WE’RE IN IT FOR THE MONEY
Following the sad loss of Paul Cartmell, life goes on in the Fantasy League, as Paul surely would have wanted it to.
So, please welcome Claire Lucas to the ranks of the WSFFL managers. Claire has taken over Paul’s Woodchester Rovers team with immediate effect, and has decided to rename them “Init2winit”, a statement, no doubt, of her intentions. Clive has, of course, already gone on record as saying that Claire is “on her own” regarding managing her team, but history suggests that simply by living with Clive, she must surely be favourite for top honours – very soon!
However, you do realise, Clive, that as Claymore Athletic and Init2winit are effectively “groundsharing”, you can’t both be “at home” at the same time!
I DON’T WANT THE WORLD, I JUST WANT YOUR HALF
The first half of the Fantasy League Season draws to a close with Willy Shakey at the Top of the Table. This weekend the Shakemeisters sunk a shellshocked Boston Rock by 4-1 to consolidate their leadership. The Muppets are hot on their heels thanks to a 2-1 win over Trusted By Millions, and Mega Buck keep pace with a 2-0 defeat of Viola’s Pier. Claymore, however, continue their poor form, this time losing 2-0 to Fred West Landscape Gardening, a win which lifts Fred into contention in 5th place.
The newest WSFFL manager celebrated her first victory this weekend, Claire’s Init2winit beating Aardvark Abacus 3-0 and earning the TOTW £100K in the process, so well done Claire. As Rachel’s Prettier Than You team vanquished the Abacus last weekend, Ady must be glad he doesn’t have to play any more girly managers for awhile. Or were you just being chivalrous and letting the ladies beat you, Ady lad?
At the bottom, York’s Returning Glory picked up a valuable 3 points, goals from Molenaar and Speed beating Short Straw. York’s are now only 6 points adrift of Prettier Than You. Pacer’s lost again, but I guess you already sussed that out…
And after seeing their namesake the Wonderstuff triumphantly back on manoeuvres, the Groove Machine gain the inspiration to continue their mini revival with a 3-2 win over Elland Road Big Boys. The Big Man - an outside bet for the big one?
AND WHAT A TERRIBLE MESS I’VE MADE OF MY LIFE
The League Cup Quarter Finals this weekend saw 2 ties end in deadlock, thus making a real mess of the fixture list. Mega Buck (again!) and The Big Boys, and Viola’s and Pacers must both replay this weekend, thereby delaying the final yet again. D’oh!
So, the revised fixture list now sees a full league programme on Boxing Day. The fixtures originally scheduled for W/E 30 December are brought forward to Boxing Day, with W/E 30 December left blank for the revised League Cup final date. So don’t draw the replays and cock it up again, eh lads?
At least 2 managers could do something right in the League Cup. Claire maintained her TOTW form and knocked out Short Straw 4-0, whilst a brace from Fred’s Alun Armstrong was enough to KO the Abacus. With Aardvark’s continued inconsistent form in the league, it looks like Mrs. Bevan might not have anything to dust for once this Summer…
HIS CHRISTIAN NAME IS MUD BUT THE CHILDREN CALL HIM BUTTERNUT
No-one’s come back with any silly name suggestions as a result of Dean’s e-mail in Newsletter 11, but I thought I’d have some Festive fun and pick up the silly name theme anyway (see also this week’s quiz question!). Ady’s team could have Regal connections, with Ledley KING and Carl CORT both playing for the Abacus, whilst WWF Wrestling fans will note the connection between Init2winit’s Jurgen MACHO and Robbie SAVAGE. It’s also highly appropriate that my team, You Know Your Boston ROCK, should now feature Rigobert SONG.
I also recall the 1998 World Cup Group A clash between Morocco and Norway, which finished 2-2. The scorers for Norway were Dan EGGEN and Youssef CHIPPO of Morocco (and Mega Buck Bandits), who put through his own net. And didn’t the Nottingham Forest midfield in the late 1980’s under Brian Clough once feature Franz CARR and Garry PARKER?
TRANSFER NEWS
No transfer info from Clive this week, so I can only report what I know, which is;
Player From To Fee
Igor Biscan Liverpool 22 Legged Groove Machine £2,750,000
Matt Etherington 22 Legged Groove Machine Donkey Derby County £300,000
THE FF£75,000 QUESTION
A bit of a fun one for the Chrimble period;
Which nations did the following players represent at the 1998 World Cup;
a) Smahi Triki,
b) Roar Strand,
c) German Villa,
d) Shoji Jo, and
e) Naughty Mokoena?
One entry per person as usual please, to me on phone number 01793 495101 (home) or e-mail Swindonsheriff@aol.com, by close of play on Friday 29th December. I don’t intend to do a Newsletter again until the first week of the New Year, hence the longer time period for quiz entries, plus of course it’s a five part answer.
