Jim White.... take a breath

Another January transfer day full of hot air.

Aston Villa did buy a couple of teenagers and Sunderland splashed out on a Newcastle fan but other than 'Arry increasing QPRha's debt burden, Arsenal were the days surprise big spenders. Goalkeeping prospect Jack Butland moved to Stoke but the headlines were once again grabbed by David Beckham, who signed for PSG until the end of the season and will donate his salary, believed to be worth a total of around £3 million, to children's charities.

Scouring Twitter tonight he was still getting stick and some people's jealously knows no bounds. According to reports Beckham will receive no remuneration whatsoever, including signing-on fees or shares in his new club.

All PSG will pay for are accommodation and security expenses for Beckham and his family while they are in Paris but he will be paid nothing else.

On a day when Sky Sports and other media incites English football's greed even more and self-obsessed agents collect bundles of used notes left in brown envelopes I think Beckham's gesture was a gracious kick in the balls to players with a lot less talent and class like Peter Odemwingie. Oh to be a fly on the wall at West Brom's training ground tomorrow.

1,000 up for Aaron

N&R Division 2 - Week 23

The top 3 are unchanged in Div 2 with Monster Smash ahead of Moral Hazard and Aniseed Twists. Aaron did join the 1,000 point club though and his lead at the top is now 37 points.

In 4th is Addington Bears with Anfield Second XI 5th and Jager Bombers 6th.

The rest of the top 12 are the same and have been now for a month.

Looking down the table Dan's Dribblers and Stiffsters look two teams that might force their way into the top 12 on current form and DTF FC and Song Roi are just around the corner.

Limited to 50m slipping to 33rd was the big change at the bottom.

1,000 mark breached

N&R Division 1 - Week 23

Ollympic Games passed the 1,000 point mark in week 23 and now lead the title race by 61 points. Ryan has only another 19 weeks to hang on.

Leading the chasing hounds is Guinness & eggs with Brox Banditos up to 3rd with Paris Eagles slipping to 4th.

Loads of Roubles surged into 5th place tied with Gooner win league. We are the Darts slip to 7th and Too Big To Fail are now 8th.

Boys on tour fall out of the prized places to 9th and Woody's Round Up are 10th.

The bottom 12 remain unaltered.

Great photographs from football days past

I am a real romantic for the old football days, particularly the 70's and 80's and this link to the Daily Mail shows some beautiful photographs of football grounds from the 1930's onwards.

Have a look, there's one of The Valley too:

Photos.

N&R Weekly Bet 20

Whoppee!! I'm rich!!

Nobby

Newcastle v Reading AWAY Yes

Man C v Fulham HOME Yes

Swansea v Stoke HOME Yes

Stake £2

Potential Winnings £24.75

Balance £4.62

Ready

Newcastle v Reading HOME No

Man C v Fulham HOME Yes

Wigan v Sunderland DRAW No

Stake £2

Potential Winnings £14.43

Balance £-21.12

Hot pursuit of Sav

N&R Division 1 - Week 22

Ollympic Games still out front with a host of teams in hot pursuit. These are led by Guinness & eggs and then Paris Eagles. Brox Banditos are 4th then in joint 5th are Gooner win league, Boys on tour and We are the Darts.

Then 5 points behind them are Too Big to Fail and current champ Woody's Round Up. Back in the Big Time slip to 11th and in 12th is Loads of Roubles. Magnificent Eleven and Blue Euro Champs were big climbers whilst the Jager Squad dropped to 15th.

Armitage Shanks dragged themselves out of the relegation zone and John Terry loves a choc ice kept up their improved form. The No Hopers remain cut adrift 78 points below 2nd from bottom Keep the faith.

N&R Weekly Bet 19

Another week another blow out.

