Football League fixtures: Lampard's Derby kick off season at Reading
12 HRS AGO - Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds host Stoke City in openerVilla start at Steve Bruce’s former side Hull Expand
12 HRS AGO - Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds host Stoke City in openerVilla start at Steve Bruce’s former side Hull CityFrank Lampard’s first competitive game as Derby manager will kick-off the Championship campaign. The former England midfielder, who took over at the Rams three weeks ago, takes his team to Reading on Friday 3 August. Derby also figured in the opening game of the 2017-18 campaign, drawing 1-1 at Sunderland. They went on to finish sixth but lost out to promoted Fulham in the play-offs, with Gary Rowett since leaving to join Stoke following their relegation from the Premier League. Related: Leeds United confirm appointment of Marcelo Bielsa as head coach Continue reading... Collapse
Bouncebackability: a word coined for the play-offs that fits them perfectly
25/05/2018 - The best preparation a team can have for a play-off final is the experience of losing one the year Expand
25/05/2018 - The best preparation a team can have for a play-off final is the experience of losing one the year beforeBy Richard Foster, author of The Agony and the EcstasyIain Dowie coined the word bouncebackability in the 2003-04 season when describing how his Crystal Palace team had gone from the fringes of relegation in December to winning promotion through the play-offs in May. Not many managers have been responsible for adding words to the English lexicon but Dowie shared the honour with Sir Alex Ferguson in 2005 when both “squeaky bum time” and “bouncebackability” entered the Oxford English Dictionary.It is fitting that Dowie came up with the word while discussing a side promoted in the play-offs, as bouncebackability has been remarkably common in so many sides who have won promotion in these showpiece finals. Of the 10 beaten finalists who have returned to the same fixture the next season, nine have succeeded second time around – and the only exception made amends a year later. Related: Collapse
Exeter sink Lincoln to book Wembley final spot after stunning Boateng goal
17/05/2018 - Exeter City booked their place in the League Two play-off final with a 3-1 victory over Lincoln Expand
17/05/2018 - Exeter City booked their place in the League Two play-off final with a 3-1 victory over Lincoln City at St James Park.After a goalless draw in the first leg, Exeter held a narrow lead at the break thanks to Jayden Stockley’s neat finish. Lincoln thought they had levelled in the 40th minute when Elliott Whitehouse lashed the ball in from close range, but the goal was disallowed for an apparent handball by Matt Rhead, much to the anger of the visiting players. Continue reading... Collapse
QPR part company with Ian Holloway after underwhelming campaign
10/05/2018 - • ‘We are now looking to take the next step’ says QPR chief executive• Martin Allen leaves Barnet Expand
10/05/2018 - • ‘We are now looking to take the next step’ says QPR chief executive• Martin Allen leaves Barnet for a fifth time after relegationIan Holloway has left QPR with immediate effect, the Championship club have announced.The 55-year-old joined Rangers for a second spell as manager in November 2016, signing a two-and-a-half year deal. But Holloway has departed with 12 months remaining on his contract after QPR finished 16th in the Championship this season. Related: Carlos Carvalhal set to lose Swansea job after season ends Continue reading... Collapse
‘It is an absolute travesty’: Chesterfield's fall from Football League | David Conn
02/05/2018 - A saga of budget overruns on the stadium, a boardroom walkout and a run of unsuccessful managerial Expand
02/05/2018 - A saga of budget overruns on the stadium, a boardroom walkout and a run of unsuccessful managerial appointments has seen the Spireites relegatedIn the rain at Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium on Saturday, home supporters still stunned by the club’s first relegation from the Football League sat mostly in glum resignation, watching Wycombe win 2-1 and deliriously celebrate promotion all over the pitch.Wycombe’s manager, Gareth Ainsworth, broke for a moment from his players’ jubilation, their gleeful calls for the board to “send us to Vegas”, and expressed sympathy for the Spireites: “It’s very sad,” he said. “You stand in this stadium and the thought that this club is going to be in the National League next year is frightening. It’s got to be a real wake-up call for all clubs; it can happen to anyone. This is a huge club with a huge history.” Related: Burton put reality check on hold in bid for Championship miracle Related: Blackburn’s Mowbray out to crack Venky’s puzzle with passage to Collapse
