Division Three, 2024/25

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Told myself I wouldn't get involved, but a couple of interesting results in the early games.

First to finish were Lincoln, who beat Reading 2-0 to leap above the Royals into the final payoff spot (for now). 2-0 doesn't reflect Lincoln's dominance - 32 touches in the box to Reading's 6, five saves from the Royals' goalkeeper - and while Reading weren't helped by a first-half dismissal, new boss Noel Hunt hasn't started well. Since his opening 1-1 at Wycombe – perhaps doubly inspired by Ruben Selles jumping ship and Wycombe's recent attempt to buy Reading's training ground – they've been knocked out of the cup by Walsall (fancy that), lost 3-0 at home to Blackpool and now limply 2-0 at Lincoln. Selles was doing very well to keep the crisis club up the top end and preliminary indications are that Hunt won't do the same. Lincoln aren't exactly flying either - they hadn't won in seven - but I'd expect Skubala's lot to be harder to overhaul than Reading.

Then there's Wrexham, who were Wrexhamming their way to victory at Bristol Rovers, scoring with one of their two accurate efforts, until a late equaliser rather spoiled that idea. That leaves them below Birmingham on goal difference from three games more, which rather suggests that - unless Wycombe explode - we may be seeing Hollywood FC in the playoffs... which might be an intriguing storyline.

Anyway. A few 3pms too but not much of huge interest, perhaps beside Barnsley probably leapfrogging us, Reading and Lincoln into 6th by beating Orient at home.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Barnsley done a Barnsley! Beaten 4-0 at home by Orient. That's one win in seven for the Tykes, who saw three of the four teams directly above them fighting for sixth not win then totally failed to take advantage. Does anyone actually want to finish 6th?

Elsewhere, Northampton got shellacked 5-0 at home by Charlton, who move within 4pts of 6th, as are Mansfield, who beat the still-hopeless Rotherham 1-0 at home. Exter won at Burton - world shrugs - and Blackpool drew 0-0 at home to Stevenage, which is not what Steve Bruce dreams of.

Lovely stuff at Wigan though as the Tics went 2-0 up - the same two scorers as at ours last week - to 24th-placed Shrewsbury before a Will Aimson own goal gave the Shrews an opportunity they took with an 87th-minute equaliser. Hahaha what sort of losers draw 2-2 at home to Shrewsbury?! Oh.

[TonyDomingos]

Barnsley done a Barnsley! Beaten 4-0 at home by Orient. That's one win in seven for the Tykes, who saw three of the four teams directly above them fighting for sixth not win then totally failed to take advantage. Does anyone actually want to finish 6th?

Elsewhere, Northampton got shellacked 5-0 at home by Charlton, who move within 4pts of 6th, as are Mansfield, who beat the still-hopeless Rotherham 1-0 at home. Exter won at Burton - world shrugs - and Blackpool drew 0-0 at home to Stevenage, which is not what Steve Bruce dreams of.

Lovely stuff at Wigan though as the Tics went 2-0 up - the same two scorers as at ours last week - to 24th-placed Shrewsbury before a Will Aimson own goal gave the Shrews an opportunity they took with an 87th-minute equaliser. Hahaha what sort of losers draw 2-2 at home to Shrewsbury?! Oh.

Thanks, DSB. It's like having CEEFAX back again!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Thanks, DSB. It's like having CEEFAX back again!

Got bored at work

[officer_dibble]

Went to watch Oxford at Leeds today. Got picked apart like we did to them last March! But yeah, Leeds that’s how you do possession football outside the premier league.

[The_Gun]

Nobby Nolan appointed as manager at Northampton. Interesting…

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Great day for our rivals.

Stockport come from behind against Birmingham and rack up better stats than the champions-elect.
Reading cruise past Cambridge (against whom we drew).
Barnsley beat Wrexham.
Mansfield go above us (by taking the direct route of beating us).
Orient go above us too, by the indirect but unarguably effective route of winning 19pts from their last 7 games (in which they've kept 6 clean sheets).

