Boxing Day Fixtures

[FGR Stroud]

Little early to be posting these fixtures with Grimsby v Bradford match scheduled on Tuesday but for most of us Xmas Day is family and not football.
We'll want to discuss Boxing Day matches before then.
At this moment in time the BBC have included all EFL2 games to be played although perhaps with the increasing Coronavirus threat I expect some games to be postponed.
I have done the same. I'll post the professional pundits forecasts at a later date as well as the missing betting Bet365 odds.
Oh and lastly to everyone: MERRY CHRISTMAS

Boxing Day fixtures sometimes end with unbelievable results but not this season with all teams are so competitive that any one can beat any other.
Those teams playing at home with supporters present do have an advantage so I expect a lot of home wins until end of pandemic.
Boxing Day is one of two set of fixtures before New Year's Day where traditionally fans review their their teams overall progress. But this season is running a few weeks later than normal with at least 2 games left before start of return matches.
The teams at top of table were starting to pull away but most had a disastrous Saturday which has brought every team down to 13th within one win of a promotion play-off place.
Similarly Southend & Scunthorpe were dead and buried earlier in season but are making dramatic comebacks. Their odds to be relegated must now be very short indeed.
Biggest surprise to me so far is the excellent showing of Morecambe, everybody's seasonal first prediction for relegation but well within the promotion play-offs.
And yes another surprise is Bradford's lowly position. I can only see them moving up the table towards mid-table by season end.

 

[BarraMatt]

Going into the next game against a Vale side who seem to blow hot and cold with renewed confidence after a resounding win yesterday. Some of our better players are on their way back including Hardcastle who has been sorely missed in midfield, but I doubt he'll be ready to start. There's every chance we will have the new manager in by then but the board will be taking their time after most felt Dunn's appointment was a bit of a rushed one.

Two sides that records show can score a few but also ship a few too so should make for an interesting game at least, but that'll probably mean it will be a drab 0-0.

5 points over the Christmas period would be a good return, hopefully we will start to push on a bit.

 

[E10rifle]

We usually do alright in the not-remotely-a-derby “M11 derby”. The chaps up the wrong end of the UK’s third best motorway do seem to care about it a tad more than we do, but only because we routinely stole their better players (and Billy Beale) between 1995-2005. 1-1 in a share of the spoils between two sides with their eyes firmly on the battle for 14th and 15th come the end of the season.

 

[valefan16]

Must win for us really after another throw away yesterday. Should have some of the injuries back in key players Manny Oyeleke and Montano which will be a huge boost.

Expect one of the defence to be dropped, probably Legge for Brisley.

We’ve been creating loads of chances at the moment and are scoring goals so expect that to continue but can a defence do their standard job? They were rightly blasted and publicly blamed in a rare rant from Askey.

Barrow are one of few teams that’s been worse than us in recent weeks so hopefully can get a much needed win. A huge response is needed though regardless and anything less must see Askey gone.

 

[dedwardp]

We're going to lose.

 

[Moomin]

Apparently one of our players is displaying COVID symptoms so the whole squad and staff are being tested. Hopefully results will be negative but it does throw doubt over the game going ahead on Boxing Day

 

[Bottega Don]

We've been shocking lately.

We lost to two of the worst sides I have seen this season in Southend and Grimsby, we lost because we were even worse.

We did manage to beat a very poor Barrow side, we were also so poor.

This game will be decided by the first goal. In games we have conceded first, we have lost every game but one. In games we have taken the lead, we have won every game but one.

 

[Huntsman94]

We know as well as anyone what the immediate impact of sacking your manager can do. Therefore expecting a tough game at home to Bradford. In normal circumstances you’d be seeing a big crowd with a large away following. Would have been a belter.

 

[Robshep]

Apparently one of our players is displaying COVID symptoms so the whole squad and staff are being tested. Hopefully results will be negative but it does throw doubt over the game going ahead on Boxing Day

Might become a lot more common sadly.

 

[Chris FGR]

Apparently one of our players is displaying COVID symptoms so the whole squad and staff are being tested. Hopefully results will be negative but it does throw doubt over the game going ahead on Boxing Day

Christmas will be shitty enough this year without not even having Boxing Day footy to look forward too.

Stick your youth team out or something, they're pretty good anyway.

 

[hellogregory]

After defeat at Forest Green, I expect us to react.
Back to winning ways in emphatic fashion.

Carlisle United 4-0 Bolton Wanderers

 

[chipmunx]

Must win for us really after another throw away yesterday. Should have some of the injuries back in key players Manny Oyeleke and Montano which will be a huge boost.

