Anyone who knows me knows that I like a good football bet. To save myself the effort of sending out hundreds of texts with betting advice like I usually do, I will publish them here every Friday. So without further or do, here are my tips for this week:
Wolves were outstanding last week at Deepdale, beating Preston North End 3-1 and seem a good bet to beat another high flying side in Bristol City. 8/11 (Tote, Bet 365, Sky Bet)
I will be making my first trip to the Keepmoat Stadium for the Doncaster v Southampton match. Both teams are on dreadful runs but I fancy Doncaster to overcome their recent poor form against Southampton who were beaten at Rotherham in the Carling Cup in the week. Doncaster like to play football so expect a few goals. 11/10 (Tote, Sky Bet, Stan James, Ladbrokes)
There are some good bets in League 2. Bournemouth have an excellent midfield and now have a couple more strikers with the recent additions of Trevor Benjamin and Blair Sturrock. A bet on them to beat Darlington, who have a 500 mile + round trip is one of my tips of the weekend. 6/4 (Bet 365, Ladbrokes)
Chester have put their poor start to the season behind them but Luton are formidable opposition at Kenilworth Road. The Hatters have few injury worries and are a reasonable punt. 4/5 (Tote, Sporting Bet, Sky Bet, Ladbrokes)
Notts County have incredibly drawn their last six matches but have played some good football of late. With the mentality of "winning it for Jimmy", I expect them to do just that against Aldershot Town. 11/8 (Sky Bet, Ladbrokes)
Macclesfield have incredibly turned around their season after looking certainties for the drop. Keith Alexander has kept faith in his youngsters and they will look for a fourth straight win when Exeter City visit. 5/4 (Sky Bet)
I get the impression that Lincoln City have turned a corner after a slow start to the season and in Adrian Patulea they have one of the best strikers in the division. They should continue their revival against a Morecambe side who have disappointed so far. 11/10 (Ladbrokes)
And my longshot of the weekend is Barnet to win for the first time this season at Grimsby Town. Both sides have been poor this season but Barnet have John O'Flynn fit up-front and with a few others returning, can add to Grimsby's misery. 14/5 (Bet 365)
And there's a tasty League 1 double tonight. Southend (17/20, Sporting Bet) are always a decent shout at home. They face Leyton Orient. Tranmere (10/11, Bet 365, Sky Bet) always seem to win on Friday nights and given they face Colchester United, backing the home side should prove profitable.
Friday 26 September 2008
Thursday 25 September 2008
RIP Jimmy Sirrel
I can't confess to knowing a massive amount about Notts County legend Jimmy Sirrel who died today aged 86 (a bit of research has helped me with this). But what I do know is that his breed of players and managers are decreasing rapidly by the day.
Sirrel managed Notts County in three spells in the sixties, seventies and eighties. He was a character, a man loyal to his football club. He carried on visiting Meadow Lane until only weeks ago. He valued the community and the fans of his football club.
On his first day as County manager he came out with the following: "Ask any kid what he knows about Notts County and he'll tell you they're the oldest football team in the world. By the time I've finished he'll know a lot more."
Contrast that with the prima donna Premier League managers of today. They have their flash cars and their £50,000 a week wages. But they don't have the love of all football fans, in the game in general or even at their own clubs.
Sirrel's legacy lives on - County have a stand named after him at Meadow Lane - I hope his values live on too. RIP.
Sirrel managed Notts County in three spells in the sixties, seventies and eighties. He was a character, a man loyal to his football club. He carried on visiting Meadow Lane until only weeks ago. He valued the community and the fans of his football club.
On his first day as County manager he came out with the following: "Ask any kid what he knows about Notts County and he'll tell you they're the oldest football team in the world. By the time I've finished he'll know a lot more."
Contrast that with the prima donna Premier League managers of today. They have their flash cars and their £50,000 a week wages. But they don't have the love of all football fans, in the game in general or even at their own clubs.
