It's Matchday.

League table Sunday 12/01/25

Notts in seventh place. Northampton top of the league.

I think this is a good appointment by Everton.

Talk about “merry go round” how many clubs has Moyes managed now?

13 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

Talk about “merry go round” how many clubs has Moyes managed now?

Technically no more than he had before as this is his second go ????

Blimey! I get vertigo in the Pavis stand, I wouldn’t fancy it at the top of that stand it looks almost vertical. 

Very sad news, I wonder how long it will be before heading a ball I banned or is it less dangerous now with different (lighter?) balls?

Good Morning.

The match has been called off between Grimsby & Notts just 1.5 hours before the match was due to start.

I'm so upset for the many hundreds of fans that made the journey this morning.

Why wasn't there a Referee's inspection last night? Without undersoil heating the match was always going to be in doubt.

They desperately wanted the match to go ahead for the sake of the TV coverage.

Lessons are never learned from previous times when matches were called off late.

I don't travel away these days but if I was still doing so I wouldn’t have travelled for this game, it was blindingly obvious the game would be called off after hard frosts for the last 3 or 4 nights. It should have been called off yesterday at the latest.

There needs to be changes made to the format of the FA Cup. 

I would have Premier League teams enter the competition from the first round. I would bring back replays for the first four rounds, so lower league clubs can earn more money from that replay.

I would also fine Clubs for not picking their strongest team.

I would go back to having all FA Cup matches played on a Saturday, with a number played on the Sunday, to encourage higher attendances. Only replays would be played midweek as they used to be in the past.

I would also reduce the number of live TV matches that are made available to try to encourage higher attendances at those FA Cup matches.

Some good ideas there @Robbie, but I quite like the big clubs joining in in the third round. That way, a big draw in round three is a reward for progressing, rather than a lottery. But replays should definitely return and I'd also look into fining clubs for fielding weaker teams - if it's possible in the Trophy, it can be done in the FA Cup too.

Poor attendances aren't new though. I remember us playing Cambridge at home in the early 2000s and there were less than 3000 people there. It was so quiet approaching the ground I actually thought it had been called off.

When I was a boy, there used to be multiple temporary tattoos that were on special sheets of paper that you could cut out & press on your arm. The temporary tattoos would last a week or so. Permanent tattoos are a no no as far as I'm concerned.

1 hour ago, Robbie said:

Permanent tattoos are a no no as far as I'm concerned.

The thing about permanent tattoos is that they’re …….. well permanent, it is what it says on the tin, how many people have had the names of their boyfriend/girlfriend tattooed and then split up and got another partner? You can’t change your mind later. A definite no from me too @Robbie.

I don’t have any tattoos I don’t mind them, very much each to their own. That said I do think I massive tattoos/lots of them usually look ridiculous. I'm with you though @Fan of Big Tone I just know in say 10/20 years time my opinion of what I like is likely to have changed so getting something permanent on my skin just doesn’t appeal to me.

When I went on holiday, parentless with some friends for the first time, we all thought it would be a good idea to get a tattoo at about 1 in the morning, as you do... Luckily one of my friends had a touch too much to drink so I was able to volunteer myself to take him back to our room! Those that remained went ahead and all regret it to this day. Some of them have been edited or lasered off. I’m glad I never got one.

Quoted from Google AI

"Pizza is often packed in a square box because square boxes are cheaper and easier to make than round boxes. They are also easier to store and transport.

Square boxes are cheaper to make because they can be formed from a single sheet of cardboard. Round boxes need to be made from multiple pieces of cardboard or shaped using machinery.

Square boxes are easier to transport because they can remain flat until needed.The extra space in the corners of a square box allows for airflow, which prevents the crust from getting soggy.

A pizza is cut into triangles because it's the most efficient way to divide a circular pizza into equal pieces, ensuring everyone gets a similar amount of crust and toppings".

I've never thought about this before, but I can now see why they use a square box to pack Pizza now.

