Premier League Fantasy Football 2023-24

[Neil Graham]

Week 19

"Big clubs can buy our players but not our soul or spirit." Roberto De Zerbi

Brighton march on - unlike plenty of fantasy managers who opted for Spurs or Arsenal players in a disastrous game week for North London teams. As it was the scores concertinaed into a very small window with top scorers Kiransingh Gulab and Ian Holliday on 59 points and low scorer Ewan Kershaw on 18. Consequently very few changes in our top five.

1 Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 43 1141
2 Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 42 1137
3 Runner Up Blair Connell 41 1134
4 ФК КОЦКА !! Ace Mihajlovski 31 1127
5 EASY TIGER Mike Garland 33 1123

Up for the Cup With game weeks every few days I've not had time to collate all these. Will try for next time!

[LawrenceCooper]

2024 no better for my team, already had my captain have a penalty saved by my benched keeper with the assister blasting over the rebound.

[Neil Graham]

2024 no better for my team, already had my captain have a penalty saved by my benched keeper with the assister blasting over the rebound.

Ah - but it worked out alright in the end!

[Neil Graham]

Quarter Two - Weeks 11-19

As anticipated the number of qualifying managers who appeared this quarter almost halved from those in Quarter One. Thirteen managers featured in the top five; three of which were for a fleeting one week. Stuart Iles dominated as top manager for seven of the nine weeks but unlike previous seasons was unable to shake off a pack of pursuers who actually took over number one spot for Weeks 18 & 19. Here are the stats for the quarter with two weeks the minimum requirement; 5 pts for a first place down to 1 for 5th with number of weeks out of nine in brackets.

1st Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 42pts (9)
2nd Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 21pts (6)
3rd= Runner Up Blair Connell 20 pts (7)
EASY TIGER Mike Garland 20 pts (8)
5th Odegaarden Partey ** Nathan Talbot 10 pts (3)
6th 2 Stars and a Wish** Mark Talbot 8 pts (3)
7th ФК КОЦКА !! Ace Mihajlovski 6 pts (2)
8th Mostly David Egginton 4 pts (2)
9th= Bamboozled Paul Connellan 2pts (2)
What means this? Kaia Means 2pts (2)

Finally Neil Pennock's run as consistent low scorer was broken by a number of managers; nevertheless Neil was still at the bottom of the pile for three of the nine weeks in the quarter.

[Robert Page]

I have missed all this - I haven't read the Not Chess! thread before. Am I too late to join this league? I've been in the competition since the start for the past three seasons. If I joined, would my current score count or would have to start from scratch?!

[Neil Graham]

I have missed all this - I haven't read the Not Chess! thread before. Am I too late to join this league? I've been in the competition since the start for the past three seasons. If I joined, would my current score count or would have to start from scratch?!

Sorry you haven't cottoned onto this before Robert. I am afraid that as League administrator I always close the league to new entrants in or about Week 14. This prevents incomers suddenly appearing at the end of the season - so you are too late for 2023-24. Watch out for next season when you can enter from the beginning. In the meantime keep on watching here to see who the eventual winner is.

[Neil Graham]

Week 20

The hosts, Ivory Coast, kick off against Guinea-Bissau on January 13 with the final on February 11. African Cup of Nations commences - Salah one of many players who are absent from Premier League.

After a brief respite, Stuart Iles is back on top of Premier Chess. However as pointed out, there are still some 16 managers who are within 50 points of the leader and as we enter Quarter Three he has been unable to shake off his pursuers. With cup competitions in both Africa and Asia, top scorers Salah and Son are amongst those who have disappeared whilst Haaland has not appeared for the past five Game Weeks. In the Crow's Nest is Anthony Kent who is one of five players to reach triple figures whilst Neil Pennock is confined to the orlop deck with the low score of the week yet again.

1 Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 92 1229
2 Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 87 1228
3 ФК КОЦКА !! Ace Mihajlovski 85 1212
4= Mostly David Egginton 87 1208
4= EASY TIGER Mike Garland 89 1208

Cup report Coming up - honest!

