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Uncanny resemblance to Wrexham/Sunderland series...
at 02:32 15 Mar 2024

I finally managed to catch Season 3 of Sunderland Til I Die over the last couple of weeks - but given it had been 3-4 years since Season 2 I went back and watched Seasons 1 and 2 again.

It's really uncanny how if you watched Season 1 and 2 of Sunderland Til I Die and then went into Season 2 of Welcome to Wrexham - it would almost perfectly mirror the experience of following Ipswich over the 2018-2023 period.

From the despair of falling out of the Championship with an ageing team and an owner who didn't give two sh1ts (STID S1), to thinking jumping back would be easy only to discover the purgatory of getting stuck in League 1 (STID S2), then moving into the euphoria of new American owners, smashing the league with record goals scored, but still not securing promotion until the penultimate weekend (WTW S2). Plus add in the association with a global celebrity - it's uncanny.

And it's quite probable that Season 3 of Welcome to Wrexham will mirror our season this year with them having bounced around the top four of League 2 all year and still now in with a shout of back to back promotions.

The only thing that our journey is missing in comparison is the sheer incompetence of the new Sunderland owners in Season 2 of STID - although some of the Lambert reign had similarities (great initial fan engagement/PR followed up by sh1te on the pitch).

So many times I've watched both series and thought - yup, been there, experienced the same.
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Further parallels with last season
at 04:39 7 Mar 2024

Given the striking similarities with last season (form slump in January, four losses at end of Feb, more than two teams on track for around 100 points)...

...what are the chances that Norwich (A), Coventry (A) and Hull (A) end up mirroring our performances and results of Derby (A), Peterborough (A) and Barnsley (A) last year?

Games where everyone (including our fans) predict they could end our non-losing streak but in the end they are the cherry on the cake of our triumphant promotion.
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Of all of the incredible statistics about our wonderful team...
at 00:53 23 Jan 2024

...this is the one that blows my mind the most.

SInce the start of the 2022/23 season, we have played 74 league games and lost only 7 times!.

SEVEN!!

And that includes the farce away to Oxford in the fog.

Absolutely incredible.
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Difficulty of run in
at 03:39 15 Jan 2024

So - I was feeling bored this morning and I decided to take a look at the run-in for the top four teams - not trying to predict results, rather how difficult the run-in is for each team on paper.

I have done the same analysis twice for each team, once based upon the current league table and once based upon the 8-game form table (in the league).

What I've done is look at the number of home and away games each team has against teams in the top 8, middle 8 and bottom 8. I've then given a difficulty score for each type of game as follows:

- Away against top 8 side: 6 points
- Home against top 8 side: 5 points
- Away against middle 8 side: 4 points
- Home against middle 8 side: 3 points
- Away against bottom 8 side: 2 points
- Home against bottom 8 side: 1 points

Based upon current league table:
- Leicester: 6 vs Top 8 (3H/3A); 7 vs Middle 8 (3H/4A); 6 vs Bottom 8 (4H/2A) - 66 difficulty points
- Ipswich: 5 vs Top 8 (3H/2A); 8 vs Middle 8 (2H/6A); 6 vs Bottom 8 (4H/2A) - 65 difficulty points
- Southampton: 7 vs Top 8 (3H/4A); 7 vs Middle 8 (4H/3A); 5 vs Bottom 8 (2H/3A) - 71 difficulty points
- Leeds: 5 vs Top 8 (3H/2A); 7 vs Middle 8 (4H/3A); 7 vs Bottom 8 (3H/4A) - 62 difficulty points

Based upon 8-game form table:
- Leicester: 6 vs Top 8 (4H/2A); 8 vs Middle 8 (3H/5A); 5 vs Bottom 8 (3H/2A) - 68 difficulty points
- Ipswich: 5 vs Top 8 (2H/3A); 8 vs Middle 8 (4H/4A); 6 vs Bottom 8 (3H/3A) - 65 difficulty points
- Southampton: 6 vs Top 8 (2H/4A); 7 vs Middle 8 (5H/2A); 6 vs Bottom 8 (2H/4A) - 67 difficulty points
- Leeds: 5 vs Top 8 (4H/1A); 8 vs Middle 8 (3H/5A); 6 vs Bottom 8 (4H/2A) - 63 difficulty points

What does this show us?

