Mapperley Pie

Comment from bbc report on Harrogate v Tranmere.

This looks a very good document. I would get your CV to Footbal Radar ASAP before the transfer window closes!

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/12/schmaltz-theatre-and-sharp-teeth-wrexham-reveal-the-hard-truth-about-football OK. So it's from The Guardian so it has a significant edge, but still makes an interesting read 🤔 . So if the Brothers start to talk about 'minority investors ' you know we are in trouble 🫣

Yes. That's a good one. Who would have thought it 🤔 Maybe he doesn't have to play our from the back anymore 😕

Ed Francis seems to have had few games at Exeter this season. Is he injured? Probably should be a new thread, but how many Notts players have slipped through the recruitment net recently? I can't recall any?

Thought Patto said he had flu 🤔. Must be more than flu 🤧. Shame Hinchy hasn't had much game time at Altringham though.

Definitely! MK full of stars. But at this, and actually at most levels, it's 90% perspiration that counts. (Still think MK will go up though as they are bound to strengthen in January). Great start to December makes you believe this could be a good year. Patio has surely put his doubters to bed now?

York PressCity's Stuart Maynard and Ollie Pearce win November leagu...York City have scooped up both monthly awards from the Enterprise National League after a perfect record in the month of November was rewarded.

Watching the penalties last night inevitably brought back memories of the playoff final. So I checked out how Cedwyn was getting on and was so pleased to see he looked to be enjoying his football 'back home'. 6 goals so far this season. Although they lost today the BBC report included this, "With only one defeat in 13 league games and undefeated at home, confidence was high for South Shields, and Cedwyn Scott slid a big chance just wide of the far post inside the first three minutes". Will always have a great regard for what he added to that year's promotion winning team.

But on paper November looks very good. So hopefully they will balance out. Just as long as people don't get carried away if we have a blistering November and then a dry December!

Interesting thought if MP is getting in-flight data during the game to make substitution decisions on 🤔

Yes. Agreed! Looks like the prize money is heading to TheSkipper at the moment. Wonder how he knew about Gillingham? 🤔

9 of the first 12 games completed. 3 quarters of the way through the first quarter of the season. Apart from MK and Gillingham looks like the pundits weren't too far off the mark. Looking forward to reviewing where we are after Crewe, Oldham and Swindon.

True. But he was s bit special wasn't he?

OK. So let's assume we need a new DoF. Do you go for Montague? My two penneth? No. He left for a reason which we will certainly never know, but as a principle, don't look back. Look forward.

BBC SportRichard Montague: Swansea City director of football set t...Richard Montague left a similar role at League Two club Notts County to take up what is a key position at Swansea in February.

I think, for what it's worth, that Hinchy and Edwards were always bottom of the list. Edwards had his first game for Gateshead today: they got stuffed by Neil Ardley's Woking. Funny old game isn't it?

Thanks @theAnticlough . Maybe I'll put forward for the Technical Board 🙃

3-5-2 today?

@Piethagoram and @Fan of Big Tone are right. 110% correct as the football vernacular goes. It is an indisputable fact that a business (professional football is a business not a sport or a hobby) must be sustainable, maybe not year on year, but certainly over a given time span. So you can over spend one year if you feel the time is right to invest, but you must then work to balance out any debt over subsequent years. Otherwise there is only one outcome - ask our Chancellor of the Exchequer! Of course there is another approach, believe in fairy tales and Hollywood benefactors 🙃

I've always looked at 12 games as the benchmark. A quarter of the season should see a fair sample of the league's opposition.

Sadly, I feel you have summed it up rather too well @piedestrian . However, let's keep the faith until those first 12 games are up 😐

Let him go and quickly. He obviously wants out. And there will be no statement from the owners until the deal is done. They wouldn't give away any bargaining position prior to finalising the move. They are a little more shrewd then Mr. Trump 🤑

Sadly I feel we need to cash in now, much as it leaves us under strength up front 😟. Too much noise and rumour.

There is an old adage in business, and football is a business when all said and done, 'if two directors agree, then you have one director too many''. So the Technical Board, or whatever you call it is an essential part of a clubs structure. Robust discussion is essential for success.