Get voting for Jatta.

@Robbie I haven’t voted because they need your email, I get too many junk emails as it is, I hope he wins though.

1 hour ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

@Robbie I haven’t voted because they need your email, I get too many junk emails as it is, I hope he wins though.

I know. Junk mail is a problem.

It's the same as spam calls. These companies shouldn't be allowed to share emails and phone numbers without a persons expressed permission..

And the vast majority of people wouldn't give permission.

It’s very sad, looking at the pictures it looks like a war zone with houses burnt to the ground, it looks like they are all built from wood or at least combustible material, don’t they have brick built buildings over there?

If that happened in a big city here at least the shell of the buildings would be intact.

To answer your question @Fan of Big Tone

Quoted from Google 

Houses in the USA are not primarily made of brick because it is generally more expensive and less efficient to build with brick compared to wood framing, due to factors like higher labor costs for masonry work, the need for specialized skills to install bricks, and the readily available supply of wood in the country; additionally, modern building codes and aesthetic preferences often favor other materials over solid brick construction. 

Key reasons why brick isn't widely used for houses in the USA:

Cost:

Brick is significantly more expensive than wood framing, including the cost of materials, transportation, and labor needed for installation by skilled masons. 

Construction time:

Building with brick takes considerably longer than wood framing, increasing overall construction costs. 

Availability of wood:

The US has a readily available supply of lumber, making wood a more economical choice. 

Seismic concerns:

In earthquake-prone regions, solid brick construction can be less resistant to seismic activity compared to other building methods. 

Aesthetic trends:

Modern housing design often favors different aesthetics than traditional brick houses, leading to a shift towards other materials. 

Thanks @Robbie I can understand the earthquake threat but I’m not sure about the other reasons, cost of materials, labour etc. I’d imagine cost would be last thing on the minds of the wealthy people in some of those areas.

Hi everyone - as I've just spent a few days in the good ol' U of K, I'm running behind with this. I'll post matchday 26 now and count the points for round 25 today or tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.

The results:

Norwich City 2-1 Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday 2-2 Millwall
Exeter City 1-2 Bolton Wanderers
Lincoln City 0-0 Stevenage
Stockport County 1-2 Mansfield Town
Barrow 0-2 Harrogate Town
Colchester United 0-2 Accrington Stanley
Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Port Vale

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Congratulations to this round's winners @4everapie and @Dan!

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It's as you were at the top with @super_ram still ahead, but @Dan and @4everapie continue to climb and @Fan of Big Tone has almost reached the top half of the table!

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Round 26 is online now, with the matches kicking off on Saturday. Have a go! Once again, thank you all for playing!

9 minutes ago, DangerousSausage said:

and @Fan of Big Tone has almost reached the top half of the table!

only another 69 points to catch @super_ram, I’ve given him a head start but he’ll soon start looking over his shoulder. 

It’s sad from a nostalgic point of view as Palmer, Austin and JJ are the last men standing from our promotion team. That team is like a distant memory now!

But from a footballing point of view, it’s probably the right decision. He’s still unproven at this level, and we’ll never know if he’s properly over his injury. It can take years to get back to feeling your best for some players. No idea how he’ll do at Carlisle, but it won’t be easy as they are a poor team. He's had a rough year so I wish him all the best and hope a move closer to home makes him happier.

Wish him all the best, and going to work for his old manager might be just the pickup he needs to really get his career going again. Without the injuries I’m sure we would have has another great striker on our books because he had the game and finishing ability for it. Carlisle could be the right club as I’m sure he will get the game time, he just needs an early goal.

1 hour ago, menzinho said:

It’s sad from a nostalgic point of view as Palmer, Austin and JJ are the last men standing from our promotion team.

Don’t forget Sam Slocombe is also still at the club, at least until the end of the season.

Cedwyn didn't lead the line for us in L2 like I hoped he would, but as far as I'm concerned he's a club hero. I hope he succeeds in everything he does.

