 | Forum
Thread | Cambridge friendly
at 15:42 3 Aug 2024
We are 5-0 up after 35 minutes, against what is basically a Cambridge youth team. |
| Forum
Thread | Message from the Chairman
at 18:04 2 Aug 2024
Colchester United Chairman Robbie Cowling has issued the following message to supporters:
"I hope this message finds everyone in good health and enjoying the recent sunshine.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that attended the Open Day in July for making it the best Open Day we have held to date.
On a less positive note, I have had to once again take the decision to move the pre-season friendly that we had scheduled for 3pm this Saturday to an alternative venue. This decision has again been made because our stadium pitch is not quite ready for a full match.
I didn’t take this decision lightly and I am extremely disappointed that this denies many Colchester fans the chance to see the new squad in action before the season gets underway. However, given the progress of the pitch following extensive drainage work, and our commitment to having it in the best possible condition for competitive matches, I believe this was the only viable option.
Since we encountered major drainage issues with the pitch last season, I took full responsibility for finding solutions to get us through last season and for determining the necessary work to prevent these problems from recurring this season.
I still believe this work is in our best long-term interest, but I take full responsibility for the immediate issues that have led to the cancellation of two pre-season fixtures.
I commend everyone who worked extensively on the stadium pitch in such a short time, and I would like to thank Peterborough and Cambridge for their understanding.
The fixture will now be played at 3pm on Saturday at New Rowley Park, the stadium of St Neots Football Club. Thanks to St Neots for facilitating this game at such short notice.
All tickets and parking permits that were purchased for the original game at our stadium have been processed for refunds. This step has already been taken but it can take up to five days for the funds to reach the intended bank accounts.
Those who still wish to attend the game against Cambridge will be made very welcome by St Neots.
Thank you for all your continued support.
Up the U's. |
| Forum
Reply | MK Dons away
at 16:36 31 Jul 2024
I think you mean tickets for the AFC Wimbledon game. MK Dons is the first home league game. |
| Forum
Thread | Happy League 2024/25 Week 1 (of 38) - Deadline Saturday 10th August 12.30
at 16:36 22 Jul 2024
A warm welcome to all members old and new, as the Happy League is about to start its 22nd season. Since this time last season there are a number of new members to the site, who are posting on a regular basis. If any of you are reading this, I would like to take this opportunity to say you are all very welcome to join. It is a free to enter competition with prizes. Details of the four competions are below.
There is no need to register for the coming season, as any member who took part last season, will automatically be registered for this season. Just post your predictions to confirm your registration. For any new members thinking about joining, you can join just by posting you predictions for Week 1 on this thread.
The four competitions are:-
Happy League This is a 38 Week season. Fixtures will be 25 weeks of 6 games, and 13 of guest pick 10 games, making 280 in total. There are two divisions, with 12 members in the Premier, and all other members (including newcomers) in Division One. Three to be relegated from the Premier, and three promoted from Division One (the top two automatically, and one from the play-offs). A personalised Colchester United clock for the Premier Champion. The season will start on Saturday 10th August. For any newcomers it is 3 points for a correct score, and one point for a correct result. Fixtures can be found below.
After last seasons promotion and relegation the two leagues as they stand at the moment are (In alphabetical order):-
Happy Cup This competition is to continue in its original format as a knockout one. There will be replays for drawn games. The 1st Round would ideally have 32 members. If we fail to get this, then to have 16 members for the 2nd Round, there will be three member games where required, with the two top scorers going through. The competition will start with FA Cup 1st Round fixtures on 2nd November. The winner will get a personalised Colchester United mug. All details will be in the Happy Cup thread sometime in October.
Charity Shield This is an end of season competition, where the Premier Champion will play the Happy Cup winner in one semi-final, and the Premier runner-up will play the Division One Champion in the other semi-final. The winners to play in the final, where the winner will get a personalised shield.
U'sual Champions League The qualification for this competition will be decided on 29th December (Week 21). Last seasons winner blueeagle will qualify automatically, the other eleven qualifiers will be the highest point scorers over the two divisions on the aforementioned date. The competition will start on 4th March, when the Champions League Round Of 16 begins. The winner will get a personalised replica Champions League trophy.
