Saturday morning and it is pouring with rain so I may as well blog as go for a walk.
How has the season gone and where are my picks at the end of the long and gruelling challenge?
ARSENAL (1)
Losing at home to Crystal Palace (unforgiveable) and losing away to Wolverhampton Wanderers (Half Expected) has left that possible third place out of our own hands. This team seems full of players who are happy to pick up a fortune and not so keen to battle in the trenches. Unai Emery needs to start replacing them this summer and I hope he is given the budget to do so.
I would like us to finish fourth because Chelsea have to play Manchester United but I have a feeling that we will finish fifth and that may prove beneficial as we have no chance of winning the Champions League but the Europa League is perfectly achievable.
BRENTFORD (2)
Brentford have fallen victim to the Bolton Blues as Bolton are on strike. The Bolton v. Brentford fixture has been cancelled or postponed so the lads can have a rest this weekend. With Bolton in financial crisis the match may never take place so I am glad that the mid table position means that whatever happens there is no major impact on the club.
Brentford are firmly established as a Championship Club and with a new stadium being built are on the verge of great things (we hope). I think my Championship choice this season will be remain my Championship side next season.
SOUTHEND UNITED (3)
Southend are flirting with relegation at the moment so they may drop off my list at the end of the season if they do eventually go down. Southend and Plymouth are on 47 points, one above the next two clubs. AFC Wimbledon and Scunthorpe United are on 46 points and are set to be relegated if they do not win at least one of their last two matches. Walsall need to win at least one and Bradford City are already down.
Fixtures away to Rochdale and home to Sunderland suggest that the away fixture is our best chance as Sunderland are in the playoff places and will be fighting to the end of the final match.
EXETER CITY (4)
Exeter are hanging on in the playoff positions and currently sit 7th in the table. The top six are guaranteed their playoff or promotion places but we have to look behind us to Colchester, Carlisle, Stevenage and Newport County. These four are on 64 points with Exeter on 66 points.
The remaining fixtures are Oldham Athletic at home and Forest Green Rovers away. The home match is the best chance of three points but that playoff place will probably require at least a point against Forest Green.
EASTLEIGH (5)
Eastleigh are safely into the playoffs having made 7th place assured. If Harrogate lose then 6th place is possible but we would need to beat Boreham Wood away to obtain that lofty level. Stranger things have happened but promotion from 7th place is perfectly possible and you have to use whatever system is in operation and make the most of it.
"I would love it if" (Kevin Keegan ... and it never happened) Salford were beaten by Eastleigh in the playoff final. That would be a major high for me following a long season where Eastleigh dropped off for a while but have returned to challenge at the end of the season.
WESTON-SUPER-MARE (6)
Mostly positive news up until now but here it stops. Weston have been relegated from the National League South and will be playing in the Southern League next season. The final fixture is at home to Dulwich Hamlet.
TIVERTON TOWN (7)
Tiverton have gone from challenging for promotion to flirting with relegation. This is highly unlikely as in order to go down four teams below us would have to win. Could Basingstoke, Gosport, Hendon and Walton Casuals all win? If that happens and Tiverton lose at home to Beaconsfield Town then the club would be relegated but that would require a five match accumulator to come in and how often does that happen?
I think Tiverton are safe in the division for another season.
BARNSTAPLE TOWN (8)
Barnstaple are the second of my selections to be definitely relegated. When I say definitely I have seen so many reprieves and transfers and fiddles as clubs go out of business that anything could happen but in the normal course of events I would expect to see Barnstaple in the Western League next season.
BUCKLAND ATHLETIC (9)
My current Western League pick are at home to Shepton Mallet today but are safely in the middle of the table and will be back in the Western League next season.
EXMOUTH TOWN (10)
The final game of the season for Exmouth is an important one and I will try and find out the result as soon as possible after the match. Tavistock are on the same number of points at the top of the table with a better goal difference.
Exmouth are away to Bodmin and need to win to give themselves the best chance of taking the South West Peninsula League title. Tavistock are away to Plymouth Argyle. This is the reserve team but they have access to first team players and I hope one or two first teamers are coming back from injury as that would make Plymouth stronger and make the Tavistock task that much tougher.
Good luck Exmouth but at least I would not have to change my selection if you remain in this league.
ELMORE EAGLES (11)
Elmore are away to Bovey Tracey. Bovey Tracey are second in the table with Elmore in fifth place. It looks like Stoke Gabriel will be the team moving up to the Premier Division from Division One East. The restructuring proposals in the Non League Paper suggest that the East and West Divisions will be kept but the Premier Division will be disbanded. I hope the Football Association are not as stupid as I have them down as but they have screwed up football all over the country in the past.
