League One 20/21

[sign of the chimes]

I have no problem with private ownership, The guy in charge of your club now did and seems to be doing things the right way, Not promising the earth but a careful financial plan and hopefully progress on the pitch too.

I don't have any problem with private ownership in itself, but when there's a lack of governance/regulation it does make it more attractive for dodgy individuals/groups to come in and chance their arms, particularly where there's any sort of potential to make a quick return. The problems come when that isn't realised and it turns up those taking over never had the means in the first place.

In our instance we went arms dealer -> 2008 financial crash -> russian front for previous owners who defrauded lithuanian bank -> asset strippers related to original owners including a convicted terrorist -> fake sheik -> ***** sheik who was ultimately convicted for trying to finance takeover with money he stole from his wife -> hong kong based loan shark -> various vulutres circling who were still being linked to the likes of bury and bolton over the past couple of years.

Some of the chronology above may be misordered, but they were all stages we went through and have kind of reinforced my sense that regulation/governance is a good thing.

On the plus side the current owners seem to be a) legit and b) running things sustainably. There's a sizeable section of our fanbase who would still like them to spend more money/go for broke.. that's life, I guess.

 

[sign of the chimes]

Reports suggesting a takeover is close to completion at Ipswich and Paul Cook lined up to take over from Paul Lambert as manager. It will be interesting to see how things pan out there as it's a club with decent pedigree but under the Marcus Evans regime things have been pretty flat for a number of years.

 

[Red Devon]

Something of a Great Escape act going on at Burton Albion

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

Something of a Great Escape act going on at Burton Albion

It continues...Jimmy F H playing a blinder.
Burton looked dead & buried at the turn of the year.

 

[Red Devon]

It continues...Jimmy F H playing a blinder.
Burton looked dead & buried at the turn of the year.

JFH wasn’t a particularly inspiring appointment at the time but full credit for what he’s done so far...Jonny Smith coming in from Bristol City has made a huge difference to their fortunes too, he was my top transfer target for us back in the summer if only we could have got him

 

[grecian-near-hell]

Burton currently top of the current form chart (oh and look who is bottom!)

League One Form Table

The 2023-2024 League One Form Table showing a mini table of the latest results for every team in the division

thefishy.co.uk

 

[Alistair20000]

Cowleys off to a winning start for Pompey

 

[Red Devon]

Difficult to predict one team that’s going to go down at the bottom of the table let alone four.

 

[sign of the chimes]

Cowleys off to a winning start for Pompey

In the building for one day, but such a difference. This isn't about the result (as welcome as it was) but the fact you could see the players had been asked to play with intent and think/play forward. Kenny Jackett is/was an honourable guy and I have no question about his unstinting effort to succeed for the club - but over four years he'd incremently managed to suck almost all the joy out of watching us. It may or may not work out with the Cowley brothers (and I know/understand they/their teams have made enemies on their way up), but I've felt more of a connect with them than I did at any point under Jackett - who may well end up gettting a gig with a lower-end Championship club again next and who I'd back to do well for at the right club.

Difficult to predict one team that’s going to go down at the bottom of the table let alone four.

The bottom and top are nuts - similar to the top of your division. Us aside, I'm hoping Hull can last the distance as for the first time ever my 'predict the four league champions' bet is still very much alive at this point of the season. They looked like a good Championship side when they dismantled us back in January.

Peterborough are perennial bottlers but that's usually well underway by this point - so I wonder if they might have some staying power. A little like Bolton in L2, Sunderland have some real momentum, but up until now Lee Johnson has tended to be quite a streaky manager (lots of wins followed by lots of losses). I think Hull will get one of the automatic spots - and probably between the other two I've mentioned for the other. I think any of the top 12 could end up in the Top 6.

At the bottom... crikey. Northampton (despite watching them dismantle us a couple of weeks ago) probably look the most likely. Other than that, it's anyone's guess.

 

[Legohead]

I like Danny Cowley. I know some Exeter fans aren't so keen but what he did at Lincoln, and at Braintree to a certain extent was incredible. I'm amazed he took the Huddersfield job as that was just a car crash for anybody. Thought at the time it was the wrong option. Pleased he has got back into football with a club where he can really build it up properly.