ALL IS QUIET ON NEW YEARS DAY
But not for you lot! This is a reminder that there’s a full Premiership fixture list over New Year’s Day and 2nd January, and therefore a full Fantasy Fixture list, which is detailed on the “Forthcoming WSFFL Fixtures” page in this here newsletter. Just because I gave you all Boxing Day off (although thanks to Dean, Dick and Fred for unnecessarily reporting in Boxing Day teams; read your newsletter, guys!!), doesn’t mean you can have New Year’s Day off as well!
The results of the New Year’s Day league fixtures and PCMT Final replay will be in next week’s bumper newsletter, which will follow the Fantasy FA Cup first round.
THE RATS HAVE ALL GOT RICKETTS
Dare we call this one the “Ricketts Final”? The Paul Cartmell Memorial Trophy Final ended in a stalemate, with Michael Ricketts scoring at both ends in a 2-2 draw. So, the boys will have to replay, which will be on New Year’s Day, doubling up with their league fixtures.
A full report on the final is included in this newsletter. So read on, boys and girl…
THE BOYS FROM THE NYPD CHOIR WERE SINGING “GALWAY BAY”
Well, it is Christmas after all! So let’s start with the result of the week, with Julian’s York’s Returning Glory pulling off their own “Fairytale of New York’s”, by beating in-form Real Muppets 2-1. Goals from Danny Mills and Brian Deane sunk the Muppets, with Ashley Cole grabbing a consolation for Ryan. Julian wins the POTW £100,000 this week, no messin’!
Claymore Athletic go back to the top, by virtue of a 3-1 win over Viola’s Pier, new big-money signing Steve Marlet bagging his first for Clives team. Previous leaders San Dimas were held to a 2-2 draw in the league as well, this time Finidi George and that Ricketts own goal being the 2 strikes for Prettier Than You in their stalemate. And the big game between challengers Trusted and Aardvark also ended in stalemate, with Juan Angel on target for Trusted in their 1-1 draw. No doubt Ady is ruing his decision to leave in-form striker Eidur Gudjonsson on the bench in favour of new signing Nicolas Anelka. D’oh!
Nil Satis stay rooted to the bottom after Boston Rock demolished them 4-0, with alleged “bad boy” Lee Bowyer amongst the goals. Elland Road slip to 15th, after a home defeat from Kylie Bumcheeks. And Short Straw do their season a power of good with a 1-0 win over Mega Bucks, Kevin Nolan grabbing the vital winner.
Elsewhere, Fred grabbed another win, this time by 3-2 over the Groove Machine, with recalled Ryan Giggs netting twice. Now that Fred is back in the UK, his team are showing something like the form we expected all along. Coincidence? Maybe…
And as for December Manager of the Month? Well, I couldn’t separate Claymore Athletic FC and Real Muppets, so I’ve given them each £250,000. Well done, Clive and Ryan.
TRANSFER NEWS
Ady wins the bidding war for Nicolas Anelka (7 firm bids received, making Anelka the most sought-after player under the 48 hour rule in my tenure as co-ordinator), so the errant Frenchman returns to his “spiritual home”.
Player From To Fee
Sandor Westerveld Real Muppets Real Sociedad £3,400,000
Nicolas Anelka Paris Saint Germain Aardvark Abacus £10,000,000
Matthias Svensson Aardvark Abacus Pool £250,000
Andrejs Stolcers Mega Buck Bandits Pool £250,000
Brett Ormerod Southampton Mega Buck Bandts £500,000
Don’t forget that the players highlighted are subject to the pool “cooling off” period. Any managers interested in buying them can bid until 8 p.m. on Monday 7 January 2002, after which time they go into the pool proper and are readily available.
THE FF£100,000 QUESTION
An observational one for you;
What does Fulham manager Jean Tigana always do with his mouth whilst watching his team?
One entry per person as usual please, to me by close of play on Saturday 5 January 2002.
The most-capped player at U-21 level was Liverpool and Trusted By Million’s £30 million man Jamie Carragher, with an impressive 27 caps at that level.
