Wembley

We started off way back in August with Romford FC and their dreams of taking part in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley and ended up back in Cardiff to witness a fantastic final, the best for many years, between West Ham and Liverpool.

Along the way we followed Romford, Waltham Abbey, Enfield Town, St Albans, Kettering Town with Gazza in charge, Stevenage Borough, Northampton's cobblers, then *grits teeth* Crystal Palarse, Martin Singleton's Preston North End, Middlesbrough, who prevented Charlton reaching their first Cup semi since 1947 and finally West Ham. 11 teams in all.

Final
Liverpool 3 West Ham 3 (aet, Liverpool win 3-1 on pens)
Scorer: Carragher o.g, Ashton, Konchesky
Att: 74,000 (At the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)

Semi-Final
Middlesbrough 0 West Ham 1
Att: 39,148 (at Villa Park)

6th Round replay
Middlesbrough 4 Charlton Athletic 2
Scorers: Rochemback, Morrison, Hasselbaink, Viduka
Att: 30,248

6th Round
Charlton Athletic 0 Middlesbrough 0
Att: 24,187

5th Round
Preston 0 Middlesbrough 2
Att: 19,877

4th Round replay
Crystal Palarce 1 Preston NE 2
Scorer: Ward
Att: 7,356

4th Round
Preston NE 1 Crystal Palarse 1
Scorer: Johnson
Att: 9,489

3rd Round
Crystal Palarse 4 Northampton 1
Scorer: Low
Att: 10,391

2nd Round replay
Northampton 2 Stevenage Borough 0
Att: 4,407

2nd Round
Stevenage Borough 2 Northampton 2
Scorers: Boyd, Elding
Att: 3,937

1st Round
Kettering Town 1 Stevenage Borough 3
Scorer: Midgley
Att: 4,548

4th Qualifying Road
Kettering Town 4 Gravesend & Northfleet 0
Scorers: Burgess (3), Gould
Att: 1,220

3rd Qualifying Round replay
Kettering Town 4 St Albans City 0
Att: 1,220

3rd Qualifying Round
St Albans City 0 Kettering Town 0
Att: 882

2nd Qualfying Round replay
St Albans City 3 Enfield Town 0
Att: 436

2nd Qualifying Round
Enfield Town 1 St Albans City 1
Scorer: Ofori
Att: 525

1st Qualifying Round
Enfield Town 3 Waltham Abbey 0
Att: 314

Preliminary Rd
Waltham Abbey 6 Wingate & Finchley 2
Scorers: Elmes (2), Sontag, White (2), Page
Att:

Extra Preliminary Rd
Romford 1 Waltham Abbey 3
Scorer: Taylor
Att: 112

Billy Davies given permission to talk to Charlton

Very glad that Peter Taylor has pulled out of the race for the Addicks job, phew. What I read into this is that he wasn't going to be offered it and therefore to stop further bridges having to be built on Humberside Charlton and Taylor agreed on this press release.

That Adam Pearson fellow sounds like another Simon Jordan. Billy big Bollocks with a gob to much but a rather small brain.

Even more scary than Taylor would be Mick McCarthy whose Premiership record is not much better than mine, i.e. he has won 2 games and me just 2 less.

I did perk up this morning when my tip Billy Davies was given permission by his chairman to be interviewed by the Addicks on Monday. He has done a great job at Preston as he did at Motherwell prior to that and he's extremely well thought off. He reminds me of Curbs 10 years ago but with a bit more steel. Sorry Martin, but he's my man.

Phil Parkinson, Adrian Boothroyd, Sammy Lee and Paul Jewell are other names still being mentioned in dispatches. Supposedly England coach and short-arse Lee is due to meet the Charlton board this weekend too.

Road to Wembley - The best final for years

Liverpool 3 West Ham 3. Liverpool won 3-1 on penalties
What a fantastic game it was on Saturday, I was cheering the Hammers on from a pub packed with a mixture of East End and Liverpudlian ex-pats and it was a throw back to the old days of FA Cup Finals. Add Steven Gerrard to Ian Porterfield, Ricky Villa, Tommy Hutchinson and Norman Whiteside as recent history cup final legends. My, he is some player.

But West Ham played such a fantastic part in the game, it was a real shame it had to go to penalties. No one gave them a chance but Liverpool gifted them two goals, albeit enforced mistakes by Scaloni causing CARRAGHER to get an O.G. and a combo of Benayoun and ASHTON for the 2nd.