A reminder of a rule, mainly for any newcomers. That is anybody failing to post their predictions four weeks in a row, will be dismissed from all Happy League competitions. There is no need for this to happen. If you are not going to be around to post your predictions any week, just let me know in advance what default score you require, e.g. all 1-0's, 2-1's etc. Anybody failing to post anything at all will receive no points for that week.
Week 1 Fixtures
LEEDS UNITED v PORTSMOUTH (12.30)
OXFORD UNITED v NORWICH CITY (12.30)
AFC WIMBLEDON v COLCHESTER UNITED (15.00)
HARROGATE TOWN v BROMLEY (15.00)
PETERBOROUGH UNITED v HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (17.30)
STOCKPORT COUNTY v CAMBRIDGE UNITED (17.30)
Good luck everybody. |
| Forum
Reply | The Summer of ‘24 - ins, outs and maybes
at 15:43 9 Jul 2024
Richard Brindley signed for Eastleigh. Another to leave Notts County is Macaulay Langstaff, who has joined Millwall. Good news for League 2 teams not having to face him this season, after he scored 71 goals in the last two seasons. |
| Forum
Reply | Cricket question for Noah.
at 22:32 8 Jun 2024
Played in white ball games for Glamorgan last season. More as a bowler with an idiosyncratic action, than a batsman. |
| Forum
Reply | U'sual Champions League 2024 Final & 3rd PO - Deadline Sat 1st June 20.00
at 22:34 1 Jun 2024
Champions League Final result
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0
REAL MADRID 2
Carvaja (74) Vinícius Júnior (83)
(A) Result - 5pts spot-on, 2pts for the outcome. See above
(B) Goal scorer - pick one. get 1pt for each goal they score (including own goals). See above
(C) Attempts on target - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest. Result 10
(D) Attempts off target - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest. Result 11
(E) Corners - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest. Result 17
(F) Fouls - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest. Result 20
(G) Yellow cards - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest. Result 4
(H) Red cards - 1pt for spot-on only. Result 0
(TB) The tie-break is the minute for the first substitution, closest (either side) wins. In the unlikely event that there are no substitutions, this will be counted as 0 (zero) minutes. Substitutions in injury-time will be counted as 45' or 90 Result 72nd minute
Final result
blueeagle 5
A Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real Madrid 0 pts
B Fullkrug 0 pts
C 10 attempts on target 2 pts
D 14 off target 0 pts
E 10 corners 0 pts
F 19 fouls 1 pt
G 5 yellow cards 1 pt
H 0 red cards 1 pt
Tie Break 61 minutes 1st sub nearest
bwildered 5
A) Result - Dortmund 1 Madrid 2 2 pts
(B) Goal scorer - Junior Vinicius 1 pt
(C) Attempts on target - 12 0 pts
(D) Attempts off target - 12 1 pt
(E) Corners - 2pts for spot-on, 12 0 pts
(F) Fouls - 2pts for spot-on, 15 0 pts
(G) Yellow cards - 6 0 pts
(H) Red cards - 0 1 pt
(TB) - 57
Congratulations to blueeagle on winning a tight game that was decided on the tie-breaker. Despite being the only one not to predict a win for Real Madrid, he made up for it by getting points in four other categories.
3rd place play-off result
burnsieespana 4
A. Borussia 1 Real Madrid 2 2 pts
B. Fullkrug 0 pts
C. 13 0 pts
D. 9 0 pts
E. 10 0 pts
F.12 0 pts
G. 4 2 pts
H. 1 0 pts
Tb. 63 mi s
Blue4U2 5
A. Borussia 1 Real Madrid 3 2 pts
B J Brandt 0 pts
C. 10 2 pts
D. 3 0 pts
E. 8 0 pts
F.16 0 pts
G. 8 0 pts
H. 0 1 pt
Tb. 57 mi s
Well done to Blue4U2 on finishing third after another tight game, and winning it by predicting no red cards. |
| Forum
Reply | The Summer of ‘24 - ins, outs and maybes
at 16:03 27 May 2024
Could this be our first signing in the transfer window.
MATT Macey has been linked with a move to Colchester United.
The 29-year-old goalkeeper is set to join the League Two side according to Pete O’Rourke, transfer correspondent for Football Insider.
Colchester are on the lookout for a new goalkeeper for next season, following Owen Goodman's return to parent club Crystal Palace after his loan spell and Sam Hornby's release.
Macey started his career at Bristol Rovers but did not make a first-team appearance for them.
