Photograph of the week

Viva Las Vegas! Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn promised all the players a trip to Las Vegas after their superb draw at home to Arsenal, who had beaten Barcelona four days previous.

A delighted Hearn joked on Monday morning that he wanted to head straight to Vegas after Sunday's tie at Brisbane Road but Slade vetoed an immediate departure and said they will do the trip at the end of the season.

Reminder - Ready's Bet

If you haven't seen your inbox (for those of you participating) please email me your 5th Rd FA Cup Predictions. Deadline is midnight Friday 18th.

Congratulations

To Neil Bixby and his better half on the birth of a beautiful baby girl on 6th February called Chloe Rose. Great name and her first job was to pick the 5th Round Predicitions for Ready's Benfleet Bet. She'll be queuing up in Lloyds next.

Well done to the Bixby's.

Probably get the sack for this but....

Good luck to the Red Devils of Crawley Town on their BIG day at Old Trafford Saturday.

No Sweat

Week 26 - Manager of the Week
It just shows, you can be crap all season and then the team of champions that you chose in August suddenly bursts into life in one of the craziest Premier League weeks ever, and you wallop in 92 points. People meet Lee Baughan.

A fiver for Lee then, but also a very good score for Rob Munden, who leads Div 1. He scored 91. Chris Waterman beat his previous season's best by almost 30 points and scored 88. Richard Richard's stuttered to 85, and we had two managers on 82 and they were Neville White and Oakers - both season bests.

81 for the previously quiet Kirsty and the on-form Ken Cobbett. 80 for Nobby, 79 Lee Horne, 78 Boswell and 77 Bixby and 76 Ready.

48 managers hit 50 points or more in a fabulous week of Premier League goals. A lot of season best and even Richard Nathan scored 64!

The lowest score? Hang your head Mr Plummer.

Munden not Mundane

N&R FL Division 1 - Week 26
1,000 points for To Elland Back. 35 points behind are Loads of Roubles and then another gap to Boys on tour. Brox Banditos and Racing Hiccups swap places again and Keep the faith remain in 7th.

Jimmy 5 Bellies dragged himself upwards, so did Old Bodeans and Hannoi Utd. 2Infinity & beyond dropped in the relegation doo-doo and one would hesitate a guess that Razor's Red Roy's Rovers are already down.

Ward up!

N&R FL Division 2 - Week 26

Bingo FC back on top with FFC 4Ever back to 3rd and Good on Paper 2nd. KC's Clowns are 2 pints behind Steve in 4th. Very exciting at the top of Div 2.

The Capello Index are up to 5th, Bobby Z in 6th and Baron Greenback Rangers move menacingly into 9th.

Still not a chance was a climber as was Pure Irish and Sweaty's Young Boys in week 26.

Week 26 review

A bumper week, which included Goal Crazy Saturday.

Wednesday 2nd Feb
Zigic is looking like a decent FL player. He scored in the Blues 2-2 draw with City, Crouch got the winner at Blackburn for Spurs, Obinna got two in a huge win for the Hammers at Blackpool, Bolton left it late to beat Wolves 1-0, Damien Duff scored against his old team Newcastle as Fulham won at the Cottage and Liverpool beat Stoke 2-0. Suarez scoring on his debut.

Saturday 5th Feb
Every Prem team scored, so not great for defences but loads of fantasy points all round.

Newcastle had the result of the weekend if not for many, many years after coming back from 0-4 to draw with Arsenal 4-4. Louis Saha scored 4 as Everton beat Blackpool 5-3 in a wonderful display of attacking football. Tevez scored a hat-trick as City beat WBA 3-0, Wigan beat Blackburn 4-3, which included a wonder goal by McCarthy.

Aston Villa and Fulham drew 2-2, Kranjcar got a late winner for Spurs to beat Bolton 2-1, Huth got two as Stoke beat Sunderland 3-2 and finally wolves handed out Man U's first defeat of the season 2-1.

Sunday 6th Feb
Zigic scored as Birmingham beat a deflated West Ham at Upton Park 1-0, and in the game that Sky mistook for the World Cup Final Torres did nothing as Meireles got Liverpool's winner at Stamford Bridge.

The 1,000 club

In week 26 five managers hit the 1,000 point mark. They were:

Simon Ward 1,033
Mark Gregory 1,016
Steve Merchant 1,016
Ken Cobbett 1,014
Rob Munden 1,000

Feldbruegge and Malloy were the first managers to hit the 1,000 point mark last season in week 27.

The Play-Off's

We decided to split the N&R FL into two leagues this season but the campaign will end with the first ever N&R Play-Off's.

After week 35 the ten teams with the highest individual scores will go into a 5-week play-off. This will decide the N&R FL title for 2010/11.