- Leeds have the easiest and Ipswich the second easiest run-ins whether that is based upon current table or form table (Leeds' is quite a bit easier.

- Southampton have a way way harder run-in based upon the current table than the other three teams (they still have to play all of the other seven teams in the top 8) - but it's not quite as hard when compared to the form table.

- Leicester's run-in is a bit harder than on paper when you look at the form table.

- Ipswich's outcome is going to be heavily influenced by our away form against middle of the table sides. Hopefully the old adage of 'nothing to play for' comes in to play towards the end of the season.

All in all the Leeds vs Southampton game on the last weekend of the season could be season defining for 2/3/4 of the current top 4 teams.

Bring it on!!
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P37 W25 D10 L2 F88 A30 GD58
at 23:23 7 Nov 2023

That’s our league record in 2023.

For those complaining tonight - maybe just have a quiet word with yourselves.

Our form has dipped, we’ve got some injuries and illness…and yet we’re unbeaten since the international break!!
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What would McKenna need to do to lose the fans and get the sack?
at 04:57 1 Nov 2023

I was listening to the KOA podcast this morning and it was mentioned that following the recent managerial sackings KMac is now the fourth longest serving manager in the Championship (and the second and third longest serving managers have only been in their roles a couple of weeks longer than him).

It got me thinking, that from our current position, with the huge backing of the fans and credits he has in the bank, what would it take for him to lose the fans and the backing of the Board?

Would we have the patience of the late-90s fans if he had us in and around the Top 6 of the Championship for the next five years without getting promoted? Or has he achieved so much in such a short space of time that it's inconceivable that he would lose your support?

I think for me, he has my absolute trust and it would probably take 2-3 consecutive bottom eight finishes in the Championship for me to lose faith in him - and for what it's worth I just don't see that happening.

I just hope that if we do get promoted and end up as a yo-yo club for a few years (which realistically is where we probably should be in the football pyramid) that he retains the backing of the fans.

Not intended as a negative post - he's almost unsackable in my eyes - but us fans can be a fickle lot.
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International roll call.
at 14:41 29 Apr 2023

Where are people overseas watching from today?

10pm here in Perth Australia.

Can’t sit still.
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Breathing space…
at 17:03 15 Apr 2023

Todays results mean we could win three and draw two and Wednesday couldn’t overtake us because of our goal difference.

Absolutely want us to get 100 points, but this hugely alleviates the pressure.
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Ladies and gentleman we have goal of year locked away n/t (n/t)
at 15:24 1 Apr 2023

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Morecambe commentary
at 16:29 8 Oct 2022

I’m watching on iFollow with the opposition commentary. Honestly - they are the nicest most balanced away commentators I’ve ever heard. Been really fair, called it without bias and have been really complementary about us and our fans.
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21 minutes of injury time at Morecambe…
at 17:10 5 Feb 2022

…and I thought eight minutes was a lot!!
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Further to the 'how much would the 81 squad be worth thread'...
at 05:19 13 Jan 2022

...in your lifetime, what's the best club team you've ever seen in the English top flight (I'm thinking starting XI).

I think we can all agree that Sir Bobby's 81 team was the best in the country that year - certainly the multiple victories against Villa demonstrated that. I also think on paper that starting XI is probably the third best 'team' I have seen in my lifetime (I should caveat that I haven't watched the Premier League for over ten years, so I can't comment on how good any of these Man City/Chelsea chequebook teams have been over that period).

I would place Sir Bobby's team just behind the Arsenal Invincibles who I would put in second place, but just ahead of the Beckham, Scholes etc Man Utd team.

But for me the best team I have seen assembled was the 87/88 Liverpool team. They only lost twice in the league that year - and were unbeaten until late march when they were beaten at Goodison Park. They scored 4+ goals eleven times over the season - including a 5-0 against Forest who were in the top four at the time - which was probably the finest single performance I've ever witnessed.

If I recall correctly the main starting 11 was:

Grobbelaar
Ablett - Hansen - Lawrenson - Staunton
Houghton - Whelan - MacMahon - Barnes
Beardsley - Aldridge

They also had the likes of Steve Nicol, Jan Molby and a then close to retirement Dalgleish in their squad. They just passed their way around the opposition at will. I'm certain they would have won the European Cup that year if their idiot fans hadn't got english teams banned from europe.

