(08 Dec 2014, 8:38 pm)AdamY wrote They used to play each other four times during the season. New rules were implemented this season in which teams are now relegated from the second division into the non-league pyramid (and vice versa) - so it may be slightly different. The SPL has a weird set up where the top six and bottom six clubs play only each other towards the end of the season to determine seed positioning.   

The setup for promotion/relegation from Scottish League 2 is through play offs...

The Highland League and Lowland League are directly under League 2, there champions will play off for the chance to play the bottom side in L2

(08 Dec 2014, 8:38 pm)marxistafozzski wrote All I say to that...

Remember Luton Town

They beat Norwich at Carrow Road a few years ago...

A draw would be good result, dont think WBA would be too hyped up for a replay in deepest darkest Tyne and Wear

I do indeed remember Luton at Norwich a couple of year ago or whenever it was. It's fixtures like that what show the true magic and uniqueness of the FA Cup.

(08 Dec 2014, 8:43 pm)Adam wrote I do indeed remember Luton at Norwich a couple of year ago or whenever it was. It's fixtures like that what show the true magic and uniqueness of the FA Cup.

I have always said, the form book gets ripped up for one off matches

(08 Dec 2014, 8:30 pm)aureolin wrote For the SPL, it used to be that each team plays each other 3 times. After that, the division is split in two, with the top half playing an additional fixture against other teams in that half, and the bottom half playing an additional fixture against teams in their half.

(08 Dec 2014, 8:30 pm)marxistafozzski wrote They play each other 3 times up to the end of March, then the League is split for the last 5 games...

It is split top 6/bottom 6

The teams then play the teams in the section once more...

11x3 games plus 5 post split gives you 38 games

And as I said earlier, we normally see 7th finish with more points than 6th place, totally absurd in my opinion

(08 Dec 2014, 8:38 pm)AdamY wrote They used to play each other four times during the season. New rules were implemented this season in which teams are now relegated from the second division into the non-league pyramid (and vice versa) - so it may be slightly different. The SPL has a weird set up where the top six and bottom six clubs play only each other towards the end of the season to determine seed positioning.   

Cheers all  
Can see problems like if, after the first 33 games 4th place down to 7th are within a few points, and 7th ends up coming 4th because of an "easier" run of games.
Suppose some managers /teams could purposely be 7th at the split and then end up finishing way higher... 

(08 Dec 2014, 8:44 pm)marxistafozzski wrote I have always said, the form book gets ripped up for one off matches

totally agree with you there Fozz

(08 Dec 2014, 8:44 pm)mb134 wrote Cheers all  
Can see problems like if, after the first 33 games 4th place down to 7th are within a few points, and 7th ends up coming 4th because of an "easier" run of games.
Suppose some managers /teams could purposely be 7th at the split and then end up finishing way higher... 

Post Split, a team cannot finish lower than 6th or higher than 7th in there section.

7th cannot become 4th and so on, if you finish 7th and you have more points than 5th and 6th, you dont go down on record as finishing higher...

7th will always be 7th regardless...

Take a look at these wiki links

Scottish Premier League
Football in Scotland
Scottish Football League System
Scottish Professional Football League

(08 Dec 2014, 8:58 pm)marxistafozzski wrote Post Split, a team cannot finish lower than 6th or higher than 7th in there section.

7th cannot become 4th and so on, if you finish 7th and you have more points than 5th and 6th, you dont go down on record as finishing higher...

7th will always be 7th regardless...

Take a look at these wiki links

Scottish Premier League
Football in Scotland
Scottish Football League System
Scottish Professional Football League

Ah right, was gonna say!! 
Makes much more sense now, sounds far fairer 

I personally think the split is daft, because you have an odd number of games, is it really fair that a team could possibly play Celtic away twice and only once at home then find themselves in bottom 6 section...

I dont know what the problem was with a 44 game season when they played each other 4 times, that is how the rest of Scotlands divisions work

I think The Championship, League 1 and League 2 have 10 teams and play 36 games

Scottish leagues are rubbish, set up is terrible.

(08 Dec 2014, 9:06 pm)Michael wrote Scottish leagues are rubbish, set up is terrible.

Agree with that Michael, dont see why they cannot have 2 divisions of 22 or 20/24 and a proper non-league pyramid underneath that offers automatic promotion into the SPFL Leagues

(08 Dec 2014, 7:25 pm)marxistafozzski wrote The pick of the North East ties has to be Sunderland v Leeds...

Not bad draws for Gateshead and Blyth, I would fancy Gateshead as an outside chance at The Hawthorns, although I cant see a Blyth win against Small Heath...

Sunderland v Leeds for television perhaps???

(08 Dec 2014, 7:30 pm)Michael wrote Brill draw! 

Glad Bylth and Gateshead got good draws, could be pay day for them!

1973 FA final all over again!

Fancy Blyth to be on telly again.
Gateshead will struggle to fill their allocation I think - as sad as it seems.
Can't see West Brom filling their parts of the ground either, particularly the way they are playing at the moment.

Would love to see them both go through, but I fancy Blyth's chances - especially with having home advantage.

