I have been asked by e-mail to advertise the following event which may be of interest to any West Midlands-based budding actors who read this blog. Please note that event has nothing to do with this blog and you should always take the appropriate precautions when submitting any details over the internet.
The Rage Ensemble present their next production
Our Country's Good
May 14th - 16th 2009 @ a Birmingham theatre
Now casting !! - Casting day Saturday Jan 31st - Open Workshop
audition 11am - 5pm, Birmingham, contact for further details.
YOU MUST BE 16+ (older than school leaving age)
The Rage Ensemble is Back!!!!!!! - an amateur arts organisation run by
Rage giving people of all ages the opportunity to work with
professionals to create productions using film, theatre, music....
We are putting on a production of 'Our Country's Good' and we need YOU!!!!!!!
A professional director will work with the cast to create a fantastic
show in one of Birmingham's premier theatres. The play will be
rehearsed at a central location, three evenings a week, culminating in
a fantastic opportunity to perform at one of the city's finest venues.
All 22 parts are to be cast, and that's where we need your help. If
you are based in Birmingham, and are an amateur actor, or are looking
to gain some on-stage experience, or are just looking to make new
friends and have some fun, come along to the open audition.
Register your interest by contacting us via our website
www.ocg.rage.org.uk with a picture of yourself (it can be any picture,
it's just for reference purposes) your name and age and we'll get back
to you with more details.
This is going to be a fantastic experience for all involved. If you
are interested in volunteering 'behind the scenes,' contact us with
your interests.
Contact us via www.ocg.rage.org.uk
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A New Dawn
For a man renowned for his use of words, Barry did not half bungle the Oath of office.
Highlight of the inauguration speech:
"we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
Headline from Blair's victory speech; let's hope this "one" is the real deal
Update 21/10: It seems I have been a bit harsh on Barack
Highlight of the inauguration speech:
"we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
Headline from Blair's victory speech; let's hope this "one" is the real deal
Update 21/10: It seems I have been a bit harsh on Barack
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bloody Useless State-Head
Tomorrow will be George W Bush's final day as President and this is my tribute. The defining moment of the Bush presidency was of course September 11 2001. I will never forget that after Bush was told a second plane had hit the World Trade Centre, he sat aound for five minutes reading "The Pet Goat" because nobody had told him what he was supposed to be doing.
Conservative leadership at its best.
Conservative leadership at its best.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Heath-Go
The decision to build a third runway at Heathrow is another example of bad London-centric government. There are arguments a lot wider than the simplistic environmentalism vs the economy dichotomy perpetuated by the government and the green lobby; there are some specific issues about the very positioning and nature of Heathrow as well.
Heathrow is based on a Hub and Spoke model, which is fine if you are flying packages around the world, but goes against the trends of passenger flights over the years. For example, when I used to fly to India in the 80s I used to have to take a coach to London, a plane to Bombay International, a taxi from Bombay International to Bombay Domestic and finally a plane from Bombay Domestic to Goa. The whole journey used to take around two days. The last time I did this journey in 1999, I flew direct from Birmingham International to Goa and it took eight hours on a charter flight (only double the time it once took me to get home from work on the infamous day the gritters of Birmingham went missing). I have not flown from Heathrow since 1990 and from London since 1994. Now that I have got the option, I want to fly from Birmingham (or somewhere else relatively closer). For example, in 2006 I flew to Munich and it took around an hour. It would have taken me four times as as long to get into London to make that flight.
Ignore the Airbus A380, Boeing (who actually make money rather than being subsidised by the European governments) have been concentrating on smaller planes for more tailored flying and the budget airlines tend to be the most successful at the moment, flying full planes to smaller airports.
Heathrow also lies in an awful position to the West of London meaning flights come in and go out over Greater London to the continent which is far from ideal. A new airport (as some have suggested) on an artificial island at the mouth of the Thames Estuary would in my mind be a better solution.
A new runway at Heathrow is set in the old business mentality. An alternative would be to develop the smaller regional airports to take more of flights and/ or a high speed rail link as the Conservatives have suggested. I would like to see Heathrow closed or scaled down with a new purpose built airport replacing it. Yet again the rest of the country is being ignored while the government defends the one-trick wonder British economy that is the financial sector in London. A new airport would be a brave decision, whereas a third runway is just the easiest one.
As for the governments argument that they want to defend British jobs during the current economic crisis, given that it will take around five or possibly more likely ten years for the new runway to be built, one wonders how long they expect the credit crunch to continue.
Adapted from my comments on the Stirrer Heathrow new runway and terminal approval thread.
Heathrow is based on a Hub and Spoke model, which is fine if you are flying packages around the world, but goes against the trends of passenger flights over the years. For example, when I used to fly to India in the 80s I used to have to take a coach to London, a plane to Bombay International, a taxi from Bombay International to Bombay Domestic and finally a plane from Bombay Domestic to Goa. The whole journey used to take around two days. The last time I did this journey in 1999, I flew direct from Birmingham International to Goa and it took eight hours on a charter flight (only double the time it once took me to get home from work on the infamous day the gritters of Birmingham went missing). I have not flown from Heathrow since 1990 and from London since 1994. Now that I have got the option, I want to fly from Birmingham (or somewhere else relatively closer). For example, in 2006 I flew to Munich and it took around an hour. It would have taken me four times as as long to get into London to make that flight.
Ignore the Airbus A380, Boeing (who actually make money rather than being subsidised by the European governments) have been concentrating on smaller planes for more tailored flying and the budget airlines tend to be the most successful at the moment, flying full planes to smaller airports.
Heathrow also lies in an awful position to the West of London meaning flights come in and go out over Greater London to the continent which is far from ideal. A new airport (as some have suggested) on an artificial island at the mouth of the Thames Estuary would in my mind be a better solution.
A new runway at Heathrow is set in the old business mentality. An alternative would be to develop the smaller regional airports to take more of flights and/ or a high speed rail link as the Conservatives have suggested. I would like to see Heathrow closed or scaled down with a new purpose built airport replacing it. Yet again the rest of the country is being ignored while the government defends the one-trick wonder British economy that is the financial sector in London. A new airport would be a brave decision, whereas a third runway is just the easiest one.
As for the governments argument that they want to defend British jobs during the current economic crisis, given that it will take around five or possibly more likely ten years for the new runway to be built, one wonders how long they expect the credit crunch to continue.