Nobby

QPR v Tottenham AWAY No

Norwich v Newcastle HOME No

Man Utd v Liverpool DRAW No

Stake £2

Potential Winnings £27.09

Balance £-20.13

Ready

Reading v WBA DRAW No

Aston V v Southampton DRAW No

Man Utd v Liverpool HOME Yes

Stake £2

Potential Winnings £38.01

Balance £-19.12

N&R Cup 1st Round Results

Week 22 was the N&R Cup week and 4 of the 5 ties were decided with one having to go to a replay. Here were how they panned out:

2013 N&R Cup 1st Round Results:
Alastair Bigg 40-12 Sarah Sheron
James Down 61-33 Rosie Dalton
Mitesh Patel 50-70 Tim Harris
Mark Simmons 51-51 Mark Wenman
Hilary Flynn 34-46 Neil Addington

Alastair easily beat Sarah and James saw off Rosie's challenge. Mitesh was unfortunate to go out to the week 22 MoW Tim and Neil won away at Hills. 

The two Marks will replay again in week 23.

Smash and grab

N&R Division 2 - Week 22
Moral Hazard is back in 2nd on the tail of Monster Smash in Div 2. Aniseed Twists are 3rd with Anfield Second XI 4th and Addington Bears 5th.

Mobotinho and Jager Bombers are joint 6th with Sloan Rangers in 8th Stwike him centuwion vewy woughly in 9th, yours truly from SE6 to SB04 in 10th, Bardzo lubię nie musieć nic in 11th and Leave Myarsealona in 12th.

The chasing pack is led by DTF FC with FC Song Roi climbing well to join the promotion hopefuls.

The bottom 4 remains Meghan and Hannah's Newco, Cobra, Goonersmoan and Forest Green Gingers.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Week 22 - MoW
Tim Harris was the deserved winner of week 22's MoW. 70 points for the man that has a middle name beginning with Z.

Next up was Brett with 62, then Paul Hodges and Soozie with 61, James Down in nose-bleed territory with 57, Greg with 56 and two on 55 - Dan Duboux and John McGowan.

54 was the score of choice for Steve Black and Ben Guarino and 53 for Mark Gregory.

The week's worst was Sarah Sheron, who despite her footballing pedigree stuttered to just 12.

Week 22 overview

Week 22 contained what Sky told us what Super Sunday. Runaway leaders Man U hosting a team 10 places below them in the table and Man City away at a team 16 points behind them in the table. I'd rather have watched Reading v West Brom.

Here you go, week 22:

Premier League - Sun Jan 8th
Arsenal 0-2 Man City
Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool

Premier League - Sat Jan 7th
Aston V 0-1 Southampton
Everton 0-0 Swansea
Fulham 1-1 Wigan
Norwich 0-0 Newcastle
Reading 3-2 WBA
Stoke 0-4 Chelsea
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
QPR 0-0 Tottenham

Photograph of the week

A ball boy, who actually is a grown man goes down as if shot by a sniper from the crowd and gets Eden Hazard sent off in the process towards the end of Chelsea's League Cup aggregate defeat to Swansea.

But I don't know why people are getting upset. Hazard only kicked him. Torres would have missed, Cole would have shot him and John Terry would have shagged his mother!!

Week 21 overview

Cup week and all the Premier teams were involved, some score fantasy points at will - Everton, Chelsea, Spurs. Others stuttered like Sunderland, Fulham and Wigan and others just embarrassed themselves - Newcastle.

Replay points count too, as did 3 Premier League games earlier in the month.

Here were the Cup games involving the PL teams:

FA Cup 3rd Round - Monday 7th January

Cheltenham 1-5 Everton

FA Cup 3rd Round - Sunday 6th January

Mansfield 1-2 Liverpool

Swansea 2-2 Arsenal

FA Cup 3rd Round - Saturday 5th January

West Ham 2-2 Man Utd

Aston Villa 2-1 Ipswich

Bolton 2-2 Sunderland

Crawley 1-3 Reading

Crystal Palace 0-0 Stoke

Fulham 1-1 Blackpool

Man C 3-0 Watford

Peterborough 0-3 Norwich

QPR 1-1 WBA

Southampton 1-5 Chelsea

Tottenham 3-0 Coventry

Wigan 1-1 Bournemouth

Brighton 2-0 Newcastle

Premier League - Wednesday 2nd January 

Newcastle 1-2 Everton

Chelsea 0-1 QPR

Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland

Photograph of the week

How ridiculous. Football has gone mad. But then again hsi record is pretty shit.... A win percentage of 54.03 is the highest by a Southampton manager since the 19th century; Adkins achieved back-to-back promotions from 2010-12; Southampton have lost two of their last 12 Premier League games and are 15th in the table.

