Keech the Bookie has completed his season preview below now all teams are in. It is based on past history (last 4 years performance in brackets with the latest first) and only looks at your original team selected this time around if you are newcomer. If your transfers and picks are imaginative and inspirational, clearly Keech the bookie cannot predict that. Hope you take it as it is, a little bit of fun and the challenge is for you to either prove me right or completely wrong !!!
Only get concerned if I predict you to win !
Latest season first:
1st Rob Bushell (2/1F). (2nd, 4th, 12th, 7th)
How long have I said that this guy cannot win it (for as long as I can remember!). Now after an excellent first season under the new rules Rob could now eventually go one better. Nobody has won more monthlies or cup competitions as Rob. Time to step up to the plate for the big one.
2nd Dan Owen (5/2). (7th, 3rd, 9th, 8th)
Clearly the best chance of the 3 Owen entries. Consistent performer with 4 years inside the top 10. Big chance.
3rd Paul Keech/Craig Frost (11/4). (1st, 9th, no entry, no entry)
Nobody has ever defended the championship and unlikely to happen again. Saying that I expect my joint team to be right up there. Sometimes you use all your luck up and probably no exception here.
4th Colin Rigby (3/1). (19th, 1st, 33rd, 11th)
Colin will admit the change of rules did not help his challenge last season after a foot perfect victory the year before. I expect much better but will he fully concentrate on the job in hand with so many other competitions running alongside this one. There is also the added pressure of the 2nd team in the family.
5th Craig Frost (10/3). (4th, 37th, 30th, 17th)
With no distraction of the other league this time around he will be well up for his title challenge. After 2 poor seasons the new rules brought the best out of Craig and he will hope for further improvement. Top 2 will only be tolerated but I dont think he has it in him.
6th Phil Hall (7/2). (3rd)
What a debut season, he looked all over the winner on the run in but his lack of experience cost him. A year on he could go one better but generally excellent debut seasons turn into disappointing ones next time around.
7th Tim Owen (7/2). (22nd, 6th, 11th, 1st)
The one most likely to crack up. The pressure is building substantially on supreme champ Owen and his worst performance last season proves that. I expect improvement but not enough to challenge for the title.
8th David Gray (4/1) (Newcomer)
Always like to big up one of the new boys and David is my dark horse. Don't know him that well but he talks alot of football sense. Lets see how it goes.
9th Steve Chaney (4/1). (13th)
Now into his 2nd season a promising start to his MLW career. I expect a gradual improvement into the top ten this time around.
10th John/Phil Kelly (9/2). (18th, 29th, 8th, no entry)
After 2 years of house building there is more time available to plan and build a fantasy football team. They have certainly started well (as usual!) and a performance more like their debut season 3 years ago is probably more like.
11th Tim Mcfarlane (9/2). (5th)
Like Phil Hall an excellent first attempt. He did seem to lose contact with his team at the crucial point last time around and needs to stick with until the bitter end to fulfil the obvious potential.
12th Russ Farnham (5/1). (9th, 14th, 6th, 3rd)
After 3 top 10 finishes in 4 years and a storming end to the last campaign I could be forgiven for placing Stato into a challenging position. Still not convinced he has the staying power of his prime period a few years ago.
13th Paul Keech (5/1). (11th, 22nd, 1st, 12th)
Similar comments apply to Mr Chairman. An excellent campaign 3 years ago has been sandwiched between 3 disappointing efforts. Last season distracted by the new rules and the joint teams wonderful performance.
14th Stuart Jones (11/2). (6th, 7th, 3rd, 14th)
For someone who is a techniphobe and has no contact with the site a very encouraging 6th last season to achieve a 3rd consecutive top 10 finish. Not sure he can manage a 4th.
15th Ryan Moody (6/1). (16th, 2nd, 4th, No entry).
Last seasons favourite after a very promising 2nd in his 2nd season 2 years ago culminated in a very average attempt last time. Expect top half but not much more to be honest.
16th Paul Leech (6/1). (10th, 11th, 5th, 6th)
Slight dip last two years but always top half. Another long term player that perhaps might suffer with the new blood in this seasons league.
17th Graham Jeffries (13/2) (Newcomer)
Located us on the web. Know very little about him other than a keen Bury fan. With nothing to go on or any previous form a safe mid table position plumped for.
18th Graham Highton (7/1). (17th, 16th, 14th, 31st)
Other than a poor season 4 years ago Graham always seems to settle mid table and I dont see why that should be any different this time around.
19th Ian Cowburn (7/1). (15th, 12th, 31st, 18th)
Always disappointing from Ian apart from the odd form spurt which has enabled him to cover his costs but he can never seem to get the consistent run together to challenge. Slight improvement recently but still much to prove.
20th Simon Baldwin (15/2). (26th, 17th, 13th, 2nd)
A steady decline over the 4 years Simon has played MLW. An excellent 2nd in his debut season has never been matched and some work to do.
