2006/2007 Coca-Cola Championship Official Thread

[Mr P@H]

While this article is about Southampton, it could be written about half a dozen other CCC clubs. It just goes to show how difficult things are when you are relegated and how difficult it is to attract investors when you aren't in the top flight.

That is a shame there Sainter... Not going to lose sleep over it though. But seriously... money does talk, it's getting a crucial stage where you have to get into the Premiership soon or you won't have the money to get the squad to challenge again for a while and we wouldn't want that would we...

 

[sethlad]

Yeh,I read it & heres the one Im hoping is true.

Club captain Johnson said "There are outside influences at work.When you're at the top of the table,like we are,you're there to be shot at.When I read the story,I just laughed because it was a day after we had a team bonding session."
The Derby squad,including the 7 players signed during the Jan transfer window,enjoyed a team bonding session at Southwell racecourse on Tuesday & Johnson said the team spirit was excellent

"Everybody was there,all the new boys as well and the team spirit in our squad is fantastic & has been all season.If someone's trying to say there's a split in the dressing room,I'd just point them towards the table.We've got a siege mentality at our club & this kind of thing helps us pull together,both on & off the field.

www.therams.co.uk/
They wont break Rams spirit

seth

 

[Mr P@H]

Yeh,I read it & heres the one Im hoping is true.

Club captain Johnson said "There are outside influences at work.When you're at the top of the table,like we are,you're there to be shot at.When I read the story,I just laughed because it was a day after we had a team bonding session."
The Derby squad,including the 7 players signed during the Jan transfer window,enjoyed a team bonding session at Southwell racecourse on Tuesday & Johnson said the team spirit was excellent

"Everybody was there,all the new boys as well and the team spirit in our squad is fantastic & has been all season.If someone's trying to say there's a split in the dressing room,I'd just point them towards the table.We've got a siege mentality at our club & this kind of thing helps us pull together,both on & off the field.

www.therams.co.uk/
They wont break Rams spirit

seth

GET IN!!!

Super Rams!!

 

[ShearMagic9]

WOW

The table is exceptionally close as we head towards the business end of the season.

As long as Sunderland stay down I'll be happy.

 

[sainter]

STANDINGS

1 Derby 32 63
2 West Brom 33 59

3 Birmingham 30 57
4 Preston 32 56
5 Southampton 32 53
6 Cardiff 32 53

7 Sunderland 32 53
8 Colchester 33 51
9 Wolverhampton 32 50
10 Stoke 32 49
11 Plymouth 32 43
12 Crystal Palace 32 42
13 Sheff Wed 32 41
14 Burnley 31 39
15 Ipswich 32 39
16 Coventry 32 38
17 Leicester 31 37
18 Norwich 30 37
19 QPR 32 33
20 Hull 32 32
21 Luton 31 32

22 Barnsley 32 32
23 Southend 32 31
24 Leeds 31 30

Derby have opened up a big gap and Birmingham have two games in hand so I think it will be difficult to overtake them. West Brom are the form team at the moment but we completely outplayed them at The Hawthorns last week which gives me hope. Unfortunately one slip up and you're suddenly looking vulnerable with Stoke in 10th place still very much in the playoff race.

That is a shame there Sainter... Not going to lose sleep over it though. But seriously... money does talk, it's getting a crucial stage where you have to get into the Premiership soon or you won't have the money to get the squad to challenge again for a while and we wouldn't want that would we...

So sincere.

We've got a very good squad. I would have liked us to strengthen in January. I understand that you have to be financially responsible but when you look at what the reward is at the end of the season it's a risk you have to take.

 

[drewie_rama]

its not about who can outplay who, its about who can grind out results in this division.
who can scrape 1 nil wins on freezing cold tuesday nights at ********ty places like southend and colchester (due respect to their fans )
leeds showed last season, we rarely completley outplayed our oppenents, however we were solid at the back, had potent strikers, and were good from set pieces. Not a bad formula...

 

[sainter]

You're completely right.

Derby are the team that are grinding out the 1-0 wins this season and that's why they are top of the league.

There are only 7 games in the league tonight due to the FA Cup. West Brom, Preston and Derby all have FA Cup fixtures and on behalf of the rest of the promotion contenders I'd like to wish them all the best and hope that they can progress to the next round.

 

[year of the roo]

We could never beat Cardiff back when we were a decent side, gee a victory over them now when we are a rubbish side would be oh so sweet.

Await, the Ridsdale Effect...

 

[sethlad]

I really dont mind if we win,sure it would be great for the fans to be in the last 8 but we have bigger hurdles still to jump.
Please,anything but a draw tonight.

seth

 

[sainter]

We conceded a goal in the 2nd minute.

Barnsley up 1-0.

WOOHOO!

1-1

In other early scores Sunderland lead Southend 1-0 and Wolves are up 1-0 against Burnley.

 

[moomba]

Rasiak on the bench???

 

[sainter]

Rasiak on the bench???

He is.

Kenwyne Jones is the player in the midst of a scoring run at the moment while new signing Marek Saganowski has been impressive in his two appearances so far. It drops BWP down to 4th choice. Both might get a chance later on if the scores are still level going into the second half.

 

[sainter]

Mandaric takes over at Leicester and suddenly they are winning 3-0 after 30 minutes.

In other scores Sunderland lead Southend 2-0, Wolves up 1-0 against Burnley and it's 1-1 between Saints and Barnsley.

