UK Football – Gurgler’s Own Goal – Token Sunday Edition

Welcome to the Gurgler’s UK Football Weekly. Well not quite weekly as we only posted something a few days ago for Boxing Day, but who are we and you to complain about too much football. Another full batch of fixtures just before the FA Cup third round next weekend.

– Wins for all the big boys on Boxing Day leaves the ladder the same as before Christmas except for Southampton replacing West Ham as the official surprise packet, and some shuffling on the lower decks of the relegation ship.

– The three lower divisions are even closer than the almighty EPL. The Championship has a top four within 3 points of each other, not to be outdone ,the fourth tier League Two has its top four with 2 points. But the closest battle is in League One where there is only a point separating the top four. One could argue that the Football League’s enforced Financial Fair play could be a cause of such closeness. It even allows for a team like Ipswich Town to be second in the Championship with a squad assembled for just 10,000 pounds in transfers fees.

– Still no EPL manager casualties, but Crystal Palace’s Neil Warnock is the new favourite for first chop. A loss at Loftus Road will seal the deal. Here’s some semi-interesting manager facts from Boxing Day’s bit that we’re keeping to cover for a lack of effort in discussing more points.

 [table caption=”Manager Changes 2014-15,” width=”350″ colwidth=”125|125|100″ colalign=”left|left|left”]

Division,Changes ,Average Stay (League-wide)

Premier League,0 Changes,2 Years & 7 months

Championship,14 Changes, 10 months

League One,5 Changes,1 Year & 10 months

League Two,8 Changes,1 Year & 6 months

[/table]
[table caption=”Longest Serving Managers” width=”350″ colwidth=”125|125|100″ colalign=”left|left|left”]

Division,Manager (Team),Stay (Current Pos)

Premier League,Arsne Wenger (Arsenal),18.2 years (6^th)

Premier League,Alan Pardew (Newcastle),4 years (9^th)

Premier League,Sam Allardyce (West Ham),3.5 years (4^th)

Championship,Steve Evans (Rotherham), 2.7 years (19^th)

Championship,Eddie Howe (Bournemouth), 2.2 years (1^st)

Championship,Mick McCarthy (Ipswich), 2.1 years (2^nd)

League One,Karl Robinson (Milton Keynes),4.62 years (2^nd)

League One,Dean Smith (Walsall),4 years (13^th)

League One,Darren Ferguson (Peterborough),4 years (9^th)

League Two,Paul Tisdale (Exeter),8.5 years (8^th)

League Two,Jim Bentley (Morecambe),3.6 years (10^th)

League Two,Justin Edinburgh (Newport),3.2 years (7th)

[/table]

[soccer-info id=’2′ type=’table’ style=’blue_light’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’EPL TABLE’ /]

[soccer-info id=’20’ type=’table’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’Championship Table’ /]

[soccer-info id=’21’ type=’table’ style=’red_light’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’L1 TABLE’ /]

[soccer-info id=’22’ type=’table’ style=’red_light’ columns=’#,Team,MP,W,D,L,F,A,G,P’ title=’L2 TABLE’ /]

EPL Sunday – Spurs v Manchester United – Some of Man Utd’s players last chance before the next spending spree.
EPL Sunday – QPR v Crystal Palace – the poor man’s London derby
EPL Sunday – Hull v Leicester – 6 pointer relegation battle anyone?
CHAMP Sunday – Blackburn v Middlesboro – An EPL fixture of yore playing for a return.
L2 Sunday – Shrewsbury v Wycombe – Top three battle leg 2
L2 Sunday – Carlisle v York – League Two should have a 6 pointer too.

Here’s the rest of the upcoming fixtures.

[soccer-info id=’2′ type=’fixtures’ style=’blue_light’ title=’EPL UPCOMING FIXTURES’ limit=’20’ /]

[soccer-info id=’20’ type=’fixtures’ title=’Championship Fixtures’ limit=’24’ /]

[soccer-info id=’21’ type=’fixtures’ style=’red_light’ title=’L1 Fixtures’ limit=’24’ /]

[soccer-info id=’22’ type=’fixtures’ style=’red_light’ title=’L2 Fixtures’ limit=’24’ /]

So it’s all come to this, our best selections and tips for you to turn into many dollar, pound, euro or rupee. Please accept our best bets.

[table caption=”EPL Best Bets Multi A – $27,” width=”300″ colwidth=”150|150″ colalign=”left|left”]

Selection,Game Details

MANCHESTER UTD to win,v Spurs

CHELSEA to win,v Southampton

STOKE to win,v WBA

UNDER 2.5 goals,Aston Villa v Sunderland

MANCHESTER CITY to win,v Burnley

OVER 2.5 goals,QPR v C Palace

[/table]

[table caption=”EPL Best Bets Multi B – $163,” width=”300″ colwidth=”150|150″ colalign=”left|left”]

Selection,Game Details

SWANSEA to win,v Liverpool

DRAW,Newcastle v Everton

DRAW,West Ham v Arsenal

DRAW,Hull v Leicester

[/table]

[table caption=”Championship Best Bets Multi – $70,” width=”300″ colwidth=”150|150″ colalign=”left|left”]

Selection,Game Details

WOLVES to win,v Brentford

NORWICH to win,v Reading

UNDER 2.5 goals,Huddersfield v Bolton

DRAW,Blackburn v Middsboro

DERBY to win,v Leeds

IPSWICH to win,v Charlton

[/table]

[table caption=”L1 Best Bets Multi – $33,” width=”300″ colwidth=”150|150″ colalign=”left|left”]

Selection,Game Details

ROCHDALE to win,v Fleetwood

UNDER 2.5 goals,Sheff Utd v Scunthorpe

SWINDON to win,v Port Vale

MILTON KEYNES to win,v Walsall

PRESTON to win,v Crewe

BRISTOL CITY to win,v Gillingham

LEYTON ORIENT to win,v Yeovil

[/table]

[table caption=”L2 Best Bets Multi – $52,” width=”300″ colwidth=”150|150″ colalign=”left|left”]

Selection,Game Details

PORTSMOUTH to win,v AFC Wimbledon

LUTON to win,v Portsmouth

BURTON to win,v Accrington

PLYMOUTH to win,v Oxford

SHREWSBURY to win,v Wycombe

SOUTHEND to win,v Dagenham & Redbridge

UNDER 2.5 goals,Carlsile v York

[/table]