Currently the Top 10 teams are:
1. Simon Ward 1,033
2= Mark Gregory 1,016
2= Steve Merchant 1,016
4. Ken Cobbett 1,014
5. Rob Munden 1,000
6. John McGowan 965
7. Richard Richards 948
8. Neil Wallis 941
9. Greg Foulger 939
10. Alastair Bigg 937

Other prize monies will be allocated to other placings and running concurrently will be the relegation and promotion battles. These will be decided as follows:

Bottom 10 from N&R Div 1 relegated to Div 2
The top 10 from N&R Div 2 will be promoted to Div 1.

More to follow in due course.

Frank & Beans are back!

Week 25 - Manager of the Week

Look at that Tim & Dennis back on their game. A few dollars to add to the other MoW in week 6 for the boys from Chicago. 48 for the winners then, 45 for Paul Long, 43 for Mark Simmons.

Francey minced in with 41, Stouty 39, and the luscious but now taken Soozie scored 36, the same as the even more gorgeous Nobby and less so Ben Guarino.

32 for Andy Cassell and Brett, 31 for Steve, Glenn and KC.

Week 25's worst score was 10 jointly achieved by Neil Wallis and Mark Gregory. Both season low's and a bit of a shock if I'm honest.

Little change in One

N&R FL Division 1 - Week 25
Little change at the to of Div 1. Racing Hiccups and Brox swap places, and Keep the faith replace Gooner win league in 7th.

AON United climb a few places so does my Lost in the Triangle. 2Infinity & Beyond improve their position and climb out of immediate danger.

Old football kits

Rangers 1983-85
Made by Umbro.
Worn by the late great Davie Cooper, Derek Johnstone, John McClelland and Ally Dawson
Vintage pinstripe design worn when the side went through a barren spell in the league in Jock Wallace's second spell as manager. Aberdeen under a certain Sir Alex were the Scottish champions in those days.

Blackpool's squad

Blackpool's season has become a bit tougher as teams 'find them out' but no one can deny that they have brought some fearless open attacking football to the Premiership. Well, who are these players that most Premier League fans would never had heard off?

BBC takes a look at Blackpool's squad here.

Cottaging

N&R FL Division 2 - Week 25

FFC 4Ever on top for the first time for 3 months. Steve now has the N&R FL's top score. Wardy's Bingo drop to 2nd 5 points behind with Good on paper 3rd.

KC's Clowns are 4th and then there is a big gap to Bobby Z in 5th. Sons of pitches are up to 8th.

Brighton Blues move up another spot to 11th, a point short of a promotion spot, Frank & Beans climb again as do The No Hopers.

Week 25 review

Liverpool started their climb up the table with a 1-0 midweek win over Fulham at Anfield.

The following Tuesday Chelsea won 4-2 at Sunderland, WBA drew at home to Wigan, Bent scored for Villa at the OT but Rooney got two and Vidic another in a 3-1 victory and Arsenal beat Everton 2-1.

Week 25 was FA Cup weekend and whilst a lot of Premier League clubs came close to suffering shocks, they all got through.

Fabregas got a late penalty as Arsenal beat Huddersfield, Dzeko got a late equaliser for City at Paul Ince's Notts County, the Hammers beat Nottm Forest 3-2 and Man U left it late at Southampton winning 2-1.

Elsewhere Everton and Chelsea drew 1-1, Bolton and Wigan was goalless, and Villa beat Blackburn 3-1.

Stoke won at Wolves and Fulham had their tie with Spurs won by half-time. Murphy (2), Hangeland and the impressive Dembele scoring.

N&R Cup 2nd Round Results

Week 24 was the weekend of the N&R Cup 2nd Round and here were the results:

N&R Cup 2nd Rd

Neville White 48-45 Mark Dewberry

James Ashworth 46-52 Neil Reynolds

Andrew Cassell 46-58 Ken Cobbett

Mark Simmons 54-48 Barry Paull

Barry Plummer 60-40 Tim Harris

Ian France 48-52 Chris Wright

Neil Wallis 42-29 Lee Baughan

Alex Byatt 25-35 Simon Newport

Steve Merchant 65-52 Ryan Saveall

Rob Munden 59-58 Alan Oakley

Alex Boswell 38-61 Aaron Barden

Ben Guarino 46-52 Hilary Flynn

Richard Richards 42-49 Davor Duvancic

Peter Doyle 36-47 Mark Gregory

Ian Kennett 50-46 Simon Ward

Ricky Wood 50-41 Greg Foulger

There were some very close games, none other than Rob's win over Oakers. Chris Wright squeezed past Francey, as did Neil with Jimmy and Kennett over Wardy. And Neville knocked out Dewbs by just 3 points. So 16 teams left, with the 3rd Rd draw shortly.

