Prediction League Match 4

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!

Perhaps one of the Darlo questions in the prediction league should have been “How many shots would Darlington have in a season?” rather than how many goals.

Another blank scoresheet at Port Vale saw the lads rock bottom in the whole Football League.

No such problems for Andrew Hodgson, as he scored his second maximum out of four games to put himself clear at the top of the league on 19 points.

Simon Cowing, Sue Oldham and Pete Ashmore’s eight-pointers have seen them join a whole herd of other managers on 14 points in joint second place.

Other top scorers are: Abigail Robinson, Adrian Lynch, Alan Mooney, Alf Hutchinson, Ian Davidson, Jean Johnson, Jean Pepper, Keith Appleton, Lyn Williams, Martin Cass, Neil Danby, Paul Dicko, Rhonda Fleming, Sam Taylor, Steve Gawthrop and The Duke.

There’s an even bigger herd (this is the correct noun for a group of managers, I assure you) at the bottom of the table who are yet to score a point. Mind, if you look closely, there could be a clue as to why this is . . . with such team names as Gone to the Dogs, Must Try Harder, Perseverance, the very apt Score Me A Goal and Darlo Rejects. Fact is lads and lasses, you’re beaten before you’ve even started with team names like that!

At least last-placed Will Ellis is being positive with “Will’s Winners” - go for it, the only way is up. The challenge this season was for the prediction league winner to try to break the 200-point mark . . . but with scores going as they are, this looks extremely unlikely.

Darlo’s challenge is to stay in the Football League . . . on present form, even more unlikely.

Onwards and upwards,

Pete

Prediction League Match 3

Aaaarrrrrgh! You know that difficult season that’s been mentioned previously, well it just got even more difficult as Darlo failed to take advantage of a home game – losing 1-0 by a goal in the last few minutes.

Most managers failed to take advantage of this scoreline, with only Andy Fairweather-Low as one of last week’s leaders retaining top spot on 14 points – probably still feeling “wide-eyed” after this feat.

Joining him in first place are two max scorers in Malcolm Brett and Paul Johnson – these managers being only three of four out of the whole league who have correctly predicted the result of each game. The other is Adrian Pape down in 20th place, Adrian just needs to match that exact scoreline to boost those points.

Meanwhile, Paul Johnson must have copied from himself as his first team also gained maximum eight points to move into joint fourth place. Other max scorers moving into joint fourth place are Andrew Hodgson, Iain Cardwell, Martyn Cripps (defending champion) and Mike Cleasby.

Other managers who achieved the big eight (and who hadn’t scored any points prior to this) were: Anthony Leigh, Dave Wilson, Gary Parle, Jonny Simpson, Lance A lot, Neil Jordison, Peter White, Stephen James, Tracey Pickersgill and Trevor Gretton – all in joint 21st spot.

And, as for the rump end of the table, I’m normally not one to gloat (never been that high up the table myself) but there is an awfully large number of managers who have shown no form whatsoever when predicting scores.

More than 40 managers have nul points – including some of the leading lights of the past six years of the Come On Darlo Prediction League

Is it one of those seasons where hearts have ruled heads? And what we wanted to happen in games is not what is actually happening?

It could be a very long season.

Onwards and upwards,

Pete

Anyone with problems in receiving updates on email, contact: comeondarlo@sky.com

Disabled group aim high at Darlo

By Claire Stone, Darlington Supporters' Trust and Darlington Disabled Supporters' Group

A group of disabled football supporters were invited to be mascots at Darlington Football Club's first home game of the season, which is against Bury on Saturday August 15.

The group, aged nine to 14 were Karl Bailey, Callan Adams, Martin Bailey, Callum Hunter, Davina Hunter, Matthew Stanley and Charlie Heslop and along with their parents/carers are all part of the Darlington Aiming High initiative.

Aiming High was launched last year by the Government to improve the opportunities and services for disabled children and their families, and to help disabled children to live ordinary lives.

The children all love football and thought it would be great if they could go along and watch a match. Darlington Football Club's disabled supporters group arranged for the children, their parents/carers and a number of students from Darlington's Queen Elizabeth College to meet manager Colin Todd and the players before watching the game. They then made it extra special by inviting the children to be match mascots.

Most of the children had never attended a football match before; however, some have detailed knowledge about the club and its history and can't believe that they are actually met the manager and the players as well as watch the game.

They all said they had a fantastic time and got plenty of autographs, a flag and a programme to remember the day by.

They all want to give an extra big thank you to Anthony - from Football In The Community at the club - who made their day extra special and is a credit to the Darlington Football Club.

Darlington Council’s Aiming High for disabled children’s manager Jenny Lumley said “The children all love football and thought it would be great if they could go along and watch a match.

"Darlington disabled supporters group and Trust arranged for the children, their parents/carers and a number of students from Darlington’s Queen Elizabeth College to meet the Manager and the players before watching the game. They then made it extra special by inviting the children to be match mascots.”

Councillor Jenny Chapman, Darlington Council’s cabinet member for children and young people thanked the fans groups for the "lovely gesture".

She added: "Most of the children have never attended a football match before; however, some have detailed knowledge about the club and its history and can’t believe that they are actually going to meet the manager and the players as well as watch the game."

Photo of the Aim High group on the pitch before the game, courtesy of Les Hodge/DFC

Prediction League Match 2

Welcome back all you oldies and welcome to all our new managers this season – one which looks like being a bleak one for any long-suffering Darlo fan.

As a second defeat probably shows how things are gonna stack up for the team.But back to the Come On Darlo Prediction League – a record number of managers have entered the competiton, well over 170.

Thanks for your support and good luck in the coming season battling it out for those first three places and the cash prizes on offer - not forgetting the highly coveted wooden spoon, of course.

We’ve a clutch of managers on 11 points, which means each have a correct score and a correct result to their names – Andy Fairweather-Low (love that song), David Alderson is back with his Army, James Cagney is on top of the world, Jayne Hathaway is certainly liking the seaside, new boy Ryan Longmate is also enjoying early season form, followed up by a Steve Calvert double with teams 2 and 3.

Other managers with one correct score prediction from the first two games are: Alex Wilson, Damian Dickson, Humphrey Bogart, James McNaughton, John Young, Kev Leatherbarrow, Lance England, Les Clarke, Lewis Raper, Robert Mitchum, Russell Jones, Sue Ashmore, Adrian Pape, Garry Mann, Malcolm Brett, Martyn Cripps, Paul Johnson and Simon Cowing.

Pete