43 replies to this topic

[dirtynine]

Instead of me starting a Brighton thread that I post to four or five times (though there's finally much to talk about), hows about we keep tabs on the entire division. The Championship is pretty stacked and I could see any of 10-12 teams scrambling for the playoffs. Leicester City has tried to bulk up (with Sven, no less) for a promotion push, Southampton and Brighton are fresh up from L1 and still rolling along, West Ham, Portsmouth (oof), Forest and Boro are familiar names, Millwall are bastards and Palace is shit. Here's how the table looks today, three matches in:



Fresh after coming up, I would have said mid-table safety was a fair goal for Brighton - but after the start they've had, riding off the enthusiasm for the new stadium opening, I'd have to say a top-6 push is becoming acceptable to fantasize about. Who do you tip to make it up to the big time? Or to get thrown to the League One gallows?

Edited by dirtynine, 18 August 2011 - 01:13 PM.

[Harry Hooper]

I can't resist.

N-N-N-NINE NIL (The Paul Hardcastle Remix!)

Tuesday September 8th 1989 began like any other day in the footballing calendar, with newly-discovered Team of the 80s, Crystal Palace, travelling to Anfield to test their Colditz-like defensive qualities and mesmerising attacking skills against the sacrificial lemmings of Liverpool. Now football is a funny game, as the utterly retarded cliche goes, and on this particular evening it proved to be a very funny game indeed, in fact a positively hilarious, side-splittingly humourous one, even more mirth-inducing than David Beckham trying to define existentialism or Bill Archer attempting coitus with a paper-shredding machine. For while Palace's much-feared rivals Brighton and Hove Albion were thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-2, at Anfield the final score was Liverpool 9, Crystal Palace 0. Liverpool 9, Crystal Palace 0. N-n-n-nine nil, nine nil. N-n-n-nine nil, nine nil. And following those fateful n-n-n-ninety minutes on that hilarious Tuesday night the hapless halibuts from Selhurst Park were subjected to fierce and merciless ridicule from the rest of the football world and many of them are still living out their experiences to this day. Even now the South London branch of the Samaritans receive mysterious phone calls where the only audible sounds are donkey-like voices braying bewilderedly 'Nine nil. N-n-n-nine nil. Ee-aw! Nine nil. N-n-n-nine nil. Ee-aw! And when the Palace players got home, obviously in need of moral support and counselling following their torrid n-n-n-nine nil experience, none of them received a hero's welcome. None of them. None of them received a hero's welcome. N-n-n-none of them. The long term effects of such an unbelievable n-n-n-nine nil annihilation are hard to predict, but it seems likely that many of the Crystal Palace squad may have been be so demoralised that they may have been forced to leave professional football and sign on. S-s-s-sign on. Sign on. S-s-s-sign on. S-s-s-sign on, sign on. S-s-s-sign on, sign on. A worse fate even than this may well have befallen the Palace goalkeeper Perry Suckling, a man who, rather like the Queen Mother, wears gloves for no apparent reason, for his intense feelings of humiliation may well have led him to emigrate, and sign on in Vietnam. V-v-v-Vietnam. S-s-s-sign on. V-v-v-Vietnam. S-s-s-sign on...........(repeat ad nauseam)

AtS

[Spacemans Bong]

I'm amused anybody can actually hate Crystal Palace. They're merely there, after all.

A Liverpool fan making jokes about signing on is pretty funny, talk about a lack of self-awareness.

[dirtynine]

Attila and Fatboy Slim. Celeb Brighton fans are merely representative of the town's overall freakiness. Here's the backstory with BHAFC and Palace if anybody's interested.

ed. the story is broken up into pages which for some reason are not connected. Here's page 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Edited by dirtynine, 18 August 2011 - 04:02 PM.

[SoxFanInCali]

Bonger, it's not a Liverpool fan making jokes, it's a Brighton fan laughing at Palace losing a game 9-0. The fact it was Liverpool that blew them out has nothing to do with it.

I do have one fond Liverpool-Palace memory. In the 2001 League Cup semifinals, Palace beat Liverpool 2-1 in the first leg. Michael Owen had a rough game, and Palace striker Clinton Morrison said afterwards that he would have easily converted 2 or 3 of the chances Owen missed. In the second leg at Anfield, Liverpool scored 3 in the first 20 minutes and destroyed Palace 5-0. The crown was all over Morrison the entire game, and late in the second half he absolutely butchered an easy scoring opportunity in front of the Kop. I'm not sure I've ever seen an athlete look like he wanted to be somewhere else as much as Morrison did at that moment. Hilarious.