But Liverpool stomed back with CISSE finishing well and GERRARD hammering home from close range. Before that they were unlucky to have a Crouch effort ruled out, but as an England fan isn't it a bit disconcerting that he was withdrawn by his club manager an hour before the game was finished? He is a white Carl Leaburn, sorry.

Then ex-Addick KONCHESKY got lucky with what was an excellent cross that turned into a 'lucky' goal but it inspired West Ham and with the minutes ticking away you felt that only one player could save Liverpool. And even though seconds earlier he could hardly stand the Reds captain fired in an absolute blinder from fully 35 yards.

As players in extra time dropped liked flies Benayoun just kept going as did Sissoko and with both fans in excellent voice the Irons almost snatched victory with 90 seconds left of added time when Nigel Reo-Coker's deflection was turned on to the post by Reina. A goalmouth scramble followed before Harewood, who was suffering badly from cramp, managed to shoot wide when it was easier to score. He looked devastated.

Reina who was to blame for both West Ham's 2nd and 3rd goal was probably lifted by his late save from Reo-Coker was the hero in the penalties as the scousers won 3-1.

As always it was a shame the game had to be decided by penalties but the players that stepped up to take them in Liverpool shirts compared to those in West Ham showed the difference in quality - Dietmar Hamann, Gerrard and John Arne Riise compared to Ferdinand, Konchesky and Zamora, but it only showed what a fantastic performance is was by West Ham.

Afterwards I couldn't help feel that Charlton would never have been so adventurous in their play and a UEFA Cup place is fully deserved by an obviously intelligent manager in Alan Pardew. The much vilified West Ham board also take credit for sticking with him when it would have been easier to sack him and appease their critics.

Simon Nevill phoned me at half-time and was 7th heaven and then text me at the end simply saying: "I'm completely fucked." Sums it up nicely.

West Ham Team: West Ham: Hislop, Scaloni, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun, Fletcher (Dailly 77), Reo-Coker, Etherington (Sheringham 85), Ashton (Zamora 71), Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Walker, Collins.
Attendence: 74,000
MoM: Benayoun

Lamb to the saunter

Breaking news 8888 Week 39 scores
Two cracking MoW scores on the spin has propelled Glenn Francis into 3rd place. 9th just 2 weeks ago but using his final transfers to great good he has plonked Lamb to the slaughter into 3rd place with Rushden & Doggers in his sights.

Ping Pong Yo-Yo are an unassailable 79 points in front, whilst London Irish and Ken Bates beard stay put in 4th and 5th respectively but you have to feel for Chris' Californication, who having occupied either 2nd or 3rd for the last 9 weeks sunk to 6th in this, the 2nd last week of the season with just one game (the FA Cup final) to go.

Godders' I *ucking hate Chelsea sneak into the prized 7th spot after a 55 point week at the expense of his old mucker Barry Paull's US Eagles. At least Barry won't need to money for a promotion party this year!

Meanwhile Sodding window cleaners and Christian Dailly Football Genuis swapped places in week 39.

Unfortunately (though what do I know) Flighty Feet, Wenners Utd, Glasgow kiss, PK's blue lagooners and Keep the faith all look like just falling a bit short. The same of course always applies to Ian Kennett and Ready.

Nobby's Chicago Addicks meanwhile, currently 99 points behind 10th, could still make the top prizes as he has 12 transfers left, $100 million to spend and it is his ball after all.

Woody smiles on Dom

Breaking news 8888 Week 39 scores
Woody will have a wry smile on his face after Dom, basically pony for the last 6 months suddenly had a growth spurt (sorry, couldn't resist it!) in week 39 and jumped out of the bottom 6 and dumped Giles' United we stand into the deep doo-doo.

Woody's warriors scored 52, which is 109 points in 2 weeks for Dom, and look to have escaped the re-election punishment of buying the beers. Start saving Giles!

Rogering Daisy Wright also had a little squirt in the 2nd last week scoring his best since January but with Goonersmoan also performing well, look like ending up with the wooden spoon.

The problem for Rutts is that he has another good week in the 40 and also jumps Rochdaletastic and thus gives up his 25 quid purse.

Outside of the bottom 6 Rapid Ginger look safe, whilst Sweaty plays the banjo, will have to sweat a bit longer, banjo or no banjo.