Yep, but as my Saints supporting mate said to me this morning that is what happens when you get a sophisticated, highly intelligent, aggressive, know-it-all Italian v a football bloke scouser. It was never going to last and only Adkins huge successes made it last this long.

Cup fever equals big scores with the best scores across the Atlantic

Week 21 - MoW
Steve Black and Paul Long shared the fiver in the tip-top scoring FA Cup week of 21. 119 points each for the American Barnsley supporting fan from Atlanta and the British Brighton supporting fan from Chicago. Both Steve and Paul zoom to the top of the Best Weekly Score charts. Well done guys.

Brett and Richard II were next up with 110, G Ward 109 and Alastair Bigg and Johnny Mc both with 107. Razor Nathan hit a very handy 106, Mitesh had a super week with 105 and Ready burst onto the scene with a 102. 

Top dog Sav and Aaron both tucked away a 101, Mark Gregory stroked a century on a lively wicket and Barry Plums, Neil Addington and Bix were each 2 runs away but can be pleased with a fine innings. 

Barry Paull knocked in a 96, Ken 95, previous top weekly scorer Chillers and Ian both struck a 93 and Mark Simmons and Neil R 90. 

Muddy (89), Sweaty (89), Dan Duboux (88), Geoff Mc (88) and Ben G (88) all beat the previous best weekly.

Despite points aplenty Oakers only managed to score 38 of them. Tsk, tsk.  

N&R League Cup Semi-Final Results

Week 21 was League Cup Semi Final week, and this was what happened:

Div 1 League Cup Semi-Final Results
Bingo FC 83-101 Ollympic Games
The Jager Squad 105-78 Brox Banditos

Both a bit one-sided really and we will end up with a Graham Ward v Ryan Saveall Div 1 final. Ryan saw off Wardy's challenge which means we won't get a family affair after Graham beat Chris. Congrats to you both. 

Div 2 League Cup Semi-Final Results
Bardzo lubię nie musieć nic 90-88 Moral Hazard
Kiwislop 60-67 Leave Myarsealona 

The Div 2 semi's were so much closer and just two points was the difference between Mark and Ben, but Mark won through to the final and will play Andi who just about overcame John. Congrats to the two finalists.

Smashing it up

N&R Division 2 - Week 21
Monster Smash are 53 points ahead of Aniseed Twists. Like in Div 1 the chasing pack are tightly strung together with Moral Hazard a point behind Jason and Addington Bears and Mobotinho in close combat.

Anfield Second XI are 6th followed by the Jager Bombers with Sloan Rangers in 8th. 

Stwike him centuwion vewy woughly, Leave Myarsealona, From SE6 to SB04, and Bardzo lubię nie musieć nic are not only the worse combination of names to type but they also occupy the promotion places at the end of week 21.

Forest Green Gingers remain rock bottom but Roger Melly is my hero were a big climber.  

Games over?

N&R Division 1 - Week 21
Ollympic Games galloped further ahead in week 21. Sav is 75 points in front of Gooner win league and Paris Eagles. That is quite a lead. 

Brox Banditos and We are the Darts are joined at the hip in 4th and Guinness and eggs 6th with Back in the Big Time and Too Big too fail tied together in 7th. 

Whilst 75 points separates 1st and 2nd, only 4 (FOUR) separates 2nd and 7th! 

Not far behind the leaders is Woody's Round Up, the Jager Squad, Boys on tour, Loads of Roubles and To Elland Back. In fact from 7th to 18th (OJ's Red & White Army) only 30 points separate the teams. 

Are we in for a one horse race and everyone else chases the silver medal or are we counting chickens. What it does show is the quality of this division.

2Infinity & beyond who will be desperate to join the leader board moved out of the relegation places in week 21 and Armitage Shanks slipped back in it. 

Photograph of the week

Gordon Strachan has been confirmed as the new manager of Scotland. The former Celtic and Middlesbrough boss replaces Craig Levein, who was sacked in November. Capped 50 times, Strachan featured in Scotland's 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals campaigns and is bound to be a popular appointment as he plans to drag the Tartan Army out of the International doldrums.