I received correct guesses from Ryan (another full name guess; James Lee Duncan Carragher!) and Beef (who should know, after all). Ryan won the coin toss, so Real Muppets win another £100,000. They’re on a bit of a roll….
Wrong guesses from Peej (Emile Heskey) and MC (Frank Lampard). Thanks for playing, guys.
SHORTS
Boston Rock and Prettier Than You played a Boxing Day behind-closed-doors (oo-er missus!) friendly, which appropriately ended in a 1-1 draw (4 cleans cancelled). Frank Lampard’s early strike for the “Sky Heroes” was cancelled out by Kevin Kilbane’s last-minute equaliser… while watching Glasgow Rangers play Hibs on Boxing Day, I noticed once again that The Light Blues’ Italian defender Lorenzo Amoruso is the spitting image of our Tuesday night football buddy Nicky Hughes!... and I know I’ve said it before, but Alex Ferguson’s voice really pisses me off! Why doesn’t one post-match interviewer say to him, “repeat after me, Alex; little Loopy Lou likes licking lollipops”?…
The PAUL CARTMELL MEMORIAL TROPHY 2001/02; FINAL
W/E of 29 December 2001
Kylie Bumcheeks 2
Ricketts OG, 22 mins, Shearer, 37 mins
Vs (2)
San Dimas High School 2
Sinclair, 39 mins, Ricketts, 90 mins
At the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Attendance 78,592
Kylie Bumcheeks Team:
Edwin Van der Sar
Robbie Elliott, Sami Hyypia, Chris Perry, Gary Kelly
Allan Johnston, Robbie Savage, Jermaine Wright, Matthew Oakley
Alan Shearer, Fabrizio Ravanelli
Subs: Ian Walker, Craig Short, Robbie Mustoe, James Beattie
San Dimas High School Team:
Thomas Sorensen
Sylvain Distin, John Terry, Jorge Costa, Horatio Carbonari
Trevor Sinclair, Martijn Reuser, Anders Svensson, Christian Ziege
Michael Ricketts, Freddie Kanoute
Subs: Steve Harper, Matthew Elliott, Paul Gascoigne, Dennis Bergkamp
The 2001 Paul Cartmell Memorial Trophy Final ended in stalemate, after an incredible last-minute equaliser from favourites San Dimas prevented a major Cup upset. The teams replay on New Year’s Day, so here’s hoping for an equally exciting replay.
The Bumcheeks were quickest out of the blocks, belying their underdog status, and both Ravanelli and Shearer went close before the deadlock was broken in bizarre fashion. Michael Ricketts headed an Allan Johnston corner into his own net under pressure from Robbie Savage. The Bumcheeks then went 2-0 up, with Shearer bundling the ball over the line at his second attempt.
This seemed to awaken San Dimas, and 2 minutes later, a brilliantly executed bicycle kick from Trevor Sinclair got them back into the match. The second half was all San Dimas, with man-of-the-match Sinclair creating chance after chance, but finding the Bumcheeks back four in resolute form, and Edwin Van der Sar making some inspired saves. That is, until Michael Ricketts popped up with a last-gasp header – in the right net this time – to force a replay. Same again please, guys?
WSFFL RESULTS; Week 16, W/E 29 December 2001
Elland Road Big Boys 0-2 Kylie Bumcheeks
(1) Shearer
Kelly 23,529
San Dimas High School 2-2 Prettier Than You
Sinclair (2) Ricketts (OG)
Ricketts George 41,134
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 3-2 22 Legged Groove Machine
Giggs 2 Poom
Van Nistelrooy Riggott 35,103
York’s Returning Glory 2-1 Real Muppets
Mills (1) Ashley Cole
Deane 31,822
Trusted By Millions 1-1 Aardvark Abacus
Angel (1) Harte 52,123
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 0-4 You Know Your Boston Rock FC
Sereni
Rio Ferdinand
Martin Taylor
Bowyer 24,517
Claymore Athletic FC 3-1 Viola’s Pier
Bernard Les Ferdinand
Stuart
Marlet 37,948
Short Straw Rovers 1-0 Mega Buck Bandits
Nolan (1) 31,131
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