The 6ft 6in keeper joined Premier League club Arsenal in 2014 and played for the Gunners in the EFL Cup and Europa League.
During his time at the Emirates stadium, Macey had loan spells at Accrington Stanley, Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle before he left Arsenal in 2021 to join Scottish Premiership side Hibernian.
He spent a year at the Edinburgh club before returning south of the border to rejoin Luton on a permanent basis, in the summer of 2022.
Macey joined Portsmouth on loan in January 2023, a few days after Danny and Nicky Cowley had departed the club.
He eventually signed for the South Coast club on a permanent basis 12 months later and played regularly for them in the 2022-23 season.
Macey was released by Portsmouth earlier this month and is now being linked with a move to Colchester. |
| Forum
Thread | U'sual Champions League 2024 Final & 3rd PO - Deadline Sat 1st June 20.00
at 16:07 22 May 2024
A recap on how the Semi-finals finished
Semi-final 1st leg results
BAYERN MUNICH 2 REAL MADRID 2
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1 PARIS SAINT GERMAIN 0
Semi-finals 2nd leg results
PARIS SAINT GERMAIN 0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1
(Agg 0-2)
REAL MADRID 2 BAYERN MUNICH 1
(Agg 4-3)
Final scores
Blue4U2 6 (1) bwildered 8 (1)
blueeagle 5 (1) burnsieespana 2
U'sual Champions League 2024 Final
bwildered v blueeagle
3rd place play-off
Blue4U2 v burnsieespana
The Champions League Final
01/06/2024 BORUSSIA DORTMUND v REAL MADRID (Kick-off 20.00)
Predictions There are nine categories to predict. For categories C-G, as usual there will be 2pts if spot-on, and one point for whoever is closest (or 1pt each if equidistant). Note that for the final alone, a spot-on result will not count towards the tie-break, it's just the total points scored. All predictions will be for the normal time match, extra-time or penalties will not count. The only questions you can't match exactly on are (A), (B) and (TB), so whilst there is no tie-break advantage to predicting first, predicting last may mean not having the options preferred available. Deadline for all predictions is Saturday 1st June 20.00.
(A) Result - 5pts spot-on, 2pts for the outcome.
(B) Goal scorer - pick one. get 1pt for each goal they score (including own goals).
(C) Attempts on target - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest.
(D) Attempts off target - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest.
(E) Corners - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest.
(F) Fouls - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest.
(G) Yellow cards - 2pts for spot-on, 1pt if closest.
(H) Red cards - 1pt for spot-on only.
(TB) The tie-break is the minute for the first substitution, closest (either side) wins. In the unlikely event that there are no substitutions, this will be counted as 0 (zero) minutes. Substitutions in injury-time will be counted as 45' or 90
All stats will be taken from the BBC Sport website, just in case there are discrepancies elsewhere.
Good luck everybody. |
| Forum
Thread | Happy League 2023/24 Season round up
at 18:09 21 May 2024
Honours List for the 2023/24 season
Premier Champion concorman. A second title in the last three seasons for him. Runner-up RSCOSWORTH. To give him his highest ever finish.
Happy Cup Winner concordman. A second win in the last three seasons, giving him the League and Cup double for the second time. Runner-up durham_exile.
Charity Shield Winner Daniel. Well deserved after scoring 12 points in both the Semi-final and Final. Runner-up concordman.
Division One Champion Daniel. An instant return to the Premier for him, after being relegated the previous season. Runner-up burnsieespana. Promoted through the play-offs basher2010.
U'sual Champions League Winner blueeagle. Runner-up bwildered, 3rd place Blue4U2
Thank you everyone for your kind comments throughout the season, as always they are very much appreciated.
This is how the leagues will look for the 2024/25 season (In alphabetical order)
How did the 2023/24 games finish Remarkably it was almost a replica of the 2022/23 season, with just 5 more homes, 2 less aways and 3 less draws.