Adapted from my comments on the Stirrer Heathrow new runway and terminal approval thread.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The True Meaning of Winterval
Sometimes, the People's Republic gets it wrong. One of these times, and the one that has caused the most damaged to my beloved Birmingham, is a tongue-in-cheek write-up about the politically correct Brummie creation (myth) that is known as Winterval. Back when I started this blog in 2005, I pointed out that if we were to set aside a day for Winterval, it should be the 28th December, which was in 1998 a Bank Holiday Monday in place of the Boxing Day which fell over the weekend, and was based on an Ed Doolan show joke back then where people were moaning about their bins not being collected. Sadly, I have to report that some people have quoted this post (on a forum no less!) as proof that Birmingham did abolish Christmas back in 1998 and replaced it with a Winter Festival - Winterval if you like - so as not to offend the Brummie ethnic minorities (of which I am one). Repeat after me:
Birmingham City Council never - I repeat never - abolished Christmas in favour of a new festival called Winterval in an act of political correctness gone mad.
Here are some posts testifying to this truth:
http://pigsonthewing.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/winterval-the-truth/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winterval
http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/12/28/debunking-the-winterval-myth-a-creed-for-christmas/
http://humanistsforlabour.typepad.com/labour_humanists/2007/10/its-early-octob.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/dec/08/religion.communities
Happy belated Winterval everyone!
Birmingham City Council never - I repeat never - abolished Christmas in favour of a new festival called Winterval in an act of political correctness gone mad.
Here are some posts testifying to this truth:
http://pigsonthewing.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/winterval-the-truth/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winterval
http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/12/28/debunking-the-winterval-myth-a-creed-for-christmas/
http://humanistsforlabour.typepad.com/labour_humanists/2007/10/its-early-octob.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/dec/08/religion.communities
Happy belated Winterval everyone!
Monday, December 29, 2008
'Pool Romp to Title Win
It remains to be seen whether Manchester United's World Club Cup jolly will end up costing them the Premier League, but it certainly ended their Promroiship chances as they failed to play and take advantage of Liverpool's below average 32 point haul yesterday, handing the Reds the Promroiship title for 08/09 (for the rules and the reason we finish at Christmas, see here). Every winner of the Promroiship so far has gone on to win the Premier League in the same season. Will Liverpool's 18 year title famine come to an end with a Premier League and Promroiship double?
If so, the signs may not be so good for Arsenal's Champions League quest, as they blew a top four Promroiship finish on the final day after their one-nil win over Portsmouth featured as the penultimate match last night. Will the Promroiship table top five be indicative of their final Premier League positions this season?
With Liverpool and Manchester United finishing in the top two in the Promroiship this season, it looks like the Beeb, like the ITV Champions League crew, have lost their camera crews somewhere around the M62. Everton and Manchester City finished 10th and 11th respectively, although the latter's position may be undermined by the fact that in 20 rounds they only appeared on MOTD seven times - my instinct is that their needs to be at least 10 appearances on Match of the Day to be confident about the position of the team in the table, as it was generally after this number of games that the table tended to settle down.
At the bottom Steve Bruce made a prophetic comment about being last on Match of the Day last night (or was it a self-fulfilling prophecy?) which was apt as Wigan ended bottom of the Promroiship by a clear three points. In fact Wigan were in the bottom two for the entire season, and were placed bottom of the Promroiship table in 16 weeks out of the 20. The teams beginning with W took three of the bottom four places this season, with Middlesbrough ending second bottom for the second season running. Of course, as Motty might say, 'M' is a 'W' upside down, so it may not be unrelated.
There will be a full analysis of these results later in the week, but ProBrum congratulates the scousers on their maiden Promroiship win. Go out and paint the town red Stevie G... oh sorry, I see you already did.
Promroiship Results December 28th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Newcastle v Liverpool.......32
Fulham v Chelsea............40
West Brom v Tottenham.......48
Blackburn v Manchester City.24
West Ham v Stoke ...........24
Everton v Sunderland........16
Arsenal v Portsmouth........24
Bolton v Wigan..............16
The Promroiship - FINAL TABLE 08/09
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............667.....15....44.5
Manchester United......484.....13....37.2
Chelsea................371.....10....37.1
Aston Villa............363.....10....36.3
Arsenal................614.....17....36.1
Tottenham Hotspur......309......9....34.3
Hull City..............493.....15....32.9
Portsmouth.............327.....11....29.7
Stoke City.............455.....16....28.4
Everton................331.....12....27.6
Manchester City........193......7....27.6
Fulham.................463.....17....27.2
Sunderland.............454.....17....26.7
Bolton Wanderers.......448.....17....26.4
Newcastle United.......334.....13....25.7
Blackburn Rovers.......420.....17....24.7
West Bromwich Albion...416.....17....24.5
West Ham United........278.....12....23.2
Middlesbrough..........381.....17....22.4
Wigan Athletic.........271.....14....19.4
If so, the signs may not be so good for Arsenal's Champions League quest, as they blew a top four Promroiship finish on the final day after their one-nil win over Portsmouth featured as the penultimate match last night. Will the Promroiship table top five be indicative of their final Premier League positions this season?
With Liverpool and Manchester United finishing in the top two in the Promroiship this season, it looks like the Beeb, like the ITV Champions League crew, have lost their camera crews somewhere around the M62. Everton and Manchester City finished 10th and 11th respectively, although the latter's position may be undermined by the fact that in 20 rounds they only appeared on MOTD seven times - my instinct is that their needs to be at least 10 appearances on Match of the Day to be confident about the position of the team in the table, as it was generally after this number of games that the table tended to settle down.
At the bottom Steve Bruce made a prophetic comment about being last on Match of the Day last night (or was it a self-fulfilling prophecy?) which was apt as Wigan ended bottom of the Promroiship by a clear three points. In fact Wigan were in the bottom two for the entire season, and were placed bottom of the Promroiship table in 16 weeks out of the 20. The teams beginning with W took three of the bottom four places this season, with Middlesbrough ending second bottom for the second season running. Of course, as Motty might say, 'M' is a 'W' upside down, so it may not be unrelated.
There will be a full analysis of these results later in the week, but ProBrum congratulates the scousers on their maiden Promroiship win. Go out and paint the town red Stevie G... oh sorry, I see you already did.