Expect one of the defence to be dropped, probably Legge for Brisley.

We’ve been creating loads of chances at the moment and are scoring goals so expect that to continue but can a defence do their standard job? They were rightly blasted and publicly blamed in a rare rant from Askey.

Barrow are one of few teams that’s been worse than us in recent weeks so hopefully can get a much needed win. A huge response is needed though regardless and anything less must see Askey gone.

IF we play like we did Saturday and you do similar then Askey will be sacked late Boxing day.
Vale 2 (Pope 2), Barrow 3 (Quigley 3)

 

[Hurrikeen]

Home form needs sorting out. Expecting a win at home to Harrogate though and for the promotion charge to begin here.

 

[Myblueheaven04]

Home form needs sorting out. Expecting a win at home to Harrogate though and for the promotion charge to begin here.

Shhhhhhh....... lets just keep quiet about promotion, people will soonsee for themselves if we continue to improve and start winning more at home.

 

[Bone Idle]

Apparently one of our players is displaying COVID symptoms so the whole squad and staff are being tested. Hopefully results will be negative but it does throw doubt over the game going ahead on Boxing Day

We heard this rumour! if true our game on the 29th will be in doubt, lets hope the results all come back negative.

 

[valefan16]

We heard this rumour! if true our game on the 29th will be in doubt, lets hope the results all come back negative.

They’ve confirmed a number of positive tests but looks as though still planning to play.

 

[valefan16]

Be interesting to see what happens with the games coming up, a few games off already and Ipswich actively calling for a “circuit break” due to the cases in the EFL.

If they do go ahead could be the last games again for a while maybe?

 

[FGR Stroud]

News from Exeter is that the upcoming fixtures are going ahead as normal, despite a couple of tests coming back as positive.
Good news for both FGR & Exeter fans.

 

[BarraMatt]

Stop the season, PPG it. There's a pandemic going on ffs.

 

[Chris FGR]

Stop the season, PPG it. There's a pandemic going on ffs.

There was a pandemic going on when the season started. Might as well carry on now.

 

[valefan16]

The Ipswich suggestion is stop it temporarily whilst things are bad and finish in June and L1 and 2 won’t have many if any at the Euros

 

[hellogregory]

Stop the season, PPG it. There's a pandemic going on ffs.

I think I could be persuaded to show my support for this.

 

[Essex2Wessex]

I think it's reasonable to presume that January might turn out to be the worst month overall of the pandemic, worse even than April was. But we do have procedures in place now that didn't exist in April, and don't have large crowds, etc, and in general we understand a lot more about the virus and disease now than was the case then, and the vaccinations are already underway, so I think it woudl be reasonable to play on as normal.

On the other hand, we're second, so.....yeah, PPG is clearly the only fair and safe way to proceed. Clearly.

 

[Bottega Don]

PPG would allow us to finish above Grimsby as of tonight.

PPG right now please, lets not wait until after boxing day

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Ipswich only want a circuit breaker because they've been suffering from a bad injury crisis before COVID hit their dressing room. Same club called for the season to be continued then an 8 team playoff just to accommodate them when they knew the season wouldn't continue, despite being on an atrocious losing run.

Can see football continuing despite postponements becoming the norm each matchday now.

Hope League Two gets a full programme of fixtures underway. Looking at the league as a neutral, it's a hell of a lot tighter at the top and bottom than last season!

 

[FGR Stroud]

After last night's result:
Updated Bet365 odds & professional pundit forecasts

 

[hellogregory]

After defeat at Forest Green, I expect us to react.
Back to winning ways in emphatic fashion.

Carlisle United 4-0 Bolton Wanderers

quick change to my prediction.

Carlisle United P-P Bolton Wanderers

as will be the case with every fixture if these circuit breaker rumours are true.

 

[FGR Stroud]

quick change to my prediction.

Carlisle United P-P Bolton Wanderers

as will be the case with every fixture if these circuit breaker rumours are true.

The BBC website still has every EFL2 match listed.
Although they have three EFL1 matches postponed for 'other'

 

[valefan16]

The BBC website still has every EFL2 match listed.
Although they have three EFL1 matches postponed for 'other'

Could be in full lockdown by Boxing Day so have to see how that impacts on football at our level (with no testing as standard in place)

 

[hellogregory]

The BBC website still has every EFL2 match listed.
Although they have three EFL1 matches postponed for 'other'

Saw on twitter that there’s a meeting today about a football circuit breaker which could see all festive football suspended till middle of January at least.