2014/15 Home wins 131 (43.67%) Away wins 94 (31.33%) Draws 75 (25.00%)
2015/16 Home wins 107 (35.66%) Away wins 119 (39.67%) Draws 74 (24.67%)
2016/17 Home wins 129 (43.00%) Away wins 91 (30.33%) Draws 80 (26.67%)
2017/18 Home wins 138 (46.00%) Away wins 88 (29.33%) Draws 74 (24.67%)
2018/19 Home wins 123 (41.00%) Away wins 94 (31.33%) Draws 83 (27.67%)
2019/20 Home wins 126 (42.00%) Away wins 97 (32.33%) Draws 77 (25.67%)
2020/21 Home wins 124 (41.33%) Away wins 105 (35.00%) Draws 71 (23.67%)
2021/22 Home wins 118 (39.33%) Away wins 100 (33.33%) Draws 82 (27.33%)
2022/23 Home wins 123 (41.00%) Away wins 104 (34.67%) Draws 73 (24.33%)
2023/24 Home wins 128 (42.67%) Away wins 102 (34.00%) Draws 70 (23.33%)
In the ten seasons of my administration the 3000 games have ended with:-
Home wins 1247 (41.57%) Away wins 994 (33.13%) Draws 759 (25.30%).
Extended added time As can be seen from the figures above, it made no difference to the final outcome, but not surprisingly there were more goals scored compared to previous seasons, but not a lot, as can be seen from last 10 seasons figures below. Just like the homes, aways and draws, the number of goals in a season are nearly always the same, with 8 out of the 10 seasons only having a difference of 16 goals between them. There was a blip in the 2016/17 season, and then in the season just finished the extended time created more goals, and the trend is likely to continue. Even though the average goals per game was up, it was still below the average for the four English Leagues, mainly due to the fact we have less Premier League fixtures to predict. The figures for the 2023/24 season were Premier League 1246 goals (3.28 average goals per game), Championship 1480 goals (2.68 average goals per game), League 1 1427 goals (2.58 average goals per game), League 2 1645 (2 98 average goals per game).
2023/24 823 goals (2.74 average goals per game)
2022/23 794 goals (2.65 average goals per game)
2021/22 780 goals (2.60 average goals per game)
2020/21 768 goals (2.56 average goals per game)
2019/20 780 goals (2.60 average goals per game)
2018/19 790 goals (2.63 average goals per game)
2017/18 778 goals (2 59 average goals per game)
2016/17 826 goals (2.75 average goals per game)
2015/16 778 goals (2.59 average goals per game)
2014/15 781 goals (2.60 average goals per game)
The results In the Final tables thread noah4x4 quoted "For many seasons I have enjoyed HLPL success by avoiding predicting draws and I suspect that in this last season the incidence of 1-1 and 2-2 have been uncharacteristically high (?), whilst 1-0, 0-1, 2-1 and 1-2 probably feature on far fewer occasions than normal? Extended added time has probably increased the average goals per game (?) and I reckon that is where I need to adjust future tactics". In answer to the points he made, the draws were at a 10 season low, mainly due to the bore draw also being at a 10 season low. Though the 1-1 was once again the top result, and the 2-2 improved on its disappointing return the previous season. The extended added time did increase the average goals per game, this had the 2-1 and the 1-2 taking over from the 1-0 and the 0-1 as best for a home and away win. The 0-2 also had its highest 10 season score.
The 2024/25 EFL fixtures are due out on the 26th June, and details for the new Happy League season will follow soon afterwards. In the meantime there are 2024 Euro's to look forward too, and dare I say it an English team as winners.
[Post edited 1 Jun 22:43]
|
| Forum
Reply | HL 2023/24 Division One Play-off Final Replay - Deadline Sat 11th May 12.30
at 19:15 12 May 2024
Sunday fixture result
MANCHESTER UNITED 0 ARSENAL 1
Latest score
basher2010 8 (1) bwildered 6
They both got the Arsenal outcome, so bwildered requires Liverpool to win 2-1 in the final fixture. Any other result and it is basher2010 who is promoted back to the Premier.
There will be a final update after the Aston Villa v Liverpool fixture has finished on Monday. [Post edited 12 May 19:17]
|
| Forum
Reply | HL 2023/24 Division One Play-off Final Replay - Deadline Sat 11th May 12.30
at 19:53 11 May 2024
Saturday evening result
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2 CHELSEA 3
Latest score
basher2010 7 (1) bwildered 5
In a game that swung too and flow, it was basher2010 who got the Chelsea outcome to increase his advantage. This means bwildered now requires a 3 pointer from the final two fixtures to have any chance of gaining promotion.
Next update will be after the Sunday game has finished. |
| | mfb_cufc
|
Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 13 | | Comment Votes: | 0 | | Prediction League: | 32 | | TOTAL: | 45 |
|
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.