[Spacemans Bong]

That's Palace for you. Something of a comedy club, especially during the Simon Jordan years.

On the other hand, you can always buy some chorizo, red wine and napkins for a picnic at Selhurst Park after a game like I did once.

[MarkInLondon]

Bonger, it's not a Liverpool fan making jokes, it's a Brighton fan laughing at Palace losing a game 9-0. The fact it was Liverpool that blew them out has nothing to do with it.

I do have one fond Liverpool-Palace memory. In the 2001 League Cup semifinals, Palace beat Liverpool 2-1 in the first leg. Michael Owen had a rough game, and Palace striker Clinton Morrison said afterwards that he would have easily converted 2 or 3 of the chances Owen missed. In the second leg at Anfield, Liverpool scored 3 in the first 20 minutes and destroyed Palace 5-0. The crown was all over Morrison the entire game, and late in the second half he absolutely butchered an easy scoring opportunity in front of the Kop. I'm not sure I've ever seen an athlete look like he wanted to be somewhere else as much as Morrison did at that moment. Hilarious.

Morrison had a reputation for shooting his mouth off. Before a Boxing Day game with Millwall ('Bastards' according to the first post in this thread, but we'll let that gratuitous insult pass for now...) he was quoted in the press saying that the Lions central defence couldn't handle him at he was looking forward to adding to his goal tally.

End of the game - Millwall had won 3-0. Lions skipper Stuart Nethercott (central defender) went up and offered the match ball to Morrison saying ' Here you are, have a look at this - it's the closest you've got to it all day'

[dirtynine]

Brighton somehow signed ex-Villencia and Spain national Vicente before the deadline - Gus Poyet is working his charm like a mad man. So far, the 2011-12 Championship is looking a lot like 2010-11 Leage One - Brighton, followed by Southampton. (ahem, struggling to keep up with Southampton).

Ed. meant to post this before, and just found the quote - from a poster on the North Stand Chat board, to demonstrate what Brighton fans think about their manager right now:

I feel like I could eat rubbish for a week (not rubbish food, actual rubbish-newspapers,sweet wrappers,orange peel etc), take a dump in my hands, hand it to Mr Poyet and in a couple of hours he would hand me back a miniature working grandfather clock.

Edited by dirtynine, 08 September 2011 - 03:44 PM.

[dirtynine]

Brighton / Palace tomorrow at the Amex. People are excited. (ed - here's the background again, from the Guardian).

Edited by dirtynine, 27 September 2011 - 09:57 AM.

[dirtynine]

Oof. Brighton 1-3 Palace, Murray (ex-Brighton) scores the third. Not the way we drew it up.

[SpunkyHamshank]

1-0 to the Seagulls til 10 minutes to go too. Still "over the moon" about the start to the season though, not looking out of their depth at all, look good for an outside challenge for a playoff place.

A season or two consolidating and I can see the Seagulls back where they belong, dicing with relegation in the top division.

[SoxFanInCali]

Given today's result, shouldn't this thread be renamed "Suck it, Man U"?

[Zomp]

Thats the second thread you've trolled in. Knock it off.


/Dlew

[SoxFanInCali]

I was just going to bump the Man U thread, like you did with the Barca one, but thought this was a bit more creative.

[Zomp]

I didn't see the game, and probably won't watch it now except for maybe the second half (for Ravel Morrison).

I honestly don't mind...I love to bust balls on this forum and wish everyone else would.

Except for Dlew, that guy sucks.

[Snakebauer007]

I didn't see the game, and probably won't watch it now except for maybe the second half (for Ravel Morrison).

I honestly don't mind...I love to bust balls on this forum and wish everyone else would.

Except for Dlew, that guy sucks.

Didnt see what I hoped from Pogba or Morrison

[dirtynine]

Congrats to Palace on their giant-slaying. Glenn Murray, Brighton hero of last season, scored the winner - shades of Johnny Damon on the 2005 Yanks there. Time for a table check...




The bigger clubs (excepting Pompey) are gravitating towards the top half, and despite a recent slip up against Bristol City, Southampton remains in control. I haven't heard too much January speculation yet, but Brighton have got to be considered buyers given they're barely out of a playoff spot.

