The Season’s End

A quick return to the Premiership for Fulham and Bournemouth on the back of the Prem’s parachute payments sustainable for two years to follow from the two club’s previous top flight exit, contentious issues which gives the relegated Prem clubs a head start on the rest of the Championship clubs, more funds for the transfer pot, better players to reach for the required performances and instant promotion, that’s the theory, it works at this level.

Into the Championship and relegation for Derby County, no surprise there then, a further points reduction awaits the Rams in League one, a new beginning? Peterborough United and Barnsley are the other two clubs to hit the drop zone with Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United replacing the crestfallen Sunderland via the playoffs. Onto League Two and full credit to Joey Barton for leading Bristol Rovers to the promised land, League One status, not such a burger head then ‘Fink Barton’. The green burgers of Forest Green Rovers laid claim to become the League Two champions, the green stuff works then, the FGR diet (link to article 05.01.2021). Down at the basement, Oldham Athletic were relegated, disastrous ownership led to the Latics being the first before Premiership club to be relegated out of the Football League (link to article 01.03.22). Scunthorpe United accompanied the Latics hand in hand to the non-league sphere, a 72 year Football League existence squashed, Scunthorpe famous for the Botham era, Ian Botham who made fourteen appearances for the club during the 1980 season, the Scunners have fared a googly relegation. Stockport County rejoined the Football League after an eleven year absence. The rest of the best are involved in play-off matches (at the time of writing).

In Reflection Champions League

Did Manchester City’s demise in the Champions League semi-final to become the curse of the no lady luck, did Real Madrid ride their luck, of course, City should have put Madrid to bed, missed chances. Jack Grealish, it happens, there’s always another tilt Pep, next season will beckon.

The press will have you believe that City are on the catastrophe ship, sunken, use the wet wipes, the City ship continues to sail. Lady Luck; we were the knights in shining armour, we have gone, the press made us look fools, we have made us what we are ‘Champions of England’, don’t forget, keep the belief, City, City.

In sharp contrast Liverpool came unstuck on forty five minutes facing a two to nil deficit, the aggregate 2-5, but responded with three second half goals to sink the Villarreal ship, if the Villarreal put ten men behind the ball, would they have survived? Possibly, chances taken, that’s the difference, City, Liverpool, Champions League.

The Dark Side of Football

Time to change the dynamic and the appointment of the former Chesterfield manager James Rowe as the head coach of Fylde FC. Rowe was jettisoned out of the spirits under the cloud, accusation of posing a danger to women, Fylde are being accused of due diligence negligence. The question has to be asked, where are the court proceedings, how found guilty then, ask Johnny Depp, a different take, Johnny boy led up the garden path by actress Amber Heard, a poor actress in the dock, watch the Amber lights, back to the football, but you get the gist right? The Rowe take is that his dismissal followed on from a loggerhead situation with a male colleague on Chesterfield’s executive committee, fiction? Rowe has previous, but not under the same umbrella with Rowe’s departure at the Westham academy 2015, due to complaints made regarding the treatment of young players. Fylde historically seem to have an angst against women, particularly with job advertisements, Fylde will not err on the side of caution, reference Rowe. The Football association are investigating.

John Yems

Another manager to hit the unsavoury spotlight is the former Crawley Town manager John Yems on dismissal, following on from allegations of racist behaviour, using discriminatory language, alongside separate segregation and using the term ‘Zulu warriors, watch the spears’. Too many brothers in the same pot sticking to the same storylines, points to Yems’ guilt. Yems comes from the old school, to suggest is one’s problem. The FA are investigating. The Football Column condemns racism (link to article 08.10.2019).

Guilty

The former Blackburn Rovers and now Clyde player David Goodwillie was found guilty on four occasions of assault, and found guilty of raping a woman in 2016. Goodwillie resumed his career with Clyde in 2017 with the club not attaching any guilt to themselves with employing the player. Due to a recent public outcry, Clyde’s stance has been forced to change with the player’s contract running out at the season’s end 2023. A forced compensation package will bring the player’s career to an end in football’s dark side.

Lassoed

The new Ted Lasso (Emmy Award, acting) on the manager’s block zone, Leeds United’s Jesse Marsch, another American and a possible dud manager on our shores, I swam the pond to be here, the Yankee Doodle Dandy. Jesse has revealed one’s inner self by revealing that he rallies his players with quotes from famous people, now that’s no laughing matter. The line of quoters to follow, Muhammad Ali who dodged a bullet on avoidance to fight (no not boxing) in the Vietnam War, the conversion to Muslim to many being the smokescreen. JF Kennedy, a serial womaniser and pain killer pill addict. Alongside Gandhi and Mother Teresa, fair game on the latter two. The wearing of Mother Teresa’s boots could be the connection. The Yanks are well versed with stupidity and dint Donald Trump on that one. The Lord’s Prayer will follow.

Bob the Yank

American Bob Bradley became the first American to manage in the Premiership with Swansea City (The Swans). Bob’s tenure lasted three months, a meagre eighteen percent win ratio led to an early exit. Bradley returned to manage in the major league soccer at Los Angeles FC and later moved to Toronto FC. No more Swan Lakes for Bob, but the ballet shoes fit. link to article 02.12.2021 The Looney Tunes.

Dozey Clattenburg

The former match official Mark Clattenburg passed comment on the awarding of a penalty for Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal in the North London Derby, quote Clattenburg “I am not sure if I would have given the penalty, technically Paul Tierney (the referee) was not wrong”. But Clattenburg admits to it being a penalty, Mark would not have given a penalty, to suggest, make sense? Would Clattenburg have admitted to one’s inconsistencies during one’s own career, but now endeavours to highlight a negative take if possible towards match officials, the termed snake comes to mind, no surprise there then. Link to article 27.10.2021 features Clattenburg’s book ‘The Final Whistle’. Worth a read? Not on this evidence.

The Final Whistle

The Chelsea v Liverpool FA Cup Final led to the muck predicted stalemate. Onto the dreaded penalty shoot-outs, Kostas Tsimikas struck the deciding penalty for Liverpool to become the 2022 FA Cup winners, congratulations to Liverpool, eight time winners, link to article 02.10.20 Tsimikas