Poyet was at Leeds for a spell as assistant to Dennis Wise.
He even said he wanted to manage them a few years ago... 
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sp...-1-4241428

(09 Dec 2014, 12:22 pm)Andreos1 wrote Fancy Blyth to be on telly again.
Gateshead will struggle to fill their allocation I think - as sad as it seems.
Can't see West Brom filling their parts of the ground either, particularly the way they are playing at the moment.

Would love to see them both go through, but I fancy Blyth's chances - especially with having home advantage.

Poyet was at Leeds for a spell as assistant to Dennis Wise.
He even said he wanted to manage them a few years ago... 
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sp...-1-4241428

Birmingham are having a bad season and West Brom is not the mouth watering tie they maybe wanted, but as I have already pointed out...REMEMBER LUTON

Arsenal v. Hull City 
Southampton v. Ipswich Town 
Stoke City v.  Wrexham
Charlton Athletic v. Blackburn Rovers 
Aldershot/Rochdale v. Nottingham Forest 
Dover v. Crystal Palace 
AFC Wimbledon v. Liverpool 
Manchester City v. Sheffield Wednesday 
Blyth v. Birmingham City 
West Bromwich Albion v. Gateshead
Aston Villa v. Blackpool 
Rotherham United v. AFC Bournemouth 
Huddersfield Town v. Reading 
Oxford/Tranmere v. Swansea City 
Cardiff City v. Colchester United 
Bolton Wanderers v. Wigan Athletic 
Sunderland v. Leeds United 
Burnley v. Tottenham Hotspur 
Millwall v. Bradford City 
Derby County v. Southport 
Brentford v. Brighton & Hove Albion 
Fulham v. Wolverhampton Wanderers 
Leicester City v. Newcastle United 
Scunthorpe/Worcester v. Chesterfield/MK Dons? 
Everton v. West Ham United 
Cambridge/Mansfield v. Bury/Luton 
Chelsea v. Watford 
Barnsley/Chester v. Middlesbrough 
Queens Park Rangers v. Sheffield United 
Accrington/Yeovil v. Manchester United 
Preston North End v. Norwich City 
Doncaster Rovers v. Bristol City

The draw in full

Stand out ties are Liverpool v AFC Wimbledon, Yeovil/Accrington v Man Utd and Sunderland v Leeds...

I reckon Liverpool will be on the telly, the history with Old Wimbledon winning the cup will be mentioned a few times...Accrington v Man Utd could be a contender for TV...as could Sunderland v Leeds...

Gateshead would do well to get a draw, cant see WBA fancying a midweek trip to the Int'l Stadium

Did anyone catch Ramseys cracker last night?
http://lockerdome.com/bbcsporf/616946138...1909078548

Caught it perfectly. Just like I did back in 93... Unfortunately the cameras weren't there to record it for posterity.

(10 Dec 2014, 7:52 am)Andreos1 wrote Did anyone catch Ramseys cracker last night?
http://lockerdome.com/bbcsporf/616946138...1909078548

Caught it perfectly. Just like I did back in 93... Unfortunately the cameras weren't there to record it for posterity.

One of the best goals I have ever seen mate...

What does everyone think the scores will be this gameweek?

I think:
Burnley 0-1 Southampton
Chelsea 4-0 Hull
Crystal Palace 2-3 Stoke
Leicester 0-3 Man City
Sunderland 0-1 West Ham
WBA 0-0 Aston Villa
Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle

Man Utd 0-0 Liverpool
Swansea 2-2 Spurs

Everton 2-0 QPR

(13 Dec 2014, 11:05 am)Tom wrote What does everyone think the scores will be this gameweek?

I think:
Burnley 0-1 Southampton
Chelsea 4-0 Hull
Crystal Palace 2-3 Stoke
Leicester 0-3 Man City
Sunderland 0-1 West Ham
WBA 0-0 Aston Villa
Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle

Man Utd 0-0 Liverpool
Swansea 2-2 Spurs

Everton 2-0 QPR

For once I find myself agreeing with you...

I wonder if little Gus turns out for West Ham today

Apparently Pardew has been moaning, because he can't sign a keeper on loan - to cover Krul and Elliott.

Why doesn't he sign one on a short term free, like Roeder did with Pav?

It would have been around this time of the year, both Given and Harper were injured.
Pav was signed until the new year, sitting on the bench whilst a not fully fit Given started.

He ended up playing a couple of games and staying until the end of the season.

(13 Dec 2014, 11:58 am)Andreos1 wrote Apparently Pardew has been moaning, because he can't sign a keeper on loan - to cover Krul and Elliott.

Why doesn't he sign one on a short term free, like Roeder did with Pav?

It would have been around this time of the year, both Given and Harper were injured.
Pav was signed until the new year, sitting on the bench whilst a not fully fit Given started.

He ended up playing a couple of games and staying until the end of the season.