[Neil Graham]

Up for the Cup!!

At last a much-promised report. Oddly we have 21 teams in the Week 21 draw. By my calculations all could well have disappeared by Week 26 - but let's hope not! The teams represent a good cross section of success so far. 13 remaining teams are from our top 50 with the strongest managers still left being Stuart Iles, David Egginton and Kaia Means. Seven feature in places 51-100 whilst the sole representative of the last 67 teams is Simon Brown.

[Neil Graham]

Week 21

“I am running out of energy.” Jürgen Klopp announces his retirement as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.

Teams are still suffering from the absence of Haaland, Salah and Son - to name but three. Meanwhile Blair Connell, who disappeared from the leader board last Game Week, scored 85 points to overtake everyone and take first position. Nevertheless this wasn't the high score of the week as Jude Shearsby just missed triple figures by scoring 99 points. Frankie Badacsonyi's team "top4finish"did not live up to their name recording the low score of the week with a mediocre 18 points.

1 Runner Up Blair Connell 85 1288
2 Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 57 1286
3= Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 53 1281
3= EASY TIGER Mike Garland 77 1281
5 Mostly David Egginton 60 1268

Up for the Cup 13 of our 21 teams remain with Stuart Iles and David Egginton the most prominent from our leaders. Simon Brown remains the Maidstone United as he also enters the Week 22 draw.

[Neil Graham]

Week 22

Blockbuster winter deals were practically non-existent Goal website comments on the now-closed transfer window.

Aston Villa were unbeaten at home so should I leave Villa players on the bench or perhaps those of opponents Newcastle? Wrong decision as Toons defender Fabian Schär scored twice in their defeat of the high flying Villans. Meanwhile Erling Haaland was back - well at least for 20 minutes. Stuart Iles resumes his 1st place position in Premier Chess and the pursuers have now been whittled down to a dozen within 50 points. Adam Hunt hits the heights with the week's top score whilst Neil Pennock is plumbing the depths again with a mere 12 points for the week.

1 Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 68 1354
2 EASY TIGER Mike Garland 68 1349
3 Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 58 1339
4 Runner Up Blair Connell 48 1336
5 What means this? Kaia Means 67 1332

Up for the Cup 13 remaining last week and again halved with just six left. Stuart Iles and Simon Brown still here; Thomas Evans through by just a one point margin

[Neil Graham]

Week 23

We will get to the investment that is needed. Rachel Reeves, ex BWCA junior chess champion, ditches Labour's Green commitments.

In view of this (for one week only) this report has gone Green - but as we don't discuss politics a return to traditional red next time. Oddly enough finding British footballers who have made a career in politics is not easy. Moving on to less contentious matters, it was a high scoring week in Premier Chess. Welcome Noah Poot to the top five with his team "Oh Bartje Verbruggen". Those unfamiliar with the name will now know he is a Dutch international goalkeeper on the books at Brighton who has been selected by 0.4% of managers - but looks a good choice as a stand-in. Six managers achieved triple figures - the highest being Tabs Ryan - unsurprisingly Neil Pennock was again backmarker.

1 EASY TIGER Mike Garland 78 1427
2 Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 69 1423
3 Mostly Clevedon David Egginton 83 1409
4 Oh Bartje Verbruggen Noah Poot 93 1407
5 What means this? Kaia Means 74 1406

Up for the Cup Just two teams left from our original 167. Thomas Evans and Dax Bale flying the flag into Week 24.

[Neil Graham]

Week 24

Mansfield Town became the first team in more than 25 years to score nine in a Football League (EFL) match beating Harrogate Town 9–2. Thought you'd all like to know that!

It was another high scoring week - possibly due to the return of Erling Haaland - so little change at the top of Premier Chess. We now normally use the yardstick of a 50 point gap to identify possible challengers and these have not really diminished with still 13 managers within striking distance of tigerish Mike Garland. With both extra matches and the League Cup Final approaching there are bound to be more problems ahead. Both Hassan Noor and Michael Blake achieved triple figures for the week whilst Frankie Badacsonyi was low scorer.

