A blonde moment?

Breaking News 88888 Manager of week 1
Some would say she is stoopid. Some would say that she is simply blonde. But not us, we think Kirsty Baillie is very lovely and very honest. After originally sending in a team chosen from last year's player listings (der), she had to re-enter it after the opening games of the season had already kicked off. And as if by magic Kirsty's Glasgow Kiss were week 1's best team, scoring 75 points.

Now, we could all insist that she buys us a Scottish pale ale but it is after all only a fiver or maybe we could suggest she gives the prize money to charity. Anyway Nobby & Ready are sure that she will do what's best.

In Serie B, one of the N&R FL's early season favourites, the NY Eagles amassed 65 points, 13 more than Bollocks to Ballack.

Oh Ballacks

Breaking news 8888 Serie B week 1 scores
In Serie B Barry Paull's NY Eagles stole a quick march on the competiton and have an early lead of 13 points. Bollocks to Ballack lie in 2nd, with Sven and Janas - bye in 3rd.

It was a good week for the new managers in this division too, with both Nut Meg, Wizzi's Wonders, Cristiano's Allstars, Brighton Blues and Jonny Forskins and the Phullbacks scoring well.

The early back-markers in Serie B are Rose's Rovers and Ball Hogs, although this group of teams is already proving itself a tougher bunch than Serie A.

New boys get good start

Breaking news 8888 Serie A week 1 scores
With Glasgow kiss sat on top of the table, the next two places are taken up by new faces. In joint 2nd is the extremely busy Davor Duvancic, currently sitting at home watering his window box. The Croatian's #1 Strugglers tie with John Littig's Rooney & Ronaldo rockstars but are a full 26 points behind Kirsty.

Meanwhile old hand Godders, who will be shaking his bottle bud at all these first week shenanigans, sits in 4th place after I still *ing hate Chelsea scored 49.

The early wooden-spooner's are Fabulous Fabregas FC, who hit a miserable 9 points.

Movers and shakers

A couple of bits of moving and shaking going on amongst the leagues men and women.

Firstly Neil Cryer left AIG in the summer to go and work for the Lloyds Franchise board to be a 'Property Class of Business Executive.' Fcuk me, the insurance police and how much of a pain in the butt will Neil be? Answers on a postcard.

Also at AIG, Chris Waterman has been promoted again. He must have some serious photographs knocking around. Alan Oakley has left Zurich and taken his Chelski cup and mouse pad to Munich American Risk Partners. Jon Knowse, who many of you won't know somehow managed to resign from North Shore and join Western Re, whilst he was in Germany watching the World Cup. Jon by the way is more English than Basil Fawlty.

Kirsty Baillie, who somehow managed to enter her team using an old player list, so old in fact her team contained Kevin Keegan and Steve Heighway, is leaving Aon Re and joining Willis. Good luck.... to Willis that is.

And finally one day I came into work and was introduced to our new graduate Davor Duvancic. He's about 7ft tall and was a basketball player at NorthWestern University. Nice, I thought. Someone else to put down on my expenses but then after a week, he tells us that he is having visa problems (he's Croat, which you may have guessed) and needs to be sat at home for the entire summer because he's not allowed to work! Top man, a successful career in insurance surely awaits!

My kinda town

Whilst the weather is turning cold at home and all most of you have to look forward to are the clocks going back, firework night and the shops getting ready for Christmas, here in Chicago the sun's still out.

The summer has been fantastic in the windy city and although the winters are long, the warm summers more than make up for it. I have just got back from San Francisco, where the weather was chilly and the skies foggy. Ok, they have a nice temperature all year round but I don't think I would give up the Chicago summer or winter for their climate. Despite saying that I do really like San Fran, it is a great walkable city with fine neighbourhoods and cool places to hang out and watch those crazy Californians.

Before San Fran I was in Los Angeles. This was my 2nd visit and although most people detest it, I like it's quirkiness. Plastic tits and weirdos meet you on every corner and I like that!

In between the west coast's two biggest cities we had stop-overs in Santa Barbara, which I liked a lot, Santa Cruz, which reminded me of Margate and the wine country of Sonoma and Napa Valley. It was a great week if not a bit tiring.

Or course after the end of last season, we were straight into the World Cup, which I felt slightly let down by. Where were the stars? What happened to Ronaldinho, Shevchenko and Van Nistelrooy? I'm an old football romantic but there were no Cryuff's or Arie Haan's. Or a Brietner, a Baggio or a Socrates. No Rossi's or Platini's. No Valderrama, Milla or Cubillas. I was just left with the memories of play-acting, over zealous refeering and teams being over cautious to the point of tedium. It says something that my favourite game was Holland v Portugal.

I had to be back in London in early July to renew my visa (yes, I have been here 3 years in October!) and therefore got out to see some games with mates at home. I also caught up with Ready and a few of you in Valentes, which was nice as always. I then got back home again at the end of July to attend a very good mate's wedding on a scorching hot day in Essex.

I had some visitors here this summer too. Danny Rose and his pal were here for a few days and Lee Day also paid a visit to eat some unfeasibly large steaks! In early August Barry Paull and I had a very American breakfast - a coffee and a croissant - in New York. It used to be a pint of Ordinary in The Lamb, how things change.

Not completely forgetting my insurance training, I had a number of days out this summer. The Arlington Million, the PGA Championship plus plenty of baseball.

And my 40th birthday finally bit me on the arse last week. Very scary indeed although I have been told it is the 'new 30,' which is perhaps is even more scary as it means I have to go through a divorce, a change of country and about 100,000 pints of beer again!

Most of you already read www.chicagoaddick.blogspot.com but if you don't and are intrigued to know what actually goes on behind this calm exterior, then take a look.