[Spacemans Bong]

The bigger clubs (excepting Pompey) are gravitating towards the top half,

And the double European champion in the relegation zone!

[SoxFanInCali]

And the double European champion in the relegation zone!

That's OK, a former Premier League champion will be joining next season.

[dirtynine]

And the double European champion in the relegation zone!

Speaking of, Brighton get a goal in injury time to absolutely steal a win from Forest, and go to sixth...

[dirtynine]

RESET! As the run-in to the season commences (most have seven or eight matches left to play), let's take a quick look at things:



Southampton looks quite likely to seal automatic promotion, and one of Reading and West Ham is almost as likely to join them. Whomever doesn't win that battle will fall back into a scrum with Brighton, Boro, Brum, Blackpool and Cardiff for playoff spots - and below them, anybody down to Burnley on 50 points must be holding out hope for some kind of playoff push. West Ham, Reading, Southampton, Boro and Birmingham all think they belong in the Premier League as birthright; It would be new for Cardiff, of course, who would double the Welsh representation in the Prem; Brighton are on the upswing as a club and hope to get there next season if not this, but are ultimately happy with a strong finish even if it means staying put. Blackpool is still consolidating its recent success as well, though I admit I don't know much about their expectations.

Wave goodbye to Doncaster Rovers and, sadly, Pompey. It'll be a scrap between a few others (notably Forest and Milwall) to avoid the sucking sound of the drain that leads to League 1.

Matches to watch:
West Ham v. Reading, Sat 3/31 (thanks, hitcat) - can the Hammers climb into an automatic spot? The last chance to take points off the top 2 for West Ham.
Brighton v. Boro, Sat 3/31 - both looking to consolidate playoff position
Southampton v. Portsmouth, Sat 4/7 - Should be rife with emotion as the derby foes rarely meet in league play and are going in such starkly different directions.
Boro v. Cardiff, Sat 4/7 - another scrap between playoff hopefuls
Forest v. Bristol City, Sat 4/7 - classic six-pointer between two clubs dangling on the edge of relegation
Bristol City v. Coventry, Mon 4/9 - Bristol turn right around to play another six-pointer. Huge two days for them.
West Ham v. Birmingham, Mon 4/9 - Hammers trying to push up out of the playoffs, Brum trying to hang on to their place
Brighton v. Reading, Tue 4/10 - at home, Brighton probably need maximum points from this game to keep pace with their playoff rivals
Portsmouth v. Doncaster, Sat 4/14 - if either still has a pulse at this point, this will be crucial. Or it might just be the saddest game of the season in the Championship.
West Ham v. Brighton, Sat 4/14 - Brighton's playoff push doesn't get any easier at West Ham as they chase automatic promotion
Bristol v. West Ham, Tue 4/17 - both need points at opposite ends of the table
Boro v. Doncaster, Tue 4/17 - ditto
Reading v. Forest, Tue 4/17 - ditto again. By the end of play on this Tuesday, a lot should be cleared up.
Brighton v. Birmingham, Sat 4/21 - incredibly valuable late-stage six-pointer at home for Brighton
--- everybody gets a full week of rest before the cull ----
Birmingham v. Reading, Sat 4/28 - if Reading hasn't sewn up their automatic spot by now, this will be quite a match
Millwall v. Blackpool, Sat 4/28 - here's hoping the Lions are already safe, but if they're not (and Blackpool's still sniffing the playoffs) this could be interesting
Forest v. Portsmouth, Sat 4/28 - only if Pompey has rallied and has a chance of saving themselves
Southampton v. Coventry, Sat 4/28 - Southampton likely clinched, Coventry likely desperate - these conditions make for some of my favorite matches

Should be a fun end-game.

Edited by dirtynine, 27 March 2012 - 10:56 AM.

[thehitcat]

I'm a little surprised you left this weekend's top of the chart tilt between West Ham and Reading in London out of your list of matches to watch. If the Royals can keep the Hammers down on Saturday my boys from Hamps look good for auto promotion.


Go you RRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrsssssss!!!!

[DLew On Roids]

Anyone but West Ham. Nothing against the club, but I don't want to watch another Big Sam side in the Premiership.

For more Big Sam info, check out the live audience Guardian Football Weekly podcast from over the weekend, in which Marina Hyde goes about as far as one can go in Britain toward calling a public figure a raging alcoholic without getting sued for slander.