I thought the rules allowed for clubs to sign Goalkeepers on Emergency Loan Deals outside the transfer window

(13 Dec 2014, 12:58 pm)MrFozz wrote I thought the rules allowed for clubs to sign Goalkeepers on Emergency Loan Deals outside the transfer window

Ye, he rejected the opportunity to do it 

The Premier League have said we have too many fit keepers on the books.
Alnwick (21).
Darlow (on season long loan at Forest. Can't be recalled).
Woodman (17).

Darlow is the issue.
He is classed as a Newcastle player and if you have more than one fit professional keeper on your books, you can't have an emergency loan.

Burnley 0-3 Southampton
Chelsea 4-0 Hull
Crystal Palace 1-3 Stoke
Leicester 0-4 Man City
Sunderland 1-0 West Ham
WBA 1-0 Aston Villa
Arsenal 1-1 Newcastle
Man Utd 0-0 Liverpool
Swansea 2-0 Spurs
Everton 3-1 QPR

Also:
Middlesbrough currently winning 1-0 against Derby

(13 Dec 2014, 1:02 pm)Andreos1 wrote The Premier League have said we have too many fit keepers on the books.
Alnwick (21).
Darlow (on season long loan at Forest. Can't be recalled).
Woodman (17).

Darlow is the issue.
He is classed as a Newcastle player and if you have more than one fit professional keeper on your books, you can't have an emergency loan.

Then that would be Newcastles daft fault for not insisting on a recall clause in the loan contract...

Middlesbrough 2-0 Derby

Team news:

Sunderland : Pantilimon, Vergini, Brown, O'Shea, Reveillere, Cattermole, Johnson, Larsson, Gomez, Wickham, Altidore
Subs: Mannone, Coates, Bridcutt, Rodwell, Buckley, Alvarez, Fletcher

West Ham: Adrian, Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell, Song, Kouyate, Nolan, Downing, Sakho, Carroll
Subs: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, Collins, Amalfitano, Zarate, Valencia, Cole

(13 Dec 2014, 2:09 pm)Michael wrote Middlesbrough 2-0 Derby

Team news:

Sunderland : Pantilimon, Vergini, Brown, O'Shea, Reveillere, Cattermole, Johnson, Larsson, Gomez, Wickham, Altidore
Subs: Mannone, Coates, Bridcutt, Rodwell, Buckley, Alvarez, Fletcher

West Ham: Adrian, Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell, Song, Kouyate, Nolan, Downing, Sakho, Carroll
Subs: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, Collins, Amalfitano, Zarate, Valencia, Cole

Ended 1-1, 10th League Game which has ended in a Draw now which to me is not good at all and also has myself wondering, should Poyet be given the Boot now before it is too late, I would say Yes for several reasons.

- Are we hard to Beat and Breakdown or do we just lack Creativity going forward into the final 3rd
- Why play Connor Wickham on the Wing, when you have Buckley and Alvarez on the Bench
- Why not play Connor Wickham upfront instead of that American piece of garbage named Jozy Altidore
- Why pay £10m for Jack Rodwell and have on the Bench every week, surely he is a Better Player than Larsson and Gomez
- Why persist on playing Oshea and Brown when we know there past there Best
- Why persist on using the same Formation each week, surely changing it may benefit the Team going forward in terms of Results

(13 Dec 2014, 7:08 pm)Malarkey wrote Ended 1-1, 10th League Game which has ended in a Draw now which to me is not good at all and also has myself wondering, should Poyet be given the Boot now before it is too late, I would say Yes for several reasons.

- Are we hard to Beat and Breakdown or do we just lack Creativity going forward into the final 3rd
- Why play Connor Wickham on the Wing, when you have Buckley and Alvarez on the Bench
- Why not play Connor Wickham upfront instead of that American piece of garbage named Jozy Altidore
- Why pay £10m for Jack Rodwell and have on the Bench every week, surely he is a Better Player than Larsson and Gomez
- Why persist on playing Oshea and Brown when we know there past there Best
- Why persist on using the same Formation each week, surely changing it may benefit the Team going forward in terms of Results

No...

How much would it cost to pay him off and who would you want in charge...

Give him to the end of thd season I say

(13 Dec 2014, 7:15 pm)MrFozz wrote No...

How much would it cost to pay him off and who would you want in charge...

Give him to the end of thd season I say

Not Much I think, I and by which time we would have drawn 20 Games and would be Relegated to the Championship.

Although we lost 4-1, the overall Newcastle performance (in some parts) was quite pleasing. At the end of last season, if we were 3-0 down to Arsenal we would have capitulated completely, so to see some fight and get back into it before their 4th goal was quite good to see. Disappointed that Janmaat is suspended for the Spurs game, but I'd rather him miss that than the derby

(13 Dec 2014, 7:23 pm)Malarkey wrote Not Much I think, I and by which time we would have drawn 20 Games and would be Relegated to the Championship.

Dont think Sunderland will go down, but I do see where you are coming from though, if they have 20 points on the board by New Years that is normally a good sign...

But who replaces Poyet, a new guy will be stuck with the same shower of shite, and the January window will not be ample time for someone to leave there mark.

I actually like Poyet, he has had them playing decent football, unlike previous managers who played hoofball

Liverpool are shit