FIRST DIVISION 1983/4

forfoxsake wrote:

Up THE CITEH !! (East midlands pronunciation ) Can't believe Pleat's mob knocked us out of the FA Cup though , ffs what happened there Steve

Never mind Jim it worked out for the best as the cup was a bit of a distraction.

How do you rate your chances for making the play offs ?

How do you rate your chances for making the play offs ?[/quote]

Hmm , good question Steve , we've Udinese reserves at home on Fri and the trees away last game , more than capable of getting 6 points , but you yourself know what the 2nd tier's been like this season .Pearson has his faves unfortunately and Beckford and Danns should be in the team at City and NOT on loan in Yorkshire ! If we win Friday night then yes , play offs for sure , and if we make top 6 I reckon we will go up

Presume the loans are to reduce the wage bill. We have Steven Dobbie on loan at Palace with Mackail-Smith out for the season and only one other recognised striker ! A Palace v Brighton play off will be tasty. All police leave was cancelled for the game at the Amex last month.

I think its difficult to call, any of the teams are capable of winning.

week 34/5

Arsenal 1 v Stoke 3 ..................................Woodcock. (Stoke) Hampton, Dyson, McIlroy

Aston Villa 0 v Coventry 1 ........................Gibson

Liverpool 1 v Westham 0 ..........................Hansen

Luton 3 v Everton 2 ................................Horton,Stein 2. (Everton) Johnson 2

Manchester Utd 1 v Birmingham 2 ...............Coppell. (B'ham) Halsall,Harford

Norwich 0 v Watford 1 ..............................Callaghan

Nottingham 1 v WBA 1 .............................Davenport. (WBA) Eastoe

QPR 2 v Ipswich 1 ...................................Stewart 2. (Ipswich) Butcher

Southampton 2 v Leicester 2 .....................Moran,Williams. (Leicester) Lynex, og Armstrong

Sunderland 4 v Tottenham 0 .....................Proctor,Rwell 2, Bracewell

Wolves 1 v Notts County 2 .......................Towner. (Notts County) Hunt,McCulloch


Coventry win away at Villa to move into 2nd but 7 points away from Leicester who draw at The Dell.

week 35/6

Everton 1 v Arsenal 0 ..................................Ratcliffe

Birmingham 4 v QPR 1 ................................Hopkins,Harford,Halsall,ogGregory(QPR) Allen

Coventry 1 v Wolves 0 .................................Bamber

Ipswich 3 v Nottingham Forest 1 .....................Mariner,Wark,Gates (Forest) Wallace

Leicester 0 v Aston Villa 1 .............................Morley

Notts County 1 v Manchester Utd 0 ..................Chiedozie

Stoke 1 v Liverpool 0 ...................................O'Callaghan

Tottenham 1 v Luton 0 .................................Brazil

WBA 0 v Norwich 0 ......................................

Westham 1 v Sunderland 0 ............................Allen

Coventry 2 v Nottingham Forest 2 ...................Platnauer,Bamber. (Forest) Wallace,Hodge

Southampton 1 v Everton 0 ...........................Worthington

Leicester gave some hope to the chasing pack by losing at home. Coventry picked up 4 points to close the gap but have now played a game more.

Leicester 65
Coventry 62
Aston Villa 59
Nottingham Forest 58
Luton 57
Tottenham 56

Squeaky backside time for City now then Steve ...............on both counts

forfoxsake wrote:

Squeaky backside time for City now then Steve ...............on both counts

The tension is mounting Looking at my last season Luton had exactly the same points total with a 4 point lead and finished 7 points clear.

At least if the Foxes win this one it will be some compensation if the 'real' ones don't make it. I'm really looking forward to these Palace games, although I know you will be supporting your Dad's team.

mid week games update

Watford 1 v Manchester Utd 2 .........................Bolton. (Man U) og Lohman,Coppell

Westham 2 v Luton 0 ...................................Swindlehurst 2

Leicester 3 v Liverpool 0 ...............................Lineker 3

Tottenham 0 v Aston Villa 0


A great night for the leaders as a stunning hat-trick from Gary Lineker takes Leicester a step nearer the title. With 5th placed Luton losing and Spurs and Villa canceling each other out, Leicester now have a 6 point lead with 5 games left.