[dirtynine]

I'm a little surprised you left this weekend's top of the chart tilt between West Ham and Reading in London out of your list of matches to watch. If the Royals can keep the Hammers down on Saturday my boys from Hamps look good for auto promotion.


Go you RRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrsssssss!!!!

I completely missed it! Absolutely a must-watch.

[thehitcat]

A 4-2 win at Upton (from 1-nil down) and Southhampton coughed up the game against Blackpool. The top spot is back in play. Got to keep up the pressure through the coming weeks.

Go you RRRRRRRrrrrrrrssss!!!!

[dirtynine]

Was just looking at the updated table, and scanning the fine print. This rule stuck out:

If two or more teams are level before the end of the season on points, goal difference and goals scored, then alphabetical order will determine the team finishing higher.

That only applies to in-season, not end of season order, right? If not, it seems a bit prejudiced. Although (and it obbviously won't be any time soon), it would be fun to see Southampton get relegated that way one day...

Edited by dirtynine, 02 April 2012 - 09:40 AM.

[thehitcat]

I believe you have it right but suddenly I wish I was supporting Aldershot or Barnsley

Chance for Birmingham to solidify a place in the playoffs if they can beat out Burnley today at Turf Moor. Give them a three point gap over 7th and what might be critical breathing space in the brawl that is developing around 4-6.

That said I love chaos like this at each end of the table. Go Burnley! Hold the line!

[DLew On Roids]

If two or more teams are level before the end of the season on points, goal difference and goals scored, then alphabetical order will determine the team finishing higher.

There's your answer.

[thehitcat]

Bristol with a huge win at Forest on Saturday to keep them out of the bottom 3. Today's game at home v. Coventry might be even bigger. If they can win it outright they'll be 4 clear of the zone with 4 to play. If Coventry wins Bristol drops into the bottom 3 and pending the Peterborough result Forest Coventry and Bristol will all be within 3 points of one another.

At the other end of the table West Ham and Birmingham have an interesting clash. A West Ham win keeps them in touch with the lead positions. Birmingham is playing for playoff position at this point.

Because of results this weekend (Reading Win, Southampton Tie) the Royals and Saints are tied on points coming into today. Southampton has a large goal differential lead however. Southhampton plays at Crystal Palace today and Reading at Brighton tomorrow. Reading at St. Mary's on Saturday could be for the championship.

Go you RRRRRrrrrrrssss!

[thehitcat]

So Bristol City has a 6 point Bank Holiday weekend and puts 4 points between them and Coventry in the bottom 3 (Forest won as well giving them 7 points to Coventry.)

Southampton won putting them up three points with Reading to play tomorrow.

Finally Birmingham and West Ham played to a 3 all draw. Crazy game. Brum looked like running away with it at 2-0 and then 3-1 on a flukey goal and then they sat back and Ricardo Vaz Te happened. 3-3 at Upton Park which is good for my Royals all things considered.

[dirtynine]

Brighton - Reading kicking off at 2:45 (EST). Brighton need all the points they can get to keep hope for a top-6 finish alive.

[thehitcat]

Reading hang on by the skin of their teeth (including a penalty save by my MoM Adam Federici) to eake out a 1-0 win at Brighton. The win leaves them level on points (-9 GD) with the Saints at the top 6 clear of West Ham with 4 to play including Friday's game at St. Mary's.

Brighton is now 2 points out of the 6th but the scrum there is unbelievable. Blackpool is 5th with 67 points and Leeds in 14th with 57. 10 teams in with at least a punchers chance at 6th with probably only Watford and Derby unable to at least get to a positive GD with 4 straight wins. The next few weeks will be epic.

Go you RRRRRrrrrrssss!!!!


Reading manager Brian McDermott: "It was a night of resilience and character. Brighton are a difficult side to play against, they had a lot of the ball and we had to hang in there.
"We have followed up a hard-fought win over Leeds with another win and all I'm thinking about now is the Southampton game.
"St Mary's will be the place to be on Friday, I'm sure."

Edited by thehitcat, 10 April 2012 - 06:15 PM.

[thehitcat]

Reading v. Southampton at St. Mary's for first overall at 2:45 EST. Both teams would probably settle for a draw and both managers have been trying to downplay the game ever since the final whistle at Brighton (Adkins to a larger extent than McDermott.) But with the goal difference between them Reading's path to being champions probably requires a victory today.

Southampton is #1 in Offense in the Championship with Rickie Lambert and his 26 goals leading the way in the division. Reading is #1 in Defense in the Championship.