Chop chop

Breaking news 8888 Week 39 scores
So Lamb to the slaughter were the penultimate week's top boys with 69 points, a point more than Rapid Ginger, who should have secured their safety for this year.

Danny's geeza's have had quite a purple patch towards the end of the season, which is resulting in them pushing themselves towards the midtable prize spot currently occupied by Football Academy.

The biggest shock of the week was Rogering Daisy Wright, who scored their 2nd best weekly total of the season (67 points), which gives Tim an outside chance of catching Goonersmoan in 45th place, although Rutts himself got in on the action with 61, also his 2nd best of the season. Rushden & Doggers also knocked up 67 to remain in 2nd and Christian Daily Football Genius slipped into the top 10 with 59.

Other good week 39's were had by Keep the faith (60), surprisingly Magic Roundabout with 57, and less shockingly Flighty Feet with the same number.

The week's lowest was So he got shot up the arse which just about sums up his topsy-turvy season. Heppers got 4.

My kinda town

Banks are a place where you can keep your money as opposed to under the mattress like Godders. Now the same procedure applies in the USA. Invariably you choose one bank from a host of them that are forever sending you crap through the post offering all sorts of free banking.

Free banking? Thats a laugh. $25 to open an account, $25 to order some cheque books, $15 to transfer some money, $10 to set up a direct debit, $2 everytime you draw money out of a cash machine or atm, a public hanging if you go overdrawn, $1 to get a smile from the meeter and greeter, "hello sir, welcome to Bank of America. How are you today." "Fucking skint thats what I am because as soon as I'm earning it, you are nicking it, bastards,"

See in the land of the free, nothing is actually free. Yes, things are cheaper, some stuff cheaper than others but every bastard wants a bit of your money, whether its a tip, like $1 to a barman for pulling a pint, 20% in a restaurant or 10% to a cab driver who doesn't even know where he's going.

$149 a night for a hotel? Well that is what they call the rack rate. The real cost after you add state tax, federal tax, tourist tax, shower and shampoo tax will be nearer $200.

Cup of coffee in Starbucks $1.75 but don't forget the tax! $2.04 in total and more bloody change. Oh I wish they would include the tax, VAT basically up front, saves on worn out pockets.

And the last thing that really gets on my wick is internal airplane journeys. Admittedly fuel is getting expensive, well if you call £1.50 a gallon expensive but I recently flew 6,000 miles to Hawaii from Chicago. Took all day, and what did I get? A glass of water and if I wanted too I could have spent $5 on a snack box - a pack of raisins, bag of doritos and a kitkat. No thanks, you can stick that up your hula skirt.

Is this the new Charlton manager?

Remember you read it on here first way back in February.

Swedish meatballs for brains!

Why the fuck have we still got this Swedish twat running our national team? So he's never seen Walcott play. He's never seen me play either so what have I done wrong apart from my boss not being David Dein? He's picked two crooked strikers but not a bloody good crooked centre half (Ledley King). But don't panic he has the free-scoring Colin Crouch, who has scored 13 goals in 55 matches for Liverpool this season. Christ if Steven Gerrard played in my Sunday team I would have been averaging a goal every other game.

He's taken Jermaine Jenas, probably one of the best 20 midfielders in the country and Owen Hargreaves, his German lovechild and on the spot translator when Sven's out trawling the Frankfurt brothels. Sol Campbell? He will also be busy in the brothels I expect.

I'm not knocking the inclusion of Aaron Lennon because he's had a good season and Reo-Coker on the standby list the same but why didn't Eriksson maybe try them out in a friendly? Fuck me Phil Neville's got 80 odd caps.

We've got Stuart Downing going because McClaren told him to pick him. No Wright-Phillips, no Defoe but hey, a Championship striker, who was completely outshone in the play-off games against Watford. But of course if we are looking for a dodgy penalty....

Just 4 strikers but don't worry Joe Cole can play up front?! Do you think he was confusing him with Carlton Cole? But I suppose he's better than Darren Bent, the highest English goalscorer in the country. Have you seen us play this season? He gets about 1 half chance every 2 games and amazingly has scored 22 goals in 44 games. Absolutely fucking astonishing. We may as well not fucking go. Can you imagine if we get through a couple of rounds, probably due to a couple of lucky results and Lampard's and Gerrard's goals and we have a 17 year old who has never played in the Premiership and just 14 Championship appearances to his name and a lanky piece of piss carry 50 million people's hope's??

