SO SIT AND COUNT THE REASONS TO STAY
It’s that time of year again. So, can you all let me know ASAP please, preferably by return of e-mail, whether you want to continue as a WSFFL Manager next season? As before, if any of you want to quit WSFFL, I want to be as fair as possible to any prospective new managers by giving them the Summer to learn the rules and bone up on this great game of ours. So let me know your intentions, all of you!
Could you also all please let me know whether you wish to retain any of your relegated players (i.e. players from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City and Leeds United), or players released by their Premiership teams, plus any retained players you already have, in your squads NEXT SEASON?
I’ll keep a list of the players who are relegated/ released and “not required” by managers, and if any of them are signed by Premiership clubs before the transfer deadline at the end of August 2004, the manager who previously owned them will get first refusal on buying them back for the compensation received. So you don’t need to keep that Leicester defender you don’t really want in your squad, just on the off-chance Sir Alex may conclude he’s the answer to United’s defensive woes. If this does happen, I’ll offer him back to you anyway!
As per last season, I’m not chasing managers up about this, so if I don’t hear otherwise from you by the end of May, I will assume you DO NOT want to keep your relegated and retained players, and will instead compensate you the cash.
SEE ME CHANGE, CHANGES ARE NO GOOD
As per usual, if any of you have any suggestions for rule changes to be adopted for next season, I’m happy to receive them and discuss them with my Executive Committee colleagues for eligibility prior to putting them to a vote at the AGM. Remember that they must meet the following criteria;
- Will it enhance the game and make it more realistic and/or fun, and
- Will it have no impact upon your hard-worked co-ordinator (that’s me), or, preferably, save him time?
If the answer to both is yes, then go for it! If not, don’t bother!!
I MAY BE BLUE BUT DON’T YOU LET ME MAKE YOU BLUE TOO
Yup, it’s Blue boys at the top and bottom of the table, following the final fixtures of the season. Claymore Athletic rounded of their championship season in style, with a 1-0 win over Nil Satis Nisi Optimum in the Toffee Derby, a result that condemned Paul’s blue army to the wooden spoon position. Congrats again to Clive for a triumphant Henry-powered league season, whilst Paul’s lack of regular team changes cost him dear this campaign. With burgeoning talent such as Reyes, Dyer and Pennant at his disposal, Paul must surely do better next season.
In the frantic dash for runners-up slot, Aardvark Abacus gained some measure of revenge for his Cup Final defeat by Trusted By Millions, beating Beef’s lot 3-1 to snatch 2nd slot and the POTW £100,000, so well done to Ady for that. However Aardvark Abacus, the Manchester United of the WSFFL, have to reflect on a trophy-less season, which must be a disappointment to Ady. Trusted dropped to 4th as a result but have the FA Cup win as reward for a fine season. Whilst San Dimas, who snatched 3rd slot on the last day with a 5-1 win over Final Fantasy XI, thanks to a 4-goal salvo from Yakubu, must be overjoyed with their progress from 14th place last year! Final Fantasy, despite this defeat, finish a good solid 7th, an encouraging start for new manager Ceri.
Boston Rock pipped the 22 Legged Groove Machine to 5th place, after beating Real Muppets 4-1. The “Sky Heroes” and the Groovers, with wily old managers at the helm, will reflect on satisfying seasons after slow starts, and should be challengers again next season. Fred’s traditional final day thrashing of Kylie Bumcheeks lifts them above last years’ champions, into 9th spot. Fred’s already had an end-of-season clearout, so watch for some team rebuilding for next year. Kylie’s disappointing final 10th placing shows the outgoing champions have seriously under-achieved this year. Thommo’s Titans, however, with a last-minute managerial appointment, paper-thin resources and the recats going seriously against him, have overachieved and a good 11th place is reward for last years’ bottom team. Well done Pete!
Elland Road, beaten 3-0 by the Titans on the last day, finish 8th after flattering to deceive with a good league run before Christmas. However playing our game from Australia, where our Saturday 3 p.m. kickoffs translate to prime drinkies time on Sat neet, it’s a wonder Deano reports in a team at all. Well done cobber, long may you continue! Mega Buck Bandits beat Yorks’ Returning Glory 1-0 to finish 12th, but the Champions of a mere four seasons ago have fallen away somewhat since then, and urgently need a rebuild job. Real Muppets’ lowly 13th place is a mystery, given the talent at his disposal. Ryan will demand more consistency from Woodgate, Ashley and Joe Cole, Robert, Ronaldo et al next year.
Prettier Than You’s final day win over the Groove Machine lifted Rachel to a final 14th place. Bottom and hamstrung by injuries to key taffy boys Bellamy and Davies for most of the season, Rachel’s recent revival bodes well for next season. Unlucky York’s slip to their lowest league position all season, 15th, on the final day. More frequent team changes may have benefited Julian this year. And Ryan, for that matter.
To all of you, no matter where you finished or how often you changed your team, I hope you had fun, and will continue to do so next season!