1 EASY TIGER Mike Garland 77 1504
2 Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 74 1497
3 Mostly Clevedon David Egginton 86 1495
4 Oh Bartje Verbruggen Noah Poot 79 1486
5 Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 88 1484

Up for the Cup Both Thomas and Dax won their ninth successive game to move on into the Week 25 draw.

[Neil Graham]

Week 25

"Roy has the keys to Selhurst Park and will always be welcomed back". Palace chairman Steve Parish. Hodgson replaced as manager by Oliver Glasner.

It was a huge scoring week as millions of managers played their "triple captain" chip banking on Erling Haaland scoring a hatful or at least a hat trick in two home games. The return was comparatively small but 30 points enabled several managers to score three figures with the superb best from Suhayl Abdalla who scored a magnificent 122 points without even using triple points. Meanwhile it almost goes without saying that Neil Pennock has the low score and is in 167th and last position and over 300 points behind the 166th placed manager. A few seasons ago John Peters appeared from nowhere to make a determined bid for top spot - well he's back again with his first appearance in the top five in 2023-24.

1= Mostly Clevedon David Egginton 97 1592
1= EASY TIGER Mike Garland 92 1592
3 Poisoned Prawns Stuart Iles 80 1577
4 Aimless Wanderers John Peters 100 1576
5 Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 91 1575

Up the Cup Thomas and Dax march on into Week 26 with only 8,192 teams left. My recollection is that the furthest any Premier Chess manager has progressed is Week 29. Can we reach that goal?

[Neil Graham]

Week 26

Chris Wilder has been fined £11,500 for media comments F.A.Statement.

The beleaguered Sheffield United manager made biting remarks about a sandwich eating assistant referee - making it probably the most expensive sandwich ever. The visit of Arsenal this week will do little to dispel the gloom at Bramall Lane with the Blades and Burnley seven points adrift of 18th placed Luton. Stuart Iles entered the top five in Premier Chess in Week 7 and now after 19 successive weeks, mostly in first place, he has disappeared and we wait to see if this is temporary or permanent. Simon Brown was top scorer of the week using his Free Hit chip - though I suspect it might have been better saved for later. Meanwhile with the season's lowest game week score of 10,614,035th is Hassan Tali - most of his team out injured.

1 Mostly Clevedon David Egginton 58 1650
2 Aimless Wanderers John Peters 60 1636
3 EASY TIGER Mike Garland 39 1631
4 Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 58 1629
5 Oh Bartje Verbruggen Noah Poot 57 1626

Up for the Cup Both Thomas and Dax move on into Week Twenty Seven by single figure margins; the former helped by his opponent taking an eight point hit on transfers.

[Neil Graham]

Week 27

Todd Boehly could be replaced as Chelsea Chairman The under-fire American may be going in 2027 according to a report.

The mighty are still falling - after fifteen successive weeks in the top five, Mike Garland has disappeared to be replaced by newcomer Dax Bale (see later). John Peters has aimlessly wandered into first place but there are still 16 managers in that magic 50 point zone keeping in touch with the leader. There was only one manager who achieved over 100 points this game week - so congratulations to Nathan Talbot and commiserations to Neil Pennock whose low total of 19 points was the worst Game Week score of the season so far.

1 Aimless Wanderers John Peters 88 1724
2 Mostly Clevedon David Egginton 76 1722
3 Rice Rice Baby Cameron Henry 76 1705
4= efc1985 dax bale 92 1703
4= What means this? Kaia Means 82 1703

Up for the Cup They think it's all over - well it almost was as our last two managers lost and won by the narrowest of margin.
Thomas Evans went down to a Tunisian team by 83-84 whilst Dax Bale won 92-91 against a flying Finnish opponent and moves on into Week 28