But does Eriksson care? £5m a year salary, all the brasses you can shake a stick at in Germany's best red light districts, another job waiting, if we go out he can always support Sweden for freak's sake! Makes me so mad, I can't tell you.

General Franco

Breaking news 8888 Week 38 scores
Only a fortnight to go as the 10th N&R FL comes to an exciting close. A bit like the Premiership in that the champion, bar a complete cock-up, is decided, but the battle is on for the other prized-places.

Glenn Francis' Lamb to the slaughter rolled in the week's best score of 88 to move into 6th. Danny's Geeza's and Glasgow Kiss both hit 73, the 2nd best week 38 score, but a long way behind colleague Glenn.

Christian Dailly Football Genius improved his chances to staying in the top 10 after scoring 69 and PK's blue lagooners still have an outside chance of a prize after nabbing 67. London Irish remain 4th after also scoring 67 as did 2nd placed Rushden & Doggers.

Ken Bates' beard stay in the mix after getting 66 points and lowly Tatters top tips can see the backs of the teams ahead after also hitting a battling 66, Nige's best score since early February.

66 points was also Lovejoy's luvvies total in week 38.

The lowest weekly score was surprisingly by He's a messiah. 21 and out of the prizes for Ian.

Champion Doyley & Crowley in big danger of drop

Breaking news 8888 Week 38 scores
Tatters suddenly spurred into life this week and gives himself a chance of survival. He and Rob Beere are still 18 points behind Dom, who does look the most likely to catch Giles in the safe position of 40th. Dom is just 4 points behind and can smell safety, which will be a major achievement after being in the bottom 6 since October 2005!!

Last years champion Doyley is not safe either. He is only 15 points ahead of the drop-zone and it will be pretty remarkable if both Pete and Giles get pulled into the re-election pit with just 2 weeks left.

Tim is 44 points behind Rutts, but he does seem out of reach, that is unless Brian chokes badly in the last 2 weeks. Cryer, who dropped two places this week, looks pretty settled in 44th.

Suzie clear but only 50 points separate next 9

Breaking news 8888 Week 38 scores
Suzie goes into the final week of the Premiership, the penultimate fantasy week, 91 points ahead of the rest of the table and seemingly on course to be a popular winner and our first female.

Pk is in 2nd currently but only 4 points ahead of Waterman in 3rd. There is then a slight gap of 13 points to the inform fellow AIG-ite Hilary in 4th.

9 points behind in 5th is Rob Munden, who will be hoping to improve on his 7th place finish last year but just 7 points further behind is MoW Glenn Francis, who in turn is only 6 points ahead of Barry Paull (who was 6th last year).

Outside of the major prize places is Godders in 8th, but the old pro is only 9 points behind his old mate Bazza, now residing in New York of course. Then in 8th Mark is just a spit behind Barry.

There is then a gap of 21 points to Ben Graves in 10th. Wenners (50 points behind 10th), Catherine & Karen (56 points), Dewbs (60 points), Kirsty (62 points) and Sweats (64 points) have a lot to make up to lever themselves into a top 10 prize.

N&R Play-Off Round 2 replay result

In the N&R 2nd Round play-off replay between Plumms and the Oakster, Al turned the form book upside down by beating Bazza 59-30.

Therefore Oakster qualifies for the £50 winner-takes-all final in week 39.

The N&R Play-Off final will be between:

Herr Oakster
Half-pint
Lupo

Only Lupo has any chance of winning any end of season prize money so obviously lets hope it ain't him! Good luck lads.

McClaren appointed as England manager

He's annoying me already. Look at his stupid grin. And what a load of old bollocks that Brian Barwick spouted today eh? "My first choice was always Steve. That might be difficult for people to get their heads across." Well yes, because according to everyone in the know Barwick preferred Martin O'Neill.

Then last week he was in Lisbon with the FA lawyer and a job contract under his arm, only for Scolari to run away citing reporters in his front garden.

It appears that McClaren was probably the unanimous 2nd choice with David Dein known to want Scolari, Trevor Brooking Alan Curbishley, Dave Richards wanting Sam Allardyce and Barwick supporting O'Neil. What a cock-up.

