text:
Whereas the Bandits are willing to build and spend slowly, the Sheriffs want immediate success, even if it is to the detriment of their finances.
Lets see what effect it does have.
Whereas the Bandits are willing to build and spend slowly, the Sheriffs want immediate success, even if it is to the detriment of their finances.
Lets see what effect it does have.
To be fair, while paying 90k/pw is way excessive it kind of make sense. If you have the money and can maintain it is a very working way (maybe not prudent, but it gets the job done) to getting better good players into lower leagues. I mean, IRL Bent would never had said no to that contract
Also interesting result in terms of AI behaviour, i.e. that you can overrule the normal considerations of reputation, like/dislike etc if you hike someone's salery enough.
However, will be interesting to see if the super board/manager can manage to run the club into major deficit but I doubt it though.
Could it be possible that the Bandits go into administration because of financial collapse later on, if these are the wages they're paying in League 2?
tbf, with 80000 coming a week, I doubt they will ever go into administration.
Even that can only bring in a finite amount of money, even if its high. Especially as prices in L2 won't be that high. They had a massive starting balance (presumably increased by now) and that will see them through. Admitedly I have no idea where income (which will be mostly gate reciepts until the championship at least) stands in relation to the wage expenditure at the moment so they may still be making a massive profit and there's nothing to worry about but I doubt they can afford many more players at such high rates. and existing players will be prone to wanting a better relative wage. Even if large wages do push the club into a loss the balance comfort cushion is so great that unless they get stuck for years in the lower leagues (which doesn't look like happening this time) it'll be fine. Anyway as high as 90k is in L2 its still a realistic wage for the game as a whole so we can't assume that means that individual wages will increase to 150-200k plus or something in the premiership just because logic would otherwise dictate that in normal circumstances a team will be paying much more there then in L2. They may just have reached the higher wage level early because of their circumstances.
I think I'm doing the wrong degree.
Mind you, we complained that they didn't in FM07 - I don't really care if they pay massive wages as they aren't going to be into financial difficulties.
I find it quite interesting that players, and the game itself takes that into account with regards to wage demands.
Just to be clear, im not bothered by the massive spending of either team. It will be interesting to see what effect it has on players transfers in the future. I wonder if they are setting a dangerous precedent here. Will all future signings be demanding these kind of wages and will the Bandits be able to sustain it.
You've got to remember the Bandits have got genuine gate income coming in, they don't have bored billionaires running the show. If the gate income is covering the wages then it is financially prudent, even if at first glance is seems excessive.
Kip - I'm Vinson Massif, you absolutely thrashed me in a friendly
I think its great that the game is accurately portraying what a RL manager and RL club would do, the AI is throwing its weight and cash around as would happen in real life with all that money coming in.
The question has to be asked though, with a willingness to pay those wages in League Two, if they get promoted, will that willingness see them promote every season until they reach the Premiership? They may be attracting quality players in the Championship by offering an absolute fortune to them. If they do promote that quickly, we may see real life players we've heard of playing for the Bandits in the Premiership.
That would be awesome.
Nice update Kip, but why must you taunt us so?!?!
A little sidenote for future ideas or whatnot:
If the players would have obscure nationalities (Wallis & Furtuna, Bhutan, Somalia) and their reps being what they are (minimum), then wouldn't it take them longer to leave considering
a) when creating them you'd tie them for many years with the club and since they wouldn't receive work permits, their contracts would remain as they are for a long time
b) it would take some time for the players to get international recognition to ever play for their obscure countries, thus getting the work permits required to move within the English leagues (as I'd fathom other leagues would have lower interest in them)
c) again, it would take a number of years for some of the premiership or championship sides to get belgian or polish feeders enabling them to buy the players, and putting them on a course of loan>reputation gain>international call-ups>work permit
d) finally, if none of the above actually happened, then in 5 years all of them would gain British citizenship allowing them to freely move and expand themselves at still a young age of 22
With these in mind, the goal of the Bandits retaining their players and reaching with them fame and glory could be more attainable, at least from a theoretical point of view. But as I said, just a mere idea
And kip, your threads are awesome (as I've also read the 2007 one fully), I don't know when you have the time man, all I can say is cheers and keep up the good work!
Last edited by aemud; 24-05-2009 at 09:16.
In the 07 experiment the bandits were extremely well off, but never utilised that wealth, so it's very nice to see the club spending big on a player and with wages so early in the save.
It appears there has been a minor change or 2 under the hood of FM
Players dropping down divisions for a fat paycheck seems a fair reflection of the game today.
And again, they'd move on to Italian, Spanish, French and German clubs, and would probably never play in the English leagues. Well, at least until several years later when the likes of Chelsea would shell out a fortune for them.b) it would take some time for the players to get international recognition to ever play for their obscure countries, thus getting the work permits required to move within the English leagues (as I'd fathom other leagues would have lower interest in them)
And of course, by that time they'd be playing for Milan and Real and Bayern, so it's a moot point.c) again, it would take a number of years for some of the premiership or championship sides to get belgian or polish feeders enabling them to buy the players, and putting them on a course of loan>reputation gain>international call-ups>work permit
Replace "British" with "Italian" and/or "Spanish".d) finally, if none of the above actually happened, then in 5 years all of them would gain British citizenship allowing them to freely move and expand themselves at still a young age of 22
It sounds like a nice idea, but unfortunately it's unattainable. Sure, they'd have two or three, maybe even four years with at least a few top class players, but by the time they reach European-class football their starlets would have been gone all the same.With these in mind, the goal of the Bandits retaining their players and reaching with them fame and glory could be more attainable, at least from a theoretical point of view. But as I said, just a mere idea
Thing is, it's surely possible to force the players to stay with the Bandits forever, by one quirk of the database or another - it just wouldn't be much of an experiment.
indeed, I don't think it would take a rocket surgeon to accurately guess how the perfect club with 22 perfect players would turn out.
What a tease that little teaser was, five days later and I'm all ready to explode with anticipation.
I had looked at the thread for a week before friday afternoon, now I wish I hadn't.... Kip we know its a bank holiday but we need the season update
Even if this experiment is kind of under extreme conditions I still think that this issue with the high wages in lower leagues is something that has to be tweaked by SI games. There has to be an attribute for "negotiations skills" for AI managers. Not everyone is good at it, in the same way as players can demand higher wages if they "smell" if the club that is interested in them has a lot of money managers must be able to predict what the player is prepared to play for in spite of their wage demands. As it is now this recommendation that assistant managers give "sign at any cost" seems to be taken quite literally by the AI managers.
The teaser was just because the report wasn't quite finished It nearly is now
Oooo Kip thats cruel! We talking within hours or this week or what?? Hope you're feeling better and over the 'swine flu' :P
Can't wait for next update. Got a feeling a shock may be in the offing. Maybe a shock for the Bandits. Hope i'm proved wrong but could promotion be difficult this year.
Ps - 10 pages and only 2 seasons. Amazing
Bah, the antipication is growing by the hour, can't wait for the next update!
An update today would soften the blow of the CL final defeat slightly...
Don't update today!
I actually do feel an update coming today....
I was hoping an update would soften the blow of Newcastle getting relegated. it never came,
never's a long time
Actually, I don't even want an update today.
(reverse psychology)
I wonder if Kips interest is on the wane.... it wouldn't surprise me.
*gets on knees and prays to god that isnt true*
I must admit with such long breaks between updates im struggling to get into the new experiment.Anyone else think less detailed reports in quicker succession would be better?
Is there any way that any of us can help you with the writing up of reports Kip? It seems as if with all the extra detail that you have added in this experiment, you have given yourself a bit of an epic task. If there is anything we could do to help, im sure you wouldnt be short of volunteers.
I think less detailed but more reports is the way to go. This experiment does seem to be dragging on a bit, without much experimentation.
maybe if we all contribute a fiver a month, kip can quit his job and become a full-time FM experimenter!
Even if 100 of us chip in thats only £500 a month!
Admittedly this experiment isn't rapidly going through the updates like others, but at the end of the day its quality not quantity that makes an experiment worthwhile. Kip was ill for a while and also has a job + family life to contend with, all take precedence over FM.
In your own time Kip, it will be worth the wait.
£500 a month isn't too bad, if Kip doesn't think it's enough then he isn't worth our adulation!
I don't think I'd want anything missing from the current format, even if it made it considerably quicker. Admittedly this gap has been a bit much, but there are mitigating circumstances, what with Kip's miraculous recovery from swine flu and so on. That said, if it's not here by tomorrow, heads will roll.
There are some outrageous comments flying about in here. Anyone that's run an experiment should sympathise with kip - the amount of data and reports he has to do will take days not hours imo. Well worth the wait
Good to see you back WW
All the people that want less details and more reports, it'll be a bit harsh but, can you please create your own db and holiday the game for yourself please? We are looking for a story here, not only an experiment. We are (The mighty Bandits) not a created team that you read pages of updates every week. The bigger the success, the longer we have to wait
Kip, I, talking only for myself, won't even mind if you write the report one month later. I, as an avid follower of the '07 experiment and as the proud creator of the facebook fan group, would like US to write history all over rather than romping through updates. I'll be one of the happy bunch when we celebrate our first EPL trophy while the Sheriffs were drooling over our success.
My comment seems to have attracted undue criticism. I wasn't criticising Kip. I was merely saying that if there is too much detail in the reports he could leave a few out. I was trying to suggest he could make it easier for himself, while still fulfilling the goal of seeing how the AI deals with the bandits and Sheriffs over a long period. This is a fantastic experiment, but perhaps its scope has become too wide, thus frustrating the overall aims.
I'm wondering if at this rate we will have enough data on this experiment in two years time, i.e. by the time FM11 is released. The 07 experiment went on for 2 years. If this experiment is taking longer to do (this may not be the case), it might be wise to carry it on for 3 years instead of 2.
Secondly, £500 a month wouldn't even pay half my mortgage. Hell, my monthly season ticket into work is £350 a month so £500 doesn't go far. Methinks you haven't left school yet/live independently of your parents.
When the report comes, it will be worth it.
From time to time we had very long breaks in the 07 experiment as well, and in my opinion that just makes it even more enjoyable when the update arrives.
Also, the suggestion of people helping out Kip by writing certain parts of the reports, doesn't sound good to me. One of the reasons why I'm enjoying this experiment (and the 07 one of course) so much, is Kip's excellent writing style
Take your time Kip - I'll always be advocating quality over quantity!
Helping out wouldn't mean writing the narrative, it could just consist of doing donkey work inputting stats. Also, there must be some other people on here who could write well. I don't think anybody is having a go at Kip, we all appreciate how much work this is and that he has a life. Were all just making suggestions to help him out, because looking at it objectively it seems he is having trouble getting the reports out.
Well as much as a lot of the time some of us (well me anyway) think of this mostly as following the fortunes of our teams... This is an experiment first and foremost, of more then simply how the teams do. I may be personally following a few (though thats increasing) areas but many follow those I don't so I appreciate the depth provided for anything anyone might want to follow, especially as I'm interested in far more now which I'm glad are there. And as an experiment it helps to have a wide range of things to test. Better to start off with lots then realize later there's something you should have tracked but couldn't, especially if some patrons of this fine thread have wished for it. Also he's running far more leagues now so it'll take longer to get to the report writing in the first place and more places to look for the players and stuff he needs to report on. I know thats not an issue with people but that alone means reports will be less frequent then last time without things like flu and busy periods at work getting in the way. Admitedly while I didn't expect that it'd be this long after the teaser for the rest to appear that's just the way it goes. You can't rush genius. Especially busy genius.