How has the season gone and where are my picks at the end of the long and gruelling challenge?
ARSENAL (1)
Losing at home to Crystal Palace (unforgiveable) and losing away to Wolverhampton Wanderers (Half Expected) has left that possible third place out of our own hands. This team seems full of players who are happy to pick up a fortune and not so keen to battle in the trenches. Unai Emery needs to start replacing them this summer and I hope he is given the budget to do so.
I would like us to finish fourth because Chelsea have to play Manchester United but I have a feeling that we will finish fifth and that may prove beneficial as we have no chance of winning the Champions League but the Europa League is perfectly achievable.
BRENTFORD (2)
Brentford have fallen victim to the Bolton Blues as Bolton are on strike. The Bolton v. Brentford fixture has been cancelled or postponed so the lads can have a rest this weekend. With Bolton in financial crisis the match may never take place so I am glad that the mid table position means that whatever happens there is no major impact on the club.
Brentford are firmly established as a Championship Club and with a new stadium being built are on the verge of great things (we hope). I think my Championship choice this season will be remain my Championship side next season.
SOUTHEND UNITED (3)
Southend are flirting with relegation at the moment so they may drop off my list at the end of the season if they do eventually go down. Southend and Plymouth are on 47 points, one above the next two clubs. AFC Wimbledon and Scunthorpe United are on 46 points and are set to be relegated if they do not win at least one of their last two matches. Walsall need to win at least one and Bradford City are already down.
Fixtures away to Rochdale and home to Sunderland suggest that the away fixture is our best chance as Sunderland are in the playoff places and will be fighting to the end of the final match.
EXETER CITY (4)
Exeter are hanging on in the playoff positions and currently sit 7th in the table. The top six are guaranteed their playoff or promotion places but we have to look behind us to Colchester, Carlisle, Stevenage and Newport County. These four are on 64 points with Exeter on 66 points.
The remaining fixtures are Oldham Athletic at home and Forest Green Rovers away. The home match is the best chance of three points but that playoff place will probably require at least a point against Forest Green.
EASTLEIGH (5)
Eastleigh are safely into the playoffs having made 7th place assured. If Harrogate lose then 6th place is possible but we would need to beat Boreham Wood away to obtain that lofty level. Stranger things have happened but promotion from 7th place is perfectly possible and you have to use whatever system is in operation and make the most of it.
"I would love it if" (Kevin Keegan ... and it never happened) Salford were beaten by Eastleigh in the playoff final. That would be a major high for me following a long season where Eastleigh dropped off for a while but have returned to challenge at the end of the season.
WESTON-SUPER-MARE (6)
Mostly positive news up until now but here it stops. Weston have been relegated from the National League South and will be playing in the Southern League next season. The final fixture is at home to Dulwich Hamlet.
TIVERTON TOWN (7)
Tiverton have gone from challenging for promotion to flirting with relegation. This is highly unlikely as in order to go down four teams below us would have to win. Could Basingstoke, Gosport, Hendon and Walton Casuals all win? If that happens and Tiverton lose at home to Beaconsfield Town then the club would be relegated but that would require a five match accumulator to come in and how often does that happen?
I think Tiverton are safe in the division for another season.
BARNSTAPLE TOWN (8)
Barnstaple are the second of my selections to be definitely relegated. When I say definitely I have seen so many reprieves and transfers and fiddles as clubs go out of business that anything could happen but in the normal course of events I would expect to see Barnstaple in the Western League next season.
BUCKLAND ATHLETIC (9)
My current Western League pick are at home to Shepton Mallet today but are safely in the middle of the table and will be back in the Western League next season.
EXMOUTH TOWN (10)
The final game of the season for Exmouth is an important one and I will try and find out the result as soon as possible after the match. Tavistock are on the same number of points at the top of the table with a better goal difference.
Exmouth are away to Bodmin and need to win to give themselves the best chance of taking the South West Peninsula League title. Tavistock are away to Plymouth Argyle. This is the reserve team but they have access to first team players and I hope one or two first teamers are coming back from injury as that would make Plymouth stronger and make the Tavistock task that much tougher.
Good luck Exmouth but at least I would not have to change my selection if you remain in this league.
ELMORE EAGLES (11)
Elmore are away to Bovey Tracey. Bovey Tracey are second in the table with Elmore in fifth place. It looks like Stoke Gabriel will be the team moving up to the Premier Division from Division One East. The restructuring proposals in the Non League Paper suggest that the East and West Divisions will be kept but the Premier Division will be disbanded. I hope the Football Association are not as stupid as I have them down as but they have screwed up football all over the country in the past.
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