Football League: Norwich savour Wes Hoolahan’s ‘perfect finish’
28/04/2018 - • Coventry score six as goal-laden recent run continues• Wycombe return to League One while Barnet Expand
28/04/2018 - • Coventry score six as goal-laden recent run continues• Wycombe return to League One while Barnet keep survival bid alive• Wes Hoolahan bade an emotional farewell to Carrow Road with Norwich’s first goal in a 2-1 win over Leeds. It was his 380th league appearance for Norwich, and his manager, Daniel Farke, declared it “a perfect finish”. “If I had to a paint a picture of how Wes’s career for Norwich would finish that would have been it,” Farke said. “He scored a goal, got an assist and put in an excellent performance, and of course we won the game.” Related: Sean Morrison’s double sees off Hull as Cardiff close in on promotion Premier League Related: Aleksandar Mitrovic heads Fulham past Sunderland to boost promotion hopes Continue reading... Collapse
Squad Update: Bloomfield signs extension
24/04/2018 - Squad Update: Bloomfield signs extensionVitalfootball: Wycombe: 25/04/2018 Expand
24/04/2018 - Squad Update: Bloomfield signs extensionVitalfootball: Wycombe: 25/04/2018 00:11:14Current status of contracted players... Collapse
Squad Update: Tyson signs extension
23/04/2018 - Squad Update: Tyson signs extensionVitalfootball: Wycombe: 23/04/2018 19:38:34Current Expand
23/04/2018 - Squad Update: Tyson signs extensionVitalfootball: Wycombe: 23/04/2018 19:38:34Current status of contracted players Collapse
It 'Aint Over!
22/04/2018 - It 'Aint Over!Vitalfootball: Mansfield: 22/04/2018 17:36:28Whilst 90% of social Expand
22/04/2018 - It 'Aint Over!Vitalfootball: Mansfield: 22/04/2018 17:36:28Whilst 90% of social media has gone into 'season over' meltdown, we at Vital Mansfield are refusing to give up.... Collapse
|
Coventry promoted to League One after 3-1 play-off win over Exeter – as it happened
28/05/2018 - Coventry roar to promotion from the third tier with fine second-half goals from Jordan Willis, Expand
28/05/2018 - Coventry roar to promotion from the third tier with fine second-half goals from Jordan Willis, Jordan Shipley and Jack Grimmer defeating a flat Exeter 5.20pm BST A heartwarming way to finish. You have to feel for Exeter, a great club that have done wonders, but it’s a very good news story for Coventry – they deserved it with a fine second-half performance on the day, and their long-suffering fans have more than earned a moment like this. The celebrations will go on a long time.Here’s our match report, courtesy of Ben Fisher. Enjoy, and go and rest yourselves for a few days before the World Cup buildup begins in earnest! Related: Jordan Willis sends Coventry City into play-off final rapture against Exeter City 5.16pm BST McNulty, the correctly-appointed man of the match, has a word: “You go through a lot more bad days than good days and it’s worth it, these days are worth all the bad days. We’ve been up and down all season and it’s been frustrating but days like today ... I took Collapse
Exeter can give Steve Perryman a fitting Wembley send-off | Ben Fisher
23/05/2018 - Exeter’s director of football grew up in the stadium’s shadow and retires after the League Two Expand
23/05/2018 - Exeter’s director of football grew up in the stadium’s shadow and retires after the League Two play-off final against Coventry“A40, Hanger Lane, turn left on to the North Circular, past Stonebridge Park and over on my left was Wembley,” says Steve Perryman, recounting his journey from Northolt to training at Tottenham Hotspur as a teenager, a drive he could do with his eyes closed these days. “I would go past it twice a day, there and back, usually sat in traffic, and you conjure up images and think: ‘I hope I play here again.’ And now we are back there with Exeter.”The League Two play-off final against Coventry City on Monday will be particularly pertinent given it is Perryman’s final match before retiring – after 51 years in the game. He grew up in the shadow of Wembley, going to the dogs on a Friday night with his older brothers and playing on Ealing Common. “It is extraordinary and, if I could have written it, I guess this is how it would have finished,” he says. Related: Paul Collapse