Unfortunately I have to agree with those hoping for quicker updates. I understand that Kip has made this experiment a lot more extensive and that means more detailed (and excellent) reports as well as more processing time.
However, we're currently getting through around one season a month. That means it will take at least 12 months before the starlets even retire. The original experiment took on a whole new dynamic once this had happened and we had many many seasons looking at not only the progress of the Bandits, but the managerial/coaching careers of the retired starlets. At this rate we'll only have 24 seasons done in a real time two year period, which is only a fraction of what was achieved in the '07 experiment.
Unfortunately I feel that the only way to speed things up is for Kip to dedicate more time to it, and it's unfair of anyone to ask him to do that as we all have real lives to live. Unfortunately for him his excellent experiment and writing style has meant that we all want an experiment that is as extensive and addictive as the last one.
To the post which brings up helping to write, I think it would ruin the suprise and shocks of the updates, i wouldn't want to help write it just because it'd ruin it for me. We have to realize Kip has been ill during most of the wait for the update. Once this updates out, i suspect that he'll be giving us updates quicker. Think it as an american tv season. You watch a few episodes then it takes a winter break for 3-5 months, then when its back, its worth the wait.
I think we should also remember that this experiment probably (hopefully) won't last as long as the last one. We got so far with that one because the Bandits just plain ol' refused to be successful, but if the improvements evident in this experiment keep coming, then they'll be the top side in the world in no time, and the Sheriffs will settle wherever they settle (hopefully doing all they can, Dick Dastardly style, to steal the Bandits' crown, but if not, that's why it's interesting!), and we can see how the original superstars do in management (by which point reports will be drastically shorter), and then when they're done, that's that. So 20 years or so of this intense, detailed stuff, then a smooth ride through another 25 years, and then a satisfying conclusion (if Kip's computer survives those mighty save files). It's all good.
that's right. I have been blessed with a tuition fee waiver so only have to buy note-taking materials and books, which I get second-hand as cheap as possible, then £260 rent (yeah it's a bit of a craphole, but it's livable) and £60 council tax leaves me with about £60 a week for the rest, which is workable. Housing Benefit rules will see me have £30 a week extra once I turn 25 (just now I get pretty much no Housing Benefit), but don't get me started on that particular topic of my recent ire. I'll never stop.
Maybe we should have a "discuss your household budget" thread. Perhaps with a contribution from the Bandits chairman to make us all jealous...
My suggestion that a few people help him out with it has also come under fire. Again i am not saying sack Kip and lets take over. The guy is a legend because of his writing style and dedication. If it were up to me id give him a knighthood. All i am suggesting, kip if you are reading this, is that if there is any way that you see fit for us to help, then feel free to let us know. If not, fair enoughm not really sure what we could do specifically, but the offer is there. You have a legion of followers ready to do your bidding. Say the word.
The gaps just build anticipation. Take your time kip, however long it takes it will be worth it.
Yup the anticipation is most definetly worth it imo
less whining over the gap more speculation please
Im going for both teams to be undefeated in the leagues all season with both having length runs in the FA cup
the stars themselves will be driving their teams onwards making them the top teams in europe, while the idiots continue to reign destruction and relegation in what ever team they end up in
Last edited by Darkwain; 29-05-2009 at 16:00. Reason: santa never gave me a brain for christmas
Been away for work for a good few months and the trip home was made all the sweeter thanks to a text to let let me know the Bandits redux was going strong!
Excellent work, as ever Kip; two and a bit seasons in and it's as compulsive (if not moreso) than ever!
Have to say I'm siding with the Sheriffs for this one - nothing like knowing the manager and board are complete numpties to make them seem like the underdogs.
Don't think either team will gain promotion this season, particularly the Bandits given the huge step up required but predict a solid top ten finish.
Hope the Bandits get a top draw in the 3rd Round of the League Cup though - let's get some giantkilling going.
*waves to Iacovone* Long time no see!
[QUOTE=5ergio;3284581]Good to see you back WW
the proud creator of the facebook fan group
By the way what is the name of this fan group - I cannot find it:confused:? It seems that every second group in FB contains "bandits" in its name
The Bandits Fan Club
StewartJRobertson, before you start calling people morons after making the presumption that im a one time poster and have no right to express my opinion because of that, how about looking back at the previous experiment where i actually posted more than you. I followed the first experiment from the beginning to the end and have thus far with this experiment aswell. If i was actually criticising kip's work then yes i would expect to be called a moron! However, I was not and was merely offering an opinion on the current experiement all be it a negative one which im sure kip himself wouldn't even mind as he has often expressed his desire for peoples feedback. I understand Kip has other commitments and im not stupid enough to think this experiement is going to be the most important in his life but this experiment is also a stroy to some people and is difficult to follow with such long breaks between posts and hense why i said less detailed reports may be a good idea.
If I was Kip I wouldn't bother anymore. You're all filling this thread with a pointless bloody argument. Can I suggest that from now on unless there's a discussion or question or prediction etc related to the experiment that people keep their ore firmly out.
Anyone new reading this thread and hitting the last 100 posts is gonna give up.
So what, we live in a free country. People should be able to post on whatever they want. Anyway, most of the above discussion is related to the experiment, namely how slowly its going. I think people are more likely to give up because we're two and a half months in and have had two seasons.
Maybe it would be better if there was one thread specifically for the experiment, and a separate one for the discussion of the experiment?
I think it was suggested before, and I believe the general consensus was that it would stymie discussion.
It wouldn't be great for discussion. How about everyone just relaxes and waits for the update. If you don't like that its going to slow, don't post in here. If you don't mind, great, lets talk about how the Sheriffs are gonna win the Premier League before those loathsome Bandits
Indeed. How the Sheriffs are going to win the league first is not at all.
Season 2010-11
Club reports – Summer Transfers
Following hugely successful seasons for both the Bandits and the Sheriffs, that saw them win their respective leagues, it was anticipated that both would strengthen their squads ready for the next challenge. For the Sheriffs, that meant the Blue Square Premier, and for the Bandits, that meant league football in League Two.
Having secured promotion to League Two, the Bandits took a hard look at their squad and decided that plenty were simply not going to make it at the higher level. In total, ten were released in the first two days of July, all on free transfers. Plenty of the top twenty from last season were included, but they were lower down the last and/or aging to a point where non-league football was all they could strive for.
The important thing was building a side capable of challenging in League Two. As a guide, a CA of 100 puts you in the upper echelons (37 players in League Two), a CA of 110 puts you in the top ten in the league, and a CA of 120 makes you a star.
With that in mind, Dream Manager began to assemble his new squad. His first signing was a bit inauspicious, 31 year old striker Chris Templeton arriving on a free transfer from St. Johnstone. With a CA of 71 and falling, he was unlikely to make much of an impact. Star striker Liam Dickinson (53 goals last season) had little to worry about.
Next came Clark Keltie, costing £8k from Lincoln, and the 27 defensive midfielder is reasonable – a CA of 88 is unlikely to reach the PA of 105, but he makes for a good squad player. Following him came Matt Phillips, a 20 year old winger costing £80k from Wycombe. His CA of 89 also makes him a decent player in League Two, but his PA of 127 means he could grow with the club for a good while.
And then, out of the blue, the manager signed a very familiar name – Marcus Bent. The striker was now 33, and having been left out in the cold during Birmingham's doomed Premiership campaign last season, he decided to move on, joining the Bandits for a paltry £30k. With a CA still at 121, he instantly became one of the stars of the division, and the prospect of him joining forces with Dickinson had the fans salivating. It had been a slow start to the summer, but business had most definitely picked up.
Looking to the future, the manager then picked up the unattached Tom Miller, a 20 year whose CA of 67 could rise to 128 in the future. Costing nothing, he had nothing to lose. He then turned his attention to the defence, signing 25 year old Michael Townsend for £250k from Cheltenham. His CA of 95 was very healthy.
Two more would arrive before the window closed, and the first was another prospect, and another free tranfer – Martin Hunter is a 20 year old keeper, with a CA of 63 and a PA of 110. If the Bandits remain in League Two, he could become a real player in the long term, but hopefully by the time he gets there the club will have outgrown him.
The final transfer was an expensive one, but probably the best capture of the entire summer. Somehow, the manager convinced Norwich to part with Mark Burton, one of their brightest prospects, for £1m, a lot of money for a League Two club but absolutely value for it. Burton is a versatile defender who can play anywhere across the back, and has a CA of 113, putting him in at the very highest level of League Two. And the most incredible thing is that he is just seventeen years old, and has plenty of time to aim at his PA of 163. Capped at England youth levels, he is a stunning signing.
And with that, the manager closed his book. Last season, he had just three players with a CA over 90, but he has added to that considerably this summer, building a solid squad and including a couple of absolute stars. It should be enough to secure safety, but how far can the likes of Marcus Bent push them?
The Sheriffs had the most powerful squad in the Blue Square South by a distance last season, and ended the season with six players above 80 CA, the only six in the division. In the Blue Square Premier, the average number of 80 CA players was four, so already they had a decent set of players, but in this league there are also around twenty players with 90 CA, and a few in three figures. Nonetheless, a solid squad is a good starting point – the summer gave an opportunity to add some star quality.
As with the Bandits, the Sheriffs released a group of players that could not make the step up a division – six were let go. Believing the squad to be talented already, the manager decided to take the approach of finding the right target or two instead of making wholesale changes, and in the end signed only two players.
But both were worth waiting for. Nathan Ellington's contract with Derby had expired, and somehow he was convinced to relocate to the south coast and join the Sheriffs – still only 29, the striker's CA of 114 was ten higher than anyone else in the entire league. His signing was a major coup – he would be the sixth best player in League Two, so he is clearly playing at a level below that which is capable.
That got the fans exceptionally excited, and the second signing was pretty decent too – left winger Ryan Smith arriving from Grimsby for £110k. The 24 year old has a CA of 102, with a PA of 120 being very reachable, and is the third best player in the division.
So the Sheriffs took their squad, allowed some of their youngsters to improve (some rose to the 90 CA mark), and signed two of the three best players in the league to drive them forward. Will it be enough to ensure another successful season?
Club reports – August-December
It was a new horizon for the Bandits as they played league football for the first time. Pre-season had not been kind, their ambitious attempts to take on the likes of West Ham, Rangers and Sevilla resulting in heavy defeats, but a single goal was enough to ensure that they took three points from their opening game, away to Lincoln.
Next up was a great chance for a cup shock, a home game with Championship Stockport in the League Cup, and a 3-2 victory in their first ever game in the competition gave the home crowd plenty to sing about. And they didn't stop there – a 5-0 hammering of Barnet in their first home league game giving them hope that this season could be yet another success story.
Remarkably, they would go on to win their first eight league games, to sit proudly on top of the league, far beyond the expectations of their fans. To add to the joy, they dispatched another Championship side, Barnsley, in the second round of the League Cup, although they finally tasted defeat, losing 2-1 at home to League One Swindon in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
A trip to Turf Moor to face Burnley saw the League Cup campaign come to an end with a 2-1 defeat, the side unable to beat their third Championship opponents of the season, and the defeat seemed to knock confidence a little, as they lost five league games in ten. However, they took maximum points in the other five, and the lack of draws meant they remained second, behind only Bournemouth, who were having a fine season.