Anyway - interested in your thoughts.
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Harper and Evans
at 17:04 28 Aug 2021

I think they’re both good central midfielders individually, but as a pair they’re not working. Can’t put my finger on it, but that’s four games out of five they’ve been overrun and it’s not because the opposition are overloading midfield.

Only watching on iFollow as overseas, but are they slow? Is that the problem?
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One big positive and a hot take
at 17:00 14 Aug 2021

Edwards is going to win player of the year.

Created more in 25 minutes than we created in most games last season. Will prove way way to good for this league.
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First words out of your mouth when you heard about the takeover
at 05:01 10 Apr 2021

Mine were: “Holy $hit!!”

Closely followed by: “Sorry kids”
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Is Chambers the rotten core this club needs to excise?
at 18:19 5 Apr 2021

We’ve all heard the various rumours that Chambers was behind Hurst getting the boot. He speaks a good game, but the cold hard facts is he’s been captain over the worst nine seasons of football this club has ever produced. A mediocre centre half even before he turned 30 (hence MM mainly playing him at RB), he’s now nearer 40 than 30.

Is he a big part of the problem? Would we be better off without him?

Head says yes, heart says no,

Thoughts?
[Post edited 5 Apr 2021 18:20]
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Just get rid of the lot of them
at 17:00 5 Apr 2021

Even Dozzell and Bishop can go.

Don’t care if a single one of them pulls on a Town shirt again.

Not one of them is Championship standard, so to even think about getting out of Div 3 with any of them playing is a pipe dream.

Don’t let the door hit you on your ar5e on the way out.
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The lockdown Australian style...
at 15:07 1 Nov 2020

So - not a single new COVID case in last 24 hours in Australia: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-54768038

In Australia we have benefitted from the first wave being during the tail end of our warm summer, but our various governments have not dicked around.

At the first sign of the R number rising last March there was a national lock down. The numbers were kept low, and bar 2-3 break outs in old people’s homes there were few deaths. But when I say lock down, I mean lock down. The borders were shut, the only people allowed in to the country were returning Aussies, and nobody with an Aussie passport has been allowed to leave the country without a special exemption, and that generally means you are leaving for business and can demonstrate you will not return for at least 12 months.

Aussies returning to Australia have had to quarantine in hotels for two weeks. To start with the government paid, but back in July the government said Aussies had been given enough notice to return, so if they wanted to come back they would have to pay $3,000 (about £1,5000) for the quarantine.

A few people who have breached the lockdown have gone to jail, and thousands have been fined.

Not only that, but most of the states have shut their borders to other states, especially to travellers from Victoria where there was an outbreak over the last few months - caused by lapse security in a couple of the quarantine hotels.

The Victorian shutdown lasted 12 weeks and was incredibly harsh. People allowed to leave once a day to go to the supermarket, no gatherings, all workplaces shut. No one allowed to travel more than 5km from home - with huge fines for those caught (often using number plate recognition).

Professional sport started up after three months, but only by forcing players to relocate to hubs for 100+ days, where the only people they could interact with were other players and officials. Players caught breaching these rules have been given some long suspensions. 2-3 players who really broke the quarantine rules have been sacked.

We go into our summer with less than 0.1% of the population having tested positive (compared to 3-4% in the Uk/US), so until there’s a vaccine we’re not going anywhere and nobody is coming in.

This is not intended to gloat. The majority of my family - including my parents and brother- are in the uk. Some of them on the highly vulnerable list. I can’t come and visit them. They can’t come a visit us.

The UK government has failed its people. Even when it decides to take action, it does so in a half-ar$ed way, with more than enough loopholes for those who don’t want to comply. As such, more people will die and the ‘lockdowns’ will keep on happening.
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I voted Tory in 2010...never again
at 05:38 27 May 2020

Having never voted for the Conservatives before I bit the bullet and voted for them in 2010 - simply because I could not stand Labour under Brown anymore.

But, having now lived through a decade of Tory government, I'll happily take well-meaning incompetence over self-serving, myopic greed every time. Just wish I had been a bit older so I could have appreciated just how bad the Tories were under Thatcher - rather than being hoodwinked by Cameron to think the DNA of the party had actually changed.
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FFS...Who gives a toss what he did when he was there...
at 16:48 25 May 2020

...the whole issue is the decision to travel in the first place.
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