Go immovable object! Come on you RRRRRrrrrsss!!

[thehitcat]

Adam Le Fondre@!!!!! 9 pts up with 3 to play and 3 pts clear of Southampton. Southampton dominated but couldn't finish. 1-1 until Adam came on and then 3-1 to close. The traveling supporters were in fine voice after Le Fondre and ten mnutes left."We are top of the league" chant the Reading fans. I am in heaven. Time to go out and drink some Redbreast in honor of Noel Hunt and the Irish Pipline.

Go you RRRRrrrrssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


-Also I am beyond drunk!!! GO you RRRRrrrrssss!!! and eff the rest!!!!!!!!!!!1

Edited by thehitcat, 13 April 2012 - 10:48 PM.

[thehitcat]

At the Bottom Doncaster is down. Portsmouth is 7 points behind Bristol City and Safety. Portsmouth needs to beat Palace on the South Coast and then get some help first from West Ham. Coventry is 4 points adrift and is home to Millwall today. A win for the Sky Blues puts enormous pressure on Bristol City depending on the outcome vs. the Hammers.

At the Top Reading is home to Forest, while Southampton are at Peterborough. If Reading has a better result tonight than West Ham the Royals are up. 46 points out of the last possible 57 for the Royals 15 wins, 1 draw 3 loss in the last nineteen (since the new year) is a pretty enormous run. We'll have to see if they can keep it up for three more. Go you RRRRrrrrssss!!!

In the playoff places Birmingham is at Ipswich who don't have much to play for. Blackpool is home to Leeds and Cardiff is home to Derby a win or a draw for the home squads not only help their positioning but effectively kill off even the longshot hopes of the Leeds and Derby. Boro is home to Doncaster who have nothing left to play for but pride. Boro will be hoping for one of Blackpool and/or Cardiff to settle for a draw thus leveling them on points. Goal differential is for another day. Brighton, Leceister and Hull are all home and still have varying degrees of hope. Wins for all three are required to stay in the conversation or after today the playoff places will effectively be down to 4 teams for 3 places.

[thehitcat]

We're going back up!!

[dirtynine]

Brighton scrape out a draw with Watford, and are mathematically eliminated from the playoff chase. But also mathematically assured of finishing above Palace for the first time since the 80s. On balance, it was a season of consolidation in the Championship for the Albion, and the future looks bright. Congrats to Reading and (likely) Southampton, the latter on what looks to be two successive promotions.

Playoff positions looking like:
---
x - Reading - 88
Southampton - 85
---
West Ham - 80
Birmingham - 72
Blackpool - 71
Cardiff - 71
---
Middlesborough - 67
Hull - 65

with two games left.

Boro could catch, and Hull could force a tiebreaker, though I'm not clear if the math would help them there. Southampton / Boro on Saturday could be interesting, with the slim chance that West Ham could trouble the Saints for the second automatic promotion spot, and Boro needing all three points to make things interesting up the ladder.

Edited by dirtynine, 18 April 2012 - 11:52 AM.

[DLew On Roids]

Pompey still not mathematically down yet, and with a mid-table GD, they could easily win their last two. Bristol City stays up at their expense with two points in the last two, however, and have Barnsley and Burnley, both with nothing to play for.

[SoxFanInCali]

The relegation fight is over. Pompey, Coventry, and Doncaster Rovers are in League One next season.

[dirtynine]

Southampton lost to Boro; West Ham can close to within two points of automatic promotion (with one match to play) if they win on Monday. If that plays out, they'd then have to beat Hull next weekend and hope Southampton lose to relegated Coventry.

Similarly, Boro can still catch the final playoff spot if Cardiff stumbles against Palace next week.

[dirtynine]

West Ham won. Sets up a fun final weekend, with battles for second (Saints/WH) and sixth (Cardiff/Boro).

[eddiew112]

West Ham blows the doors off Cardiff 5-0 on aggregate to secure their place at Wembley. Blackpool leads Birmingham 1-0 with the leg in Birmingham coming up on Wednesday

[dirtynine]

West Ham / Blackpool on Saturday for the promotion.

In the "pointless facts" department, if the Hammers do win, fully 1/3 of next year's Championship will be "B" teams. (Barnsley, Birmingham City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Bristol City, Burnley, Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers).

[SidelineCameras]

Welcome back, Hammers. Blackpool missed a few sitters, the last goal was incredible, what a great appetizer on Championship/League Saturday.