By the time they faced their south coast rivals, their FA Cup campaign had ended, defeat to League One Colchester following a win over Blue Square North Boston.
With the Bandits and Bournemouth clear promotion rivals, they finally met in the league, the Bandits delighting their home fans with a thumping 4-0 win to move close to their beaten opponents. A draw at Accrington in the following game was a setback, but their fantastic home form continued with a remarkable 8-0 destruction of Stockport, Marcus Bent scoring five in a match that broke all sorts of club records.
The Bandits ended the year with two more wins, over Bury and Exeter, the latter taking them back to the top of the league, with both they and Bournemouth having a healthy lead over their rivals. It had been a great first half to the season.
The Sheriffs also came into the season off the back of promotion, and were looking to follow the Bandits up into the league structure. They were mainly reliant on last season's team, making only two signings, although Nathan Ellington was expected to have a big impact.
The new level certainly didn't seem to faze them in their early season – three wins opening the campaign and continuing the feelgood factor around the club. But their winning streak was not as lengthy as the Bandits, as they drew with Torquay before losing to York.
Those were minor setbacks, however, and seven wins in their next eight put them firmly on top of the league before the cup season began with a 3-0 cruise over Staines in the Setanta Shield, and competition they now had high hopes for.
After a draw with Ebbsfleet, two more league wins put distance between them and their rivals, and a 1-0 win over Lewes ensured that they would reach the first round proper of the FA Cup, the only competition in which a meeting with the Bandits was a possibility.
By the end of November, their lead had been extended in the league, three more wins pushing them further away from the pack despite a 2-0 reverse at Oxford, and they were still in both cups – wins over Weymouth and Thurrock putting them in the quarter final of the Setanta Shield, while two friendly draws in the FA Cup, against Newport County and Blyth, resulted in comfortable victories that pushed them into the big time of the third round. That the Bandits had fallen at the second round was icing on their cake.
December opened with a rare goalless draw with Salisbury, before a win over AFC Wimbledon put them back on track. Revenge was in the air as the FA Trophy began – the first round opponents were Oxford, one of only a few sides to beat the Sheriffs this season, and they were dispatched after a replay.
The year was then completed in perfect style, with 2-0 and 3-0 wins over Kettering and Southport. They would enter 2011 with a healthy lead at the top of the Blue Square Premier, and still in three cup competitions. It had been a perfect half season.
Club reports – January Transfers
The Bandits have a history of making few changes in January, and with the season going so well, they continued in that vein, letting no-one go and bringing in just two players.
The first was journeyman 32 year old centre back Darren Ward, a £40k capture from Portsmouth, and a brilliant signing given that his CA remained at a very healthy 110, putting him head and shoulders above most of the rest of the league.
The second was less inspiring, but cost nothing – Mark Phillips was let go by Brentford, and the centre back makes for decent cover with a CA of 90. At 29, he is a short term signing, but increases the size of the squad, a sensible action given that the Bandits can afford the wages.
Bandits Transfers
For the second season running, the Sheriffs decided that they did not need to make any changes in January, so completely ignored the transfer window.
Sheriffs Transfers
Bandits report - squad
Top 20 in Squad (sorted by CA)
Name, Pos, Age, CA-PA
Kilbey, 20, AMC, 123-157 (+8)
Bent, 33, ST, 121-145 – new signing
Burton, 17, D RLC, 113-163 – new signing
Ward, 32, DC, 110-122 – new signing
Parker, 23, D/AM L, 106-125 (+2)
Mulligan, 24, D/MC, 96-135 (+14)
Dickinson, 25, ST, 96-97 (+1)
Townsend, 25, DC, 95-105 – new signing
Howarth, 25, GK, 94-110 (+8)
Mark Phillips, 29, D RC, 90-120 – new signing
Matt Phillips, 20, AM RL, 89-127 – new signing
Keltie, 27, DM, 88-105 – new signing
Bignot, 25, DR, 85-109 (+10)
Moxey, 27, D/WB/AM L, 80-91 (+5)
Bryant, 17, DC, 77-176 (+5)
Riley, 18, MC, 76-137 (+9)
King, 17, AM R/ST, 75-154 – new signing
Templeman, 31, ST, 71-90 – new signing
Miller, 20, MC, 67-128 – new signing
Spender, 25, D/WB R, 66-92 (+1)
Players in last season's top 20 who have left the club:
Hinton, 32, D RC, 76-88
Garry, 26, D LC, 75-89
O'Leary, 32, D RC/DM, 74-90
Brown, 25, M LC, 72-100
Bavidge, 30, ST, 71-95
Crook, 19, AMC, 66-84
Coughlan, 35, DC, 64-125
Sinclair, 37, AMR, 58-157
Players in last season's top 20 who have dropped out of the top 20:
Inglis, 19, GK, 63-127 (+5)
Klein-Davis, 21, ST, 62-69 (+2)
20 year old Kilbey may be the best player in the squad, but he is well backed by a pack of new signings – seven of the club's best twelve players are new in this season. Those that remained from last year are young and improving – the manager seems to know what he is doing.
Notable others:
CA of X or above:
190 : 00, 00, 00
180 : 00, 00, 00
170 : 00, 00, 00
160 : 00, 00, 00
150 : 00, 00, 00
140 : 00, 00, 00
130 : 00, 00, 00
120 : 00, 00, 02
110 : 00, 01, 04
100 : 00, 02, 05
090 : 00, 03, 10
080 : 00, 05, 14
070 : 00, 13, 18
060 : 01, 18, 25
050 : 03, 23, 26
The squad is improving immeasurably every season, which bodes extremely well for the future. The current manager is mixing youth and experience very well.
Sheriffs report - squad
Top 20 in Squad (sorted by CA)
Name, Pos, Age, CA-PA
Ellington, 29, ST, 114-130 – new signing
R Smith, 24, AM L, 99-132- new signing
Philliskirk, 20, MC, 94-146 (+6)
Godsmark, 21, AM RLC, FC, 91-127 (+3)
Afzal, 20, D RC, 88-122 (+5)
Ifil, 24, D/WB R, 86-115 (+3)
B Smith, 18, ST, 86-132 (+22)
Harris, 20, D/M C, 84-132 (+2)
Elding, 29, ST, 82-105 (-)
Pead, 29, D/WB R, M RC, 79-107 (-)
Underwood, 18, GK, 79-156 (+14)
Newey, 28, DL, 78-85 (+2)
Miller, 18, MR, 74-177 (+3)
Rigley, 22, D/M L, 71-100 (+6)
Taylor, 19, ST, 68-89 (+1)
Stanley, 17, GK, 60-138 – promoted from youth academy
Skelton, 18, D/M C, 58-104 (+9)
Raven, 17, SW/D RLC, 58-119 – promoted from youth academy
Jones, 19, MC, 57-115 (+9) – new entry in top 20
Brown, 32, AM/F C, 56-95 (-5)
Players in last season's top 20 who have left the club:
Griffin, 30, ST, 54-71
Thom, 20, DC, 49-107
Creaney, 21, D LC, 49-89
Players in last season's top 20 who have dropped out of the top 20:
Clifford, 19, DC, 53-105 (+2)
Binns, 29, AM L, 52-85 (-)
Not many new signings for the Sheriffs, but they already had a squad capable of taking on the Blue Square Premier, and had plenty of youth waiting to improve. They should continue to do well.
Notable others:
CA of X or above:
190 : 00, 00, 00
180 : 00, 00, 00
170 : 00, 00, 00
160 : 00, 00, 00
150 : 00, 00, 00
140 : 00, 00, 00
130 : 00, 00, 00
120 : 00, 00, 00
110 : 00, 00, 01
100 : 00, 00, 01
090 : 00, 00, 04
080 : 00, 06, 09
070 : 00, 09, 14
060 : 01, 14, 16
050 : 02, 17, 25
The Sheriffs improve once again – last season their best player was in the 80 CA range, this season they have one player over 110 CA. It is an excellent squad for the Blue Square Premier.
Club reports – January-May
In stark contrast to the Sheriffs, the Bandits had only the league to concern themselves with, and it was looking highly promising that both they and Bournemouth would be playing League One football next season. All they had to do was keep it going.
A 4-0 thumping of Lincoln was the perfect start to 2011, but a slip up away to Barnet brought Bournemouth back into play. Their incredible home form continued with a 5-0 win over Hereford, but draws against Brentford and Notts County were not ideal.
At this point, Bournemouth were breathing down their necks, with Barnet only six points further back. But with three teams automatically promoted, signs were still very good – there was a big gap from Barnet to the rest of the pack.
Four wins and two draws cemented their position as promotion shoo ins, although Bournemouth were keeping up the pressure win a fine run of their own, so when the Bandits lost to Aldershot, their south coast rivals leapfrogged them to the top of the league. With ten games to go, promotion was almost assured for both teams and Barnet, and the real issue became whether another trophy could be lifted.
A draw with Yeovil allowed Bournemouth to pull away slightly, but four wins in a row was too much for the Cherries to compete with, and the Bandits returned to the top of the table with five games left.
All of which made the clash between Bournemouth and the Bandits a crucial one, but a goalless draw at Dean Court ensured that the Bandits stayed clear. Three wins and a draw in the final four matches were enough to seal it, especially after Bournemouth lost to Wycombe, and for the third season running, the Bandits were lifting a league trophy.
In the end, they won the title by four points, with Barnet in third placed, twelve points behind them. All three were comfortably promoted, as the playoff teams started another eight points behind Barnet.
It had been another stunning season for the Bandits, and after three promotions, they were now just two rungs from the Premiership. At what point does the rise slow down?
The Sheriffs had promotion aspirations of their own, and had certainly had a fantastic start to the season, but the fixture congestion was leading some to wonder whether more bodies should have been signed in January. With three cup competitions still holding interest, the players would be in for a busy time.
Their 2011 began with a trip to face Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup, and despite putting up an excellent fight, a 2-1 defeat saw the end of one of their cup dreams for another season. A 3-3 draw with Woking followed in the league, their previously watertight defence having an off day, before the fixture list became more congested after a 1-1 draw at Telford in the FA Trophy.
They were playing in a different competition every match, and next up was a Setanta Shield quarter final with Ebbsfleet. In the end, it was an easy victory, a 3-0 result pushing them closer to a cup final appearance. But back in the league, another draw, this time with Chelmsford, ended their long stint at the top of the table, Kidderminster taking over with twenty games remaining.
With only one automatic promotion spot available, and the Sheriffs having already lost one playoff battle in their short history, there was now real concern that their cup exploits would keep them in the non league structure for another season. It would certainly be a fight now. But before they could put things right in the league, the FA Trophy replay against Telford had to be played, a 2-0 victory keeping that competition alive in their season.
2-0 wins over York and Dagenham put them back to the top of the league, but by this point their players were taking to the field every three days. Next up were two more cup fixtures – first Kidderminster, one of their chief league rivals, were knocked out 2-1 in the FA Trophy, taking the Sheriffs to the quarter final, and then a tricky trip to Luton in the semi final of the Setanta Shield resulted in a tremendous 4-0 victory. Ironically, the final would be played at the Bandits' ground.
Luton had an immediate chance for revenge in the league four days later, but a tired Sheriffs side edged them out 2-1, before Torquay took advantage of their weariness, beating the Sheriffs by the same margin. Now both Kidderminster and Torquay were applying pressure to the Sheriffs at the top of the league.