Promroiship Results December 28th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Newcastle v Liverpool.......32
Fulham v Chelsea............40
West Brom v Tottenham.......48
Blackburn v Manchester City.24
West Ham v Stoke ...........24
Everton v Sunderland........16
Arsenal v Portsmouth........24
Bolton v Wigan..............16
The Promroiship - FINAL TABLE 08/09
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............667.....15....44.5
Manchester United......484.....13....37.2
Chelsea................371.....10....37.1
Aston Villa............363.....10....36.3
Arsenal................614.....17....36.1
Tottenham Hotspur......309......9....34.3
Hull City..............493.....15....32.9
Portsmouth.............327.....11....29.7
Stoke City.............455.....16....28.4
Everton................331.....12....27.6
Manchester City........193......7....27.6
Fulham.................463.....17....27.2
Sunderland.............454.....17....26.7
Bolton Wanderers.......448.....17....26.4
Newcastle United.......334.....13....25.7
Blackburn Rovers.......420.....17....24.7
West Bromwich Albion...416.....17....24.5
West Ham United........278.....12....23.2
Middlesbrough..........381.....17....22.4
Wigan Athletic.........271.....14....19.4
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Liverpool Lead with One Round to Go
Tonight we will find out who will win the 2008/9 Promroiship title after a full fixture list on Boxing day sorted the men from the boys. Manchester United closed the gap slightly on leaders Liverpool but it looks as if the scousers have sown up the Promroiship title, remaining over seven points ahead of their North West rivals. The week's big movers were Manchester City, who moved up four places after appearing first in only their sixth Match of the Day appearance of the season, although being involved in a six goal match meant they only bagged 40 points. Chelsea and West Brom picked up a huge 60 points each after appearing third on MOTD, moving Chelsea into the top four and West Brom up a place to 18th. Arsenal and Aston Villa consolidated their top five positions after appearing second on the Beebs flagship footie show, capturing 50 points in their exciting 2-2 draw. Tottenham dropped three places to seventh after their goalless draw against Fulham appeared last on Match of the Day, netting only 10 points. Wigan remain bottom after their 2-1 win over Newcastle appeared fourth-last on the Beebs flagship footie show, after two matches where less goals were scored, and bagging the teams only 10 points each. Surprisingly given a full fixture list, all teams managed to gain a positive number of points this weekend.
Promroiship Results December 26th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Manchester City v Hull City....40
Aston Vila v Arsenal...........50
Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion.60
Liverpool v Bolton Wanderers...40
Portsmouth v West Ham United...10
Stoke City v Manchester United.40
Wigan Athletic v Newcastle.....10
Middlesbrough v Everton........20
Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers..20
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham.....10
The Promroiship Table after Round 19 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............635.....14....45.4
Manchester United......484.....13....37.2
Arsenal................590.....16....36.9
Chelsea................331......9....36.8
Aston Villa............363.....10....36.3
Hull City..............493.....15....32.9
Tottenham Hotspur......261......8....32.6
Portsmouth.............303.....10....30.3
Stoke City.............431.....15....28.7
Everton................315.....11....28.6
Manchester City........169......6....28.2
Sunderland.............438.....16....27.4
Bolton Wanderers.......432.....16....27.0
Fulham.................423.....16....26.4
Newcastle United.......302.....12....25.2
Blackburn Rovers.......396.....16....24.8
West Ham United........254.....11....23.1
West Bromwich Albion...368.....16....23.0
Middlesbrough..........381.....17....22.4
Wigan Athletic.........255.....13....19.6
Promroiship Results December 26th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Manchester City v Hull City....40
Aston Vila v Arsenal...........50
Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion.60
Liverpool v Bolton Wanderers...40
Portsmouth v West Ham United...10
Stoke City v Manchester United.40
Wigan Athletic v Newcastle.....10
Middlesbrough v Everton........20
Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers..20
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham.....10
The Promroiship Table after Round 19 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............635.....14....45.4
Manchester United......484.....13....37.2
Arsenal................590.....16....36.9
Chelsea................331......9....36.8
Aston Villa............363.....10....36.3
Hull City..............493.....15....32.9
Tottenham Hotspur......261......8....32.6
Portsmouth.............303.....10....30.3
Stoke City.............431.....15....28.7
Everton................315.....11....28.6
Manchester City........169......6....28.2
Sunderland.............438.....16....27.4
Bolton Wanderers.......432.....16....27.0
Fulham.................423.....16....26.4
Newcastle United.......302.....12....25.2
Blackburn Rovers.......396.....16....24.8
West Ham United........254.....11....23.1
West Bromwich Albion...368.....16....23.0
Middlesbrough..........381.....17....22.4
Wigan Athletic.........255.....13....19.6
Friday, December 26, 2008
Play it Again, Sam
With only two rounds of the Promroiship to go with one tonight and one on Sunday, I can barely contain my excitement. Just like Kevin Keegan last year, big Sam made an immediate impact in the Promroiship as well as the Premier League with Blackburn's match against Stoke City featuring first and bagging joint maximum points. It did not raise them from fifth bottom, however, unlike Stoke who were the weeks big movers up two to tenth. The Claret and Blue derby solidified both Villa and West Ham's fifth and fourth bottom places respectively, but failed to move them up. Fulham dropped two places after their 2-1 victory over Boro was deemed worthy of last on Match of the Day. With all 20 teams playing on Boxing day, and 16 in Sunday, Promroiship-wise, there is still plenty to play for over the Christmas break.