Sirrel's legacy lives on - County have a stand named after him at Meadow Lane - I hope his values live on too. RIP.
Wednesday 24 September 2008
Welcome to the Jungle!
I did start blogging about a year ago, until some funny soul decided to use the info on my blog against me.
Aware of the risks of posting intimate details about my life, I am back (bigger - certainly, better - maybe).
Sports journalism is entering such an uncertain phase. My love of sport has afraid got the better of me. I believe I'm a good writer and sporting enthuasist, that working as a sports journalist is the ideal job for me. But it certainly has its limitations.
And since graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a degree in sports journalism in May, I'm one of the lucky ones.
I've been fortunate enough to have casual shifts on the Daily Star sports desk and also work for the Daily Star Sunday and Sunday Express at games on a Saturday.
Working primarily a Thursday-Sunday working week means pretty much zero social life and a very slow early part to the week when not much is happening.
Whilst the pay of a freelance is pretty good, my future is far from certain. Shifts can be cut or even cancelled all together. That's why it is so important to stay ahead of the game and look for as many opportunities as possible.
I certainly cannot see into the future but it appears as if the number of sports journalism students are increasing, yet the number of sports journalism jobs are decreasing. Work that one out.
Gavin Strachan, the Notts County midfielder, has started his blog on the BBC. Strachan is studying to be a sports journalist at Stafford University. Strachan will be fine - he's a footballer - and the likes of Sky Sports love footballers of all sorts of abilities. But I can't help but feel his course mates will suffer due to the ex-footballer surge. What opportunities exist for non-ex-pro-footballers-turned-journalists? Sadly not many.
I believe just five out of 40 people, who completed the same Sports Journalism course as me in May, have secured full time or near full time work in the industry.
Extremely sad that many good people are missing out on jobs. And further belief that the industry is so competitive.
Students of sports journalism really have to be something special judging by my statistic. They have to have done far more than just a course and really know everything inside out.
I don't fancy the chances of "Will" who posted on Strachan's blog: "im interested in football journalism, so how would i go about getting involved?". If you don't know by now, I'm afraid there is not much hope for you.
Aware of the risks of posting intimate details about my life, I am back (bigger - certainly, better - maybe).
Sports journalism is entering such an uncertain phase. My love of sport has afraid got the better of me. I believe I'm a good writer and sporting enthuasist, that working as a sports journalist is the ideal job for me. But it certainly has its limitations.
And since graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a degree in sports journalism in May, I'm one of the lucky ones.
I've been fortunate enough to have casual shifts on the Daily Star sports desk and also work for the Daily Star Sunday and Sunday Express at games on a Saturday.
Working primarily a Thursday-Sunday working week means pretty much zero social life and a very slow early part to the week when not much is happening.
Whilst the pay of a freelance is pretty good, my future is far from certain. Shifts can be cut or even cancelled all together. That's why it is so important to stay ahead of the game and look for as many opportunities as possible.
I certainly cannot see into the future but it appears as if the number of sports journalism students are increasing, yet the number of sports journalism jobs are decreasing. Work that one out.
Gavin Strachan, the Notts County midfielder, has started his blog on the BBC. Strachan is studying to be a sports journalist at Stafford University. Strachan will be fine - he's a footballer - and the likes of Sky Sports love footballers of all sorts of abilities. But I can't help but feel his course mates will suffer due to the ex-footballer surge. What opportunities exist for non-ex-pro-footballers-turned-journalists? Sadly not many.
I believe just five out of 40 people, who completed the same Sports Journalism course as me in May, have secured full time or near full time work in the industry.
Extremely sad that many good people are missing out on jobs. And further belief that the industry is so competitive.
Students of sports journalism really have to be something special judging by my statistic. They have to have done far more than just a course and really know everything inside out.
I don't fancy the chances of "Will" who posted on Strachan's blog: "im interested in football journalism, so how would i go about getting involved?". If you don't know by now, I'm afraid there is not much hope for you.
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