Wins over Crawley and Stevenage gave them a little bit of breathing space before the cups took over again, a 2-1 win over Chelmsford taking them to the semi finals of the FA Trophy. Their form continued with two more wins in the league, and by the end of February their status as favourites for the title were reestablished.
All of this was great preparation for the Setanta Shield final, a tie with York that proved exceptionally close, until young Sheriff striker Ben Smith popped up with the winner to add to the fantastic season they were having. Winning a trophy the Bandits never secured was simply a bonus.
A win and two draws in the league ensured that they had a decent lead with the FA Trophy coming to it's conclusion, allowing them to focus on a trophy that the Bandits did currently hold. Ebbsfleet came to town for the first leg of the semi final, and the two stars, Ryan Smith and Nathan Ellington, scored the goals that ensured a very healthy 2-0 lead. Their opponents scored early in the second leg to make the tie tense, but were unable to get the second goal they needed to force extra time, and the Sheriffs were off to Wembley.
Before all that, however, they were looking to secure promotion, and five wins in their last nine games were eventually enough to take the title with room to spare – Torquay ended ten points back, while Kidderminster and Dagenham failed to keep up their challenge, twelve points behind the eventual winners, the latter going up via the playoffs.
And so to the final challenge of the season, the FA Trophy final against Kettering. Like the Setanta Shield final, the match was tight, but goals from Afzal and Philliskirk shortly before half time put the Sheriffs in a commanding position, and one they would not give up despite Anthony Elding's second half red card. The 2-0 win ensured that the Sheriffs would be taking home three pieces of silverware from their final season as a non league club.
It had been almost perfect – the league was won with ease, and with over a hundred points, the two non league cups had both been won, and they even reached the third round of the FA Cup, even further than their great rivals. Their only disappointment was seeing the Bandits remain a league ahead of them, but both sides are looking exceptionally strong.
Bandit Honours:
League Two (2011)
Blue Square Premier (2010)
Blue Square South (2009)
FA Trophy (2010)
Sheriff Honours:
Blue Square Premier (2011)
Blue Square South (2010)
FA Trophy (2011)
Setanta Shield (2011)
Bandits report - Season summary
Blue Square South: (Pos 1), P 42, W 37, D 4, L 1, F 112, A 15, GD +97, Pts 115
(Media Prediction: 8th)
FA Cup: Third Round
FA Trophy: Fourth Round
Setanta Shield: Semi Final
Blue Square Premier: (Pos 1), P 46, W 37, D 5, L 4, F 122, A 29, GD +93, Pts 116
(Media Prediction: 20th)
FA Cup: Third Round
FA Trophy: Winners
Setanta Shield: South Fourth Round
League Two: (Pos 1), P 46, W 30, D 9, L 7, F 108, A 27, GD +81, Pts 99
(Media Prediction: 24th)
FA Cup: Second Round
League Cup: Third Round
Johnstone's Paint Trophy: South First Round
Sheriffs report - Season summary
Blue Square South: (Pos 2), P 42, W 26, D 4, L 12, F 72, A 37, GD +35, Pts 82
(Media Prediction: 22nd)
FA Cup: Fourth Qualifying Round
FA Trophy: Second Round
Setanta Shield: South Second Round
Blue Square South: (Pos 1), P 42, W 35, D 5, L 2, F 105, A 22, GD +83, Pts 110
(Media Prediction: 10th)
FA Cup: First Round
FA Trophy: Fourth Round
Setanta Shield: South First Round
Blue Square Premier: (Pos 1), P 46, W 31, D 9, L 6, F 97, A 36, GD +61, Pts 102
(Media Prediction: 23rd)
FA Cup: Third Round
FA Trophy: Winners
Setanta Shield: Winners
Bandits report - Best and Worst
New records:
Too many to mention
This season:
Best player – Bent, 7.53
Top scorer – Bent, 35
Worst player – Mulligan, 6.93
The forwards were immense – Marcus Bent scored 35 goals in 43 games, Dickinson managed 24 in 51, and Kilbey 19 in 46 from midfield. Left winger Dean Moxey managed 22 assists, and Ben Parker another ten from left back. It seems the Bandits were awesome down that flank.
Sheriffs report - Best and Worst
New records:
Too many to mention
This season:
Best player – Ellington, 7.20
Top scorer – Ellington/Elding, 28
Worst player – Skelton, 6.83
Unsurprisingly, Nathan Ellington had a big impact in the Blue Square Premier, scoring 28 goals in 41 games, but he was well supported by Anthony Elding who managed 28 in 62, adding 21 assists in a fantastic season.
Finance and Staff
The Bandits and the Sheriffs both fall behind Real Madrid in the rich list.
Rich Clubs
Bandits Balance – £86.3m (+£5.8m), with a transfer budget of £38m (-£1m).
Sheriffs Balance - £40.0m (+£7.7m), with a transfer budget of £23.5m (+£3.5m).
Staff Reputation
Dream Manager – 5832 (+1140)
Idiot Manager – 4701 (+1566)
Both the initial assistants are still out of work.
Player reports - Superstars
Goalkeeper 1 (Argentina)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 30, Conc 11, Cln 22, MoM 0, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 7.31
Transfers to Sunderland for £1.9m
2008-09, Sunderland, CA 158: Apps 12, Conc 14, Cln 5, MoM 1, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 6.78
2009-10, Sunderland, CA 170: Apps 46, Conc 53, Cln 16, MoM 3, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.03
2010-11, Sunderland, CA 176: Apps 45, Conc 53, Cln 15, MoM 5, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.13
Notes: Improves his performances slightly from last season, as do his club, rising to eleventh in the Premiership. Has now played five times for Argentina.
Goalkeeper 2 (England/Brazil)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 153: Apps 22 (1), Conc 14, Cln 12, MoM 1, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 7.01
Transfers to Rangers for £525k
2009-10, Rangers, CA 166: Apps 54, Conc 33, Cln 30, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.95
2010-11, Rangers, CA 176: Apps 46, Conc 39, Cln 18, MoM 2, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 6.99
Notes: Continues to play in Scotland, picking up his second consecutive SPL title, while playing to a decent standard. Brazil continue to pick him for their youth side, but have yet to give him a full cap.
Scottish Premier League (Rangers: 2010, 2011)
Scottish Co-operative Cup (Rangers: 2010)
Left Back 1 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 22, Gls 1, Asts 7, MoM 0, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 7.21
Transfers to Everton for £625k
2008-09, Everton, CA 161: Apps 11, Gls 1, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.81
Transfers to Arsenal for £7.5m
2009-10, Arsenal, CA 181: Apps 42 (2), Gls 2, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.11
2010-11, Arsenal, CA 188: Apps 38 (3), Gls 3, Asts 5, MoM 2, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.10
Notes: Continues at Arsenal, narrowly missing out on the Premiership, coming second, but does make his international debut, playing seven times for England and scoring once.
English FA Cup (Arsenal: 2010)
Left Back 2 (England/Denmark)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 156: Apps 41 (1), Gls 1, Asts 16, MoM 8, YC 7, RC 1, Avg 7.35
Transfers to West Ham for £650k
2009-10, West Ham, CA 181: Apps 40, Gls 1, Asts 1, MoM 2, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 7.05
2010-11, West Ham, CA 190: Apps 41, Gls 0, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 4, RC 0, Avg 6.85
Notes: Remains at West Ham, but possibly not for long as they continue to struggle in the Premiership, finishing 17th. Is yet to make his international debut.
English Blue Square South (Bandits: 2009)
Right Back 1 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 36, Gls 1, Asts 16, MoM 3, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.48
Transfers to Fulham for £1.2m
2008-09, Fulham, CA 165: Apps 10, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 6.52
2009-10, Fulham, CA 182: Apps 42, Gls 4, Asts 6, MoM 3, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.03
2010-11, Fulham, CA 194: Apps 43, Gls 4, Asts 5, MoM 3, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 6.98
Notes: Continues to improve his CA at a very healthy rate, and contributes to Fulham finishing an excellent eighth. Is now a regular for England, with nine caps.
Right Back 2 (France)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 6, Gls 0, Asts 3, MoM 2, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.72
Transfers to Rennes for £220k
2008-09, Rennes, CA 155: Apps 9, Gls 0, Asts 2, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.84
2009-10, Rennes, CA 155: Apps 1, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.00
Transfers to Man City for £11m
2009-10, Man City, CA 175: Apps 35 (1), Gls 1, Asts 2, MoM 1, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.87
2010-11, Man City, CA 186: Apps 40, Gls 1, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 6.88
Notes: Continues to play reasonably for Man City without setting the world alight, but does make his international choice, making his first appearance for France.
Centre Back 1 (Germany)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 35, Gls 1, Asts 6, MoM 0, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.08
Transfers to Fulham for £1.4m
2008-09, Fulham, CA 165: Apps 15, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 1, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 6.83
2009-10, Fulham, CA 179: Apps 42, Gls 5, Asts 1, MoM 2, YC 7, RC 0, Avg 6.84
2010-11, Fulham, CA 192: Apps 35, Gls 4, Asts 1, MoM 3, YC 11, RC 0, Avg 6.95
Notes: Another unspectacular season with Fulham, but his ability has not gone unnoticed, and after a series of snubs, has now appeared for Germany, playing six times and scoring once. Has a bit of a problem with discipline this season, with eleven yellow cards.
Centre Back 2 (Holland)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 25, Gls 1, Asts 2, MoM 2, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 7.36
Transfers to Lyon for £775k
2008-09, Lyon, CA 157: Apps 2, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 6.35
2009-10, Lyon, CA 169: Apps 34 (4), Gls 0, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 4, RC 0, Avg 6.84
2010-11, Lyon, CA 191: Apps 51, Gls 9, Asts 1, MoM 6, YC 7, RC 0, Avg 7.13
Notes: Has an excellent season with Lyon, although Marseille pip them to the French title. He does pick up a French Cup medal, however, and is already a regular for Holland, playing fifteen times and scoring once. His CA made huge strides this season.
French Ligue 1 (Lyon: 2010)
French Cup (Lyon: 2011)
French League Cup (Lyon: 2009, 2010)
Centre Back 3 (Italy)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 9, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 1, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.28
Transfers to Chievo for £75k
2008-09, Chievo, CA 157: Apps 16, Gls 1, Asts 0, MoM 3, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 6.67
Transfers to Sampdoria for £3.5m
2009-10, Sampdoria, CA 174: Apps 50, Gls 3, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 4, RC 0, Avg 6.93
2010-11, Sampdoria, CA 192: Apps 51, Gls 3, Asts 3, MoM 0, YC 4, RC 0, Avg 6.97
Notes: He was the subject of much transfer speculation this season, with countless bids being made by other Italian clubs and rejected by Sampdoria. In the end, he stayed, and played well even though his club slipped to tenth. Has now played nine times for Italy.
Centre Back 4 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 9 (1), Gls 0, Asts 1, MoM 2, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 7.09
Transfers to Hibernian for £30k
2008-09, Hibernian, CA 154: Apps 14, Gls 1, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 3, RC 1, Avg 6.68
2009-10, Hibernian, CA 154: Apps 2, Gls 1, Asts 1, MoM 1, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.90
Transfers to West Brom for £2.5m
2009-10, West Brom, CA 173: Apps 40, Gls 2, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 5, RC 1, Avg 6.86
2010-11, West Brom, CA 184: Apps 41, Gls 2, Asts 0, MoM 1, YC 7, RC 0, Avg 6.85
Notes: Once again, he plays reasonably but perhaps below the standard expected of someone with his ability. That may not be helped by the presence of Idiot Goalkeeper behind him, but West Brom still comfortably survive in twelfth. He makes his debut for England, playing twice.