Scunthorpe scramble late 2-2 draw with Rotherham in League One play-off
12/05/2018 - • Iron twice come from behind during semi-final first leg• Lincoln held 0-0 at home by Exeter in Expand
12/05/2018 - • Iron twice come from behind during semi-final first leg• Lincoln held 0-0 at home by Exeter in League Two tieCameron McGeehan picked a good time to score his first Scunthorpe goal as his late leveller forced a 2-2 draw with Rotherham in their League One play-off semi-final first leg at Glanford Park.Substitute Joe Newell’s goal 58 seconds after coming on looked like giving the Millers the advantage but McGeehan, on loan from Barnsley, bundled home from close range in the 88th minute. Related: Cameron Jerome header gives Derby slender advantage over Fulham Continue reading... Collapse
Football League: Barnet relegated as Coventry and Morecambe play out draw
05/05/2018 - Barnet beat Chesterfield but go down on goal differenceCoventry and Lincoln seal League Two Expand
05/05/2018 - Barnet beat Chesterfield but go down on goal differenceCoventry and Lincoln seal League Two play-off placesBarnet have been relegated from the Football League for the third time in their history despite a last-day 3-0 victory over Chesterfield at the Hive.John Akinde’s goal just before half-time set Martin Allen’s side up for the win they needed, with Richard Brindley and Alex Nicholls adding late goals against already-relegated opponents. Related: AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons head in different directions once more | Simon Burnton Continue reading... Collapse
Match Report - Crawley Town vs Crewe Alexandra
29/04/2018 - Match Report - Crawley Town vs Crewe AlexandraVitalfootball: Crewe: 29/04/2018 10:16:19A Expand
29/04/2018 - Match Report - Crawley Town vs Crewe AlexandraVitalfootball: Crewe: 29/04/2018 10:16:19A look at yesterday's game. Collapse
Officials Announced For Crawley vs Crewe Tomorrow
27/04/2018 - Officials Announced For Crawley vs Crewe TomorrowVitalfootball: Crewe: 27/04/2018 Expand
27/04/2018 - Officials Announced For Crawley vs Crewe TomorrowVitalfootball: Crewe: 27/04/2018 16:14:20Tom Nield will be the man in the middle and will be assisted by Christopher Kidd, Ian Rathbone and Paul Kelly. Collapse
Still Not Safe...
24/04/2018 - Still Not Safe...Vitalfootball: Morecambe: 24/04/2018 23:27:04Cambridge arrived at the Expand
24/04/2018 - Still Not Safe...Vitalfootball: Morecambe: 24/04/2018 23:27:04Cambridge arrived at the Globe Arena tonight to fulfil the fixture which was rained off on April 2nd. Before kick-off, they were in twelfth position in League Two and on the back of two straight wins. Collapse
The Opposition View - Accrington Stanley
22/04/2018 - The Opposition View - Accrington StanleyVitalfootball: Wycombe: 22/04/2018 20:41:18What Expand
22/04/2018 - The Opposition View - Accrington StanleyVitalfootball: Wycombe: 22/04/2018 20:41:18What the Stanley fans had to say... Collapse
Match Report - Crewe Alexandra vs Morecambe
22/04/2018 - Match Report - Crewe Alexandra vs MorecambeVitalfootball: Crewe: 22/04/2018 10:05:12A Expand
22/04/2018 - Match Report - Crewe Alexandra vs MorecambeVitalfootball: Crewe: 22/04/2018 10:05:12A look back at yesterday's game. Collapse
|
Jordan Willis sends Coventry City into play-off final rapture against Exeter City
28/05/2018 - Coventry City sealed an immediate return to League One after a convincing League Two play-off Expand
28/05/2018 - Coventry City sealed an immediate return to League One after a convincing League Two play-off final victory over Exeter City. For the 35,000 baying Coventry supporters who made Wembley appear lopsided, the victory not only reversed an alarming slide down the divisions but brought a first promotion for 51 years in arguably their biggest game since the 1987 FA Cup final. The roar at full-time was nothing short of deafening.Fine goals by Jordan Willis, Jordan Shipley and Jack Grimmer, were enough for Coventry’s unpopular owner, Joy Seppala, the chief executive of the hedge fund Sisu, to nudge her sunglasses on to her forehead so she could witness the sea of sky blue – enhanced by smoke bombs – below. Related: Coventry promoted to League One after 3-1 play-off win over Exeter – live! Continue reading... Collapse
Notts County furious over key decisions as Coventry reach playoff final
18/05/2018 - Maxime Biamou was the hero as Coventry booked their place in the League Two playoff final Expand