By my reckoning – and no-one here has proven me wrong yet – I count 4 former Swindon Town FC players currently “on the books” of Premiership clubs. They are Nicky Summerbee at Sunderland, John Moncur at West Ham, Kevin Horlock at Manchester City, and the one which caught out most people, Curtis Fleming at Middlesborough. Yup, Fleming was signed for the Town in the 1988/89 Season as a youngster from St. Patrick’s Athletic, getting approximately nowhere near the first team, before literally disappearing back to Ireland in the close season, never to return to the County Ground. Perhaps it was then-manager Lou Macari’s boot camp regime he objected to – he’s certainly got the soft option at Boro (and Pacer’s!!)
Lots of guesses which fell one short - sorry MC, Steve, Clive, Prov and Claire – but only one correct reply, from Peej, who not only correctly named Fleming but also the circumstances behind his brief stay with the Town. So congrats to Willy Shakey who are now FF£75,000 richer as a result, although you should invest it in some treatment for your anal retentiveness, Peej… (and before anyone mentions the words “pot”, “kettle” or “black”, I already know I’m beyond help…)
SHORTS
No smug things to say here this week, only to wish my readership the best for the Festive Season, Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all Managers, and that you all get the plastic and electronic shite you asked Santa for. Back in the new Millennium (you think it’s started already? More fool you, I’d say) with more Fantasy Footy!
LEAGUE RESULTS 2000/01
W/E of 16 December 2000 - Week 17
Aardvark Abacus
|
0
|
Vs
|
3
|
Init2winit
| |||
J Beattie
K Dyer
S Hyypia
| |||||||
Claymore Athletic FC
|
0
|
Vs
|
2
|
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
| |||
A Armstrong (2)
| |||||||
Mega Buck Bandits
|
2
|
Vs
|
0
|
Viola's Pier
| |||
C Cooper
S Henchoz
| |||||||
Pacer's Pacesetters
|
0
|
Vs
|
2
|
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
| |||
J Johansson
S Rebrov
| |||||||
Prettier Than You
|
0
|
Vs
|
2
|
Donkey Derby County
| |||
A Gunnlaugsson
D Ginola
| |||||||
Real Muppets
|
2
|
Vs
|
1
|
Trusted by Millions
| |||
D Dublin
M Viduka
|
D Matteo
| ||||||
22 Legged Groove Machine
|
3
|
Vs
|
2
|
Elland Road Big Boys
| |||
M Christie
C Riggott
M Poom
|
A Akinbiyi
D Murphy
| ||||||
Willy Shakey
|
4
|
Vs
|
1
|
You know your Boston Rock FC
| |||
D Cadamarteri
F Kanoute
M Elliott
A Haaland
|
L Bowyer
| ||||||
York's Returning Glory
|
2
|
Vs
|
0
|
Short Straw Rovers
| |||
G Speed
R Molenaar
| |||||||
Team of the Week: Init2winit
LEAGUE CUP 2000/01
W/E of 16 December 2000
2nd Round
Aardvark Abacus
|
1
|
Vs
|
2
|
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
| |||
M Babbel
|
A Armstrong (2)
| ||||||
Elland Road Big Boys
|
2
|
Vs
|
2
|
Mega Buck Bandits
| |||
A Akinbiyi
D Murphy
|
C Cooper
S Henchoz
| ||||||
Short Straw Rovers
|
0
|
Vs
|
4
|
Init2winit
| |||
J Beattie
G Kelly
S Hyypia
K Dyer
| |||||||
Viola's Pier
|
0
|
Vs
|
0
|
Pacer's Pacesetters
| |||
The Following replays to take place over W/E 23 December 2000.
Mega Buck Bandits v Elland Road Big Boys
Pacer’s Pacesetters v Viola’s Pier
FANTASY FOOTBALL, WEST SWINDON LEAGUE
LEAGUE TABLE, as at 18 December 2000
Team P W D L F A Diff Pts
1 Willy Shakey 17 12 1 4 32 15 17 37
2 Real Muppets 17 11 3 3 40 27 13 36
3 Mega Buck Bandits 17 10 3 4 37 26 11 33
4 Claymore Athletic FC 17 10 1 6 39 26 13 31
5 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 17 10 0 7 26 27 -1 30
6 Short Straw Rovers 17 9 2 6 32 20 12 29
7 Init2winit 17 9 1 7 31 26 5 28
8 Trusted by Millions 17 9 0 8 35 38 -3 27
9 Aardvark Abacus 17 7 4 6 35 25 10 25
10 22 Legged Groove Machine 17 8 1 8 35 31 4 25
11 Donkey Derby County 17 8 1 8 19 23 -4 25
12 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 17 6 5 6 25 19 6 23
13 Elland Road Big Boys 17 7 2 8 26 21 5 23
14 You know your Boston Rock FC 17 7 1 9 26 39 -13 22
15 Viola's Pier 17 6 1 10 21 24 -3 19
16 Prettier Than You 17 5 2 10 20 39 -19 17
17 York's Returning Glory 17 3 2 12 14 36 -22 11
18 Pacer's Pacesetters 17 1 0 16 14 45 -31 3
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