Left Mid 1 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 23 (2), Gls 10, Asts 10, MoM 0, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 7.03
Transfers to Man City for £1.1m
2008-09, Man City, CA 165: Apps 6, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.45
Transfers to West Brom for £10.5m
2009-10, West Brom, CA 179: Apps 39, Gls 8, Asts 8, MoM 5, YC 6, RC 0, Avg 7.12
2010-11, West Brom, CA 190: Apps 35 (1), Gls 7, Asts 3, MoM 3, YC 6, RC 0, Avg 7.07
Notes: Doesn't have quite as good a season as he did last time around, but it is still enough to mean he reaches six England caps.
Left Mid 2 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 16 (1), Gls 6, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 3, RC 1, Avg 7.06
Transfers to Everton for £1m
2008-09, Everton, CA 167: Apps 17, Gls 2, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 6.60
Transfers to Chelsea for £8.75m
2009-10, Chelsea, CA 184: Apps 50 (2), Gls 11, Asts 19, MoM 6, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.19
2010-11, Chelsea, CA 194: Apps 45 (1), Gls 6, Asts 7, MoM 5, YC 0, RC 1, Avg 7.03
Notes: After scoring or getting the assist for thirty goals last season, his much reduced number was quite a disappointment this season, which went along with Chelsea's slip from first to fourth in the Premiership. Does better at international level, with seven goals in seventeen caps.
English Premiership (Chelsea: 2010)
Right Mid 1 (England/Mexico)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 30, Gls 11, Asts 11, MoM 1, YC 4, RC 0, Avg 7.11
Transfers to Blackburn for £1.3m
2008-09, Blackburn, CA 165: Apps 14, Gls 6, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.91
2009-10, Blackburn, CA 165: Apps 7, Gls 2, Asts 4, MoM 2, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.44
Transfers to AC Milan for £14.5m
2009-10, AC Milan, CA 177: Apps 2 (5), Gls 1, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.80
2010-11, AC Milan, CA 177: Apps 5 (5), Gls 2, Asts 3, MoM 0, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.13
Transfers to Chelsea for £22.5m
2010-11, Chelsea, CA 189: Apps 18 (1), Gls 4, Asts 6, MoM 2, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.14
Notes: Spent the first half of the season begging for first team football at AC Milan, who were refusing to play him, and finally got his wish when Chelsea came in with a massive offer for him. He has started well at his new club, but is still to be capped at international level.
Right Mid 2 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 11 (1), Gls 4, Asts 8, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.26
Transfers to Rangers for £220k
2008-09, Rangers, CA 160: Apps 19, Gls 4, Asts 4, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.58
Transfers to Liverpool for £7.5m
2009-10, Liverpool, CA 178: Apps 34 (5), Gls 4, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.03
2010-11, Liverpool, CA 192: Apps 54 (3), Gls 18, Asts 14, MoM 10, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 7.29
Notes: What a sensational season. After a massive CA rise, he scores eighteen goals from the wing, manages many more assists, and plays a massive part in Liverpool lifting the Premiership for the first time in over two decades. His fine form makes him impossible for England to ignore, and he scores twice in his first five internationals.
English Premiership (Liverpool: 2011)
Scottish Premier League (Rangers: 2009)
Scottish Co-operative Cup (Rangers: 2009)
Centre Mid 1 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 155: Apps 52 (1), Gls 17, Asts 13, MoM 2, YC 9, RC 1, Avg 6.93
Transfers to Middlesbrough for £1.1m
2009-10, Middlesbrough, CA 176: Apps 40, Gls 10, Asts 3, MoM 7, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.16
2010-11, Middlesbrough, CA 192: Apps 44, Gls 19, Asts 4, MoM 7, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.35
Notes: An excellent rise in CA and a stunning season see him score nineteen goals from midfield, while averaging 5.45 tackles per game, fantastic for a midfielder. He is comfortably Boro's best performer in a season where they finish ninth, and he is recognised with his first six England caps, scoring three times.
English Blue Square South (Bandits: 2009)
Centre Mid 2 (Portugal)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 31 (1), Gls 10, Asts 11, MoM 2, YC 7, RC 0, Avg 7.04
Transfers to Sporting for £1.1m
2008-09, Sporting, CA 163: Apps 17, Gls 3, Asts 2, MoM 1, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 6.86
2009-10, Sporting, CA 179: Apps 40 (3), Gls 12, Asts 3, MoM 3, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.22
2010-11, Sporting, CA 194: Apps 49, Gls 22, Asts 12, MoM 7, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.39
Notes: Another terrific season for the man who has chosen Portugal as his home at club and international level. Sporting are again pipped to the league by Benfica, but he does pick up his first trophy with the Portuguese Cup. Has now scored four times in eleven appearances for his country.
Portuguese Cup (Sporting: 2011)
Centre Mid 3 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 15 (4), Gls 9, Asts 4, MoM 0, YC 5, RC 1, Avg 7.21
Transfers to Bolton for £675k
2008-09, Bolton, CA 164: Apps 12, Gls 1, Asts 2, MoM 0, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 6.77
Transfers to Liverpool for £16.5m
2009-10, Liverpool, CA 188: Apps 38 (1), Gls 14, Asts 4, MoM 5, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 7.15
2010-11, Liverpool, CA 198: Apps 44 (9), Gls 5, Asts 10, MoM 3, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 7.05
Notes: Has the highest CA of any of the former Bandits, although his performance levels don't really reflect that, after a season in which he did not contribute as much as he would hope to. But ironically, Liverpool raise their game (with the help of two other former Bandits), to claim the Premiership crown for the first time in 21 years. Now has nine England caps to his name, with six goals, an excellent record.
English Premiership (Liverpool: 2011)
English Carling Cup (Liverpool: 2010)
Centre Mid 4 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 4 (3), Gls 2, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.93
Transfers to Reading for £75k
2008-09, Reading, CA 154: Apps 22, Gls 3, Asts 2, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.71
Transfers to Hull for £2.1m
2009-10, Hull, CA 165: Apps 29, Gls 6, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 7.14
Transfers to Liverpool for £12.75m
2010-11, Liverpool, CA 189: Apps 36 (21), Gls 10, Asts 11, MoM 5, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.07
Notes: Having experienced relegation with Hull, it was inevitable that he would move on in the summer, and Liverpool offered the sufficient money to see him return to the Premiership instantly. He managed to raise his CA considerably, which was lagging behind the rest, and played a decent part in Liverpool claiming the Premiership, scoring at a healthy rate from midfield. He also made his first three appearances for England, and appears to have his career back on track.
English Premiership (Liverpool: 2011)
Striker 1 (Spain)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 165: Apps 46 (4), Gls 34, Asts 12, MoM 14, YC 8, RC 0, Avg 7.87
Transfers to Sevilla for £1.3m
2009-10, Sevilla, CA 178: Apps 51 (1), Gls 30, Asts 14, MoM 8, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.26
2010-11, Sevilla, CA 191: Apps 54, Gls 36, Asts 13, MoM 10, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.34
Notes: After a remarkable 30 goals in La Liga last season, it seemed impossible for him to do any better, but he managed 36 this time, at an increased performance rate too, although it was only enough to help his club to fifth. They did, however, claim the Copa del Rey, and he has now chosen Spain at international level, scoring three times in his opening three games. He is some player.
English Blue Square South (Bandits: 2009)
Spanish Copa del Rey (Sevilla: 2011)
Striker 2 (England)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 32 (3), Gls 22, Asts 5, MoM 8, YC 9, RC 1, Avg 7.96
Transfers to Newcastle for £1.5m
2008-09, Newcastle, CA 160: Apps 12, Gls 4, Asts 1, MoM 0, YC 4, RC 0, Avg 7.06
2009-10, Newcastle, CA 180: Apps 34, Gls 18, Asts 9, MoM 5, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.14
2010-11, Newcastle, CA 189: Apps 50, Gls 29, Asts 15, MoM 10, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.20
Notes: Continues to improve both his CA and his performance levels, and manages 29 goals in an excellent season. His club, however, slip to 14th, and he seems to be their only bright spark. Despite those struggles, he continues to be recognised by England, and has five goals in seven appearances.
Striker 3 (England/USA)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 5 (5), Gls 6, Asts 1, MoM 1, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 8.04
Transfers to Sheff Utd for £55k
2008-09, Sheff Utd, CA 161: Apps 23, Gls 10, Asts 5, MoM 4, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 7.14
Transfers to Rangers for £2.6m
2009-10, Rangers, CA 170: Apps 52 (1), Gls 51, Asts 18, MoM 22, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.66
2010-11, Rangers, CA 189: Apps 48, Gls 58, Asts 18, MoM 22, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.79
Notes: After scoring 51 goals in a season, expectations were high, and yet somehow he still managed to exceed them, scoring a frankly ridiculous 58 goals in 48 games, proving that this league is now way below the standard he needs to be playing at. Gets the man of the match award in nearly half his games, leading his side to the SPL title again, by twenty points this season. But despite his exploits, Capello continues to turn his nose up and refuses to cap him for England.
Scottish Premier League (Rangers: 2010, 2011)
Scottish Co-operative Cup (Rangers: 2010)
Striker 4 (England/Vanuatu)
2008-09, Bandits, CA 150: Apps 15 (4), Gls 14, Asts 4, MoM 3, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.85
Transfers to Dundee Utd for £85k
2008-09, Dundee Utd, CA 156: Apps 18, Gls 11, Asts 1, MoM 4, YC 2, RC 0, Avg 7.13
Transfers to Hull for £10m
2009-10, Hull, CA 175: Apps 49, Gls 24, Asts 9, MoM 8, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 7.09
2010-11, Hull, CA 175: Apps 22, Gls 20, Asts 2, MoM 8, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.46
Transfers to Sampdoria for £21.5m
2010-11, Sampdoria, CA 183: Apps 14 (1), Gls 2, Asts 4, MoM 2, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.10
Notes: After Hull's relegation, many expected him to leave in the summer, but the club fought to keep him, and he began the season in the Championship, unsurprisingly destroying allcomers and taking Hull to third. But in January, the board went over their manager's head to accept a huge offer from Sampdoria, so he was off to Italy, where he is still settling in. He is yet to be capped, and Hull faded after his departure, finishing sixth and losing in the playoffs.
Player reports - Idiots
Idiot Goalkeeper (England)
2008-09, Sheriffs, CA 150: Apps 51, Conc 46, Cln 22, MoM 5, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 6.99
Transfers to Falkirk for £80k
2009-10, Falkirk, CA 150: Apps 25, Conc 26, Cln 11, MoM 1, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.84
Transfers to West Brom for £2.7m
2009-10, West Brom, CA 150: Apps 16, Conc 15, Cln 6, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.94
2010-11, West Brom, CA 150: Apps 35, Conc 47, Cln 7, MoM 1, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.95
Notes: After two transfers last season, he finally settles with West Brom, but hardly sets the world alight as his club finish 12th. Capello, however, has seen something in him, and given him his first three England caps.
