No One Cares About The EFL English Football League in Australia, that’s what we said every week since we launched our new weekly Football League bit, and so far we aren’t far off with readership of our weekly Football League bit at an all time low. Even for us.
Despite the fact that No One Cares About The EFL English Football League in Australia we will continue to bring the Football League bits and pieces, even if no one reads it, because sometimes that is exactly what happens. It’s not you, it’s us. Why not impress friends and work colleagues with some of the tidbits of Football League we offer up below.
For those interested in better stuff than ours, why not follow the link to the high quality Totally Football League Podcast, made by some of the ex Guardian Football Weekly players. It is a great listen for those who care about English Football teams 21-92.
Onto our thoughts of all the Football League for this weekend because No One Cares About The EFL English Football League in Australia.
BEIN SPORTS – FOXTEL TV GAMES FOR THIS ROUND
Football League is back, and even though they took their sweet time, it’s great to have it back. More Football League gold coming this week, and it’s all ours.
SUN/SAT 12:55am/11:55pm – CH514 BEIN SPORTS 2
WOLVES v PRESTON NORTH END – Big spending Wolves and their shiny owners are living up to expectations on top of the Championship. 5th placed Preston aren’t doing too badly themselves under former Norwich manager Alex Neil.
SUNDAY 3:25/2:25am – CH514 BEIN SPORTS 2
MILLWALL v BIRMINGHAM – Birmingham have had two 1-0 wins in three games, but in between was a 6-1 loss. They have a recently installed manager so should still be on the up for a while.
SUNDAY 9:55/8:55pm – CH514 BEIN SPORTS 2
IPSWICH TOWN v NORWICH CITY – The Old Farm derby. Norwich have had the advantage in this fixture for a while now. Ipswich won back in 2009 at home.
OTHER GAMES WE WISHED THEY HAD
MIDDLESBROUGH v CARDIFF
DERBY v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
BRISTOL CITY v LEEDS
FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAMS OF LAST WEEKEND
Just League One and Two in action last weekend.
WOLVES – Big spending Wolves put their results where their money is by taking the lead of the Championship.
SHREWSBURY TOWN – Still the only unbeaten Football League team left. Regained the led of League One with a midweek win.
LUTON TOWN – up the top of League Two with big back to back wins over Top 7 opposition. 4-1 at previous leaders Exeter and 7-1 over Stevenage are good numbers.
PORT VALE – did the weekend-midweek double to move away from the bottom of League Two.
AFC WIMBLEDON – our favourite League One side halts an awful run with a weekend-midweek double.
BOLTON – Won their first game last weekend.
FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAMS IN TROUBLE
SUNDERLAND – 1 win this season for the relegated side and sit second last. They have games against lowly Bolton and Brentford in next three which may define their season.
NORTHAMPTON – no win in 8 and they have already changed managers. They sit second last.
BARNET – previously high flying Barnet haven’t won in eight games and with the three bottom sides winning midweek the bottom of League Two is creeping up.
SACKED MANAGER COUNT
A nice side interest of following the Football League is The Sack Race for the next manager given the boot or leaving by “mutual consent”. Given the Football League usually dispose of about half of the 72 managers that start the season as a minimum, the next one is always around the corner.
We have the details below, including the new managers this week, for the all important new manager bounce for betting purposes.
In a week where it the EPL has seen a second manager get the arse, it is interesting to note that the EFL have gone almost a month without a sacking.
Total for season: 6 (8% of Football League managers)
Championship: 1
League One: 4
League Two: 1
This week: 0
New Managers this week: 0
Find the full list of Managerial Casualties at the Sack Race here.
OUR SUREFIRE BEST O FOOTBALL LEAGUE MULTI
We don’t mind the occasional 50 cent wager here at The Gurgler, and we always want to share in case we do win. We of course no responsibility if we lose and you invested.
So here’s is our pick of the week’s best bets for each division of the Football League’s big day out for Leagues One and Two..
CHAMPIONSHIP
BARNSLEY to beat Hull
MIDDLESBROUGH to beat Cardiff
SHEFFIELD UNITED to beat Reading
WOLVES to beat Preston
BOTH TEAMS NOT TO SCORE – Nottingham Forest v Burton
Pays $79 for a 50c investment.
LEAGUE 1
AFC WIMBLEDON to beat Plymouth
BLACKBURN to beat Portsmouth
WIGAN to beat Blackpool
OVER 2.5 GOALS – Oxford v Rotherham
OLDHAM to beat Milton Keynes
SHREWSBURY/DRAW v Fleetwood
Pays $26 for a 50c investment.
LEAGUE 2
NOTTS CO to beat BCarlisle
LUTON TOWN to beat Crawley
COVENTRY to beat Colchester
WYCOMBE to beat Swindon
ACCRINGTON STANLEY to beat Crewe
Pays $22.50 for a 50c investment.
ADEBAYO AKINFENWA aka THE BEAST WATCH
Our favourite footballer in any division or team around the footballing world is the man known as The Beast. Adebayo Akinfenwa is a Man Mountain that looks like he should be playing some kind of rugby. But you can’t deny his goal scoring touch and silky skills for a big man.
2017-18 STATS
7 Goals in 12 Appearances so far this season has seen him lead Wycombe Wanderers into fourth place on the League Two table. He is just one goal shy of the top of the goal scoring list. Long may it continue.
COMMENT TIME – WHO CARES ABOUT ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE? YOU DO. MAYBE.
We’re always ambitious here at The Gurgler, and nothing says ambition more than putting a comments section on a page that may not get read.
If you are a football League fan and want to banter, why not start below. It may be the only place in Australia left who cares.