And not a screaming parent in sight

In a move reminiscent of Argentina's wonderful passing goal during the 2006 World Cup, AO Giannina, a team of Greek children, pull off an amazing team goal straight from kick-off. The move features 20 passes by AO Giannina, who have the ball in the back of the net before the opposition touch it.

A Christmas Cracker

One of our managers who will remain nameless sent me a transfer request email at 11.28pm on Christmas Eve. Apparently upon research this person was all dressed up in their Santa outfit leaving snow-looking footprints by the fireplace made out of flour and was busily eating half a biscuit, slurping on a glass of milk and gnawing on a carrot.

Then it occured to them that the elf-like John Arne Riise had really not been on his game recently and would be better off discarded and replaced by the reindeer-looking Per Mertesacker from Arsenal.

Arsenal's game on Boxing Day was postponed but this didn't deter said manager who left his wrapping duties to send me an email.

His other half, dressed as a snow princess and looking for a bit of cracker pulling showed her disdain by all accounts and said manager was left to go and sleep in the manger in the outside shed, but at least happy with himself that Per Mertesacker would be lining up in his team in week 20.

For the record Riise recorded 1 point in week 20 and Mertesacker 0!!

There is nothing else to say about this Razor sharp manager but that what a complete sleigh bell!

Week 20 overview

The festive football season, attempted to being abolished by the Tube workers, but a lot of games played nevertheless. Who scored the most points?

I can tell you that - Spurs and Man U maxed out with 9. Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton won 6 points.

The worst? Norwich and Newcastle with a fat zero and Villa with 1.

Week 20:

Tuesday 1st January 2013
Southampton 1-1 Arsenal
Man City 3-0 Stoke
Swansea 2-2 Aston Villa
Tottenham 3-1 Reading
West Ham 2-1 Norwich
Wigan 0-4 Man Utd
West Brom 1-2 Fulham

Sunday 30th December 2012
QPR 0-3 Liverpool
Everton 1-2 Chelsea

Saturday 29th December 2012
Arsenal 7-3 Newcastle
Aston Villa 0-3 Wigan
Fulham 1-2 Swansea
Man Utd 2-0 West Brom
Norwich 3-4 Man City
Reading 1-0 West Ham
Stoke 3-3 Southampton
Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham

Wednesday 26th December 2012
Stoke 3-1 Liverpool
Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham
Everton 2-1 Wigan
Fulham 1-1 Southampton
Man Utd 4-3 Newcastle
Norwich 0-1 Chelsea
QPR 1-2 West Brom
Reading 0-0 Swansea
Sunderland 1-0 Man City

Stat of the week

The one team who you would have thought would defend better in and around their box. Not so.

Stat of the week:

Stoke City are the only team in the Premier League not to have conceded a goal from outside the box this season.

The 2013 N&R Cup

Last weekend was Cup Day in England but Cup day for the N&R FL will be this coming weekend - week 22.

The N&R Cup is the pre-eminent insurance fantasy football cup competition and is currently held by the Kate 'Killers' Sutcliffe nee Chillman.

We have 69 managers in this season's N&R FL, so as that doesn't go, we will have to have a 10-team 1st Round to get rid of some chaff.

The draw was made by some old bint in my office this morning randomly whilst she was making my tea and this is what happened:

2013 N&R Cup 1st Round Draw:
Alastair Bigg v Sarah Sheron
James Down v Rosie Dalton
Mitesh Patel v Tim Harris
Mark Simmons v Mark Wenman
Hilary Flynn v Neil Addington

The last one out of the hat looks the tie of the round, if only James Down knew what Rosie looked like, he would be happy to entertain her at home!!

Good luck to you, a prize in the 2nd Round is at stake.

Road to Wembley - Royal appointment

Adam Le Fondre scored twice as Reading came from behind to knock League One Crawley out of the FA Cup and become our new Road to Wembley team.

Crawley's NICKY ADAMS aroused hopes of a shock with a stunning strike from outside the area after just 14 seconds.