And ex-Saint (and Skate) Ricardo Fuller has been sent off for Stoke against Luton.

 

[sainter]

Half time scores:

Cardiff C. 1 - 0 Leeds U. (Expect the Ridsdale Effect to take hold in the second half)

Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Birmingham C. (********!)

Leicester C. 3 - 0 Coventry C. (Die Mandaric)

Southampton 1 - 1 Barnsley (We are terrible)

Stoke C. 0 - 0 Luton T. (Fuller sent off....Come on Hatters)

Sunderland 2 - 0 Southend U. (Mackems looking good)

Wolverhampton W. 2 - 0 Burnley (No surprise here)

 

[sainter]

FEBRUARY 17

Cardiff C. 1 - 0 Leeds U.

Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Birmingham C.

Leicester C. 3 - 0 Coventry C.

Southampton 5 - 2 Barnsley

Stoke C. 0 - 0 Luton T.

Sunderland 4 - 0 Southend U.

Wolverhampton W. 2 - 1 Burnley

------------------------------------

All of the promotion chasing teams bar Stoke posted wins. You just can't afford to drop any points anymore.

Some bizarre games tonight. None more so than at St Mary's where Barnsley scored in the second minute, Saints scored the next 2 and were dominating with 65% possession until Barnsley scored out of nowhere. A minute later we got what sounds like a dodgy penalty, tykes manager is sent to the stands, we score, Nardiello is sent off for stamping on our keeper, we get another penalty and local boy Andrew Surman completes his hattrick. Jones made it 5 goals in 4 games in between that.

Cardiff were down to 9 men but held on for a vital 1-0 win, Birmingham posted an important win on the road to cement themselves in the top 2 and Sunderland thrashed Southend 4-0 to contiune their very impressive run.

In the FA Cup West Brom earned a 2-2 draw and Curtis Davies will have to serve a 3 match suspension while Derby slumped to a 2-0 loss away to Plymouth in a result that probably won't disappoint them too much.

 

[sainter]

STANDINGS

1 Derby 32 63
2 Birmingham 31 60

3 West Brom 33 59
4 Southampton 33 56
5 Sunderland 33 56
6 Preston 32 56

7 Cardiff 33 56
8 Wolverhampton 33 53
9 Colchester 33 51
10 Stoke 33 50
11 Plymouth 32 43
12 Crystal Palace 33 42
13 Sheff Wed 32 41
14 Leicester 32 40
15 Burnley 32 39
16 Ipswich 32 39
17 Coventry 33 38
18 Norwich 30 37
19 Luton 32 33
20 QPR 32 33
21 Hull 32 32

22 Barnsley 33 32
23 Southend 33 31
24 Leeds 32 30

 

[moomba]

1. Not Leeds
2. Not Leeds
3. Not Leeds
4. Not Leeds
5. Not Leeds
etc
etc
etc
22. Not Leeds
23. Not Leeds
24. Leeds

Makes for fantastic reading

 

[Mr P@H]

1. Not Leeds
2. Not Leeds
3. Not Leeds
4. Not Leeds
5. Not Leeds
etc
etc
etc
22. Not Leeds
23. Not Leeds
24. Leeds

Makes for fantastic reading

Vey much so Shame it's not further back...

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

FEBRUARY 17
Some bizarre games tonight. None more so than at St Mary's where Barnsley scored in the second minute, Saints scored the next 2 and were dominating with 65% possession until Barnsley scored out of nowhere. A minute later we got what sounds like a dodgy penalty, tykes manager is sent to the stands, we score, Nardiello is sent off for stamping on our keeper, we get another penalty and local boy Andrew Surman completes his hattrick. Jones made it 5 goals in 4 games in between that.

It was our assistant manager that was sent off. We're in a lot of trouble, not just cos we conceeded 5 goals, but more because our manager seemed pleased with the performance. Apparently we're appealing the red card though

 

[sainter]

It was our assistant manager that was sent off. We're in a lot of trouble, not just cos we conceeded 5 goals, but more because our manager seemed pleased with the performance. Apparently we're appealing the red card though

I was wrong on a few accounts actually. The Saint don't generally give you the most accurate coverage but they do deliver on their promise to give you commentary that is 100% red and white.

It sounds like we were the beneficiaries of some fortunate refereeing decisions on this occasion which makes a nice change.

Good luck for the rest of the season. It's close at the bottom so there's no reason why you can't drag yourselves out of the relegation zone.

 

[DB10]

Anyone know what the pre-season odds on Derby winning the CCC were?

Can't imagine they were anywhere near favourites.

 

[Corrosion]

Barnsley unlucky with the refs again. Story of their season really.

Derby would've had awesome odds. The TAB here would've just looked at who got relegated from the EPL, and placed them as favourites. The teams that finished mid-table, or near the bottom last year, would've had huge odds.

 

[sethlad]

Surprisingly only around $41 at season kick off,got out to around $81 after a fairly slow start.


seth

 

[ShearMagic9]

I still think Birmingham will win it.

 

[Embers]

Im just gonna send a "Roy Keane you legend" comment to this thread. Sunderland were looking relegation candidates but since he has joined they have done amazing things are looking certain to nab a play off spot. Made alot of great signings and has combined youth and experience very well.

Think hes gonna be the next big thing as far as managing goes in the English game.