On our side, with Morias' loan being extended and now this, I'm expecting at least one new striker to arrive this month.

Have a great day @Piethagoram,Happy birthday(are you catching me up ?)

Sorry, I missed this but happy belated birthday, @Piethagoram.

Oops, missed it. Only 363 days to your next birthday @Piethagoram 

I think he got a league winners medal despite being recalled in August. He deserved one after being a big part of their success. He'll score goals in League Two. 

Looks very promising, although I don't think I've seen him play before. Hopefully it won't be the usual case of taking 3 months to 'embed him into our system' before we see him. 

Very pleased with this. A player I've been keeping an eye on for a while. He played in the striker role when Shelbourne played a 3/5 at the back formation and on the wing when they played a 4-2-3-1. 

Shels arguably would've won the League of Ireland earlier last season if Jarvis hadn't been recalled. He definitely has a high ceiling and himself, Grant, Ness and Macari are players who can step up and develop further. 

Here is some of his percentages in different aspects of his game from his spell at Shels last season in the League of Ireland. Made by Will from WT Analysis

Steven Gerrard: 

Steven Gerrard is the only footballer to score a goal in an FA Cup final, a League Cup Final, a UEFA Cup Final, and a Champion's League Final. 

(Source Google) 

Football shape

A football is actually a prolate spheroid, which means it's pointy, not spherical.

(Source Google) 

In the latest set of matches for the old firm Rangers drew and Celtic won. So Celtic go further ahead at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Can Celtic be stopped? Doesn't look like it.

Just hand Celtic the title and be done with it! ????

I don't know how fans of the poorer teams in the Scottish Prem cope, the jump in quality between them and Celtic (and Rangers) is ridiculous.

Does the signing of Jarvis mean he is leaving? Happy to leave that decision to Maynard and staff, they are the ones that see him daily in training.

Possibly, I think Jarvis and Jones as wingbacks at the same time would be a touch overkill though as both are wingers really. I can see him being used more in one of the three attacking roles. In the little interview with Stuart Maynard he says Jarvis can play through the middle off a striker and also as a No.9.

I’m not sure I see Martin as wingback long-term either though, I think potentially against the better teams, when he has to defend more it won’t suit him at all. That would mean potentially we’d have Didzy, Crowley, Grant, Edwards, Martin and now Jarvis all vying for spots behind the striker. I do think the addition of Jarvis makes it harder for Martin to get into the team.

Still not convinced that he is worth keeping to be honest. I didn’t see the Cheltenham game but thought he had a steady game against Walsall. I wasn’t impressed with his performance against Swindon and thought he flattered to deceive, a lot of nimble footwork but more often than not he played the simple short ball back rather than attacking and taking on his full back.

I doubt we are paying him much but would give him no more than a contract till the end of the season, and I wouldn’t be disappointed if he leaves with Brown in the next week or two, especially if it creates space for a better option up front.

I echo the comments about being strong defensively. Bedeau, Platt, and McDonald did a superb job. The midfield was good once we grew into the game, with praise for Sam Austin down the right side and Josh Martin being very flexible. Dan Crowley was quieter than normal but still performed well. So, I voted for David McGoldrick, as I thought he was the best player on the pitch.

While I respect other fans votes, for me, it's an easy decision despite the team's overall good effort. David McGoldrick delivered one of his best performances, and it's unfortunate he didn't get his hat-trick.

The Poll is now closed. Thank you to all who voted. I am very pleased to announce that by an overwhelming majority, David McGoldrick is the Pride of Nottingham's Man of the Match for is absolutely outstanding performance against Swindon. Congratulations Didzy.

I would like to know why he isn’t fighting for his place now though? Have we given him Christmas off, is he injured? The fact we’ve had no update always tends to mean people jump to the worst possible outcome, but I don’t want to believe the 'negative' rumours.