Photograph of the week

Another great European night for Spurs, but what a dirty bastard that Gennaro Gattuso is. Back in the day Joe Jordan ate people like him for breakfast.

A Valentine's Rose

Week 24 - Manager of the Week

A first fiver old stalwart Danny Rose in week 24. A cracking 86 points were put on the board for the Gooner. Johnny Mc weighed in with another fine score to keep up his title hopes, he got 78, and then Tim & Dennis, who have struggled of late bounced back a season best 72. Well done lads.

The Long's cracked in a 67 as the Seagulls find a bit of form, Steve Merchant scored 65 and Aaron was in the mix again with a 61.

Plumms pocketed 60, with Alastair Bigg and Rob 59. Oakers, Cobbett and Francis herded a 58, and Simmons notched 54.

Chris Wright, Ryan, Hills and Neil Reynolds each knocked in 52 points.

Week 24's worst score was 22, by Muddy.

Lazarus goes forth

N&R FL Division 1 - Week 24
Getting closer at the top, which is still headed by every window cleaners best friend, Rob Munden and is To Elland Back. John's Load of Roubles have sneaked into 2nd with Boys on tour back to 3rd.

Racing Hiccups and Gooner win League swap places and a bit further back Nortius Maximus and Hip Hip Hooray continue to make ground.

Arsene Knows move out of the relegation zone and are replaced by Lazarus United, in the bottom 10 for the first time since August. In fact Wenners was 6th at one point. I guess that's what happens when one gets a real job, eh?

Better from Beans

N&R FL Division 2 - Week 24
The only change was FFC 4Ever taking 2nd place from Good on paper. Bingo FC still lead by 11 points.

Brighton Blues were a climber as were Frank & Beans who have been stuck in the doldrums for a while.

Week 24 review

There were some FA Cup replays affecting the points.

Nasri, Sagna and Van Persie all scored for Arsenal at Leeds, Walters scored twice for Stoke as they won at Cardiff. Tevez, Vieira, Johnson and Kolarov all scored as City saw off Sven's Leicester challenge 4-2 and Wolves hammered Donny 5-0. Goals from Fletcher, Mujangi Bia, Doyle, Jarvis and Jones. Remember these points count and replays are extra points. Those with Jonathan Walters and Geoffrey Mujangi Bia in your team.... take a bow!

In the League there were plenty of games. Blackburn put a nail in Di Matteo's coffin with a 2-0 win, Van Persie kept up his goal rampage with a hat trick against Wigan, Darren Bent scored 18 minutes into his debut at home to Villa, Blackpool lost 2-1 at home to Sunderland who shpwed no ill effects of Benty's move.

West Ham were a minute from taking all 3 points at Goodison. They drew 2-2. Yank Dempsey picked a brace at home for Fulham at home to Stoke, Man U hit Birmingham for 5 with another Berbatov hat trick.

Lennon got a late equaliser for Spurs at the Toon, and Liverpool won for the first time since Christmas 1993 when they won at Wolves 3-0. Two for Torres.

In the Monday game Chelsea won 4-0 at Bolton with goals from Drogba, Malouda, Anelka and Ramires but the Russian bloke still thinks they are short on goal power.

Then finally in midweek Blackpool are 2-up at home to Man U but lose 3-2. Berbatov getting two more for quite a fantasy week plus Villa win 2-1 at Wigan.

Not the Wright stuff

N&R FL Division 1 - Week 23
A 20 point lead for To Elland Back over Boys on tour. Loads of Roubles now in 3rd with Paris Eagles in 4th and Racing Hiccups down to 5th.

A big faller in week 23 was Brox Banditos, but only 48 points off top spot. Gooner win League are in 7th with Keep the faith down to 8th.

Jimmy 5 Bellies was a climber, so was Nortius Maximus and Old Bodeans.

Rich List

Nope no sign of Chris Waterman or Barry Paull here. Delloitte's have issued their Football Money Table for 2010.

The Deloitte review does not include the cost of transfer fees or player wages, or VAT and other sales taxes, and concentrates solely on day-to-day income from football business. Income includes money from ticket sales, sponsorship, merchandising and other commercial revenues, television monies, corporate hospitality and non-match day stadium use, such as for conferences

Real Madrid topped the table for the 6th straight year. Real's arch-rivals Barcelona retained second spot in the list, ahead of Manchester United who remain third. Manchester City were the biggest climbers, up from 20th to 11th place. Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool were fifth, sixth and eighth respectively.