Road to Wembley - Newport outdone by Essex boys

133 people crammed into Newport Pagnell's tiny ground last week to watch their FA Cup dream end almost before it started as they lost to Romford 1-0.

The game began with Newport pushing Romford back but their good approach play was wasted with poor finishing. Then after 31 minutes Romford almost opened the scoring when an inswinging Chris Barry corner struck the cross bar. With half time fast approaching, Romford winger Oxby's cross was met by KEVIN CLARK whose header under pressure found the right hand corner to give the Essex boys the lead.

In the 2nd half Pagnell had a shot cannon of the bar and although a scramble ensued The Swans could not force an equaliser. Romford's superiority continued to shine though, despite Newport forcing a fine save late on from Romford's 'keeper.

Romford will now be N&R's team to follow to Wembley. They travel to Tilbury on 2nd September for the Preliminary Round. More on Romford soon.

What to expect

So we have 51 final entries in this, the 11th Nobby & Ready Fantasy League season. Thanks for joining us. By my reckoning we have 16 new managers this year, so to the unitiated I thought I would give people an insight as to what to expect.

Nobby is me and is the only name I am known by in the City square mile. An old boss gave it to me way back and it stuck. I will let you draw your own conclusions as to why Nobby but please believe me when I say it is not a very exciting story. Ready of course is my partner and long time mate. We used to work together occasionally but mainly drunk a lot. He spends his time between Thailand and The Lamb. If you can't get hold of me, you will undoubtedly find him propping up the bar with such market legends as Rutts, Snevs and Oakers.

Some of you such as Godders, Rose, Oakers and Singleton have been in the league since the outset. Others have been dragged along during the way. This website, formerly which was an old fashioned typed and photocopied newsletter is not for the faint hearted and Nobby & Ready cannot be held responsible for the huge amount of piss taking that we do. If you don't like it, go and join a poofs league with Greg Harris.

The scores will be sent out in an excel format weekly (week 1 to follow shortly). Depending on my hectic executive lifestyle these sometimes might be late. The weekly scores will always be accompanied by my very witty and erudite comments as well as any other crap that I happen to be stewing over.Regular blog features will include The Road to Wembley, my view on life in the English 'soccer' leagues and for the sweaties out there, some boring crap on the SPL.

As we are not all intimate with each other, Kelleher aside, I will also run a regular series on someof the managers in the league - you're gonna like that. There will also be the Team Challenge trophy (held by AIG), Ready's FA Cup 3rd Round predictions competition and of course what you all log in for, My kinda town, which is my thoughts on life living in Chicago.Finally we have done something different this year due to the number of entries. We have split the league into two - N&R Serie A and N&R Serie B. No Fifa rankings were taken into account, it was simply split alphabetically. 26 teams will contest Serie A and 25 will compete in Serie B.

Then after week 20, after the busy Christmas and New Year Premiership programme, the top 12 teams in each division will enter a N&R SuperLeague with the remainding 26 going into a Plate competition, more commonly known as losers league! Teams will keep their points tally already accumulated at that point.The weekly best score, for which there is a 5 quid (or $ equivalent) award each week will still go to the best score over the two divisions.

The prize money will be announced in due course but it will be weighted towards the Superleague, although plenty of prize money will still slush around within the Plate. With 51 managers hopefully this will keep the interest going for the full 9 months of the season and unlike the Premiership where only one team can realistically be the champion and the filthy Russian's get richer, here in the N&R FL everyone has a chance of winning.

So, the first few months of the season are vital. Remember the links on the right there are for your benefit. Watch your players form carefully, transfers are an important part of the competition and you each have 12 opportunities to make changes. The weekly deadline for your switched players to start gaining points is every Tuesday at 5pm (GMT).

Good luck to you all. Remember this league is about people and personalities, a bit like the insurance market used to be before all those actuary wankers joined. Post comments on the blog, email, text, call.... lets make it fun.

Nobby & Ready
simon_newport@ars.aon.com
keith.read@layton-blackham.co.uk

Welcome

I have around 45 entries to this years competition. Thank you. Some of you are hardened regulars and some are new, so belt up, sit back and enjoy.

I have a plan up my sleeve to change the format this year, I will let you know shortly. All the entry money goes to prizes including a weekly £5 for the best 7-day score. Prize monies will be announced in due course and be paid in full at season end.

I will keep this blog updated every day or so once the season starts and for those that are ever slightly interested in my life in Chicago, you can read more here. Please feel free to comment, I like to make this as interactive as possible. I am on holiday next week, so this site will be quiet until I get back.

The links on the sidebar are for you to use. Player lists, injury information, stats, rumours - please don't complain "you haven't a clue what is going on" This is 2006, get a computer.

Please stick to your promises and send me or my parents cheques or pass money to Ready or Glenn or anyone else you vowed to pay. I will also put on here my bank details so you can pay online. Cheers.

Good luck
Nobby & Ready

Road to Wembley - Newport Pagnell United

For you newcomers I do this every year and pick a team at the very beginning of the most famous cup competition in the world, although please note we don't feel the need to call it the world series, just simply the FA Cup.

Believe it or not it, the long Road to Wembley starts with the Extra Preliminary Round tomorrow and after looking through the names I plumped for Newport Pagnell Town. They play hosts to Romford, where I expect Kirsty will be after a night out on the lash Friday!

Newport Pagnell play in the Eagle Bitter United Counties League, where last year they were runners up. Here is some other useless information:

Manager - Terry Shrieves
Nickname - The Swans
Colours - Green shirts and black shorts
Ground - The Pavilion, Newport Pagnell, Bucks

Look out for the Newportian's result tomorrow.

N&R 2006-07 Season coming soon

Keep an eye on your email for the 2006-07 entry details.

Any questions email me on simon_newport@ars.aon.com