End of season play-off's - Round 2 Results

The results are in and we have two finalists and a replay in week 38. Here are the final pot scores:

Pot 1
QLupo 35
Lady Marmalade 28
Wenners 24
Cheese Roll 19
No shock here as MoW qualifies but Wenners and Baz are all playing well. The old romantic wanted me to see Lady M otherwise known as Lady of Leisure to win but heh, she's probably too pissed to even care! Loops goes into the week 39 N&R Play-Off final

Pot 2
Large Plumms 13*
Herr Oakster 13*
Chicken eater 10
Dewbs 7
So a replay in Pot 2 between Plumms and the Oakster. This pot was wide open with no clear fave and the scoring was though. In fact the in-form manager Dewbs came last.

Pot 3
QHalf-pint 21
Simmo 19
Queen of Romford 19
Graveyard shift 14
The closest to call pot prior to week 37. Four managers all playing well, with three challenging for prizes. However it was Half-Pint Kenny who came home first just ahead of Simmo and the Romford Queen. Graveyard was last.

So Half-pint v Lupo v Small Plumms/Herr Oakers in the final. The winner takes all - £50.

Killer week from Kelleher

Breaking news 8888 Week 37 scores
3 weeks to go to the end of the season and we get the season's lowest scores. 35 was week 37's best and scored by Rushden & Doggers, which was good enough to push PK into 2nd, a point ahead of Californication in 3rd.

Repka is innocent was next up with 30 points. Alex is now a place above the midtable prize. Ready's Hannoi Utd drop into that. White wine & water scored 28, Keep the faith scored 25.

24 was posted by Wenners Utd, who climb to 11th, Lovejoys Luvvies and Danny's Geeza's. Meg & Hannah's bears notched 23.

Meanwhile We Stand United, rapidly looking over his shoulder managed just uno point. Giles joins Tim with the joint 3rd worse score of the season.

Top 6 worst weekly scores:
1. Alan Oakley, -1 point, week 24
2. Brian Rutter, 0 point, week 25
3= Tim Feldbruegge, 1 point, week 7
3= Tim Feldbruegge, 1 point, week 8
3= Giles Crowley, 1 point, week 37
6= Rob Beere, 5 points, week 25
6= Alan Oakley, 5 points, week 25

Bottom feeders

Quite aptly Rutts, the king of the bottom feeders, sits in the penultimate place as of this week. In fact he hasn't moved his butt since the early part of December!

He does have a fair amount of wriggle room either side of him so should sweep the prize that no one really wants.

Tim Feldbruegge who finished the season so strong last year and thus avoided re-election has been frankly shite and is chasing the worst ever points total record.

Tatters was 10th last year but looks doomed this as does Rob Beere. Rob picked up some prize money last year but looks like walking away with zilch this.

However Beere like Cryer and Dom does have an outside chance of escaping re-election with Giles and last years champion, let me repeat that, champion.... Doyley all in their sights. However if during the last three weeks of the season the bottom 6 changes that will be the first time since December, so sue me if I say it won't!

Middle for diddle

Also called no one really gives a poop. 25 notes is up for grabs mind for 23rd place. In recent weeks both Alex Boswell and Alex Baxter have occupied it for a fortnight but with only 3 weeks left only probably 4 or 5 teams are close enough to end the season there.

For others such as Sweaty, Dillaway, Muzza, Lizzy, Kirsty & Heppers the season will end in disappointment as they all flirted with the top 10 but crashed and burned.

Francey, Stevie Lee, Singleton, Sir Gregory, Nobby & Ready never got going and particularly for the 'home boyz' it has been a disappointing season.

Further down Dickie and Alex Byatt maybe pleased with their first seasons of containment, Birdy will be pissed off he didn't finish 2nd from bottom, Lee Day should have expected more and Johnny Mc also had a poor campaign.

Danny has had his best ever season (not saying much) and Dougal improved on last year but until he can work out to make a transfer he won't have a chance - No Dougs, there is no fucking draft!

Herr Oakers will be pleased with safety but one of the biggest shocks of the season is Danny the Stealth Rose. Dan has spent the whole season fighting re-election but looks safe, only wish the same could be said for those poor unsuspecting American birds he will be meeting in the summer!

In the headlines - Rooney hope?

Don't know about you but absolutely gutted about Rooney. I know he's only 20 but he is so good that you feel he could have been the big difference between England winning the world cup and going out like a damp squib.