Idiot Defender (England/Northern Mariana)
2008-09, Sheriffs, CA 150: Apps 5, Gls 0, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 7.46
Transfers to Blackburn for £700k
2008-09, Blackburn, CA 145: Apps 18, Gls 0, Asts 1, MoM 1, YC 3, RC 3, Avg 6.64
Transfers to Hull for £5.25m
2009-10, Hull, CA 145: Apps 37, Gls 0, Asts 4, MoM 0, YC 9, RC 0, Avg 6.48
2010-11, Hull, CA 140: Apps 38 (4), Gls 1, Asts 2, MoM 1, YC 5, RC 0, Avg 6.77
Notes: After helping Hull get relegated from the Premiership, it seemed to everyone as if he would find himself another club in the summer. But his falling CA and terrible attitude seems to be putting everyone off, and as a result he was forced to spend the entire season in the Championship. He can't even play well there, and Hull fail to get promoted, losing in the playoffs. Remains uncapped, and that may never change.
Idiot Midfielder (England/Yemen)
2008-09, Sheriffs, CA 150: Apps 23, Gls 9, Asts 9, MoM 0, YC 12, RC 3, Avg 6.80
Transfers to Celtic for £1m
2008-09, Celtic, CA 150: Apps 15 (3), Gls 2, Asts 2, MoM 0, YC 5, RC 1, Avg 6.46
2009-10, Celtic, CA 150: Apps 1, Gls 0, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.20
Transfers to Aston Villa for £8.25m
2009-10, Aston Villa, CA 149: Apps 31 (3), Gls 1, Asts 4, MoM 0, YC 4, RC 0, Avg 6.94
2010-11, Aston Villa, CA 149: Apps 13 (1), Gls 2, Asts 2, MoM 0, YC 1, RC 0, Avg 6.88
Notes: Remains at Aston Villa, but his poor attitude means his CA isn't going up, and as a result he isn't a regular in the side. When he does play, he doesn't do that well either. Is still uncapped.
Scottish Cup (Celtic: 2009)
Idiot Striker (England/Zambia)
2008-09, Sheriffs, CA 150: Apps 5, Gls 5, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 7.46
Transfers to Blackburn for £775k
2008-09, Blackburn, CA 149: Apps 2 (2), Gls 1, Asts 0, MoM 0, YC 0, RC 0, Avg 6.67
Transfers to Hull for £4m
2009-10, Hull, CA 149: Apps 39 (4), Gls 7, Asts 8, MoM 0, YC 7, RC 0, Avg 6.71
2010-11, Hull, CA 143: Apps 19 (19), Gls 8, Asts 3, MoM 1, YC 3, RC 0, Avg 6.74
Notes: After an extremely poor scoring record in the Premiership last season, Hull were hoping that he would be more effective in the Championship. Unfortunately, he wasn't, so he lost his place in the team, as his abilities faded. Winning a cap ahead of Striker 3 would be a travesty that fortunately has not occurred yet.
Competitions - England
Liverpool win their first top flight title in 21 years, winning the Premiership by five points from Arsenal, perennial runners up. The traditional big four are back, with United third and Chelsea fourth, Everton's European exploits preventing them from repeating last season's third spot.
At the bottom, it was a depressing story of the three promoted sides going straight back down again. The only team that came close to them was West Ham, five points clear, but 16th placed Reading ended a massive thirteen points from the drop zone. Those three sides just weren't good enough this season.
Arsenal managed to claim some silverware again, beating Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final to retain the competition, and this season one side from outside the Premiership – Wigan – reached the quarter final, although that was because the draw was kind enough to keep them away from the top flight sides, and Spurs then hammered them 4-0. That wasn't the only beating the Premiership sides dished out – Liverpool put six past Accrington in round three, Fulham seven past Bristol Rovers in round four, and Arsenal eight past Plymouth in the same round (the irony being they had drawn at the Emirates and this was the replay). Plymouth, incidentally, lost the Championship playoff final, so were nearly in for a season of pain.
Spurs made up for losing the Carling Cup final 5-4 last season by going one better, beating Man City 2-1, while again no side from outside the Premiership reached the quarter finals.
In Europe, Barcelona returned to the summit with a 3-0 demolition of surprise finalists Werder Bremen, who had enjoyed a remarkable semi final win over Bayern – having lost the first leg 3-0, they won by the same score in the second leg thanks to a late goal, and then added two more in extra time for a 5-3 aggregate win. United and Chelsea were the last English participants, losing in the quarter finals.
Incredibly, the UEFA Cup final was a local derby, Everton beating Liverpool 2-1 in extra time. Everton had reached the Champions League group stage but fallen into the UEFA Cup, while Liverpool's disappointing fifth place last season left them in the secondary competition.
Premiership Analysis - Reputation
(league position in bold)
1 (1). Chelsea (4) – 9279 (-122)
2 (2). Man Utd (3) – 9127 (-180)
3 (3). Liverpool (1) – 9004 (+27)
4 (4). Arsenal (2) – 8914 (+21)
5 (6). Everton (9) – 7762 (+287)
6 (5). Tottenham (5) – 7711 (+96)
7 (7). Man City (6) – 7477 (+189)
8 (8). Aston Villa (13) – 7368 (+159)
9 (9). Newcastle (14) – 7222 (+150)
10 (11). Middlesbrough (7) – 7015 (+157)
11 (10). Blackburn (10) – 6968 (-37)
12 (12). West Ham (17) – 6799 (-27)
13 (14). West Brom (12) – 6766 (+224)
14 (13). Bolton (15) – 6735 (+123)
15 (16). Fulham (8) – 6669 (+334)
16 (15). Sunderland (11) – 6563 (+128)
17 (17). Reading (16) – 6392 (+178)
18 (-). Stoke (18) – 5802 (-474)
19 (-). Portsmouth (19) – 5801 (-582)
20 (-). Wolves (20) – 5786 (-154)
Promoted sides
Watford- 5683
Leeds - 5872
Preston – 6288 (+490)
Bandits – 2797 (+782)
Sheriffs – 2004 (+527)
Not many changes this season, with the top four staying as they were. A couple of swaps further down the list, but it was only really the relegated clubs that suffered big losses (Wolves apart, who already had a low reputation). The Premiership is a bit of a status quo at the moment.
Of the sides coming up, Watford and Leeds grabbed the automatic spots, but both are far behind anyone in the top flight and will really struggle. Preston, up via the playoffs, have the bonus of having been in the Premiership two years ago, a yo-yo effect that has helped their reputation, and may allow them to survive.
Overachievers : Fulham
Underachievers : Everton
Title Prediction : Liverpool to retain
Relegation Prediction : The three promoted clubs to all drop for the second season running
Competitions – League Two
Best players in League Two:
1 (-). Heaton (Yeovil, 25, GK, 125-139)
2 (-). Kilbey (Bandits, 20, AMC, 123-157)
3 (-). Bent (Bandits, 33, ST, 121-145)
4 (-). Henderson (Bradford, 27, GK, 118-125)
5 (-). Thornton (Bradford, 24, AMC, 115-130)
6 (-). Forecast (Lincoln, 24, GK, 114-135)
7 (-). Burton (Bandits, 17, D RLC, 113-163)
8 (-). Bennett (Bradford, 21, DC, 111-130)
9 (-). McGeough (Stockport, 20, AMC, 111-116)
10 (-). Ward (Bandits, 32, DC, 110-122)
Heaton is an excellent keeper for Yeovil and tops the list, but otherwise it is the Bandit show, with four entries. Kilbey goes from being the best player in the Blue Square Premier to the second best in League Two, and both he and Burton stick out because of their youth and potential. Bradford should've been more of a force this season.
Competitions – Blue Square Premier
Best players in the Blue Square Premier:
1 (-). Ellington (Sheriffs, 29, ST, 114-130)
2 (5). Craddock (Luton, 24, ST, 104-110)
3 (6). Osano (Rushden, 24, D RC/MR, 102-120)
4 (-). Smith (Sheriffs, 24, AML, 99-132)
5 (4). Parkin (Luton, 30, ST, 98-127)
6 (8). Gilbert (York, 27, DL, 97-123)
7 (9). Mazel (Oxford, 28, D RC, 96-120)
8 (10). Laird (Stevenage, 25, MC, 95-119)
9 (-). McCay (Luton, 25, D/WB/M L, 95-110)
10 (-). Philliskirk (Sheriffs, 20, MC, 94-146)
Plenty of players that remain on the list from last season, and Luton will be especially disappointed in their final position of twelfth in the league. Nathan Ellington is, unsurprisingly top of the pile with a CA that would put him on the top ten list of League Two.
Competitions – Around the world
Your annual guide to the major competition winners from across the globe:
[number in brackets after a win indicates how many consecutive wins that club has now had]
World Club Cup – Valencia
Champions League – Barcelona
UEFA Cup – Everton
Jupiler Pro League – Anderlecht (Relegated – KV Kortrijk, Promoted - Roeselare)
Confidis Cup – Germinal Beerschot
Premiership – Liverpool (Relegated – Stoke, Portsmouth, Wolves, Promoted – Watford, Leeds, Preston)
FA Cup – Arsenal (2)
League Cup - Spurs
Ligue 1 – Marseille (Relegated – Metz, Sochaux, Le Havre, Promoted – Troyes, Cannes, Brest)
Coupe de France – Lyon
Coupe de la Ligue – PSG
Bundesliga – Bayern Munich (3) (Relegated – Koln, St. Pauli, Promoted – Nurnberg, Bochum)
DFB-Pokal – Bayern Munich (3)
Serie A – Inter Milan (Relegated – Ascoli, Siena, Mantova, Promoted – Modena, Chievo, TBD)
Italian Cup – Inter Milan
Eredivisie – AZ Alkmaar (!) (Relegated – Excelsior, SC Cambuur, Promoted – Heracles, Den Dosch)
Dutch Cup – Vitesse
Liga Sagres – Benfica (3) (Relegated – Gil Vicente, Chaves, Promoted – E. Amadora, Leiria)
Taca de Portugal – Sporting
Carlsberg Cup – Benfica (3)
SPL – Rangers (3) (Relegated – Morton, Promoted – St. Mirren)
Scottish Cup – Celtic (3)
Co-operative Cup – Celtic
La Liga – Real Madrid (3) (Relegated – Almeria, Tenerife, Gimnastic, Promoted – Recreativo, Espanyol, TBD)
Copa del Rey – Sevilla
South America
Copa Libertadores – Sao Paulo
Copa Sudamericana – Pumas
Primera A – River Plate (3) (Relegated – Belgrano, Union, Quilmes, Promoted – Gimnasia, San Martin, Rafaela)
Brasileiro – Sao Paulo (Relegated – Nautico, Goias, Figueirense, America (RN), Promoted – Sport Recife, Fortaleza, Ipatinga, Parana)
Copa do Brasil – Vitoria
World Cup – Italy
African Cup of Nations – n/a
Asian Cup – n/a
European Championships – n/a
Gold Cup – n/a
Oceania Nations Cup – n/a
Copa America – n/a
Confederations Cup – n/a
Olympics – n/a
Three promotions and three title winning campaigns for the all conquering Bandits, who are now just two rungs from the Premiership. Undoubtedly life will become more difficult as they rise up the leagues, but right now their manager is taking them up faster than anyone could have predicted.
