On the Subject of.....

On the subject of Gambling.....

So, I didn't win the Trust's 300 Club draw.  Given my luck with Poppies-based lotteries, I'm not surprised at that.  What I am surprised at is the fantastic amount of money raised, considering all ticket sales were achieved online without the benefit of games to meet at.  £1167.50 to a winner that again wasn't me, and the same amount to the club.  Well done all.  At least I can comfort myself that I needn't blame Club President Ken Samuels for my not wining this draw, unlike his rigged Klondike draw.....

On the subject of Ken Samuels.....

Ken's "President's Appeal" has topped £12,500.  Well done to Ken for coming up with his appeal, and the supporters putting their hands in their pockets at such an uncertain time.  Ken eased off going "full-Geldof" on us while the Trust's draw entered it's final week, but expect him to come after us all again now - Read the President's latest appeal update here.  Remember, all funds raised will go towards the basic running costs of keeping the Poppies alive.....

On the subject of the Poppies.....

Chairman Dave Mahoney's recent update left us all in no doubt the issues the club faces in the short / medium term.  Read the Chairman's message here.  So, no extra money is coming from the FA.  Just the next scheduled payment several months early.  Can't say this comes as a big surprise. When the FA consider the Championship to be practically non-league, what chance do the rest of us have?

In his article Dave mentions looking to do something about unused season tickets and the recently launched 3-4-2 tickets issued.  PATGOD would never dream to speak for ALL season ticket /3-4-2 ticket holders......hell, why not.  Dave, on behalf of ALL season ticket /3-4-2 ticket holders, don't worry about the outstanding games.  If you want to do something for us perhaps a small discount on next season's season tickets?  Or, work out a Rota for us all to experience an afternoon of matchday hospitality?  I'm sure none of us will be worried about missing out on a few games this season if it helps us play more games in the future.

On the subject of games.....

While we don't yet know how the League will decide to tie-off this season, one of the options is to decide final league positions on a points won per game ratio.  When the season was halted we had amassed a modest 1.032 points per game.  Enough to drag us one further place up the table at Curzon's expense (1.030 points per game).  However, as we all know, the Nationwide League played one more round of games than every other league outside of mad, bad Belarus.  It seems fair, therefore to scrub the last games played from the record doesn't it?  Particularly as we lost.

Suddenly, without the Telford beating, Paul Cox's wonders are up to 1.077 points for game, putting us above Gloucester and Kiddy too!  Up to a heady 17th place in the final League table!  Safe mid-table!  If only Paul Cox was our manager from the start of the season.....

On the subject of Nicky Eaden......

As this season will be decided as much by statistics as performances, what if we conveniently expunge Eaden's stuttering tenure from the records?  Hell, why not!

Cox's points per game, even including the last game, is a heady 1.214.  Suddenly we are above Hereford and Leamington too in 15th place! 

I'm sure if I looked again at the points per game for everyone, minus the last round of games I can somehow squeeze us further up the table, but, frankly, all this maths is giving me a headache.

I'm sure with a bit more jiggery-pokery we could have been in shouting distance of a play-off place.....