Promroiship Results December 20th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City...35
Hull City v Sunderland..........20
West Ham United v Aston Villa...35
Bolton Wanderers v Portsmouth...20
Fulham v Middlesbrough..........15
The Promroiship Table after Round 18 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............595.....13....45.8
Manchester United......444.....12....37.0
Arsenal................540.....15....36.0
Tottenham Hotspur......251......7....35.9
Aston Villa............313......9....34.8
Chelsea................271......8....33.9
Portsmouth.............293......9....32.6
Hull City..............453.....14....32.4
Everton................295.....10....29.5
Stoke City.............391.....14....27.9
Sunderland.............418.....15....27.9
Fulham.................413.....15....27.5
Newcastle United.......292.....11....26.5
Bolton Wanderers.......392.....15....26.1
Manchester City........129......5....25.8
Blackburn Rovers.......376.....15....25.1
West Ham United........244.....10....24.4
Middlesbrough..........361.....16....22.6
West Bromwich Albion...308.....15....20.5
Wigan Athletic.........245.....12....20.4
Promroiship Results December 20th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City...35
Hull City v Sunderland..........20
West Ham United v Aston Villa...35
Bolton Wanderers v Portsmouth...20
Fulham v Middlesbrough..........15
The Promroiship Table after Round 18 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............595.....13....45.8
Manchester United......444.....12....37.0
Arsenal................540.....15....36.0
Tottenham Hotspur......251......7....35.9
Aston Villa............313......9....34.8
Chelsea................271......8....33.9
Portsmouth.............293......9....32.6
Hull City..............453.....14....32.4
Everton................295.....10....29.5
Stoke City.............391.....14....27.9
Sunderland.............418.....15....27.9
Fulham.................413.....15....27.5
Newcastle United.......292.....11....26.5
Bolton Wanderers.......392.....15....26.1
Manchester City........129......5....25.8
Blackburn Rovers.......376.....15....25.1
West Ham United........244.....10....24.4
Middlesbrough..........361.....16....22.6
West Bromwich Albion...308.....15....20.5
Wigan Athletic.........245.....12....20.4
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Incredible Hull Boost Reds Title Chances
Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Promroiship thanks to a thrilling four goal draw with Hull City that was deemed worthy of featuring first of Match of the Day. Rafa Benitez believes Liverpool have an 80% chance of winning the Premier League if they are top after Christmas; ProBrum gives the Reds a 95% chance of winning the Promroiship given how far they are ahead now. Manchester United had an entertaining no score draw with Harry Redknapp's new club Tottenham which only featured fifth but bagged the same amount of points, lifting the Red Devils into second and Tottenham up three places to fifth. At the bottom, Blackburn's result may have threatened their Premier League survival hopes, but losing 3-0 to relegation rivals Wigan gave them more exposure on Match of the Day and lifted them above West Ham who did not play. The result was not enough to lift Wigan of the bottom, however, but they did close the gap to West Brom to 0.1 points.
Promroiship Results December 13th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Liverpool v Hull City.........48
Aston Villa v Bolton .........24
Wigan v Blackburn Rovers......40
Sunderland v West Brom........24
Tottenham v Manchester United.48
Middlesbrough v Arsenal.......24
Manchester City v Everton.....24
Stoke City v Fulham...........14
The Promroiship Table after Round 17 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............595.....13....45.8
Manchester United......444.....12....37.0
Arsenal................540.....15....36.0
Tottenham Hotspur......251......7....35.9
Aston Villa............278......8....34.8
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Chelsea................271......8....33.9
Hull City..............433.....13....33.3
Everton................295.....10....29.5
Fulham.................398.....14....28.4
Sunderland.............398.....14....28.4
Stoke City.............356.....13....27.4
Bolton Wanderers.......372.....14....26.6
Newcastle United.......292.....11....26.5
Manchester City........129......5....25.8
Blackburn Rovers.......341.....14....24.4
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Middlesbrough..........346.....15....23.1
West Bromwich Albion...308.....15....20.5
Wigan Athletic.........245.....12....20.4
Promroiship Results December 13th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Liverpool v Hull City.........48
Aston Villa v Bolton .........24
Wigan v Blackburn Rovers......40
Sunderland v West Brom........24
Tottenham v Manchester United.48
Middlesbrough v Arsenal.......24
Manchester City v Everton.....24
Stoke City v Fulham...........14
The Promroiship Table after Round 17 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............595.....13....45.8
Manchester United......444.....12....37.0
Arsenal................540.....15....36.0
Tottenham Hotspur......251......7....35.9
Aston Villa............278......8....34.8
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Chelsea................271......8....33.9
Hull City..............433.....13....33.3
Everton................295.....10....29.5
Fulham.................398.....14....28.4
Sunderland.............398.....14....28.4
Stoke City.............356.....13....27.4
Bolton Wanderers.......372.....14....26.6
Newcastle United.......292.....11....26.5
Manchester City........129......5....25.8
Blackburn Rovers.......341.....14....24.4
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Middlesbrough..........346.....15....23.1
West Bromwich Albion...308.....15....20.5
Wigan Athletic.........245.....12....20.4
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Rovers Return for Reds
Have Liverpool effectively won the Promroiship? Although with the scoring system we use and the fact that it is averages rather than total points we rank by, the Reds have been leading since Round 7 up to a lead of just over 10 points in week 12 and while the gap has narrowed somewhat recently they have been leading by around 5 points (and usually significantly more) since Round 9. Another first on Match of the Day saw them extend their lead at the top, although Manchester United and Sunderland received the most points this week after featuring second with a one goal match, a result that sees the Red Devils move up two places and Sunderland four. The big losers were Manchester City, whose fourth appearance on Match of the Day saw them feature last and resulted in them dropping six places to 15th.
Promroiship Results December 6th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool....42
Manchester United v Sunderland..56
Hull City v Middlesbrough.......35
Newcastle United v Stoke City...21
Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea......28
Arsenal v Wigan Athletic........28
Fulham v Manchester City........14
The Promroiship Table after Round 16 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............547.....12....45.6
Arsenal................516.....14....36.9
Aston Villa............254......7....36.3
Manchester United......396.....11....36.0
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Chelsea................271......8....33.9
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............385.....12....32.1
Everton................271......9....30.1
Fulham.................374.....13....28.8
Sunderland.............374.....13....28.8
Stoke City.............332.....12....27.7
Bolton Wanderers.......348.....13....26.8
Newcastle United.......292.....11....26.5
Manchester City........105......4....26.3
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Blackburn Rovers.......301.....13....23.2
Middlesbrough..........322.....14....23.0
West Bromwich Albion...284.....14....20.3
Wigan Athletic.........205.....11....18.6
Promroiship Results December 6th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool....42
Manchester United v Sunderland..56
Hull City v Middlesbrough.......35
Newcastle United v Stoke City...21
Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea......28
Arsenal v Wigan Athletic........28
Fulham v Manchester City........14
The Promroiship Table after Round 16 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............547.....12....45.6
Arsenal................516.....14....36.9
Aston Villa............254......7....36.3
Manchester United......396.....11....36.0
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Chelsea................271......8....33.9
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............385.....12....32.1
Everton................271......9....30.1
Fulham.................374.....13....28.8
Sunderland.............374.....13....28.8
Stoke City.............332.....12....27.7
Bolton Wanderers.......348.....13....26.8
Newcastle United.......292.....11....26.5
Manchester City........105......4....26.3
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Blackburn Rovers.......301.....13....23.2
Middlesbrough..........322.....14....23.0
West Bromwich Albion...284.....14....20.3
Wigan Athletic.........205.....11....18.6
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Thatcher-Blair Endgame?
