Pukka Pies for goalposts - a Football League/ National League thread

[Bobloblawslawbomb]

Grantham Town's pitch is plagued by crows.

Sounds like a Day Today headline

[Kankurette]

It is actually a thing that happened. I think Grantham might be cursed. There's something ominous about a murder of crows destroying a pitch.

The word used to describe a group of crows is a 'murder'.

And that word may also give a clue to the feelings of some Grantham Town staff towards the birds after they damaged their pitch to such an extent that Monday's game had to be postponed.

The Gingerbreads were due to face Worksop Town in a Northern Premier League East fixture.

But crows attracted by the prospect of a tasty meal of chafer grubs, which have infested areas of the playing surface, made that impossible.

"The club discovered they had these chafer grubs a few weeks ago and the only way you can treat them is to replace turf and that's what Grantham have been doing," said BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Grantham reporter Graham Cowell.

"But they turned up this morning and overnight the crows look to have had an absolute field day, they've ripped a patch up just outside the penalty area on the north side of the ground. It almost looks like it could have been more than crows, foxes also apparently love the chafer grubs."

It is a common occurrence for under-performing teams to be 'given the bird' by supporters.

It is far less common for an avian attack force to stop a team playing - especially one who won their previous home fixture 5-1.

[Brian Freeze]

I'm hearing reports of an Oldham player being hospitalised by a Chesterfield player outside the ground after the match. Which is a bit unusual.

[Kankurette]

Hallam Hope?

[Brian Freeze]

Apparently yes, thats him who got filled in.

[Kankurette]

Do they know who did it yet?

ETA: apparently the PL is going to be cancelled for two weeks because Liz carked it, but what about the EFL?

[FalknerHinton]

While I'm obviously disappointed to see Town give up a two goal lead, I thought Wednesday played well to get themselves a draw.

Shame about the home fans nearly getting the match abandoned by throwing stuff on the pitch though.

[Kankurette]

We would have won if Iorfa hadn't fucked up. Though you're top of the league so I'm not too mad about it. The #Moore Out brigade will be having a field day.

Our fans are so fucking stupid sometimes, I swear. If the match had been abandoned we could have ended up with zero points and Ipswich getting awarded three. And tbh this kind of thing puts me off going to Hillsborough because there were a number of incidents of fan violence last season and I can't see it getting much better.

[kalowski]

Not much to say about Altrincham other than I am very very worried.

[Inspector Norse]

FOR FUCK'S SAKE

I swear if football matches lasted 80 minutes Oldham would have won the Champions League by now

[king_tubby]

New manager bounce for the Rams though, first away win and first away goals of the season. Take that you Cambridge slags!

[Brian Freeze]

FOR FUCK'S SAKE

I swear if football matches lasted 80 minutes Oldham would have won the Champions League by now

I told some blokes at work when leaving on friday that Wrexham love a late goal. At least two were going on the match. Poor buggers.

[jobotic]

A win for Gillingham!

And I nearly went too. Proper fan.

[Kankurette]

And Wednesday won away from home. Which was nice.

[holyzombiejesus]

And Wednesday won away from home. Which was nice.

[Kankurette]

Thanks, I was trying to remember who the Vale fan in the thread was!

[AnOrdinaryBoy]

New manager bounce for the Rams though, first away win and first away goals of the season. Take that you Cambridge slags!

Good to see Collins with a brace. He's has a slow start but hopefully he can kick off now - Derby haven't had a 15-20 goal striker since Chris Martin was at his peak nearly a decade ago.

I think the playoffs can be a solid target this season and if we can get into those who knows. Promotion at the first attempt would be a huge achievement.

[king_tubby]

I miss Chris Martin and his elbows.

[somersetchris]

FOR FUCK'S SAKE

I swear if football matches lasted 80 minutes Oldham would have won the Champions League by now

Getting the feeling that National League referees will just let play continue until Wrexham score, now. Got to keep the story interesting for Disney.

