The Football Thread

[raul09]

Until this season, it had been City for years. As boring as any other league.

[96Cav]

Originally Posted by george anson

They used to in the NHL. Now they have a lottery draw for the bottom sides in the NHL.

It still doesn't matter too much though as the top picks 1-5 in round one generally turn out to be really good players or as with Chicago in Bedard a generational pick. I think over recent years only Nail Yakupov has been a bust although Lafreniere is heading that way. The others have been great. The Flyers also were fortunate Michkov dropped lower than expected.

I actually prefer the American system more and more. At least it means talent is no longer funnelled into a few teams.

As for Everton's punishment they got off lightly with what is effectively a match. It might mean other sides might also play fast and loose knowing that the punishment is going to be anything too significant.

I'm just praying UAE City get hit very hard. They and that other horrible side Franco Madrid are at it again in the 'Champions' League. Suffice to say I won't be watching although I don't mind Ancelotti.

Oilers tanked for a decade. They got like 3 #1 overall picks on their roster. They're such a sh*t franchise.

[george anson]

Originally Posted by 96Cav

Oilers tanked for a decade. They got like 3 #1 overall picks on their roster. They're such a sh*t franchise.

Apart from Hall and the Yak they did pretty well out of their tanking with Nurse, McJesus and Draisaitl at three. I'm waiting to see how Anaheim shuffle their defensive corps. Great depth and very young.

Buffalo too are starting to emerge Dahlin, Cozens, Power. And helped by Tage Thompson exploding. Still waiting for our first NHL player over here. Liam Kirk is doing pretty well in the Czech Extraliga but it would be a stretch for him to return to the Coyotes.

Another draw last night. I'm impressed with Tom Cleverley. I know we've been linked with several managers like Moloney, Heckingbottom even Steve Cooper but I'd be happy for TC to take over. Likeable chap. Knows the players. Knows the youth having been u18 coach and in the space of five games has turned the team around. Plus we wouldn't need to pay for yet another coach and his staff. Knowing our clueless owner he'll do the exact opposite.

Draws with two of the promotion hopefuls in Leeds and Ipswich (not allowing Ipswich to score at home was an achievement) and three clean sheets. A vast improvement of Valerian Ismael.

Portsmouth are all but up from League One so expect the chimes to be ringing loudly again. Stockport County not so long ago in the National League also look ready to move up another division. Maybe they can get back some of the young bandwagoners that have decided to adopt UAE City.

Chesterfield are already on their holidays having secured promotion from the National League some time ago. Shows in their results. The players just cannot be asked to play anymore.

[Motorboater]

Tottenham getting tapped up by Newcastle atm, but I'm looking forward to their influence on the League with their series of games against the title contenders.

[Devius]

Originally Posted by Devius

FT: Wrexham 3-1 Boreham Wood

Wrexham promoted to English Football League after 15-year absence. Wrexham were relegated to the National League exactly 15 years ago on this day.
Paul Mullin was the hero as Wrexham sealed the National League title and a return to the Football League after a 15-year absence in front of over 10,000 jubilant fans.

Wrexham's 3-1 win over Boreham Wood sparked a joyous pitch invasion, with the club's owners - Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - tearfully hugging in the stands, and Paul Rudd also in attendance.

Mullin scored two superb second-half goals to put Wrexham in command.
Elliot Lee equalised after Lee Ndlovu gave the visitors shock lead inside the opening minute.

Related...



'This is the ride of our lives': Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney celebrate Wrexham promotion
The Welsh football club, propelled into the global spotlight since the Hollywood actors took over in 2021, have sealed their place in League One next season.
Sunday 14 April 2024 08:01, UK

Ryan Reynolds said he cried "tears of joy" after Wrexham secured a second successive promotion, while Rob McElhenney said he has "no words".

The Hollywood actors, who took over the Welsh football club in 2021, saw their team seal their place in League One next season with a thumping 6-0 win over Forest Green.

Fans poured onto the pitch to celebrate at the end of the game at the Racecourse Ground.

Wrexham were promoted to the Football League at the end of last season following a 15-year absence, with an open top bus parade which saw tens of thousands turn up to mark the achievement.

Deadpool star Reynolds, 47, wrote on X: "A few years ago, if you told me I would be crying tears of joy over a football match taking place in North Wales, you would be Rob McElhenney.

"Congrats to Wrexham and to my co-chairman in crime. Double up the town! This is the ride of our lives."

McElhenney, 46, who co-created It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, said he was watching the game from Los Angeles and wrote on X: "No words." He also posted a heart emoji.

While watching the match he had praised striker Paul Mullin, 29, who struck twice in the first half to help Wrexham to a 4-0 half-time lead.