But Reading equalised with their first chance as Le Fondre side-footed home Garath McCleary's header.

McCleary set up Noel Hunt to knock in the Premier League side's second and Le Fondre made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after Joe Walsh fouled Hunt.

Fans of the Sussex side are used to giddy moments after back-to-back promotions and they were soon in raptures once more as Crawley scored within moments of the kick-off.

Adams robbed Reading captain Ian Harte of possession, cut in from the right and fired past goalkeeper Adam Federici from 25 yards.

Reading, showing seven changes to the side beaten 3-1 by Tottenham, were lucky not to fall further behind as Adams drilled another effort wide before Federici pulled off a spectacular save to keep out Joe Walsh's header.

The Royals got on level terms after their first spell of pressure as McCleary cushioned Harte's cross back to Le Fondre, who directed a first-time shot low past Crawley goalkeeper Paul Jones.

The outstanding McCleary was also the provider for Reading's second goal as he turned full-back David Hunt inside out and crossed for Hunt to slot home.

Reading gave themselves breathing space shortly after half-time when Hunt went down under a challenge from Walsh and Le Fondre blasted the penalty into the roof of the net.

Reading, FA Cup quarter-finalists in 2010 and 2011 were drawn at home against Sheffield United.

Crawley Town: Jones, Sadler, Connolly, Walsh, Hunt (Akinde), Akpan, Clarke, Simpson, Adams, Jones, (Elford-Alliyu), Alexander.
Substitutes: Kuipers, Byrne, Torres, Bulman, Cooper, Akinde, Elford-Alliyu.
Attendance: 5, 880

Photograph of the week

Every time Suarez scores a goal a little bit of football dies.

Best weekly score - Killer, Queen

Kate Sutcliffe, nee Chillman and now lumbered with the very fetching nickname of Killers, murdered the rest of the pack over the Christmas period and now sit's top of the N&R Best Weekly Score.

Here are the top 10:
1. Kate Chillman, week 20, 87 points
2. Ryan Saveall, week 20, 86 points
3. Ian Kennett, week 20, 85 points
4. Brett Davey, week 16, 84 points
5. Aaron Bardon, week 20, 83 points
6= Simon Ward, week 16, 82 points
6= Richard Nathan, week 20, 82 points
8. Andi Turner, week 20, 81 points
9. James Down, week 20, 79 points
10= Alastair Bigg, week 20, 78 points
10= Paul Hodges, week 2, 78 points
10= Ricky Wood, week 16, 78 points
10= John Hardiman, week 16, 78 points
10= Tim Harris, week 16, 78 points
Up to week 20

Best Bix

N&R Division 1 - Week 20
Another week at the summit for Ollympic Games as he navigated the Christmas period well ahead of Brox Banditos in 2nd. Woody's Round Up jumped to 3rd and We are the Darts fall to 4th.

Paris Eagles hit back in week 20 to move in to 7th and Back in the Big Time move up 5 places to 8th.

To Elland Back, Bingo FC and OJ's Red & White Army all had too much Christmas pud and slipped out of contention.

The Magnificent Eleven keep going backwards but there were upward movements for Too Big to Fail, Pure Irish and The Jager Squad.

In the relegation zone Armitage Shanks escaped the bottom 12 for the first time since August, Glasgow kiss slip into it and Full Metal Jacket moved up 3 places to 29th.

The No Hopers made up some good ground on 2Infinity & Beyond but retain their Penultimate Place.

Pie, Archdukes, Chillers and Mavericks hit Christmas form

N&R Division 2 - Week 20
No change at the top but Aniseed Twists move into 2nd, Jason's highest position since week 13. Moral Hazard fall to 3rd with Anfield Second XI 4th and Addington Bears 5th.

Mobotinho moves up to 6th, Leave Myarsealona are 8th and stwike him centuwion vewy woughly are back into the promotion places in 11th.

Kiwislop slip to 14th, DTF FC to 15th and FC Song Roi was also a faller.

On the way up were Muddy's Mavericks and Chillers Champions.

At the bottom Preston Pie Muncher climbed 4 places and Archdukes of Hazard 6 places as they maxed out over Christmas.

