So far 303 people have entered teams into my Fantasy League for this season, but you now have less than 24 hours to enter a team before the season begins.There's a prize of £100 worth of books and CDs for the winner.To enter a team (there's no charge!) click HERE. When you've registered your details, follow the instructions to select your team.
When you've done that you need to join the Iain Dale League by typing this code 496137-92054 into the relevant box. You need to register before the season starts on 11 August. Last year there were 152 teams entered. Let's see if we can beat that this year.
I've chosen the following players in my team...Green (West Ham), Shorey (Reading), Neill (West Ham), Woodgate (Middlesbrough), Ferdinand (Man U), Bentley (Blackburn), Petrov (Aston Villa), Nolan (Bolton), Noble (West Ham), Drogba (Chelsea), Rooney (Man U) Subs: Niemei (Fulham), Richards (Man c), Reo Coker (Aston Villa), Berbatov (Spurs)
Tip for potential entrants: Judging by Iain's choice of teams last year, perhaps a good idea not to enter any of his selections......
ReplyDeleteYou're not wrong...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRemember you can also join the official Parliamentary Plate here:
ReplyDeletehttp://kerroncross.blogspot.com/2007/07/parliamentary-plate-20072008-official.html
BTW if the winner from last year doesn't claim their prize, does the runner up get it? ;-)
Iain,
ReplyDeleteIS it possible according to the rules to select DAVID BECKHAM? As a loyal 'Merican want to honor my homeland with our latest sporting legend . . . though it was Posh who got the reality TV show, not Becks.
And can I also select JIM THORPE???
Don't know that the man who conquered the 1912 Olymipic Games and was hailed by the King of Sweden as "The World's Greatest Athlete" ever played Association Football, but I'm guessing Thorpe might have had SOME aptitude, especially for kicks.
After all, when Thorpe was in his 50s he used to enliven halftime at American football games he was playing in, by going out to the 50 yard line and kicking two field goals . . . on over each goalpost.
BTW, when young Jim was a member of the legendary Carlisle Indian School (located in Pennsylvania, not Cumbria!) coached by the equally legendary Pop Warner, the opposing team that the lads REALLY wanted to play and beat . . . and did so . . . was the squad from the US Miliary Academy at West Point.
Seems as though the Carlisle Indians looked upon playing Army as a re-match, on a MUCH more even playing field!
PS - Sadly, me only contribution to "The Beautiful Game" was organizing a rag-tag squad of history grad students specializing in eastern European history, called "Red Star Bukovina". The most notable thing about our team was our chant: "SMASH THE FASCIST INSECT!"
Ah my second league ever in the Fantasy League! I like to keep mine all-British, personally.
ReplyDeleteSo I don't expect to do very well at all.
Sam - NOW yez sees the fruits o' yer blinkered nationalism!
ReplyDeleteTHOUGH yer comment does remind me something from one of George MacDonald Fraser's great (indeed the greatest) football short story, "Play Up, Play Up, And Get Tore In" about a corporal, a former and future professional, who was captain for a regimental team:
"We trained for two days and had our first game against the German prisoners-of-war. They were men still waiting to be repatriated, ex-Africa Korps, big and tough, and they had played together since they went into the bag in '42. Some of our team wore the Africa Star, and you could feel the tension higher than usual in the dressing room beforehand. The corporal, dapper and wiry, stamped his boots on the concrete, bounced the ball, and said, 'Awright fellas, let's get stuck intae these Huns,' and out they trotted."
"(I should say at this point that this final exhortation varied only according to our opponents. Years later, when he lead a famous league side out to play Celtic, this same corporal, having said his Hail-Mary and fingered his crucifix, instructed his team, 'Alright fellas, let's get stuck intae these Papes.' There is a lesson in team spirit there, if you think about it.)"
I hate football.
ReplyDeleteI would rather see the Iain Dale fantasy Chippendales team.
Chris Bryant, Alan Duncan, etc....
Don't you realise that there are more important things going on in the world, Iain?
ReplyDeleteThe Rugby World Cup starts in less than a month! And England smashed Wales 62-5 in a warm up match. Now that's a beautiful game and nobody gets paid £5 million a year!
I am so excited! I'm still not sure if you're allowed make transfers?
ReplyDeleteI'm not into football, or chippendales. watching a game live is always fun, but i never really care who wins. is this a character defect?
ReplyDeleteThe contents of this post suggest that you have "clearly been put up to it by someone".
ReplyDeleteMy son is currently working in a warehouse alongside a lad who had originally planned a holiday in the sun with his girlfriend. In the meantime he had to cancel as he and GF had by now fallen out. Then he and GF became reconciled and the lad announced he had booked a new holiday to seal their 'kissing and making up' with the very best deal he could find which was......a week in what my son tells me is The West Ham United Hotel.
ReplyDeleteHow sad is that?
any chance of a fantasy rugby (union) league for us egg chaser Iain?
ReplyDeleteA wise selection there Mr.Dale,
ReplyDeletebtw, why did West Ham sell Reo Coker?
I think my team, Republicans FC, are abit too green in that kit :S
ReplyDeleteOh bugger.
ReplyDeleteI had banked on Leighton Baines joining a decent team.
The Daily Ref 11 have now been selected. Prepared for defeat and humiliation!
ReplyDeletehew... Red Flag United just makes the deadline... even if in desperation I had to choose some bloke called Mullins from WHU.
ReplyDeleteShould there be a Salary Cap in Football?
ReplyDeletePersonally I think there should be! It’s just getting to be stupid money in football at the top of the premiership!
It’s always the same teams at the top proving that football success is based purely on money which ruins the idea of it being a sport! They’ve done it in rugby, basketball, hockey and American football and it makes the sports more competitive and better to watch!
I like to Bet on Football from time to time and most matches don’t hold much surprise who is going to win, its boring! Football Betting would be so much better if you saw a team at the bottom pulling off an amazing season and beating last season winners in a close fought battle for the title!
Make things fair! It shouldn’t be about money!
Wow! Arsenal got killed last night! Anybody see it?
ReplyDeleteThe fans must have been furious! 5 – 1, I mean Tottenham played very well but Arsenal fielded barely any first team players, what were they thinking!? The Fans have every right to be annoyed! When you travel to see your team play you expect them to at least try! Whoever did a little football spread betting on Arsenal losing will be laughing all the way to work this morning! Maybe I Should start spread betting and see if I can win a few bets! I want to laugh on the way to work!
Mwahahahhahaha!