The government owns 58% of RBS, and 100% of Northern Rock, both previously private banks.
Meanwhile, we pay water rates to a private monopoly. Six private energy firms control the market for gas and electricity. The railways are run as essentially private monopoly enterprises. Air Traffic control and defence research is part privatised. There has been increasing privatisation of schools and the NHS, including PFI where money for capital projects is borrowed from the private sector (at rates higher than we would have been able to borrow from the government). The telecommunication industry is completely in private hands, despite BT's dominance stifling competition.
It's a funny old world.
Meanwhile, we pay water rates to a private monopoly. Six private energy firms control the market for gas and electricity. The railways are run as essentially private monopoly enterprises. Air Traffic control and defence research is part privatised. There has been increasing privatisation of schools and the NHS, including PFI where money for capital projects is borrowed from the private sector (at rates higher than we would have been able to borrow from the government). The telecommunication industry is completely in private hands, despite BT's dominance stifling competition.
It's a funny old world.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tiresome-Tees Derby
There were some signs that the Promroiship was settling down this week. The only two teams to climb a place were Middlesbrough and Newcastle, who played out a gormless bore draw of such tiring proportions that the commentator on Football Focus claimed they did not even deserve to feature last on Match of the Day. Feature last they did, however, and gained the second highest number of points this week after Aston Villa and Fulham's goalless draw featured second in the running order. The Beeb really could not win this week as fate conspired to prove the Promroiship scoring system is far from perfect.
Promroiship Results November 28th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Sunderland v Bolton ........25
Aston Villa v Fulham........45
Wigan Athletic v West Brom..25
Stoke City v Hull City......25
Middlesbrough v Newcastle...30
The Promroiship Table after Round 15 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............505.....11....45.9
Arsenal................488.....13....37.5
Aston Villa............254......7....36.3
Chelsea................243......7....34.7
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Manchester United......340.....10....34.0
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............350.....11....31.8
Manchester City........ 91......3....30.3
Everton................271......9....30.1
Fulham.................360.....12....30.0
Stoke City.............311.....11....28.3
Newcastle United.......271.....10....27.1
Bolton Wanderers.......320.....12....26.7
Sunderland.............318.....12....26.5
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Middlesbrough..........287.....13....22.1
Blackburn Rovers.......259.....12....21.6
West Bromwich Albion...284.....14....20.3
Wigan Athletic.........177.....10....17.7
Promroiship Results November 28th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Sunderland v Bolton ........25
Aston Villa v Fulham........45
Wigan Athletic v West Brom..25
Stoke City v Hull City......25
Middlesbrough v Newcastle...30
The Promroiship Table after Round 15 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............505.....11....45.9
Arsenal................488.....13....37.5
Aston Villa............254......7....36.3
Chelsea................243......7....34.7
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Manchester United......340.....10....34.0
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............350.....11....31.8
Manchester City........ 91......3....30.3
Everton................271......9....30.1
Fulham.................360.....12....30.0
Stoke City.............311.....11....28.3
Newcastle United.......271.....10....27.1
Bolton Wanderers.......320.....12....26.7
Sunderland.............318.....12....26.5
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Middlesbrough..........287.....13....22.1
Blackburn Rovers.......259.....12....21.6
West Bromwich Albion...284.....14....20.3
Wigan Athletic.........177.....10....17.7
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Bore Draws, Higher Scores
Manchester City may have appeared in only their third MOTD this season, but they rose 9 places this week and got a massive boost to their Promroiship hopes after featuring first in the running order. Their opponents, Arsenal, featured first for the fourth time in five weeks and narrowed the gap on title rivals Liverpool, who featured in the penultimate match after taking part in a no score draw. Taking part in a no score draw was not a problem for Aston Villa and Chelsea, who rose 4 and 5 places respectively, the latter after gaining a massive 63 points for appearing second. Middlesbrough can feel the most aggrieved after appearing fifth on Match of the Day despite taking part in a four-goal match in a low scoring week, a result that sees them drop into the bottom three.
Promroiship Results November 21st 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Manchester City v Arsenal...49
Chelsea v Newcastle United..63
Portsmouth v Hull City .....28
Aston Villa v Man United....49
Middlesbrough v Bolton......14
Liverpool v Fulham..........35
Stoke City v West Brom......21
The Promroiship Table after Round 14 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............505.....11....45.9
Arsenal................488.....13....37.5
Aston Villa............209......6....34.8
Chelsea................243......7....34.7
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Manchester United......340.....10....34.0
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............325.....10....32.5
Manchester City........ 91......3....30.3
Everton................271......9....30.1
Fulham.................315.....11....28.6
Stoke City.............286.....10....28.6
Bolton Wanderers.......295.....11....26.8
Newcastle United.......241......9....26.8
Sunderland.............293.....11....26.6
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Blackburn Rovers.......259.....12....21.6
Middlesbrough..........257.....12....21.4
West Bromwich Albion...259.....13....19.9
Wigan Athletic.........152......9....16.9
Promroiship Results November 21st 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Manchester City v Arsenal...49
Chelsea v Newcastle United..63
Portsmouth v Hull City .....28
Aston Villa v Man United....49
Middlesbrough v Bolton......14
Liverpool v Fulham..........35
Stoke City v West Brom......21
The Promroiship Table after Round 14 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............505.....11....45.9
Arsenal................488.....13....37.5
Aston Villa............209......6....34.8
Chelsea................243......7....34.7
Portsmouth.............273......8....34.1
Manchester United......340.....10....34.0
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............325.....10....32.5
Manchester City........ 91......3....30.3
Everton................271......9....30.1
Fulham.................315.....11....28.6
Stoke City.............286.....10....28.6
Bolton Wanderers.......295.....11....26.8
Newcastle United.......241......9....26.8
Sunderland.............293.....11....26.6
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Blackburn Rovers.......259.....12....21.6
Middlesbrough..........257.....12....21.4
West Bromwich Albion...259.....13....19.9
Wigan Athletic.........152......9....16.9
Thursday, November 20, 2008
United Thump Stoke, Bore Beeb
Arsenal's great Promroiship run continues after their defeat to Aston Villa ensured they topped the Match of the Day Running Order and jumped into second place in the overall competition. Villa rise 7 places as a result. Fellow North London rivals Tottenham's resurgence under Harry Redknapp continued as they climbed to fourth this week after their loss to fellow Londoners Fulham was deemed to be worthy of second place on MOTD. United will be disappointed with being shown fifth despite thumping Stoke 5-0. It appears their inaugural Promroiship title is slipping away to North-West rivals Liverpool who featured third. Newcastle and Wigan played out a 4 goal draw that achieved no points after ending up as the penultimate match on MOTD; a result that sees Wigan drop to the bottom and gives some credence to the theory that MOTD running order can be influenced by alphabetical order. They would have done better if they had lost 3 - 0 to a team like Chelsea, as West Brom will testify.
