2000/2001 - Newsletter 4 (16 September 2000)

I WANNA SINK TO THE BOTTOM WITH YOU

The amazing Mega Buck Bandits sit proudly on top of the league, as the only team with a 100% record. Actually that’s not strictly true, as Pacer’s Pacesetters prop up the table, also with a 100% record - of losing. Oops. Also down near the foot of the table, congrats are due to Prettier Than You, who recorded their first victory with a win over the Groove Machine, who have yet to get their season into full swing. Reward at last, though, for all Rachel’s efforts in shaping the former Bags Boys squad into something resembling a proper team. You go, girl!

The TOTW hundred grand award goes to Short Straw, whose 1-0 win over Willy Shakey scuppered Peej’s 100% start to the season. Congrats are due to Andy Mercer for this feat. The Shake-meisters themselves sink to fourth as a result, as Boston Rock’s 1-0 win over Viola’s Pier moves me into second (hooray!), and Trusted By Millions keep up the pace by beating Donkey Derby 2-0.

NOTHING’S WHAT IT SEEMS, WE ARE CONFUSION

You’ve all no doubt seen the e-mails flying around between myself and the Big Man about loaned players. Now, I’m not going to use this Newsletter as a medium to say I’m right and Rich is wrong or anything like that, but I think it’s worth clarifying the actual WSFFL loan player rule, as it stands right now. So this is it; players loaned from one WSFFL club to another count against the squad size of the loanee team (i.e. the team receiving the loaned player) only, and not the loaner team (i.e. the team loaning the player out). This means that the loaner team is quite at liberty to make his squad size up to 27, whilst the player is out on loan, until, of course, the loaner team recalls the player from the loanee team, at which time the player of course counts against the squad size of the loaner team.

SEEN IT IN YOUR EYES AND I’VE READ IT IN BOOKS

I know you guys aren’t necessarily the most literary of people (I bet the last thing Ady read, for example, was the side of a tinny of draught Guinness or a packet of lard), but I thought I’d mention the book I’m currently reading. It’s called “The Miracle Of Castel Di Sangro”, by Joe McGinniss, and is about an actual Italian village team who made it to the heady heights of the Italian Serie B, beating Ascoli in the C1 playoff. This would be like Forest Green Rovers playing in Division 1. The fact that the author is an American who is obsessed with football adds to its’ fascination. A corking good read which flows like a novel; I thoroughly recommend it.

 

AND YOU WILL KNOW HIM BY THE TRAIL OF FRED

 

You’ve also all no doubt seen Fred’s rejoinder to my note in the last Newsletter  referring to him as “evil”. Now, I’ve no desire to get into an ongoing argument with Fred at all on this one (I have more regard for my general well-being), so if he says he’s not evil, then he’s not evil, and I’m quite happy to tell that to all the failed centre-forwards buried under the main stand at the Fred West Chicago Enormodrome.

DON’T GO AWAY SAD, DON’T GO AWAY MAD, JUST GO AWAY

The Big Man has advised that the Groove Machine’s Jody Craddock, the young Sunderland defender who is currently enjoying a run in the first team and who is definitely not nicknamed Fanny, is up for sale. Offers around £2 million might secure a deal. Enquiries to Rich. Also Prettier Than You are also looking for playing defenders, so if you’ve got a spare one lying around and fancy discussing a deal, drop Rachel a line at e-mail  rachel.griffiths@bt.com.

TRANSFER UPDATE

Oops! I goofed when I said Nil Satis paid £14.5 million for Silvain Wiltord. Paul wants to say he’s not that reckless with his cash and only paid £13.5 million for him.

No other transfers news to report. Or at least, Clive hasn’t sent me an update over…

THE FF£75,000 QUESTION

Okay, here’s this weeks puzzler. Bit of lateral thinking required for this one;

In May 1937, Manchester City became Tottenham Hotspur. Explanation, please.

One entry per person again, to me at e-mail david.2.rose@bt.com, or 01793 547614 (work) or 495101 (home), by lunchtime on Monday 25^th September.

The Undertones song was called “When Saturday Comes”, and featured on their album “Positive Touch”, fact fans. It earns it’s place in Modern Football Culture thanks to the pioneering and enduring fanzine which took it’s name from it (and which is still a corking good read), and the rather dodgy and forgettable Sean Bean film which nicked it’s name from the fanzine. I mean, Sheffield United beating Man U… yeah right. Anyway, it’s a good song too.

Two correct answers, so congrats to Beef, who won on the toss of a coin from Peej. Trusted By Millions are now £75,000 richer, and the next game with Willy Shakey will no doubt have more of an edge to it…

SHORTS

Mega Bucks’ Quinton Fortune has been recategorised as a midfielder, so MC’s table-topping team now has even more attacking flair to it. Spawny or what?…

LEAGUE RESULTS 2000/01

W/E of 16 September 2000 - Week 5

Aardvark Abacus		0	Vs	3	Claymore Athletic FC
						P Di Canio (pen) T Graveson D Unsworth
Donkey Derby County		0	Vs	2	Trusted by Millions
						K Phillips R Rufus
Elland Road Big Boys		2	Vs	1	Pacer's Pacesetters
	N Butt C Powell					R Giggs
Mega Buck Bandits		3	Vs	2	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
	M Hadji P Neville P Jones					J Johansson S Wiltord
Real Muppets		2	Vs	0	Woodchester Rovers
	D Dublin (pen) G Southgate
Short Straw Rovers		1	Vs	0	Willy Shakey
	J Dodd
22 Legged Groove Machine		2	Vs	3	Prettier than You
	P Wanchope M Christie					S Collymore K Kilbane D Kiely
Viola's Pier		0	Vs	1	You know your Boston Rock FC
						L Bowyer
York's Returning Glory		0	Vs	1	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
						C Lundekvam

Team of the Week: Short Straw Rovers