Leicester 68
Coventry 62
Aston Villa 60
Nottingham Forest 58 (1 game in hand)
Luton 57
Tottenham 57

Oh Gary Gary
Won't be watching the first leg tomorrow night Steve , New Model Army , Wedgewood rooms Southsea is where I'll be mate

forfoxsake wrote:

Oh Gary Gary
Won't be watching the first leg tomorrow night Steve , New Model Army , Wedgewood rooms Southsea is where I'll be mate

Should be a good gig. I'll be watching 'Poyet's Army'

week 37/8

Arsenal 1 v Tottenham 0 ..................................Woodcock

Aston Villa 1 v Watford 0 .................................Rideout

Liverpool 1 v WBA 3 .......................................Lawrenson. (WBA)og Lawrenson,Regis,Bennett

Luton 0 v Notts County 1 .................................O'Neill

Manchester Utd 2 v Coventry 0 ..........................Coppell,Whiteside

Norwich 2 v Stoke 0 ........................................Deehan,Bennett

Nottingham Forest 1 v Birmingham 0 ...................Hodge

QPR 2 v Leicester 0 ........................................Flanagan,Neill

Southampton 2 v Westham 0 ............................Waldron,Agboola.

Sunderland 3 v Everton 1 ..................................Atkins,James 2. (Everton) Sheedy

Wolves 1 v Ipswich 1 ........................................Clarke. (Ipswich) Putney

Three of the top five lose so Leicester's defeat at 15th placed QPR was not the disaster it could have been. Last seasons champions Luton went down at home to next to bottom Notts County and now have too much to do to retain the trophy.

Top 7 League positions P - W - D - L - F - A - PTS
Leicester.....................38 -19 -11 - 8 - 61 -41 -68
Aston Villa ..................38 -18 - 9 -11 - 51 -46 -63
Coventry ....................38 -17 -11 -10 - 63 -46 -62
Nottingham Forest ........37 -16 -13 - 8 - 56 -35 - 61
Luton.........................38 -16 - 9 - 13 -57 -45 - 57
Tottenham ..................38 - 16 -9 -13 -57 -56 - 57
Norwich .....................36 - 16 - 6 -14 - 54 -50 - 54

Several teams played twice this week. No wins for the top six and the gap closes slightly on Leicester, with three games to play can they hold on. Luton's home draw with Watford means they cannot retain the title.

Birmingham 0 v Arsenal 0

Everton 3 v Wolves 2 ..............................Higgins,Sheedy,ogHumphrey (Wolves) Clarke,Towner

Ipswich 2 v Norwich 0 .............................Wark,Putney

Stoke 3 v QPR 1 ...................................Parkin,Tueart 2. (QPR) Stewart

WBA 5 v Sunderland 1 ...........................Regis 2,Bennett 2,Cross.(Sun'd) Atkins

Watford 3 v Southampton 0 ....................Reilly 3

Arsenal 1 v Leicester 0 ...........................Sunderland

Aston Villa 2 v Notts County 2 ..................Morley,Shaw. (Notts C) O'Neill.McCulloch

Liverpool 2 v Ipswich 0 ...........................Johnston,Hansen

Luton 1 v Watford 1 ...............................Walsh. (Watford) Bolton

Man United 1 v Westham 0 ......................Albiston

Norwich 2 v Everton 0 .............................Bertschin 2

Nottingham Forest 3 v Stoke 3 ................Birtles,Wallace,Hart.(Stoke) McIlroy 2,O'Callaghan

QPR 1 v Tottenham 4 .............................og Ardiles.(Tottenham)Archibald 2,Brazil,Galvin

Southampton 1 v Coventry 1 ..................Moran. (Coventry) Bamber

Sunderland 1 v Birmingham 1 ..................Rowell. (Birmingham) Halsall

Wolves 2 v WBA 3 ...............................Gray,Clarke.(WBA) Regis 2, Owen

week 40

The big clash of the week between Leicester and Forest ends in a draw. Forest held the lead until the last five minutes when Peake burst through to equalise. Liverpool lose at Birmingham and are the first club to be relegated.