We were desperate for some fresh legs upfront yesterday, if he’s fit surely he gets on the bench…

On 02/01/2025 at 17:18, menzinho said:

I would like to know why he isn’t fighting for his place now though? Have we given him Christmas off, is he injured? The fact we’ve had no update always tends to mean people jump to the worst possible outcome, but I don’t want to believe the 'negative' rumours.

We were desperate for some fresh legs upfront yesterday, if he’s fit surely he gets on the bench…

The club and Cedwyn Scott can't always update us on his situation. It's likely the club knows and has decided to keep it private. This doesn't rule out that he wants to leave, but it also doesn't mean his mental health hasn't taken a toll. How sympathetic are some vocal fans when results aren't going the club's way? This likely played a part. 

Perhaps we might hear news now that things have picked up since his second absence. Personally, I think the local media should push for answers during press conferences or do some real journalism to get a statement. Yes, Scott could do this, but if he's not in the right frame of mind, I understand why he wouldn't. 

If the club is choosing to keep the situation under wraps, then press conferences are the only time fans will get some form of answer, provided they are not edited. You put the question across, even if Stuart Maynard gave a generic response, it's something that could put the rumour mill to rest.

Rlly sad he has gone but it's been coming and I think it's a right decision. Good look to him and definitely a right move now just gotta get a new striker 

Swindon Town played poorly. They had some threats, but we dealt with them defensively for the most part. It's noteworthy that the times Swindon looked like they might score came from our own mistakes. David McGoldrick's short pass, intended for Alex Bass, was a comical error. Rod McDonald defended well against aerial threats, but with the ball at his feet, he looked a bit clumsy at times. Not to take away from his excellent performance, but we were lucky the errors didn't cost us. For instance, Alex Bass's throw-out in the second half went straight to a Swindon player with an open net. We defended well to manage that, but on another day, it could have punished us. I'm delighted with the win and overall performance; these are just points I kept thinking about.

2 hours ago, menzinho said:

On the vid above it looks like the defender heads in it for Didzy's first. ???? Don't show it to whoever clarifies the goal tallies!

I wonder if it is being classed as a deflection rather than an own goal. Otherwise, it should have been awarded as an own goal. I am happy that Didzy is credited with it.

Swindon were dire, much like the amount of support their fans gave. They sat quietly for the most part, but the numbers they came with deserve praise. Their team looked very lacking and not very direct. Notts should have been 5-0 up before half-time if we had converted all our chances. Even in the second half, we had some very good efforts. I thought David McGoldrick had scored his spectacular effort from his aerial volley towards the goal. I'm not sure how he missed the perfect pass from Jatta, though.

i dont see many people complaining about how slow the game were, but swindon was very poor. it was not the best game to watch, but the three points are vital. all the goals was taken well, plus we had quite a few that should have gone in. hope its a sign that we can turn the tide and continue to push on, what a big moment it was to see jodi jones back on the pitch! he has been missed but such a good return.

defensively notts did very well, alex bass made every shot towards him look easy.

i do agree that we dont need to panic ourselves and should be a bit more mindful about our passing/distribution at the back.

Good morning it’s a chilly one again and we have snow I won’t be going out until it clears, it’s supposed to turn to rain later which will suit me fine, it’s very picturesque but I don’t like it when you’ve got to go out.

Stay safe folks if driving or walking in it.

Good Afternoon. 

We had snow overnight but not as much as forecasted. I would say a couple of inches fell. Looks like the slow thaw has already started.

Cleared the car of snow and started the engine to warm things up.

Hopefully the warm front will get to us before the day is out & we will get a full thaw.

I'm taking a relative to the hospital tonight for an appointment. Hopefully all the roads will be clear by then & the hospital car parking won't be difficult.

@piethagoram.bsky.social on Bluesky

BSKY.APP

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Wintry scenes down on the farm 05Jan25

????

brilliant poem! i think it applies to more than just football, but friendship and communities like pon.