"This may be my favourite goal of his. Not a game winner or anything fancy. Just perseverance, hustle and grit," he wrote.

"@PMullin7 knows the people in that stadium didn't pay their hard-earned wage to watch guys give 95%. They deserve 100% and he gives it to them All. The. Time."

McElhenney previously let Mullin recover at his home after he suffered an injury during a US friendly against Manchester United.

Since taking over the club in February 2021, McElhenney and Reynolds, along with their popular Welcome To Wrexham docuseries, have propelled the club into the global spotlight.

In 2022, the pair were honoured by the Welsh Government, the Football Association of Wales and S4C for promoting the country and its language with the Dragon Award.

Reynolds had a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, while the club has seen recent royal visits from the Prince of Wales and the King and Queen.

Source:
https://news.sky.com/story/this-is-t...otion-13114831

[Motorboater]

They did it! Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga!

I'm happy for the club. A great moment in Bundesliga history.

[victor meldrew]

.... and another training game for them on Thursday.

Back in PL Gooners and Kloppites let City charge past them.

[Devius]

Concord Rangers Girls football team win Essex boys league

A girls under-14 football team have become champions of their division in a boys grassroots league.

Concord Rangers Girls U14 have achieved score lines such as 13-0 while playing in only their second ever season against the boys in the Southend Junior League.

The Canvey Island team have won division D in the under-13s league - playing boys teams a year younger.

A 1-0 win over FC Redwing on Sunday means they end the season unbeaten.

After the match, Jasmine Addington, captain, said: "It went well, we won 1-0".

Her mum Nikki said: "They used to play girls and then they moved over to a boys league and they've played boys their own age and boys a year younger."

"It is good to see the determination in the girls altogether; I think that is the big thing - they have developed more as a team together being in a boys league."

Nikki added: "There weren't that many girls teams, when we were in the girls league, that were competitive.... so the manager decided, to develop them and to make sure everything was a bit more competitive, we would switch to the boys [league]."

She said the Concord Rangers Girls had been invited to the Aces Nationals tournament in Nottingham in June, where they would spend two days competing against teams from across the country.

Source:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-68816466

[Devius]

Reaching Wembley is 'just nuts', says Great Wakering Rovers goalkeeper
15 April 2024

The players and staff of Great Wakering Rovers are still struggling to come to terms with their achievement after reaching the FA Vase final at Wembley.

The Essex Senior League (ESL) side beat Worcester 5-4 on penalties after the two-legged semi-final ended 2-2.

And they will now take on Romford at the national stadium on 11 May in an all-ESL final.

"I've never experienced anything like this in my life before," goalkeeper Luis Shamshoum told BBC Essex Sport.

Having lost the first leg 1-0 at Worcester - who famously knocked Coventry City out of the FA Cup 10 years ago - Jake Gordon and Max Gnandi scored Great Wakering's goals at Burroughs Park to take the semi-final to penalties.

And Palestine international Shamshoum then saved from Chris Knight in front of a crowd of about 1,500 to secure their passage to Wembley.

"When I saved the pen, I was literally on my knees crying. It's incredible, I can't believe it. It's just nuts," he said.

"I went the wrong way for every single one apart from the one I saved. I wasn't really going in with much confidence but it hit my hand, I think it caught me in the face as well.

"This is everyone's moment, we'll never forget this for the rest of our lives."

Great Wakering entered the competition in the first qualfying round and won 5-2 at Basildon United.

Since then, they have beaten Buckhurst Hill, St Neots Town, Downham Town, Fakenham Town, Whitchurch Alport, Highworth Town, Falmouth Town and finally Worcester, and are one win away from becoming the first Essex side to lift the Vase trophy since Stansted in 1984.

Manager Marcus Bowers described their performance against Worcester as "not brilliant but we stuck at it".

He told BBC Essex Sport: "What a feeling. We've been the underdog in every round. Everyone had written us off.

"Worcester are a class side but I thought they'd find it hard to play on this [pitch] and they did.

"Little Wakering Rovers going to Wembley, it's crazy, it just doesn't feel like it should ever happen but it's happening."

The other semi-final was equally tight with Romford - who are second in ESL Premier, five places above Great Wakering - prevailing 10-9 on penalties against Lincoln United after their tie also ended 2-2 on aggregate.

"It's the first time we've achieved something like this and for Essex as well, we've now got two teams in the final. Essex should be proud," said Great Wakering president Roy Ketteridge.

"We've got lots of league fixtures to play because of our run in the cup and the weather. I think we're going to be playing Saturday-Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday from now on, but we'll try and have a bit of a rest before Wembley."

Source:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68816666