DangerousSausage

We haven't been suffering so far, which is testament to the options we have. But on Saturday I couldn't help thinking that we could have done with him. Spot on. Doyle and Rose have their merits, but playing them together makes us reactive and limits our attacking options through the middle.

Beat you @nottsnutter, I got two! Apologies for being late in posting the scores, I'm visiting family and my feet have hardly touched the ground. Hoping to update them tomorrow night.

Here's your reminder that the prediction league is back on tomorrow, @4everapie, @barnet11uk, @Magic magpie, @Bainbridge NCFC, @Canadian, @TheSkipper, @lambleypie, @BESTpie, @SIMMO, @thommo, @CliftonMagpie, @Truefootballfan. Oh, and @Dripsey3you've forgotten your joker, and @nottsnutter you've missed out the Bolton match.

Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Milton Keynes Gillingham 2-0 Lincoln City Exeter City 2-1 Cheltenham Town Macclesfield Town 0-2 Mansfield Town (joker) Leyton Orient 2-0 Scunthorpe United Bromley 1-1 Harrogate Town Dagenham & Red 0-1 Aldershot Woking 0-2 Halifax Town

To be honest he was neither use nor ornament last season. Grimsby dropped him quickly when he was there too. He's really come good this season, but has a fair bit of competition too. But it's a long season and we'll definitely be needing him. I could have imagined him leaving in the summer, but doubt there's anything in the Stockport rumour - he'll be on top dollar at Notts, and Stockport are part timers.

Welcome back! Hope you enjoyed the break and used the time to hone your top secret prediction league-winning formulas. I know I have. As usual, post your predictions below by Saturday at 3pm, you get one joker each. Bolton Wanderers - Milton Keynes Gillingham v Lincoln City Exeter City - Cheltenham Town Macclesfield Town - Mansfield Town Leyton Orient v Scunthorpe United Bromley v Harrogate Town Dagenham & Red v Aldershot Woking v Halifax Town

I don't think anyone has let the club down, you can hardly negotiate sponsorship when you don't even know whether you'll be starting the season. And, understandably, companies don't want to risk wasting their money. Was just wondering if I was missing anything. It wouldn't be too hard to get the same sponsors from the last couple of seasons to go on the shirt again, but since we have radio silence I suspect that the owners are looking for a bigger sponsor to go on the shirt in the longer term. And that takes a bit more time and patience. Having said that, does anyone else think "PON Prediction League" would look great on the shirt?

Does anyone know what is happening with the monthly shirt sponsors? Are we still doing them? We're now into our third month with Lifeline on the front of the shirt. While their logo looks very snazzy and all, I can't help wondering whether we'll be getting an external sponsor again. Is there really so little interest in the monthly packages (I'd expected the owners to stick Football Radar on there for a month at least)? Or do you reckon they're looking for a main sponsor to go on the shirt next season too? I know the National League is a hard sell, but it's quite possible that we will be having two Wembley trips in the spring, with plenty of exposure for our sponsor... Any thoughts, rumours, insider info?

Bring it on. We're going to win the cup.

This sounds a really impressive signing, the type of player I'd expect to see in the first eleven. Prior to Gillingham he was at Yeovil (winning player of the year there) and was part of Luton's promotion-winning team. He was a free agent because he was lined up for a contract at Bury, then obviously end up empty-handed. He's 26, a good age for a footballer. And, given that he was a free agent in November, he probably isn't exactly breaking the budget either. All positives from me. It leaves us with four centre-halves and two left-backs. Nice and balanced. Now we just need to get the best out of them.

Today's scores were: Leeds 2-0 QPR Cardiff 4-2 Birmingham City Doncaster 2-2 Burton Blackpool 4-3 Peterborough Bradford 2-0 Exeter City Scunthorpe 0-0 Stevenage Halifax Town 2-4 Torquay United Solihull Moors 2-1 Dagenham & Redbridge Quite a few of you cleaned up on the Leeds score. This week we have joint winners - @weymouthPIE and @nottsnutter with 11 points each. @Magic magpie, your luck is holding up pretty well with 8. Some of us would be happy with that Overall, @Dan stays top, but only by a single point. And I think I might have to dock @barnet11uk points for being a Barnet fan or something And on that bombshell the prediction league will be taking a two-week break due to the FA Cup and EFL Trophy being in action. So the next round of the prediction league will be on 16 November, with the fixtures posted here a couple of days beforehand as usual. Thanks for taking part and see you then!

Leeds 2-0 QPR Cardiff 1-1 Birmingham City Doncaster 0-2 Burton Blackpool 1-2 Peterborough (joker) Bradford 1-1 Exeter City Scunthorpe 1-0 Stevenage Halifax Town 0-2 Torquay United Solihull Moors 1-3 Dagenham & Redbridge Tomorrow at 3pm is the deadline for predictions - @super_ram, @GrannyPie, @Chris, @Magic magpie, @Bainbridge NCFC, @Canadian, @TheSkipper, @lambleypie, @liampie, @BESTpie, @SIMMO, @thommo, @CliftonMagpie, @Truefootballfan. And @Dripsey3, you've forgotten your joker

Our former chairman died yesterday at the age of 97. He was a bit before my time, but he was the man who brought Jimmy Sirrel to the club and took us on a crazy journey from the fourth to the first division. RIP Jack. Here's an NEP article with an excerpt from Paul Mace's book on Jack Dunnett. Recommended reading!

This thread was perhaps a bit premature now, but we're actually nearly half way through now. So which of the new boys has impressed you most? There seem to be plenty of candidates. Right now we've officially got the best defence in the division, and Slocombe, Turner, Rawlinson, McCrory and Brindley certainly deserve credit for that. But from my perspective the real star has been the squad - in every position we have alternatives we can bring in who can do just as good a job. That's a big difference from last season and a real luxury at this level.

Remember, remember the second of November ... for that is when the next round of prediction league fixtures are played. As always, post your predictions and one joker each by 3pm on Saturday. The loser may or may not be put on a bonfire. Good luck! Leeds v QPR Cardiff v Birmingham City Doncaster v Burton Blackpool v Peterborough Bradford v Exeter City Scunthorpe v Stevenage Halifax Town v Torquay United Solihull Moors v Dagenham & Redbridge