Forest Green Gingers remain bottom.

The halfway stage - N&R Div 2

A 100 points is a lot to make up and that is the difference between 12th place and Aaren Bardon on top of the table at the halfway stage of the season.

Things can happen, key point-scoring players can lose form or get injured and managers can't transfer them out but 112 points is a lot to blow.

Aaren of course will be looking to win the Div 2 title as will Jason Syrett and Ben Guarino who between them have shared the top spot for all of the 20 N&R FL weeks except one, and that was the first when Henry Williams topped it.

Paul Hodges is having a fine first season and has been in the top 6 since October. Neil Addington has been top 6 since November and Richard 'Razor' Nathan since October. Luke Sloan has impressed also and with Sweaty having a good season, the Team Challenge title is a real possibilty for Miles Smith. Sweats will of course be hoping for a shot at the top division next season as well.

Mitesh is another newbie and he has featured in the top 12 since week 1, only one of 3 managers to do so. With a record like that, he will be disappointed not to feature in the season's promotion race.

Nobby has surprised himself with a run of points into the top 12. He slipped to 9th in week 20, so watch him come down with the Christmas lights. Kennett's N&R season normally melts like the snowman so we'll wait for that. Andi Turner had a very good December which propelled him into the promotion places. Andi is a bit of a fantasy football aficionado and we are sure he will be planning to pitch himself amongst the best next season.

Likewise Mark Simmons who has dumped his preference for an all Man U XI, which would explain his far better points total at this stage. Danny and Rutts have tinkered with this system in the past with no luck. Danny hit 4th in week 3 and has scootered around the top 12 ever since. Rutts meanwhile had one week in the top 12 but has settled into his much more comfortable surroundings near the bottom!

John Hardiman was another to put together a good pre-Christmas run and with more time on his hands we would think that promotion has to be his #1 priority.

Huw Thomas and Neil Wallis both began the season on fire, but have struggled for consistency since. Maybe a transfer or two would help their cause. Talking of transfers, Muddy never made one in about 10 seasons of N&R Fantasy League but this season has made 4 already!! A couple more and he may well influence the promotion race this season.

James Stiff has gradually been improving and is one to watch, Oakers was another who started so well, but no one is surprised to see him slip down the table, not least Al himself! Chillers, week 20's MoW has been a real disappointment to us this season but a Christmas makeover saw her hit the best score the N&R has seen this season and a promotion run must now be her target.

Dan Dubuox needs another dip into the transfer kitty if he is going to make a play for the top 12, he is currently 84 points away from 12th.

The lovely Sarah Sheron has also been a bit of a flop if we're honest. Come on Sarah, you can do better. Nev relegated from Div 1 last season has found it hard to stop the rot, this despite 10 transfers. Henry as we have already mentioned topped the table at week 1 and was in 11th at week 6. Henry also succumbed to relegation last season and has toiled through the Autumn and Winter or Spring and Summer in Australia, this despite some forays into the transfer market.

Tony Murray shocked us all when he appeared with no announcement in 9th in week 10, that lasted a fortnight and thankfully the world is more stable again now our resident New Yorker is back in 25th! Likewise Wenners, who was 12th in week 2 but re-found his level nearer the bottom of the table.

James Down has picked up in these last couple of weeks and things are looking up but 124 points differential is a big ask, but James has some previous N&R pedigree so he may be worth a wager.

Paul Keaveney's pedigree is unknown and his bark has been more of a yap in his N&R career so far. The same applies to Chris Minchell who has been floating around the bottom quartile for the whole of the 20 weeks. Our Preston pie eater Martin Singleton spends most of his time on projects in Scotland. What he ever did in a past life to deserve that we will never know. Though Martin like myself and Ready are not overly shocked to see him lie in 31st at the halfway stage of the campaign.

In the bottom 5 there really aren't any surprises. Alex Boswell, Rutts, Mark Sterry and Doyley are all perennial bottom feeders, particularly Rutts of course.

The Ginger Rabbit holds everyone up, and some transfers may well see him get off the bottom of the table. The main aim of these managers now is to try to win the Penultimate Prize - the 2nd worse score overall - which is actually not easy, but for some perverted reason Nobby & Ready pay out a cash prize.