As for the Sheriffs, their season was near perfect – the league title, coupled with the two non league cup competitions in their last season there. They even reached the third round of the FA Cup – a great achievement. It will be interesting to see if they can follow in the Bandits' promotion footsteps until their great rivals slip up or reach the Premiership.
The starlets have mostly found clubs they are happy with, but Striker 3 might want to leave the SPL – 109 goals in two seasons have not been enough to earn an international cap – astonishing.
As for the idiots, it looks like their careers are never really going to take off – they lack the desire to better themselves, and consequently the starlets now have a great deal more ability. How long until they all get frustrated and start to kick up a fuss?
Starlets and Idiots
Bandit's former manager watch
No former managers
Sheriffs's former manager watch
No former managers
World View – Club Reputation
The top twenty clubs in the world, based on their reputation:
1 (4). Barcelona – 9328 (+64)
2 (2). Real Madrid – 9325 (-53)
3 (1). Chelsea – 9279 (-122)
4 (3). Man Utd – 9127 (-180)
5 (7). Liverpool – 9004 (+27)
6 (5). Valencia – 8924 (-149)
7 (8). Arsenal – 8914 (+21)
8 (6). Inter Milan – 8906 (-86)
9 (9). Bayern Munich – 8675 (-55)
10 (10). AC Milan – 8598 (-41)
11 (11). Juventus – 8530 (-96)
12 (14). Fiorentina – 8451 (+18)
13 (13). Roma – 8381 (-99)
14 (12). Sevilla – 8379 (-120)
15 (15). Lyon – 8309 (-77)
16 (18). Atletico Madrid – 8119 (+146)
17 (-). Werder Bremen – 8112
18 (-). Zenit – 8002
19 (17). Galatasaray – 7969 (-36)
20 (20). River Plate – 7921 (+18)
Dropping out:
21 (16). Porto – 7911 (-161)
22 (19). Benfica – 7878 (-84)
Spain return to the top, but it is a bad season for Portugal, with their two representatives dropping out.
World View - Ones to watch
Your annual guide to the stars of tomorrow:
Tamer Ozdemir (Konyaspor/Turkey, 17, DC, 98-197) is already a regular for Turkish lower league side Konyaspor, although he is struggling to play well. He has appeared for the Under 21s already.
Previous tips
Loic Pelletier (Troyes/France, 18, MC, 108/197) gains another fourteen points of CA, and has now finally made his debut for Troyes, appearing a handful of times this season and doing fine.
Steve Tucker (Motherwell/England, 18, D RC, 106/197) only gains six CA points, a disappointing tally given his huge potential, and still only plays sporadically for his club. His performances are fine when he does get a chance.
World View - World beaters
Kaka (AC Milan/Brazil, 29, AM C, 194/195) stays joint top of the list, but still can't quite reach his potential. He plays reasonably well, but not superbly. Could be doing much better.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina, 23, AM RLC, 194/195) stays just below his potential, as with Kaka, and also like Kaka has a good but unspectacular season. He does however win the Champions League trophy.
Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo (Man United/Portugal, 26, AM RL, 194/195) is the third player on the list to sit of 194 CA, one short of their potential, and he perform slightly better than his two main rivals.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid/Spain, 30, GK, 191/192) is still only 30, despite seeming to have been around for twenty years. His CA remains static, but he has a fantastic season, winning La Liga and conceding only 21 goals in 53 games.
Iker Casillas
Number of 190+ CA players : 4 (-) (excluding starlets and idiots)
Number of 180+ CA players : 36 (+8) (excluding starlets and idiots)
Number of 170+ CA players : 133 (+19) (excluding starlets and idiots)
Number of 190+ PA players : 23 (-1) (excluding starlets and idiots)
Number of 180+ PA players : 158 (+2) (excluding starlets and idiots)
Number of 170+ PA players : 653 (+54) (excluding starlets and idiots)
World View - Distribution of 180+ CA players
(excluding starlets and idiots)
The clubs
A very good year for Spanish football sees Barcelona and Real Madrid top the list, although Liverpool also have six stars when you include their three former Bandits. CSKA Moscow appear on the list for the first time.Code:Team Number of stars No. of Bandit stars Real Madrid 6 (+2) (191, 186, 183, 183, 181, 180) Barcelona 5 (+3) (194, 183, 183, 180, 180) AC Milan 3 (-) (194, 182, 182) Man Utd 3 (-1) (194, 184, 183) Arsenal 3 (+1) (189, 184, 183) 1 (+1) (188) Liverpool 3 (-) (187, 183, 181) 3 (+3) (198, 192, 189) Chelsea 2 (-1) (189, 184) 2 (+2) (194, 187) Juventus 2 (+1) (188, 180) Lyon 2 (+1) (186, 180) 1 (+1) (191) Roma 2 (+1) (184, 180) Atletico Madrid 1 (-) (187) Bayer Leverkusen 1 (-) (185) CSKA Moscow 1 (+1) (182) Valencia 1 (-) (180) Fiorentina 1 (-) (180) Fulham 2 (+2) (194, 192) Sporting 1 (+1) (194) Sampdoria 2 (+2) (192, 183) Middlesbrough 1 (+1) (192) Sevilla 1 (+1) (191) West Ham 1 (+1) (190) West Brom 2 (+2) (190, 184) Newcastle 1 (+1) (189) Rangers 1 (+1) (189) Man City 1 (+1) (186) Total 36 (+8) 20 (+20)
The leagues
Spain fly to the top of the list, while Russia appear for the first time. Portugal and Scotland have former Bandits, getting them on to the list too.Code:Country Stars Bandit stars Spain 13 (+5) 1 (+1) England 11 (-1) 14 (+14) Italy 8 (+2) 2 (+2) France 2 (+1) 1 (+1) Germany 1 (-) Russia 1 (+1) Portugal 1 (+1) Scotland 1 (+1) Total 36 (+8) 20 (+20)
The nationalities
Once again Spain looks strong, but England, who would be struggling otherwise, have fourteen ex Bandits. However, some of those have not confirmed their chosen nationality yet.Code:Country Stars Bandit stars Spain 8 (+2) 1 (+1) Italy 6 (+2) 1 (+1) Argentina 4 (-) France 4 (+1) 1 (+1) Brazil 2 (+1) England 2 (-2) 14 (+14) Holland 2 (+2) 1 (+1) Portugal 1 (-) 1 (+1) Ghana 1 (-) Germany 1 (-) 1 (+1) Czech Rep 1 (-) Mexico 1 (-) Macedonia 1 (-) Slovakia 1 (+1) Russia 1 (+1) Total 36 (+8) 20 (+20)
Last edited by kipfizh; 01-06-2009 at 16:04.
Right, hopefully the extensive delay in the report (early April was the last seasonal update - there has been a World Cup report since, but still, that's a long time!) is softened slightly by the few new bits and bobs in today's. The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed:
1) The Sheriffs have a 'Best and Worst' section, with screenshots of the whole first team squad, including seasonal stats - peruse at your will.
2) All the starlets and idiots are now screenshotted (my new favourite word...)
3) The world view includes not only clubs relegated from the top divisions, but those promoted to it - wait for the minnows to arrive.
4) The final section, the distribution of world stars, is codified to look pretty, and include the former Bandits (thanks to zyzzy for the suggestion and VonBlade for telling me how to do it).
Wow. Did Striker 3 kill Capello's cat or something? That's astonishing form. Both clubs are probably odds-on for promotions again next year as well, I'd say.
Great update, kip.
(long time reader, first time poster. great stuff!)


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Ansonia aims for 27th state final berth
ANSONIA — In today's football era of spread offenses designed to force opponents to defend the entire field and worry about covering 4-5 receivers coming from all directions, the Ansonia High football team presents a different kind of challenge.
Eschewing the open space and a multitude of schemes, the Chargers run a tight formation with a maximum number of blockers condensed into a small space. Then they come right at you with the power running game and dare you stop them.
While it may seem risky to appear so predictable, no one has stopped them yet. Not for 41 straight games. Not with Arkeel Newsome as the primary tailback.
The No. 2-seeded Chargers (13-0) go into today's CIAC Class S semifinal state playoff game against No. 3 Rocky Hill (11-1) on a downhill roll that has left opponents frustrated.
The sour grapes that spewed from the mouth of Coginchaug coach John Bozzi after Ansonia beat his team, 49-21, behind Newsome's 492 yards and seven touchdowns insinuated that the Chargers are a one-dimensional, one-player team.
Ansonia coach Tom Brockett said he won't dignify Bozzi's disrespect toward the Chargers players and coaching staff by commenting on the fact Bozzi thought Ansonia was unimpressive and unprepared.
"I think we have had kids who have been great players, and one of the things that helps us is the unselfishness of our team," Brockett said. "Kids don't worry about individual stats. It's a belief in the team. Our kids could care less about anything that goes on outside the locker room. It has never even been addressed. They are just concentrating on Rocky Hill, because that is going to be a great challenge."
Rocky Hill plays power football, as well, with a double-wing offense led by senior Chris Young (1,871 yards, 33 TDs) and freshman G Nieves (592 yards, 7 TDs).
"They have two kids running the ball excellent for them, and they are physical up front, which presents a challenge," Brockett said. "They have also run their system for a long time, and they do it well. That definitely helps them with a short turnaround to prepare for this game. They seem to be able to get that offense going against everybody. That allows them to keep your offense off the field."
That could prove to be the best defense against Newsome and the Chargers. Keep them off the field. The only team that has been able to slow them down has been Seymour. Everyone else has failed despite the fact they know what is coming at them.
"A lot of times it probably looks like the same thing until coaches try to break it down and they find there are so many different blocking schemes we use," Brockett said. "We adjust based on what we see and we make calls to take advantage of things. People are going to take away different things, and we have to be able to attack different flanks."
He said Chargers' success can be attributed to great blocking, an incredibly talented tailback in Newsome and the great attitude of all the players.
"I think the most important thing is the belief amongst the kids, amongst the staff," Brockett said. "Everyone has that belief that we are going to find a way to run the football. And then obviously, it is nothing without the guys up front.
So they believe, and we are also very fortunate to have great fullbacks and a great offensive line. Then all of a sudden you throw in a back like Arkeel Newsome, and you have a pretty good formula."
In the last two games alone, Newsome has rushed for 898 yards and 14 touchdowns. For the season, he's rushed for 3,350 yards with 59 total touchdowns, and for his career he's rushed for 10,168 with 178 touchdowns.
"The challenge is getting into different formations and confusing them," offensive lineman Antone Mack said. "But if worse comes to worse, we just go back to the grindstone and just keep blocking.
Mack said either way Newsome makes the game fun for everyone, because his combination of speed, vision and agility make him a threat on every snap. With opposing defenses committing 9-10 guys to stop Newsome and creeping up toward the line of scrimmage to get him before he gains momentum, he can make a couple quick cuts and he's gone.
"It's like playing in the backyard with your friends and trying to score on every play," Mack said. "Or it's like playing the NCAA football video game. There is no other way to explain it."
The team's unselfishness is easy to explain. Committing to the run and Newsome, the two-time defending stat e champion Chargers have won a program-best 41 consecutive games and will be playing today to advance to their 27th title game in search of their 19th championship.
"One playoff win isn't enough for us," Mack said. "We want the whole thing. We need to take it to the state championship game and win another title."
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It just seems that so many poll type questions are thrown out in all the trilogy sites. I figure it might be of some use to provide simple stats on a polling type of question. For instance, if a question asked "What is your favorite X", it might be helpful to know at a glance that 57% upvoted Foo and 39% upvoted Bar, while 4% downvoted Baz.