YOU FIND YOURSELF WONDERING WHY
The WSFFL 2004 AGM will be held on either Sunday 8th or Monday 9th August 2004, at 3 Whitby Grove, Cheney Manor, Swindon. I appreciate you may have some questions about this, so let’s try and pre-empt them….
Why then? Well, traditionally, the AGM is the weekend before the first Premiership fixture of the new season, which happens to be that weekend.
Why there? Well, if all goes to plan, that’s where Rachel and I will be living by then! We’re currently going through the house-buying process, which should be done by the end of June.
Why not have it at the GW, like last year, or another pub? Well, we have my son Evan staying with us for the first 2 weeks in August, so we have to have it at our house. It’s either that or no AGM, guys. And don’t mention babysitters – I don’t want Evan going back to his mums with stories that I p***ed off out one night and left him with a sitter. His mother doesn’t need any reason to berate me as it is!
Why Sunday or Monday? Well, I’m giving you the choice – so let me know whether any of you have any strong preference. Personally, I’d strongly prefer to do it on Monday 9th, as Rach, Evan and I return from a week’s holiday on Saturday 7th, so Monday would give me more time to get the last-minute prep done (I hope to have gotten the bulk of the prep done before we go on hols). So let me know which date you guys prefer!!
You laying food on, like at the GW last year? Sure. But bring your own booze. Since the surgeon told me last Friday that my drinking days are over, ours will be an abode of temperance.
House or garden? Depends on the weather! Either way, there’s ample room.
TRANSFER NEWS
Some judicious dumping of soon-to-be-released players going on…
Player From To Fee
Ricardinho (M) 22 Legged Groove Machine Released £0k
Gus Poyet (M) 22 Legged Groove Machine Pool (since released) £1.75m
Teddy Sheringham (A) Fred West LG XI Pool (since released) £1.8m
Denis Irwin (D) Fred West LG XI Pool (since retired) £1.8m
Alan Blayney (G) Pool Fred West LG XI £500k
Alex Rae (M) Prettier Than You Pool (since relegated) £250k
Jamie Redknapp (M) Pool Prettier Than You £500k
Marcel Desailly (D) Fred West LG XI Pool £2.85m
Michael Tarnat (M) Fred West LG XI Pool £500k
Vio Ganea (A) Fred West LG XI Pool (since relegated) £250k
Michael Stewart (M) Fred West LG XI Pool £250k
Ronnie Johnsen (D) Prettier Than You Pool (since released) £250k
TRANSFER NEWS (continued)
Player From To Fee
Markus Babbel (D) Aardvark Abacus Pool £4.5m
Pascal Cygan (D) Claymore Athletic FC Pool £3.25m
Don’t forget that the players highlighted are now subject to the pool “cooling off” period, although most of them are probably getting released by their Premiership teams as well. Nevertheless, any managers interested in chucking some cash away, erm, I mean, buying them can bid until close of play Saturday 22 May 2004, after which time they go into the pool proper and are readily available. All bids to me please.
THE FF£100,000 QUESTION
There isn’t one this week. But the answer to last week’s question is; You Know Your Boston Rock FC is the squad with the most English players. Yours truly has 21 English players in my squad, with the remainder being one Welshman, two Frenchmen, one Aussie, one German and one Bulgarian. I thought I might actually be alone in concentrating on bringing English talent into my squad, but Beef’s Trusted By Millions isn’t far behind, with 19 English players!
I got correct guesses from Rachel, Clive and Beef. Prettier Than You celebrated their end of season flurry by winning the £100,000, so well done Rachel.
SHORTS
- In a month with only 2 fixtures, it’s a bit of a surprise to find only 2 teams had 100% records. So step forward Paul Garratt of San Dimas High School and Pete Thompson of Thommo’s Titans – you, gentlemen, are the joint May 2004 Managers of the Month! You both trouser £250,000 for your efforts in ending the season strongly.
- Whoopsie alert – I forgot that Ryan guessed the Swan of Utrecht correctly as well. Apologies – as recompense for my dull brain, I’ll award another hundred grand to Real Muppets.
WSFFL RESULTS;
Week 30, W/E 15 May 2004
Aardvark Abacus 3-1 Trusted By Millions
Keller Owen
Gallas
Anelka 47,284
Claymore Athletic FC 1-0 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
Henry (1) 42,573
Elland Road Big Boys 0-3 Thommo’s Titans
(1) McBride 2
Zenden 38,419
Final Fantasy XI 1-5 San Dimas High School
Curtis (1) Yakubu 4
Sibierski 44,172
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 5-0 Kylie Bumcheeks
Vieira (1)
Gronkjaer
Silvestre
Volz
Van Nistelrooy 29,389
Real Muppets 1-4 You Know Your Boston Rock FC
Ronaldo (1) Stephen Kelly
King
Defoe
Euell 27,383
22 Legged Groove Machine 0-1 Prettier Than You
(1) Prutton 41,276
York’s Returning Glory 0-1 Mega Buck Bandits
Phil Neville 26,614
Performance of the Week: Aardvark Abacus
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