Deloitte Football Money League
1. Real Madrid: 438.6m euros
2. Barcelona: 398.1m euros
3. Man Utd: 349.8m euros
4. Bayern Munich: 323m euros
5. Arsenal: 274.1m euros
6. Chelsea: 255.9m euros
7. AC Milan: 235.8.m euros
8. Liverpool: 225.3m euros
9. Inter Milan 224.8m euros
10. Juventus: 205m euros

Simon says

N&R FL Division 2 - Week 23
Same old, same old at top of the tree. Bingo lead by 10 points ahead of Good on Paper, who in turn are 10 points ahead of FFC 4Ever.

Down in 9th, Calculated Risk hurdle Sons of Pitches.

Maximus for Ian

Week 23 - Manager of the Week
Will wonders ever cease. Ian Kennett won week 23's MoW award with a 58 point score, which also moved him up to the edge of the top 7 in Div 1.

Danny Rose was next past the post with 54, Neil Reynolds scored 52 and then the handsome couple of Davor and Barry P each waded in with a half century.

Another looker Oakers scored 49 with the triumvirate of Simon Ward, Barry Plummer and John McGowan all schlept in with 48.

The lowest score was - shock, horror - Tony Murray with 12.

Old football kits

Arsenal 1978-1982
Made by Umbro
Worn by Liam Brady, Pat Rice and Frank Stapleton.
This will take you back. Fantastic 70's design worn for 5 seasons and including the famous 1979 FA Cup triumph and when the side reached the 1980 Cup Winners Cup Final.

Photograph of the week

Can Drogba, Anelka and Torres work together?

Week 23 review

In midweek Blackpool beat Liverpool 2-1, as Daglish realises what he has inherited.

On Saturday Chelsea saw Blackburn off 2-0 at the Bridge, City beat Wolves in a cracker at Eastlands 4-3 and likewise at the Hawthorns WBA beat Blackpool 3-2.

Stoke won 2-0 against Bolton, Van Persie (2) and Walcott scored for the Arse as they strolled to victory at Upton Park whilst Wigan and Foolham shared the spoils.

Sunday was derby day in the Prem, as Sunderland and Newcastle drew 1-1, Gyan getting a late, late equaliser for the Mackems. Blues and Villa drew 1-1 in a poor game and Liverpool and Everton drew 2-2 in a game that ebbed and flowed at Anfield.

Finally Tottenham and Man U played out a goalless draw at The Lane.

Road to Wembley - Creepy Crawley beat Gulls

Well, Torquay United weren't our Road to Wembley team long enough for me even to write a piece on them, but after non-league Crawley Town beat them 1-0 away thanks to a goal by MATT TUBBS (photo), they went into the 5th Round draw and were given the dream tie of Man Utd (sponsored by Aon) away.

Crawley deservedly beat Torquay. They missed two penalties but still edged out League Two Torquay to become the first non-league side to reach the FA Cup fifth round for 17 years.

Only five other sides from outside the Football League have reached the last 16 of the Cup, and none have made it this far since Kidderminster Harriers in 1994.

Having spent more than £500,000 on players last summer, Crawley can hardly be classed as minnows and in fact are known as the Man U of non-league, but they have still punched way above their weight and their performance against Swindon in the round before means that even Sir Ferg will be a little worried about their 5th Rd tie.

Torquay were trying to create their own bit of Cup history too, having never been beyond round four in their 111-year history, but missed out despite goalkeeper Bevan's best efforts. He saved the two penalties and denied Crawley a number of times in front of an almost sold out Plainmoor - the attendance was 5,065, about 70,000 less than should be at Old Trafford on the 19th February.

Ready's Bet - 3rd Round FA Cup Predictions

Thank you to those that entered Ready's Benfleet Bet. This prediction competition will run all the way to the Final in May.

These are the scores after the 3rd Rd:

1. Steve Black 36
2. Barry Plummer 34
3= Tim Harris 33
3= Alastair Bigg 33
5= Brian Rutter 32
5= Neville White 32
5= Barry Paull 32
8= Rob Munden 31
8= Ben Guarino 31
10= Nobby 30
10= Peter Doyle 30
10= Alex Boswell 30
10= Ken Cobbett 30
14. Neil Addington 29
15. Jason Syrett 28
16= Neil Bixby 27
16= Alan Oakley 27
18. Ryan Saveall 26
19= Steve Merchant 25
19= Paul Long 25

19= Mark Gregory 25
22= Ready 24
22= Peter Godfrey 24
24= Ian France 23
24= Henry Williams 23
24= Neil Reynolds 23
27= John McGowan 22

27= Kirsty Baillie 22
27= Ricky Wood 22
27= Mark Dewberry 22
31= Danny Rose 20
31= Greg Foulger 20
33= Soozie Saveall 19
33= Richard Richards 19
35. Aaron Barden 17
36. Ian Kennett 15