[Yussef Dent]

Good to see Collins with a brace. He's has a slow start but hopefully he can kick off now - Derby haven't had a 15-20 goal striker since Chris Martin was at his peak nearly a decade ago.

I think the playoffs can be a solid target this season and if we can get into those who knows. Promotion at the first attempt would be a huge achievement.

I know a few people have said this but Collins really does remind me of Stevie Howard, who also had a very slow start to his Derby career.

I was surprised to see Warne go straight in with the 3-5-2, particularly how Barkhuizen and Mendez-Laing don't like playing as wing-backs! Mendez-Laing has been our best player this season for me, but I was told at Wednesday he started off like a train there and tailed off and was apparently not much cop when put in a wing-back role. As much as Warne's been on a charm offensive since joining though, I think he's has also shown he won't suffer fools gladly, and if you don't do what he wants you to do in the position he puts you in, or at least bloody try to, you'll be replaced. There was a really good thing he said in his post-match interview where they were looking at examples of strikers chasing down lost causes, and he said "if they aren't running for them, they'll be sat behind me" or words to that effect. Obviously that worked for our first, the Cambridge defender's brain seemed to have completely scrambled, and if Collins hadn't stayed behind him, he wouldn't have scored.

I think the mood and expectation amongst Derby fans, whilst optimistic, is still rather pragmatic bar the odd one or two posting HMS Piss This League tweets and so on. I agree that it will be a massive achievement if we were promoted. We were always going to start slowly considering the vast amount of new players and how we were behind everyone in terms of starting pre-season. I really wanted Rosenior to be successful, but as much as he had his philosophy of playing intricate stuff and trying to tactically outsmart teams, you do need that sort of blood and thunder approach that I think Warne is going to provide for League One (also I really don't think Rosenior was getting anywhere near the best out of Hourihane either). Who knows, Rosenior could go on to be the more successful manager of the two, I think Warne may be one of those whose career plateaus out in the Championship, could maybe take a team or two into the Prem but then just never quite have the nous to keep a side there, like Warnock. However, he seems to be the right appointment at the right time. Also I can't help but think that some of the reasoning behind appointing Warne is the EFL restrictions in place, we can't offer any deals over two years, and whilst we've got a wage cap it's still high for League One. Therefore, if we get up this season we've got another year of those experienced players in the Championship and we can make a better judgment on who we can keep and let go depending what happens.

[king_tubby]

I feel sorry for Rosenior. He was obviously given some kind of assurance he'd have a long term role which is why he turned down the Blackpool job.

[kalowski]

Ah, Altrincham 1-0 down after 3 minutes.

[dr beat]

Looks like Steve Bruce is planning a classic destroy & exit.

[Hat FM]

Bromley up to 4th after beating Boreham wood away the other night. not bad at all especially after letting two goals in after 94 and 97 minutes at the weekend to force a draw.

did the vanarama thread disappear btw?

[Kankurette]

Looks like Steve Bruce is planning a classic destroy & exit.

I bet he's going to go for the Wolves job so he can go for a full set of Birmingham clubs, managerial slut that he is.

One good thing about Steve Bruce is that he unites rival fans in their mutual hatred of him. WBA Twitter was fun last night. To sum up: "The Geordies were right."

[holyzombiejesus]

Rams battered.

[buttgammon]

7 (seven) - 5 (five)!

[king_tubby]

Rams battered.

Dodgy ref (according to Rams twitter).

[holyzombiejesus]

Dodgy ref (according to Rams twitter).

It always is when spoilt bigger teams lose.

[jobotic]

Daughter went with her uncle and cousin to watch Chatham Town beat Corinthians (the ones from Longfield, not Sao Paulo). Came back in a Chats top so looks like I'll be going a bit more. Next home game when I'm not at work is at the end of the month against Hythe Town.

They won, and are up to fourth in the Isthmian South East.

Was hoping to do Whitehawk away as my brother lives in Brighton but bit too close to Xmas. Bugger.