Can you really honestly say we'd do any of those things?

[GhostoftheBok]

Great day for our rivals.

It never rains but it floods...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Wycombe-Huddersfield tonight is a big one tonight.

Birmingm 1st on 53pts from 23 games
Wycombe 2nd on 51 from 24
Wrexham 3rd on 51 from 25
Huddrsfld 4th on 44 from 23.

So for Wycombe, this is their game in hand on Wrexham (and a win would take them back top, albeit from two more games than Inveitable Champions Birmingham). If they lose, they'll stay second on GD - but Wrexham will strengthen this month and Wycombe may weaken (not just Morley - centre-back Joe Low looks set to move up a tier and WBA have recalled Caleb Taylor).

Meanwhile, for canny old Mike Duff (whose team is also likely to strengthen this month), a win here would put them 5pts clear of 5th-placed Barnsley and make them look more like part of that autos group. And then on Saturday, when the top 3 are off for FA Cup reasons, Huddersfield travel to 22nd-placed Shrewsbury; another win there would take them to 50pts, just 1 behind Wrexham & Wycombe.

Sadly only of distant relevance to us, but interesting nonetheless. After all, if we do get in the playoffs, we're very likely to have to face Huddersfield, Wrexham or Wycombe; right now I think I'd choose Wycombe, but if by then they've bought Morley you know he'll slay us. "As flies to wanton boys are we to the football gods: they kill us for their sport."

[GhostoftheBok]

Ordinarily I'd watch this one over the League Cup game, but as you say we are divorced from that group at the top now and so it doesn't peak the interest as it would have in previous seasons.

Don't get me wrong, I love a football miracle and whilst it's mathematically on I want us to be pushing for it.

We play all the top sides yet. So "all" we have to do is beat them all. And everyone else. And never lose. Ever.

Easy.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

"Supercomputer" utterly disagrees with me and thinks Wycombe will finish 9pts above Wrexham. Although thinks we'll finish 6th, so that'd be a reunion with Parky ahead of a possible Wembley date with Mike Duff or (checks notes) Noel Hunt. Bolton-Reading at Wembley, imagine that.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... irmingham/

[HMX]

Wycombe sign 6'5" 33-year-old centre-back, Sonny Bradley, on loan from Derby for the rest of the season. Presumably, he's in to replace Caleb Taylor who was recalled to West Brom.

[HMX]

"Supercomputer" utterly disagrees with me and thinks Wycombe will finish 9pts above Wrexham. Although thinks we'll finish 6th, so that'd be a reunion with Parky ahead of a possible Wembley date with Mike Duff or (checks notes) Noel Hunt. Bolton-Reading at Wembley, imagine that.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... irmingham/

I'd love a Wembley showdown with Parky's Wrexham.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'd love a Wembley showdown with Parky's Wrexham.

Yes. Right up until kick-off.

[nicholaldo]

"Supercomputer" utterly disagrees with me and thinks Wycombe will finish 9pts above Wrexham. Although thinks we'll finish 6th, so that'd be a reunion with Parky ahead of a possible Wembley date with Mike Duff or (checks notes) Noel Hunt. Bolton-Reading at Wembley, imagine that.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... irmingham/

I wonder if the "Supercomputer" was super enough to factor the loss of the Radcliffe Pirlo into its calculations.

Or is it so super it knows before we do that he'll be returning?

[GhostoftheBok]

What did the super computer say before the season started?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

What did the super computer say before the season started?

Us champions, Posh 4th, Wrexham 20th, Mansfield 22nd
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... irmingham/

[jmjhb]

What did the super computer say before the season started?

Us champions, Posh 4th, Wrexham 20th, Mansfield 22nd
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... irmingham/

Sounds like it needs a new AI rework

[sonicthewhite]

Supercomputer? More like a ZX Spectrum.

[officer_dibble]

Wycombe replace Caleb Taylor with some Norwegian giant.