Football Thread 2017/18

[barney]

It's getting near that time again guys and gals.

League one kicks off on August 5th and Gills have a long away trip to newly promoted Doncaster Rovers

I went to watch the friendly (rather than go shopping) on Saturday against Ipswich Town and must say that I was pleasantly surprised how we played.
Hopefully, with a new management team, we'll be more competitive than last season.

With three of our regular posters supporting 'small' Premier League sides, what's the ambition this season?

Obviously Watford's is to try and finish with the same manager

Huddersfield is damage limitation and Leicester is to win it again

[towny44]

We already have by far the lowest season ticket prices in the PL, in fact lower than most Championship clubs, and we also have one of the brightest away strips; but our main aim for the season is the same as last year, to prove the pundits wrong again.

[gfwgfw]

Fingers Crossed for another successful season on the South Coast

Bournemouth are building a new Stadium very close to Dean Court
doubling the current capacity

[barney]

Fingers Crossed for another successful season on the South Coast

Bournemouth are building a new Stadium very close to Dean Court
doubling the current capacity

Good luck to them gfwgfw

It wasn't many years ago that they were a similar size club to us, battling in the lower leagues.

Times have changed.

Our son's mate Arter plays for them, they went to school together.

[Manoverboard]

Watford's aim, as per last year ( albeit failed miserably ), is to finish in one of the top ten spots.

The Manager is less important under the continental system that they employ but I fancy that this latest feller will last longer than the others.

We kick off at ( Home ) Mid-day ish vs Liverpool, a televised and very difficult game for uz Hornets.

[screwy]

I dont care who wins what, so long as Liverpool win nothing...dont even like them winning the toss..!!!!

[towny44]

The Hatters go mad on day one winning 8-2, I imagine Frank Manning will be happy.

[barney]

REAL football has started guys !!!!!

I'll take an away point from the first game

I may have mentioned previously that I'm in a prediction league at our local golf club.
Basically you predict the winners of all four divisions.
Entries must be in by next Wednesday and there are no changes allowed once submitted.
It is then the cumulative points that your teams have on the last day of the season.
So, you don't necessarily have to win any division to win the competition.
Two years ago I won it (£500) and last season I came third bottom (bloomin Leyton Orient)

This season I've gone
Man City
Middlesborough
Wigan
Mansfield

Paid my £20 and will see what happens

[Manoverboard]

Middlesborough lost yesterday .... just saying

[barney]

Yeah Moby, but it's a marathon not a sprint.
I rate their manager and they should have enough about them to be thereabouts.
Surprise package could be Wolves.
The only reason I've gone for Mansfield is again their manager.
Fatty Evans knows the lower leagues really well and had many promotions.
a horrible man but a good manager at that level.
It's just a bit of fun at the end of the day that keeps interest going in other leagues

[stocktonmackem2]

Hopefully my team manage to make the playoffs. Being a sunderland fan thou I am not holding my breath. I will be happy just to stabalise a bit this season and get rid of the players that don't want to be there. x

[barney]

I'd recommend NOT holding your breath mackem.
It's gonna be a long hard season for you guys.
The Championship is brutal.
Full of players you've never heard of who beat you 1-0

[qbman1]

I'd recommend NOT holding your breath mackem.
It's gonna be a long hard season for you guys.
The Championship is brutal.
Full of players you've never heard of who beat you 1-0

....and most of them on loan from Chelsea or Man. U !

[stocktonmackem2]

Haha, We will wait and see, at least we will have a chance of winning a game or 2.

[oldbluefox]

It'll make a change after the past couple of seasons you have had.

[RB1961]

Title decider tomorrow Foxy....

[oldbluefox]

Too true. Ideally Mahrez will get a hat trick and Wenger will get his hands out of his pocket and shell out what we want for him!!
In all honesty I'm not that impressed with him but we have invested well this summer and hopefully we can keep Lacazette quiet. We never seem to do well aginst you so we'll be glad to get this away match out of the way nice and early.

[qbman1]

Too true. Ideally Mahrez will get a hat trick and Wenger will get his hands out of his pocket and shell out what we want for him!!
In all honesty I'm not that impressed with him but we have invested well this summer and hopefully we can keep Lacazette quiet. We never seem to do well against you so we'll be glad to get this away match out of the way nice and early.

Something of an understatement, methinks ?!

DG8NqmlXUAA2IOv.jpg

[oldbluefox]

I remember it well!!! Must be due another win, surely!!!

[qbman1]

Just give it another 44 !

[Manoverboard]

I remember it well!!! Must be due another win, surely!!!

You've got as much chance of winning as we have against Liverpool tomorrow lunchtime

[oldbluefox]

I'll let you know about 10.00pm

[oldbluefox]

Disappointed................... Good game to watch for the neutral but two late goals did for us. Lacazette looks a good buy for the Arsenal but we did enough for us to feel optimistic for the season ahead.
What say you RB?

[towny44]

I think you were robbed, Arsenal's 2nd was clearly offside, but you ought to have won anyway.

[oldbluefox]

Poor defending for their third goal - three of them left unmarked but no doubt Arsenal are a good team with some quality players.
Good luck and best wishes to all those whose teams kick off the season today. For the time being we are in the relegation zone.