21st Andrea Howard (8/1). (8th)
After an excellent Euro champs and an excellent debut season you would think Keech the bookie would predict good things for Andrea. She has though in the backend of last season had things really turn against her with horrendous luck in terms of injuries. I have a sneaky feeling this may continue hence the mid table prediction.
22nd Wayne Moody (8/1). (32nd, 5th, no entry, no entry)
Mid ranked Moody with Ryan possibly too good and Shaun not good enough. 2 seasons ago he showed great promise but the first season under the new rules was clearly not to his liking hence the disappointing placing this time around.
23rd Lynne/Phil Stokoe (9/1). (14th, No entry, 22nd, no entry)
Interesting Phil has been drafted into the frame this time around (not sure if was due to the timing of the big holiday to America). Phil's record is not great and I just hope Lynne is not dragged down into the lower enchelones as a result.
24th Owen Bristow (10/1) (Newcomer)
Very interesting newcomer. Not sure how much Owen will play the game especially with his new job on the horizon. In any case he is a very welcome addition to the league.
25th Matthew Owen (10/1) (Newcomer)
Matt's solo inclusion makes the Owen household an interesting place to be on a weekend. I think Dan will leave him standing and even Tim will to some extent. A lot to prove.
26th Lesley Rigby (11/1) (Newcomer)
The 2nd team of the Rigby's and it will be interesting to see how well they juggle the two teams throughout the season. One may do very well and the other may suffer as a result.
27th Paul O'Brien (12/1). (25th, 31st, no entry, no entry)
Two attempts, both lower reaches, can Paul improve on that?
28th Royce Frankin (12/1). (33rd, 8th, 15th, no entry)
Very mixed fortunes for Royce, a top ten, midtable and bottom 10 so far in 3 attempts. This make Royce very difficult to judge this campaign. New rules last season provided the lowest position so that takes priority in any final decision.
29th Shaun Moody (14/1) (no entry, 2nd)
A very late entry into the league after missing out last time. Shaun's only other foray came 2 years ago when he took on a struggling team that forfeited and he produced a miraculous performance to finish runner up. I fear this will not be matched.
30th Paul Gerrard (14/1). (21st, 18th, 26th, 16th)
Paul lunges from one disaster to another and despite his great knowledge does really struggle to produce a team anything like good enough to challenge. A very brave man would predict a higher placing than this, Keech the bookie is I am afraid a wimp!
31st Ishtiaq Beg (16/1). (23rd)
Some awful transfer dealings scuppered Ish from the very start season and he never really recovered. I should expect much better but I have no evidence to back this up as yet.
32nd Stevie G (16/1) (12th, 13th, no entry, no entry)
Two top finishes including some success in the monthlies and cup competitions last season. Surprisingly I do not think this time around this will be matched.
33rd Jimmy Lyons (18/1). (20th, no entry, 25th, 20th)
With a gap year 2 seasons ago Jimmy came back and performed just the same as his previous 2 attempts. I should therefore predict a mid table finish but I feel the league is much stronger now.
34th Matt Hall (20/1). (35th, 15th, 27th, 10th)
Two very average and two disappointing performances. The worst being under the new rules last time around. Need some pointers before predicting anything better than bottom half again. Phil more likely to outshine again.
35th Richard Smith (20/1). (34th)
Richard's lack of overall footy knowledge did count against him last season. Credit to him for having another shot at it.
36th Chris Lyons (22/1) (Newcomer)
Know very little about this newcomer, will compete in the workplace with favourite Rob Bushell and Stato from his workplace and this may be just too much for him.
37th Alison Bates/John Weetman (25/1) (Newcomer)
Alison is clearly the leader of this new joint team. John really need to put a stint in to boost any chance they may have (clearly disruption in the camp already!). Andrea Howard will help but they need to up their knowledge of the Championship to give themselves more of a chance.
38th Jeff Miller (33/1). (27th, 23rd, 17th, 21st)
Very consistent mid table performer, needs to up the picks and transfers now he has full access to the interenet to be in a more challenging position this season.
39th Mark Davies (50/1). (38th, 27th, no entry, no entry)
Since his return two years ago Mark just has not been competitive. Nothing has gone right and he will be looking to make it 3rd time lucky.
40th Young Gerrards (100/1), (37th, 36th, 10th, 9th)
After 2 promising seasons, the lads have really lost their way over the last 2 years. Plenty to prove.
41st Patrick Williams (150/1). (30th, 26th, 29th, 30th)
Will Pattie never learn. 2 transfers completed before a ball is kicked and just 15 minutes after the deadline. A further one 2 days later. As usual they will all be gone by October and he will sink like a stone.
42nd Alan Keech (200/1). (29th, 35th, 28th, 23rd)
My dads solitary win seems along time ago now. The last 4 years have all been in the lower reaches of the league and this time around will probably be no different.
43rd Dave Leech (500/1). (28th)
To achieve in this league you really need to work at it. If Dave does as many picks or transfers as last season he will finish as predicted.
Paul