This wouldn't be as useful in non-polling questions, so maybe it should be an optional feature enabled by the questioner by some means.


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Bali Baby Hire
You're off to Bali! You've got your tickets, passports, bathers and a good book. Oh, and the car seat, pram, booster seat, baby monitors and half the contents of the toy box. When you holiday with a little one, you need equipment, but lugging it around can be stressful and expensive.
So leave the lot at home and hire holiday replacements from Bali Baby Hire! They make family trips to Bali a breeze with their equipment, babysitting, transportation and VIP fast track services.
When you rent out their equipment, they can have it waiting for you at your hotel or villa when you arrive. From essentials like portacots, car seats, car booster seats, strollers, prams, high chairs, bathtubs, safety bed rails, safety gates and baby monitors to fun toys that'll keep your kid busy, everything they provide is top quality and sterile.
And if you're planning to go without gear throughout the trip, you'll at least need a ride from the airport to your island home! Bali Baby Hire has you covered with their child-safe shuttle service with secure car seats. Plus, they've pulled some strings to get their clients through the airport faster so you'll be on your way in no time.
Click 'Visit Website' for more information.
Contact: +62 89 8070 6460
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Right of replyBy Bali Baby Hire on 3/05/2013 8:58:45 AM
Just an email in reply to the below feedback from Kate.. There are always two sides to every story. I need to make it clear that she did not just make an enquiry she actually made a booking with Bali Baby Hire in which we confirmed for her and an invoice was sent out.. After this we also had correspondence confirming the booking itself. We offer many of our clients to pay (...) Read more
Not HAPPYBy Kate on 3/05/2013 7:33:49 AM
Hi I had made an enquiry with Bali baby hire but had not paid any money, then made an enquiry with Bali Baby and paid for my high chair. When I arrived at the hotel there was a high chair in out room so I thought it was from Bali Baby and thought nothing of it. Then I get a phone call saying there was someone here to collect my payment for the high hair ??? Very confusin (...) Read more
VERY EFFICIENT AND EXTREMELY HELPFUL GETTING THRU AIRPORTBy Hingeley on 31/12/2012 12:12:12 PM
We chose this company from good reviews and we were not disappointed, they were extremely efficient and met all the demands that we chose. We had a 9 month old, and my only suggestion would be to future hirers is do not consider hiring a stroller as I think the one we hired hardly left the villa because of the lack of good paths and roads around the area. I suggestion I (...) Read more
Amazing Service, Outstanding photography!By sian.jepson on 18/11/2012 1:33:56 PM
Thank you so much for making our first trip to Bali so easy and memorable! We hired a pusher and toy for our 10 month old for two weeks. It was delivered to our door, it worked perfectly, he was comfortable and we enjoyed getting around with him. We also had family photographs taken organised through Bali Baby Hire. We were apprehensive as we weren't sure the quality w (...) Read more
Hassle free stress free and simply easy 10mnth oldBy nicole.munn.94 on 4/11/2012 9:13:31 PM
Loved loved loved this service have told all my friends will be using you again and again. Took the stress of travelling overseas with a newborn and made it enjoyable. Hired the lay back stroller and was wonderful my daughter was able to sleep while we were out and about and the sterilser was easy and no bali belly for her
bali baby hireBy kath.lidster on 21/10/2012 8:52:18 PM
just returned from trip to bali with the family. we had megan at bali baby hire deliver a cot for our 18 month old daughter at our villa in canggu. we were very impressed with the service they provided and would not hesitate to recommend them to our friends. Luke.
Would highly recommendBy namidja.mckenzie on 10/10/2012 9:48:49 PM
On our recent trip to Bali we used a number of services offered by Bali Baby Hire. Megan, the owner was very easy to deal with before we left and her employees in Bali were fantastic. Our two year old still asks where Gede (our driver who took us to Ubud for the day) is. I would highly recommend Bali Baby Hire.
Brilliant service and equipmentBy browny on 3/10/2012 3:55:42 PM
Just recently spent a week in Bali and hired a pram, sterilizer and driver with car seats from Bali Baby Hire. They were so organised, reliable and the equipment was clean and well maintained. It was great not having to take the additional luggage and was also a relief to be able to have car seats to tour with a 9 month and 2 year old. I would certainly recommend them (...) Read more
A must if travelling with children to BaliBy debstar4 on 1/10/2012 7:56:43 PM
Travelling with 2 small children, (one an infant) can be a reasonably stressful time if you're not properly organised and boy did we find Bali Baby Hire to relieve that stress big time! We hired one of their Steraliser units and it was just the best! We picked it up in the lobby of our hotel from one of their friendly staff who delivered it on the day of our arrival and h (...) Read more
Excellent, wish they had this service everywhere!By hwoffordalbrecht on 9/09/2012 12:57:34 PM
When coming to a villa in Bali that didn't have a baby cot, the owner recommended this group. Once I went online & saw all they had to rent we were thrilled! Traveling with a 3 year old & 7 month old usually means heaps of luggage. This trip we rented the baby cot, the stroller, the pool float & the activity center which ended up being a life saver. He loved it! I cannot r (...) Read more


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Varsity participation involves rigorous competition and an intensive commitment to training, practices and games. A starting position on a team is an earned privilege based on demonstrated readiness for competition as assessed by the coach. Individual and team success is a by-product of character, commitment, practice, effort and teamwork. Coaching strategy focused on team competitiveness determines individual playing time. Playing time is not guaranteed.
The Junior Varsity level allows a student athlete to develop skills and increase knowledge of the competitive game situation with the goal to play at the varsity level at a future date. If a student is healthy, has been attending practice, and displays a positive attitude, he or she will play in contests although the amount of playing time is not guaranteed.
From time-to-time, the numbers of students participating in a sport may be greater than the maximum number of team members on the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams or the numbers of participants exceed the number that coaches can properly instruct and safely supervise. Depending on the sport, those students not placed on a Varsity or JV team may participate at the Reserve Level if available.
The athletes participating at the Reserve level will be afforded opportunities to increase their knowledge of the sport and individual skill level, although they may not participate in any athletic competitions. If a Reserve Level is not available for a particular sport, the student may be encouraged to try another sport or to further develop their skills and try again to make the team during the following year.
Brownell-Talbot School • 400 North Happy Hollow Boulevard • Omaha, NE • 68132 • 402.556.3772 • FAX 402.553.2994


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Crossland Economy Studios - Atlanta - Peachtree Corners
Norcross, GA 30092
770-449-9966 | 800-804-3724
Welcome to Crossland Economy Studios - Atlanta - Peachtree Corners. Our hotel is designed especially for longer stays with studio suite rooms featuring a fully-equipped kitchen…something you won't find in a typical hotel.
Info & Amenities
Hours of Operation
Sunday: All Day
Monday: All Day
Tuesday: All Day
Wednesday: All Day
Thursday: All Day
Friday: All Day
Saturday: All Day
Average Nightly Rate
$0-$50, $101-$150, $51-$100
Facility Amenities
Free Local Calls, Free Parking, Grill on Site, Laundry, Parking on Site
General Information
Handicapped Accessible (Limited) , Pets Accepted
Internet Connectivity
Free Wi-Fi
Near Interstate Highway
285, 400, 85
Payment Options
American Express, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Room Amenities
In-Room Coffee Maker, Iron/Ironing Board
Room Information
Number of ADA-compliant Rooms: 3
Number of Doubles: 10
Number of Rooms (Total): 138
Number of Singles: 115
Number of Suites: 10
Room Type
1-Bedroom Units
Setting & Style
Metropolitan Setting, Urban


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I've searched for 5 days on the Internet for a solution to my problem, and I already did almost everything, and I still have no positive results.
I installed 12.04 LTS in VirtualBox. I'm using bridged mode in the VirtualBox network preferences. I use as a router a Routerboard 450, with no proxy, DHCP with static IP to my virtual Ubuntu, and I use OpenDNS IPs to resolve the host names.
I'm new to the Linux world, I've started this week and I really want to solve this big problem. I don't want just to leave Ubuntu and start with CentOS or Debian, etc.
I've already tried to reinstall Ubuntu, I've disabled selinux, purged
network-manager and did the configuration manually.
I really don't remember what more I did.
I can ping Google, the IP of OpenDNS also, I've tried to use Google DNS, I've changed the resolv.conf.
Can someone help me?
** Solved, avast firewall was blocking my connection, I've solved it enabling the ICS option **


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Viewing a work of art may seem like a simple act--a uni-dimensìonal exchange of artistic information transacted between a solitary viewer and the artist.
An exhibition, titled "Framed," curated by Lauren Kaelin '10 in the Museum of Art, broadens the context within which art consumption takes place with an exploration of khe numerous agendas converging on the moment of art appreciation.
Of course, Kaelin reminds, the artist has intent in creating the work. But often (and perhaps ideally) unrealized is the curator's intent in how, where and in what fashion to display the artists' works in an exhibition. The framer, too, by defining the art works' shape, makes an enorrnous if under-appreciated contribution. Finally, untold millions of details from viewers' backgrounds alter their perception of the artwork and the context in which it's presented.
"When you look at art, your experience is guided by the curator," Kaelin explains in her introductory notes on the wall of the exhibition. "Ideally, the curator is not part of your conscious experience; however, through the exhibition selections, their arrangement and presentation, curators are our unseen guides."
"Framed," on display in the museum's Nixon Gallery (second floor) through August 1, juxtaposes in pairs 20 samples from the museum's renowned permanent collection, all by American and English artists. Within the juxtapositions, Kaelin challenges viewers to take a close examination of the art, to notice details, question the artists' intent and scan the artits' works to find similarity among the pairs.
By doing so, Kaelin underscores the curatofs role in shaping--flaming--viewers' experiences. She assists the viewer by providing exhibition notes on postcards next to each display.


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Love is in the air and so are the smells of chocolates and flowers.
Have you ever thought about why these gifts are the most popular Valentine's Day items?
"It's sexy, chocolate is sexy, girls find chocolate sexy," consumer, Kabell Phillips says.
"Your standard red rose is usually the hot item and that's just because it shows the symbol of love," WKU Floral Shop Florist, Roger Dennis says.
"It's sweet, the color, the general beautiful redness of the strawberry and the sweetness," Mary Jane Meszaros, owner of Mary Jane's Chocolates says.
While all chocolate sells on the day of love, Mary Jane predicts she will sell upwards of 300 dozen chocolate covered strawberries alone.
They are working around the clock to get orders filled.
"The sweetness mixed with the milk, the white or the dark chocolate its... wow. You cant go wrong," Mary Jane says.
While making the perfect strawberry is difficult, there's also a science to the perfect flower.
"If you are looking at something like this orange rose, it's not going to last as long as this beautiful red rose you have here," Dennis says.
While the red rose has always been, and will always be a hot Valentine's Day item, it's the mixed arrangements with red roses in them that are becoming more popular.
"Probably over the last ten years more mixed arrangements, but typically people want to order the red rose. This year we are doing a large amount of tulips," Dennis says.
Whether it's roses or tulips, or caramels or strawberries, the flower and candy industries will continue working long hours through Thursday.
Mary Jane's Chocolates has already sold out of milk chocolate assorted candy heart-shaped boxes, with just pre-orders alone.