Good luck to all of the Div 2 managers in the 2nd half of the season.

Christopher Martin Jenkins RIP

Christopher Martin Jenkins died last week aged 67. As a narrator he had this brilliant ability to lift you from your armchair and put you back down next to a bowler or batsman on a sun-buttered field. He will be missed and is a dying breed of commentators that associate you with a sport. In fact as a kid listening to the radio these men were the sport:

Cricket; John Arlott, Don Mosey, Brian Johnson, CMJ, Fred Trueman
Football: Kenneth Wolstonholme, Barry Davis, John Motson, Brian Moore
Tennis: Dan Maskell
Boxing: Harry Carpenter
Motor racing: Raymond Baxter, Murray Walker
Horse Racing: Peter O'Sullevan
Darts: Sid Waddell
Snooker: Whispering Ted Lowe
Eventing/Horse of the Year Show: Raymond Brookes Ward, Dorian Williams
Rugby: Bill McLaren
Swimming: David Vine
Athletics: David Coleman
Skiing: David Vine
Golf: Henry Longhurst, Peter Alliss

The Guardian Obituary for Christopher Martin Jenkins

N&R League Cup draws

Tomorrow is a full blown FA Cup programme, and the points count, so a good time to play the Semi-Finals of the League Cups. The draw was made this morning by a couple of washed up old insurance blokes and here it is:

Div 1 League Cup Semi-Finals
Bingo FC v Ollympic Games
The Jager Squad v Brox Banditos

Div 2 League Cup Semi-Finals
Bardzo lubię nie musieć nic v Moral Hazard
Kiwislop v Leave Myarsealona

In the first draw brothers Graham and Simon were kept apart and so were the top two in the table Chris and Ryan.

In the Div 2 draw, we have Polish brother playing against 2nd placed Ben and our resident Kiwi playing Andi (10th v 11th in the table).

Good luck to all 8 managers.

Points based on week 21.

Road to Wembley - Crawley look to upset Royals

The FA Cup enters the 3rd Round this weekend and always one of the most exciting days on the football calendar.

Our N&R FL boys Crawley Town host Premier League strugglers Reading and a shock may well be on the cards. Crawley's Director of Football Steve Coppell left Reading in 2009 after five and a half years in charge of the Royals and he alongside manager Richie Barker will help plot another Crawley scalp.

Crawley have reached the fifth round of the FA Cup in each of the past two seasons, pulling off six upsets in the process.


Their runs were ended by Manchester United in 2010-11 and Stoke City in 2011-12.

This year they have beaten two non-league sides - Metropolitan Police and Chelmsford City - en route to the third round.

The two sides meet at the Broadfield Stadium on Saturday and the West Sussex club are expecting a possible sell-out crowd of almost 6,000, which will include 1,400 away supporters.

Photograph of the week

No one likes to see an old man thinking he can still handle himself..

Week 19 overview

The weekend before Christmas and in Week 19 Liverpool clicked into gear and Chelsea fans put away their RAFA OUT banners. Meanwhile Villa, Reading, Southampton and QPR plan for a long winter slog.

Sunday 23rd December 2012
Chelsea 8-0 Aston Villa
Swansea 1-1 Man Utd

Saturday 22nd December 2012
Liverpool 4-0 Fulham
Man City 1-0 Reading
Newcastle 1-0 QPR
Southampton 0-1 Sunderland
Tottenham 0-0 Stoke
West Brom 2-1 Norwich
West Ham 1-2 Everton
Wigan 0-1 Arsenal

Oi Oi SAVeloy

N&R Division 1 - Week 18

Another week at the top for Ollympic Games. Sav was bottom at the start of the season and on Boxing Day he sits top of the Table, and will be getting excited about a first ever N&R FL Title.

Brox Banditos is on a real hot streak though and is up to 2nd, 21 points behind Sav. We are the Darts are 3rd, Boys on tour 4th annd Gooner win League 5th.

Last season's champ Woody's Round Up are in contention as is the year before's winner To Elland Back. Another former champion OJ's Red & White Army is 8th alongside Bingo FC.