Notts County 0 v Wolves 2 ..............................Dodd,Towner

Birmingham 2 v Liverpool 1 ...........................og Hansen,Ferguson.(Liverpool) Rush

Coventry 0 v Luton 0

Everton 2 v Man United 0 ...............................Sharp,Ratcliffe

Ipswich 3 v Sunderland 0 ...............................D'Avray 2, Wark

Leicester 1 v Nottingham Forest 1 ....................Peake. (Forest) Bowyer

Notts County 4 v QPR 3 ............................Christie,Harkouk,Chiedozie,Hunt(QPR)Flanagan2,Waddock

Stoke 0 v Southampton 0

Tottenham 1 v Norwich 2 ................................Archibald.(Norwich)Watson,Deehan

Watford 3 v Wolves 1 ...................................Barnes 3. (Wolves) Clarke

WBA 2 v Arsenal 2 .......................................Regis 2. (Arsenal) Woodcock 2

Westham 1 v Aston Villa 1 .............................Martin. (Villa) Withe


Top 4

Leicester........... 40 19 12 9 pts 69
Aston Villa......... 40 18 11 11 pts 65
Coventry........... 40 17 13 10 pts 64
Nottm Forest ..... 39 16 15 8 pts 63

week 41

Arsenal 1 v Westham 0 .............................P.Nicholas

Aston Villa 2 v Everton 2 ...........................Withe,Rideout. (Everton) Higgins,Sheedy

Liverpool 0 v Coventry 2 ............................Bennett,Gibson

Luton 1 v Stoke 2 ....................................Hill. (Stoke) og Donaghy,McIlroy

Man United 1 v Ipswich 4 ............................McQueen. (Ipswich) ogWilkins,Wark 2,D'Avray

Norwich 2 v Birmingham 0 ..........................og Harford, Bertschin

Nottingham Forest 3 v Watford 1 .................Wallace 2,Davenport. (Watford) Barnes

QPR 0 v WBA 0

Southampton 0 v Tottenham 0

Sunderland 0 v Notts County 3 .....................McCulloch,Harkouk,Kilcline

Wolves 4 v Leicester 1 ...............................Gray 3, Eves. (Leicester) Ramsey

With one week left, Leicester are now hanging by a thread at the top after crashing to a humiliating defeat at Molyneux. Three points separate the top four. Forest have two games left and have the superior goal difference so could come through to take the title.

Top four
Leicester 41 - 19-12-10-69-GD16
Coventry 41 - 18-13-10-67-GD19
Forest.....40 - 17-15--8-66-GD23
Villa.......41 - 18-12-11-66-GD5

remaining fixtures
Coventry v Norwich
Ipswich v Aston Villa
Leicester v Sunderland
Westham v Forest
Forest v Man United

Ipswich, Sunderland, Westham and Notts County are all fighting relegation.

ESGEE - Saints have three games left and with 54 points could reach 63 points.

Go SAINTS!

Go SAINTS!

week 42.  The final week.  Leaders Leicester are at home to relegation threatened Sunderland, if they win only Forest can catch them but must win both their remaining games. Forest have  a +23 goal difference to Leicester's +16 so they could just pip The Foxes. Forest are away at relegation threatened Westham and home next week to Man United, so the title chase could go into next week. 