Rumours have it Manchester City might play on Saturday next week... have their owners finally realised they are Muslims and not Seventh Day Adventists?
Promroiship Results November 15th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Arsenal v Aston Villa............64
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur.......48
Bolton Wanderers v Liverpool.....48
West Bromwich Albion v Chelsea...32
Manchester United v Stoke City....8
Blackburn Rovers v Sunderland....16
Newcastle United v Wigan Athletic.0
West Ham United v Portsmouth.....24
The Promroiship Table after Round 13 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............470.....10....47.0
Arsenal................439.....12....36.6
Portsmouth.............245......7....35.0
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............297......9....33.0
Manchester United......291......9....32.3
Aston Villa............160......5....32.0
Everton................271......9....30.1
Chelsea................180......6....30.0
Stoke City.............265......9....29.4
Bolton Wanderers.......281.....10....28.1
Fulham.................280.....10....28.0
Sunderland.............293.....11....26.6
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Newcastle United.......178......8....22.3
Middlesbrough..........243.....11....22.1
Blackburn Rovers.......259.....12....21.6
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
West Bromwich Albion...238.....12....19.8
Wigan Athletic.........152......9....16.9
Rumours have it Manchester City might play on Saturday next week... have their owners finally realised they are Muslims and not Seventh Day Adventists?
Promroiship Results November 15th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Arsenal v Aston Villa............64
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur.......48
Bolton Wanderers v Liverpool.....48
West Bromwich Albion v Chelsea...32
Manchester United v Stoke City....8
Blackburn Rovers v Sunderland....16
Newcastle United v Wigan Athletic.0
West Ham United v Portsmouth.....24
The Promroiship Table after Round 13 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............470.....10....47.0
Arsenal................439.....12....36.6
Portsmouth.............245......7....35.0
Tottenham Hotspur......203......6....33.8
Hull City..............297......9....33.0
Manchester United......291......9....32.3
Aston Villa............160......5....32.0
Everton................271......9....30.1
Chelsea................180......6....30.0
Stoke City.............265......9....29.4
Bolton Wanderers.......281.....10....28.1
Fulham.................280.....10....28.0
Sunderland.............293.....11....26.6
West Ham United........209......9....23.2
Newcastle United.......178......8....22.3
Middlesbrough..........243.....11....22.1
Blackburn Rovers.......259.....12....21.6
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
West Bromwich Albion...238.....12....19.8
Wigan Athletic.........152......9....16.9
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Baggies Bottom After Saturday Fixtures
Round 12 of the Promroiship saw third place Manchester United regain some ground on leaders Liverpool after losing to Arsenal in the first match. Second-placed Portsmouth slipped slightly after appearing as the last match containing three goals, and ending up with the lowest points haul this week along their opponents Sunderland. Wigan and West Brom swap places at the bottom despite getting thirty points each this week by virtue of West Brom having played more matches: 30/11 leaves less than 30/8. It would be simpler if everyone played on Saturday like they used to. After 11 round (excluding 1 midweek MOTD) Manchester City have only played on Saturday once.
Promroiship Results November 8th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Arsenal v Manchester United.......42
West Ham United v Everton.........30
Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion..30
Sunderland v Portsmouth...........24
Hull City v Bolton Wanderers......30
Wigan Athletic v Stoke City.......30
The Promroiship Table after Round 12 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............422......9....46.9
Portsmouth.............221......6....36.8
Manchester United......283......8....35.4
Arsenal................375.....11....34.1
Hull City..............297......9....33.0
Stoke City.............257......8....32.1
Tottenham Hotspur......155......5....31.0
Everton................271......9....30.1
Chelsea................148......5....29.6
Sunderland.............277.....10....27.7
Bolton Wanderers.......233......9....25.9
Fulham.................232......9....25.8
Newcastle United.......178......7....25.4
Aston Villa............ 96......4....24.0
West Ham United........185......8....23.1
Blackburn Rovers.......243.....11....22.1
Middlesbrough..........243.....11....22.1
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
Wigan Athletic.........152......8....19.0
West Bromwich Albion...206.....11....18.7
Promroiship Results November 8th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Arsenal v Manchester United.......42
West Ham United v Everton.........30
Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion..30
Sunderland v Portsmouth...........24
Hull City v Bolton Wanderers......30
Wigan Athletic v Stoke City.......30
The Promroiship Table after Round 12 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............422......9....46.9
Portsmouth.............221......6....36.8
Manchester United......283......8....35.4
Arsenal................375.....11....34.1
Hull City..............297......9....33.0
Stoke City.............257......8....32.1
Tottenham Hotspur......155......5....31.0
Everton................271......9....30.1
Chelsea................148......5....29.6
Sunderland.............277.....10....27.7
Bolton Wanderers.......233......9....25.9
Fulham.................232......9....25.8
Newcastle United.......178......7....25.4
Aston Villa............ 96......4....24.0
West Ham United........185......8....23.1
Blackburn Rovers.......243.....11....22.1
Middlesbrough..........243.....11....22.1
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
Wigan Athletic.........152......8....19.0
West Bromwich Albion...206.....11....18.7
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Liverpool Concede Late, Go Top
Apologies for the delay in last weeks Promroiship update, I have been rather snowed under recently.
Liverpool may have blown their lead at White Hart Lane, but an exciting finish meant they appeared first on Match of The Day and extended their lead over second place Pompey in Round 11 of the Promroiship. Tottenham also climbed six places as a result, narrowing the gap on North London rivals Arsenal whose shock defeat at Stoke improved their Promroiship position. Man Utd and Chelsea lost ground with high scoring matches, despite featuring third and fourth respectively, with the Blues dropping four places. Everton were the days other big losers, as they dropped two places after featuring last on Match of the Day following their 1-0 victory over Fulham.