18/05/2018 - Maxime Biamou was the hero as Coventry booked their place in the League Two playoff final following a 4-1 win at Notts County that left the home side’s manager, Kevin Nolan, raging over key decisions.Biamou scored once in each half - the first goal from a spectacular overhead kick after six minutes - to confirm Coventry will face Exeter at Wembley following their 5-2 aggregate win. Continue reading... Collapse
Paul Tisdale takes over as the longest-serving manager in England – for now
11/05/2018 - Arsène Wenger’s departure from Arsenal means Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale will become the Expand
11/05/2018 - Arsène Wenger’s departure from Arsenal means Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale will become the longest-serving manager in English football – although he might be on his way tooBy Richard Foster for The Agony and the EcstasyAs Arsène Wenger prepares to say goodbye to Arsenal, the man who will take his place as the longest-serving manager in English football is focused on securing a third promotion in his 12 seasons at Exeter City. Tisdale has led his team into the play-offs four times – including their disappointing defeat to Blackpool in the League Two final last season – so they will know what to expect when they take on Lincoln City in the play-offs semi-finals this week.Tisdale took over at St James Park in June 2006, a month after Wenger had taken his team to Paris for the Champions League final against Barcelona. Wenger had already spent a glorious decade at Arsenal, winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, including the Double in 1998 and the Invincibles season in Collapse
‘As nervous as you can possibly be’ – Barnet await more last-day drama
04/05/2018 - Seemingly doomed six weeks ago, Martin Allen has breathed life into Barnet again yet they do not Expand
04/05/2018 - Seemingly doomed six weeks ago, Martin Allen has breathed life into Barnet again yet they do not control their own destiny in the desperate battle to stay in the Football LeagueBarnet entertain Chesterfield at the Hive in their final game of a turbulent season knowing victory alone will not be enough to keep them in the Football League. Martin Allen’s side have to beat the already doomed Spireites and hope Morecambe lose at Coventry if they are stay in League Two for a third successive season. Two points clear of Barnet, Morecambe’s superior goal difference means a draw will almost certainly be good enough to keep them up. For Barnet’s owner, Tony Kleanthous, it is an unsurprisingly stressful time.“It’s as nervous as you can possibly be,” he says. “We really live it. For us as club chairmen, our livelihoods and our whole reputation is on the line. However, we’re not the ones crossing the white line to play the match, so as much as it matters, the bit that really counts is the one Collapse
Bees Buzz On
28/04/2018 - Bees Buzz OnVitalfootball: Morecambe: 28/04/2018 19:35:50I personally love Barnet FC. Expand
28/04/2018 - Bees Buzz OnVitalfootball: Morecambe: 28/04/2018 19:35:50I personally love Barnet FC. Any club that played at a venue called Underhill - with all its connotations of Lord of the Rings and all the other stuff which mesmerised me (and plenty of others, now as Collapse
Squad Update: Mackail-Smith signs contract extension
26/04/2018 - Squad Update: Mackail-Smith signs contract extensionVitalfootball: Wycombe: 26/04/2018 Expand
26/04/2018 - Squad Update: Mackail-Smith signs contract extensionVitalfootball: Wycombe: 26/04/2018 15:35:12Current status of contracted players Collapse
Football League round-up: Blackburn bounce back to the Championship
24/04/2018 - • Charlie Mulgrew’s header seals Rovers’ return at Doncaster• Chesterfield drop into non-league Expand
24/04/2018 - • Charlie Mulgrew’s header seals Rovers’ return at Doncaster• Chesterfield drop into non-league football without playingCharlie Mulgrew scored a late winner as Blackburn returned to the Championship with a 1-0 victory at Doncaster. Rovers have bounced straight back under Tony Mowbray, who failed to prevent their relegation last May on goal difference. Related: Derby’s Matej Vydra bares teeth to boost play-off hopes against Cardiff Premier League Continue reading... Collapse
Sky Blues Are On The Move
22/04/2018 - Sky Blues Are On The MoveVitalfootball: Coventry: 22/04/2018 20:36:16What's been Expand
22/04/2018 - Sky Blues Are On The MoveVitalfootball: Coventry: 22/04/2018 20:36:16What's been happening this week at Coventry City Collapse
|