RESULTS

Birmingham 1 v Southampton 2 .......................Hopkins. (Saints) Moran,Wallace 

Coventry 4 v Norwich 1 ..................................Bamber2,Platnauer2.(Norwich) Deehan

Everton 3 v QPR 1 .........................................Sharp,ogNeill,Sheedy.(QPR) Stewart

Ipswich 1 v Aston Villa 1 ................................D'Avray. (Villa) Bremner

Leicester 1 v Sunderland 0 ..............................B Smith

Notts County 1 v Liverpool 2 ...........................Chiedozie.(Liverpool) Kennedy,Souness

Stoke 4 v Wolves 1 ..................................Tueart,McIlroy,O'Callaghan,Thomas.(Wolves) Towner

Tottenham 2 v Man United 1 ...........................Stevens,Galvin,(Man Utd) Coppell

Watford 3 v Arsenal 2 ...................................Barnes2,Jobson. (Arsenal) Rix,Woodcock

WBA 2 v Luton 3 ..........................................Cross,Regis.(Luton) Moss,Stein,Horton

Westham 2 v Nottingham Forest 1 ..................Pike,Goddard. (Forest) Bowyer


Full match reports and photo's of the Champions to follow .................

Leicester are CHAMPIONS!  Jim'll be happy, especially cutting the TREES down to size.
Brilliant effort, Gully.  You must be exhausted.

What's up next?

Yes. The Foxes finally did it after leading for half the season. Just the odd few games left now, including Saints who have two games to go.  I'm going to do 4 divisions of 12 and continue it for a few seasons.  The top 12 from this league to form the First Division, you will be pleased to know that Saints cannot finish lower than 12th so they are in.

It was a tense end to a long season with four clubs capable of taking the championship trophy. The biggest challenge coming from Forest who were three points behind, but had a game in hand and a better goal difference.  The pressure on Leicester was huge with only one win in the last five games, it  was beginning to look like a Devon Loch style finish. 

Leicester came out with all guns blazing but this only seemed to spur on relegation threatened Sunderland. The Foxes had all the early possession but it was the away side which broke away and sent in three fierce shots which Wallington beat away. Leicester started to struggle and over playing the ball and it looked likely that Sunderland would score soon, when a terrific shot from Rowell flew off the body of Wallington onto the bar and into the stand.  Then in the 27th minute against the run of play, the ball ran loose to Bobby Smith on the edge of the area. Smith hit an awkward shot which scraped the inside of the post and dropped over the line. The home crowd went crazy.

The game opened up in the second half as Sunderland were desperate for an equaliser and Leicester tried for a second to kill the game. Leicester finally came through with the win and now had to wait for the result from Upton Park. News had come through that the Hammers had taken a first half lead and Forest had equalised with 20 minutes left. A tremendous roar was later heard when Paul Goddard had netted to end Forest's dream. Leicester were champions.

This weeks final games have now been played.  There were tense last day games for Westham and Notts County who were playing to avoid relegation. The Hammers managed a tight home win and Notts County thrashed Saints, which sent QPR down.

WBA 0 v Southampton 1 ............................................Holmes

Westham 1 v Everton 0 .............................................Pike

Liverpool 2 v Norwich 1 .............................................Neal,Souness.(Norwich) Bertschin

Nottingham Forest 1 v Man United 0 ............................Wallace

Notts County 5 v Southampton 0 ................................Christie 2,O'Neill,Harkouk,O'Brien  

Final table

Leicester........................72
Coventry........................70
Nottingham Forest............69
Aston Villa......................67
Tottenham......................64
Norwich.........................63
Luton.............................62
Watford..........................62
Southampton...................61
Arsenal..........................61
WBA..............................58
Everton..........................58
Stoke............................55
Wolves..........................54
Man United.....................53
Birmingham....................52
Westham........................51
Notts County...................50
Ipswich..........................49 GD-4
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QPR...............................49 GD-12
Sunderland.....................45
Liverpool........................41

Cyril Regis and Keith Bertschin both hit 23 goals to finish as joint top scorers in the league.