Then the pack is full of talent and potential champions - Paris Eagles, Guinness & eggs, The Magnificent Eleven, Pure Irish, Loads of Roubles, RVP's Red Army and Hannoi Utd.

In the relegation scrap, The Billion and a Half Dollar Man is making excellent progresses moving away from danger. As is Tanus Terriers and UnAthletic Madrid improved their place as well.

The No Hopers are bottom but reclaimed their penultimate worst score in week 19.

Smash hit

N&R Division 2 - Week 19

New leader in Div 2. After a 5 week hiatus Monster Smash went back on top of the table. Moral Hazard drop to 2nd but just a solitary point behind. 3rd is Aniseed Twists with Addington Bears 4th.

Anfield Second XI jump to 5th, Sloan Rangers are 6th and From SE6 to SB04 7th. Jager Bombers and Mobotinho share 8th place.

DTF FC fall out of the top 12 and Bardzo lubię nie musieć nic replace them.

Dan's Dribblers were a good climber as were Socceroos.

At the bottom Goonersmoan slip to 30th, Preston pie muncher is 33rd, The Archdukes of Hazard 34th and Forest Green Gingers last in 35th

Not seedless

Week 19 - MoW

66 was again the best weekly score in the N&R FL. Jason Syrett owned it and collected a fiver. His brother in law Sav was next best with 64 then came Chris Wright, who is on fire at the minute, with 60, Graham Ward and Brett with 59 and Dan Weeks with 57.

Godders, Paul Hodges and Dan Duboux scored 54, Wardy and Henry 53 and Aaron and Steve Merchant 52.

The worse score in week 19 was Sarah Sheron who managed just 14.

Photograph of the week

Well, well, well....

Week 18 overview

What did we learn in week 18? Well that Aston Villa were back and Arsenal can score a lot of goals, as long as play Reading every week.
Monday 17th December 2012
Reading 2-5 Arsenal

Sunday 16th December 2012
West Brom 0-0 West Ham
Tottenham 1-0 Swansea

Saturday 15th December 2012
Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa
Man Utd 3-1 Sunderland
Norwich 2-1 Wigan
QPR 2-1 Fulham
Stoke 1-1 Everton
Newcastle 1-3 Man City

Tuesday 11th December 2012
Sunderland 3-0 Reading

N&R Weekly Predictions

Over the Christmas period, we had another fruitless go.

Week 18:

Nobby

Sunderland v Tottenham AWAY Yes

Stoke v Sunderland HOME No

Fulham v Swansea HOME No

Stake £2

Potential Winnings £6.50

Balance £-1813

Ready

Fulham v Swansea DRAW No

Norwich v Man C AWAY Yes
Reading v West Ham DRAW No
Stake: £2
Potential Winnings £20.80

Balance £-17.12

Smelling of Roses

Week 18 - MoW
N&R FL legend Danny Rose knocked in his 2nd MoW in week 18. 66 points for Danny. Four behind was Lee Horne, who climbed out of the relegation spots in Div 1.

Nobby weighed in with 58, Aaron Bardon 57, then Chris Wright, Ken, Hills and Sav all on 53.

Lowest score was Paul Keaveney on 16.

Hazard and Smash open lead

N&R Division 2 - Week 18
Moral Hazard lead swiped to 2 points in week 18 and Ben and Monster Smash have opened a gap on the pack.

Nobby's From SE6 to SB04 have somehow found themselves in 7th, Jager Bombers are up to 8th.

Leave Myarsealona are new entrants at 12th with stwike him centuwion vewy woughly getting ready for their customary slip down the table after Christmas fallers to 15th.

Gold medal for Sav

N&R Division 1 - Week 18

Ollympic Games take top spot for the first time this season and lead We are the Darts by 8 points with Boys on tour and Gooner win league just a couple more behind.

Woody's Round Up and Brox Banditos are tied for 5th with To Elland Back 6th and The Magnificent Eleven in 8th.

Paris Eagles dropped out of the top 7 whilst Pure Irish was a noticable climber.

At the bottom This Game Should Be Played On Paper slipped back into relegation danger and Tanus Terriers move clear of it.