Promroiship Results November 1st 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool....56
Stoke City v Arsenal.............48
Manchester United v Hull City.... 8
Chelsea v Sunderland.............16
Portsmouth v Wigan Athletic......24
West Brom v Blackburn Rovers..... 8
Middlesbrough v West Ham United..16
Everton v Fulham.................16
The Promroiship Table after Round 11 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............392......8....49.0
Portsmouth.............197......5....39.4
Manchester United......241......7....34.4
Hull City..............267......8....33.4
Arsenal................333.....10....33.3
Stoke City.............227......7....32.4
Tottenham Hotspur......155......5....31.0
Everton................241......8....30.1
Chelsea................148......5....29.6
Sunderland.............253......9....28.1
Fulham.................232......9....25.8
Newcastle United.......178......7....25.4
Bolton Wanderers.......203......8....25.4
Aston Villa............ 96......4....24.0
West Ham United........155......7....22.1
Blackburn Rovers.......243.....11....22.1
Middlesbrough..........243.....11....22.1
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
West Bromwich Albion...176.....10....17.6
Wigan Athletic.........122......7....17.4
Liverpool may have blown their lead at White Hart Lane, but an exciting finish meant they appeared first on Match of The Day and extended their lead over second place Pompey in Round 11 of the Promroiship. Tottenham also climbed six places as a result, narrowing the gap on North London rivals Arsenal whose shock defeat at Stoke improved their Promroiship position. Man Utd and Chelsea lost ground with high scoring matches, despite featuring third and fourth respectively, with the Blues dropping four places. Everton were the days other big losers, as they dropped two places after featuring last on Match of the Day following their 1-0 victory over Fulham.
Promroiship Results November 1st 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool....56
Stoke City v Arsenal.............48
Manchester United v Hull City.... 8
Chelsea v Sunderland.............16
Portsmouth v Wigan Athletic......24
West Brom v Blackburn Rovers..... 8
Middlesbrough v West Ham United..16
Everton v Fulham.................16
The Promroiship Table after Round 11 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............392......8....49.0
Portsmouth.............197......5....39.4
Manchester United......241......7....34.4
Hull City..............267......8....33.4
Arsenal................333.....10....33.3
Stoke City.............227......7....32.4
Tottenham Hotspur......155......5....31.0
Everton................241......8....30.1
Chelsea................148......5....29.6
Sunderland.............253......9....28.1
Fulham.................232......9....25.8
Newcastle United.......178......7....25.4
Bolton Wanderers.......203......8....25.4
Aston Villa............ 96......4....24.0
West Ham United........155......7....22.1
Blackburn Rovers.......243.....11....22.1
Middlesbrough..........243.....11....22.1
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
West Bromwich Albion...176.....10....17.6
Wigan Athletic.........122......7....17.4
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Yes We Can
The term historic has been bandied about too much over the past few years. I am off the opinion that something can only be historic once it has happened and we understand the full impact of the event. The election of the first African American to the position of US present may well be an historic event and it is interesting to note down our feeling while it is happening, but history will often portray a different version to what actually happened.
I have had to read an awful amount of nonsense from Conservatives and Liberal hawks over the past few months telling me that McCain, and not Obama will win the election (although to be fair both backtracked before election day). Let this be a lesson to everyone who blogs! It is easy to give glib partisan statements about current events and they can come back to haunt you.
Commiserations to John McCain. The guy is a true gentlemen who also deserved to be president and would have been better placed to lead the country after the 9/11 attacks. Unfortunately, he was not able to be himself during this campaign after taking some very bad advice from his campaign manager. If he had the result would have been closer.
I believe Obama's election, despite his inexperience and liberal voting record, is a direct consequence of George W Bush's failures. Finally we have something to thank him for. I do have one worry though. The expectations of the Obama presidency are now so high it may be impossible to meet them, particularly as the previous incumbent has left the country in such a mess. In 1997, I remember such a mood of optimism pervading Britain after Blair routed the Tory government of 18 years. This was eventually to be dissipated over ten wasted years as Blair held the mandate but failed to deliver, culminating in him bombing a defenceless third world country so his rich American friends could appropriate its economic wealth. I hope when Obama met Blair earlier this year he did not take his advice to seriously. If he did, he could put Americans off politics forever.
I have had to read an awful amount of nonsense from Conservatives and Liberal hawks over the past few months telling me that McCain, and not Obama will win the election (although to be fair both backtracked before election day). Let this be a lesson to everyone who blogs! It is easy to give glib partisan statements about current events and they can come back to haunt you.
Commiserations to John McCain. The guy is a true gentlemen who also deserved to be president and would have been better placed to lead the country after the 9/11 attacks. Unfortunately, he was not able to be himself during this campaign after taking some very bad advice from his campaign manager. If he had the result would have been closer.
I believe Obama's election, despite his inexperience and liberal voting record, is a direct consequence of George W Bush's failures. Finally we have something to thank him for. I do have one worry though. The expectations of the Obama presidency are now so high it may be impossible to meet them, particularly as the previous incumbent has left the country in such a mess. In 1997, I remember such a mood of optimism pervading Britain after Blair routed the Tory government of 18 years. This was eventually to be dissipated over ten wasted years as Blair held the mandate but failed to deliver, culminating in him bombing a defenceless third world country so his rich American friends could appropriate its economic wealth. I hope when Obama met Blair earlier this year he did not take his advice to seriously. If he did, he could put Americans off politics forever.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
High Draw Lowers Score
The mid-week round of Premier League fixtures gave us a rare Match Of the Day which featured every team in the division for the first time this season. This meant those at the top of the running order had the potential for big points provided that they did not get involved in a high scoring match and those last on Match of the Day needed a no-score draw to avoid losing points overall.
As it turned out Arsenal and Tottenham blew their chance to improve their Promroiship position with a 4-4 draw which, while appearing first on Match of the Day, only netted the teams 20 points. Compare that to Liverpool and Portsmouth who scored 80 points after the 1-0 victory for the Reds appeared second on MOTD, catapulting Portsmouth into second from eighth and slightly reducing Liverpool's gap at the top mainly due to the fact Pompey have only appeared four times on Match of the Day this season thanks to European commitments. West Ham climbed off the bottom by virture of playing Manchester United and netting 60 points this week. Steve Bruce's problems were magnified as Wigan replaced them at the bottom. Manchester City dropped a massive eleven places after only their second Promroiship appearance this season.