There still might be a chance that he could make the 2nd Round but Sir Alex is already putting the boot in (did Scotland qualify? Oh no!) and saying that he shouldn't even go. What does he know about football eh?

I suppose from a selfish point of view, it now means Darren Bent will go, if he avoids injury in the last game, but he will probably score a couple of goals and Chelsea will buy him for $15m to sit in their reserves!

We need Owen fit and Crouch to get injured and Lampard and Gerrard to be on top form. Becks may even curl in a free-kick or two.

And as for the new England manager - what a farce. Scolari had a cameraman look up his missus skirt and didn't fancy it and now we look like being stuck with boring McClaren. Whoppee-doo. At least Scolari's name caused a bit of debate but McClaren? Yawn.

I will try to write more on the world cup over the next few weeks, so keep popping back .

Once upon a time....

As most of you know I've been a Charlton fan for over 30 years, and unlike some 'supporters' of big clubs, I had no say in that decision. My fate was decided a long time before I was a twinkle in the eye. My Dad's Uncle was responsible for taking a mischievous young lad to the Valley in the 1950's. He was lifted over the crowd on the huge East Terrace and stood at the front to watch men chase a big heavy ball about. That young lad was my Dad.

My Dad of course passed that 'delight' onto me and I too stood on that same huge East Terrace, at one time the biggest in Europe, the difference being that there were not 30,000 people on it but more like 3,000. On a good day!

I watched us in the mid 1970's play as I and the history books recall some entertaining stuff with players such as Hales, Flanagan, Powell & Peacock (now Assistant Manager). Entertaining football never won us anything. I remember coming 7th once in the old Div 2 but there was never any investment and players were sold - Hales to Derby, Flanagan to Palarse.

We spiralled down to the old Div 3 but had a manager called Mike Bailey who took us up first time of asking before disappearing to Brighton. Alan Mullery who has the great honour of being both a Palace and Brighton twat, then took over and bought about 10 players and sold some of our best ones.

We were pretty crap and eventually the Gliksten family, who had owned the club since the 50's, sold out with the ground in disrepair and with further fine players sold such as Paul Walsh and Paul Elliott (to this day, the best centre half I have seen wear a Charlton shirt). We then had a few years of fireworks with a new young chairman and owner.

His name was Mark Hulyer and to his credit was and still is I understand a huge Addick, and tried to do a 1980's Roman Abramovich. He of course only had a few grand and not a gazillion but he did sign Alan Simonsen (simply the best player I have ever seen play for Charlton) and one or two others.

It all went kaput of course. The council made the ground two and a bit sides and the old lady was a tip and only 4,000 of us used to witness it every other week. We were 5 minutes from going bust and were saved by a bloke called John Fryer, who was some big wig at Sunley Construction.

Of course most Addicks would like to kill Mr Fryer, despite his saving us with some last minute cash. He died in fact a long time ago, probably with a broken heart because he was so despised. The reason of course was that it was his idea to hand out photocopied leaflets, ironically at a game at home to Crystal Palarse, saying that the club was leaving the Valley to play at Selhurst Park the week after.

After that in 1986 Lennie Lawrence, now director of football at Bristol Rovers, and before he was at Charlton a local secondary school PE teacher (he was cheap) amazingly took us up to the old Division 1 (to my younger readers, now the Premiership). I was at Carlisle the day we went up - 2-0 down with 30 mins left. We won 3-2 and liked to do things the hard way.

We stayed in Division 1 for 4 seasons - a minor miracle and probably will never be repeated. We then got relegated but for Lennie it was time to move on and he went to spend Middlesbrough chairman's Steve Gibson's money.

Of course by that time the fans had found out of diversity some fan-power winning seats in local elections and we had a new board in place, all fans including an unknown bloke (and still unknown by most other clubs' fans) called Richard Murray. We still had no money but the club for the first time in 35 years had a plan, every penny went to a return to the Valley.

Therefore when Lawrence left, the club had to go for a cheap option. Their names were Steve Gritt (now Addicks Academy Director) and a bloke called Alan Curbishley.

Alan Curbishley has probably been told or read the above story many times. Thanks to him the last half of my 30 years as a Charlton fan is very different from the first half.

I have said for a while that it is time for him and the club to move on and he did on Saturday afternoon. He has however got every reason to be very proud of himself, we are proud of him. The man is a legend.

Thank you for listening.