Newcastle and West Brom were last on Match of the Day and got negative points because they played the day before. Detractors of the Promroiship may claim this makes it unfair but I am sure matches on previous days have been intermingled in the past (althought they are very unlikely to appear first). Consider the following: would Manchester United have appeared last if they had played in the only match on the night before?
Promroiship Results October 29th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur......20
Liverpool v Portsmouth...........80
Manchester United v West Ham.....60
Hull City v Chelsea..............40
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers...10
Stoke City v Sunderland..........40
Bolton Wanderers v Everton.......30
Middlesbrough v Manchester City..10
Fulham v Wigan Athletic.......... 0
Newcastle United v West Brom....-20
The Promroiship Table after Round 10 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............336......7....48.0
Portsmouth.............173......4....43.3
Manchester United......233......6....38.8
Hull City..............259......7....37.0
Chelsea................132......4....33.0
Everton................225......7....32.1
Arsenal................285......9....31.7
Stoke City.............179......6....29.8
Sunderland.............237......8....29.6
Fulham.................216......8....27.0
Newcastle United.......178......7....25.4
Bolton Wanderers.......203......8....25.4
Tottenham Hotspur...... 99......4....24.8
Aston Villa............ 96......4....24.0
Blackburn Rovers.......235.....10....23.5
West Ham United........139......6....23.2
Middlesbrough..........227.....10....22.7
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
West Bromwich Albion...168......9....18.7
Wigan Athletic......... 98......6....16.3
As it turned out Arsenal and Tottenham blew their chance to improve their Promroiship position with a 4-4 draw which, while appearing first on Match of the Day, only netted the teams 20 points. Compare that to Liverpool and Portsmouth who scored 80 points after the 1-0 victory for the Reds appeared second on MOTD, catapulting Portsmouth into second from eighth and slightly reducing Liverpool's gap at the top mainly due to the fact Pompey have only appeared four times on Match of the Day this season thanks to European commitments. West Ham climbed off the bottom by virture of playing Manchester United and netting 60 points this week. Steve Bruce's problems were magnified as Wigan replaced them at the bottom. Manchester City dropped a massive eleven places after only their second Promroiship appearance this season.
Newcastle and West Brom were last on Match of the Day and got negative points because they played the day before. Detractors of the Promroiship may claim this makes it unfair but I am sure matches on previous days have been intermingled in the past (althought they are very unlikely to appear first). Consider the following: would Manchester United have appeared last if they had played in the only match on the night before?
Promroiship Results October 29th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur......20
Liverpool v Portsmouth...........80
Manchester United v West Ham.....60
Hull City v Chelsea..............40
Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers...10
Stoke City v Sunderland..........40
Bolton Wanderers v Everton.......30
Middlesbrough v Manchester City..10
Fulham v Wigan Athletic.......... 0
Newcastle United v West Brom....-20
The Promroiship Table after Round 10 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............336......7....48.0
Portsmouth.............173......4....43.3
Manchester United......233......6....38.8
Hull City..............259......7....37.0
Chelsea................132......4....33.0
Everton................225......7....32.1
Arsenal................285......9....31.7
Stoke City.............179......6....29.8
Sunderland.............237......8....29.6
Fulham.................216......8....27.0
Newcastle United.......178......7....25.4
Bolton Wanderers.......203......8....25.4
Tottenham Hotspur...... 99......4....24.8
Aston Villa............ 96......4....24.0
Blackburn Rovers.......235.....10....23.5
West Ham United........139......6....23.2
Middlesbrough..........227.....10....22.7
Manchester City........ 42......2....21.0
West Bromwich Albion...168......9....18.7
Wigan Athletic......... 98......6....16.3
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Hull, United Lose Ground on Leaders
I don't think there could be too many complaints about the Match of the Day Running Order last night. Hull's amazing rise to joint top in the Premier League was followed by title rivals Manchester United dropping points at Everton. The Tyne-Wear derby featured third, which no doubt infuriated those from the North East (except those of course from Hull), with the other match appearing last. Thanks to Europe only four matches participated in the Promroiship this week, undermining the competition as most clubs (except for West Brom) lost points on their average as a result of the low scoring week.
The changes are of course temporary as there are a midweek round of fixtures this week which will feature on a special Wednesday Match of the Day.
Promroiship Results October 26th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
West Bromwich Albion v Hull City...28
Everton v Manchester United........28
Sunderland v Newcastle United......20
Blackburn Rovers v Middlesbrough...20
The Promroiship Table after Round 9 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............256......6....42.7
Hull City..............219......6....36.5
Manchester United......173......5....34.6
Arsenal................265......8....33.1
Newcastle United.......198......6....33.0
Everton................195......6....32.5
Manchester City........ 32......1....32.0
Portsmouth............. 93......3....31.0
Fulham.................216......7....30.9
Chelsea................ 92......3....30.7
Aston Villa............ 86......3....28.7
Sunderland.............197......7....28.1
Stoke City.............139......5....27.8
Tottenham Hotspur...... 79......3....26.3
Blackburn Rovers.......225......9....25.0
Bolton Wanderers.......173......7....24.7
Middlesbrough..........217......9....24.1
West Bromwich Albion...188......8....23.5
Wigan Athletic......... 98......5....19.6
West Ham United........ 79......5....15.8
The changes are of course temporary as there are a midweek round of fixtures this week which will feature on a special Wednesday Match of the Day.
Promroiship Results October 26th 2008 (Match of the Day Running Order)
West Bromwich Albion v Hull City...28
Everton v Manchester United........28
Sunderland v Newcastle United......20
Blackburn Rovers v Middlesbrough...20
The Promroiship Table after Round 9 (08/9)
Team..................Total...Apps..Average
Liverpool..............256......6....42.7
Hull City..............219......6....36.5
Manchester United......173......5....34.6
Arsenal................265......8....33.1
Newcastle United.......198......6....33.0
Everton................195......6....32.5
Manchester City........ 32......1....32.0
Portsmouth............. 93......3....31.0
Fulham.................216......7....30.9
Chelsea................ 92......3....30.7
Aston Villa............ 86......3....28.7
Sunderland.............197......7....28.1
Stoke City.............139......5....27.8
Tottenham Hotspur...... 79......3....26.3
Blackburn Rovers.......225......9....25.0
Bolton Wanderers.......173......7....24.7
Middlesbrough..........217......9....24.1
West Bromwich Albion...188......8....23.5
Wigan Athletic......... 98......5....19.6
West Ham United........ 79......5....15.8
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