League Update 22/01/08

Dear All,



A 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle by Man Utd sent the Prince of Darkness into a rapturous fit this week as his team extended its lead at the top of the table to almost 60 points!!!!



So much so that Brother Sheehy admitted, for the first time, that he now feels like he could be picking up some prize money in June. And with such a healthy lead, who could argue?



The bookies might have stopped taking bets but many managers will know of the pressure that comes with leading from the front while a chasing pack of experienced pros and wily campaigners snap at your heels.



Although the problem this season seems to be actually getting to the Prince's heels in the first place.



Much will depend on how many transfers Brother Sheehy has left and if he has the experience and nerve to handle the pressure and use them wisely.



Or will he become paranoid and start to make some panic buys? A few panic transfers gone wrong could see his season crash all around him.



As you can see, we don't like to put any pressure on managers in DITB, but in truth, if The Prince blows this opportunity to win the league, it would be the biggest calamity since David James. I still remember an incident many years ago when the timely dropping of Michael Owen By Brother Bradley with just weeks to go saw Owen go on a scoring spree that lost the Hoofers the title. Brother Bradley is still in counselling and his team has never recovered. never I say.



But surely a 60 point lead at this stage is uncatchable, I hear you say?



Well, as I've said manys a time... anything can happen and it usually does.



In fact, as this week's scores do not include the midweek FA Cup Replays, it might be worth checking out the Telegraph website when you've finished reading this update to see if anyone has already started to chip away at that unassailable lead.



Anyway, back to the facts at hand.



One team actually pipped The Prince to the highest score honour this week but he'll be glad to see that it was only the Happy Monkeys (84) who, to be fair, are now looking much more like a mid-table side than a relegation-threatened or Conference side. Next up on 79 points is runaway Conference League leader Yer Ma's Athletic.



At the other end, you would usually predict that Cool Dude Zoo would be in there somewhere.. and you'd be right.... again!



Chuckle Brother Senior scored a dirty dozen points, a tally so poor that the next lowest score was 35 points, coincidentally scored by Chuckle Brother Junior's Sheer Kidology side. FAF!!! Con Villa and The Busted Clampets each amassed 39 points.



So now let's look at the crucial areas in each division.



While there may be clear blue skies between The Prince and his challengers, that is certainly not the case when it comes to the battle for the remaining Champions League and UEFA Cup places. Just 25 points separate Kirbs Crawlers (905) in 2nd place and the Chelsea Daggers (880) in 7th place. Defending Champion The Dogs Ballacks leads the next tier with 839 points. The Happy MOnkeys continue to climb the table.



Minibabybellefc leapfrogs True Blue Strikers at the bottom but, while it's not looking good for either team at the moment, its certainly not unthinkable that they could both still catch Flexy's Fairies (a new addition to the bottom three), Real Goldfish and Ylneverbreatherfrankie. In fact it's much more likely that they can do that, than anyone catch The Prince at the top.



In the barren land that is the Conference league, its been another good week for the top three, each of which is comfortable in their own position, not really threatening the team above, nor feeling threatened by the team below. 52 points separate third from fourth so a lot of work needs to be done if someone else is to break up that triumvirate and grab promotion to the promised land.



At the bottom, Cool Dude Zoo must be going for the worst score on record (I'll have to check the record books) while Muckamore United and the Virgin Surfers have plenty to do to avoid the ultimate relegation - and the cash forfeits that go hand in hand with failure.



So my friends, that is how the land lies on this cold but sunny day with a few intermittent showers in the afternoon.



Prince, if your hand is near that panic button, this week's password is MATTHEWS and the phone number is 0901 601 4015.



And as the panto season comes to an end, remember...



THEY'RE BEHIND YOU!!!!



In the meantime, the rest of us suckers can....



....... READ 'EM AND WEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!





Michael R.

Diving in the Box FF League Chairman

http://divinginthebox.blogspot.com/



League Name : DITB PREMIER LEAGUE


Scores were last updated on 22/01/2008
Super League

Starting XI

Goals
Pos Manager Team Week 24
Pts Total
Pts League Pos
1 Mr G Sheehy PRINCE OF DARKNESS 62 1025 2594
2 Mr A Kirby KIRBS CRAWLERS 90 995 6868
3 Mr B Devlin BRENDYS BRUISERS 86 973 12849
4 * Mr M Rafferty THE GRAPES OF RAFF 82 970 13901
5 Mr M Molloy HARPIC AMSTERDAM 77 969 14255
6 Mr K Festraerts CHELSEA DAGGERS 86 966 15377
7 Mr C Walls AU REVOIR THIERRY14 71 960 17729
8 Mr P Brogan THE DOGS BALLACKS 92 931 32894
9 Mr K McCauley KFC ACADEMICAL 95 928 34772
10 Mr B Shields THE HAPPY MONKEYS 91 919 40873
11 Mr O McNally MACLACTICOS 74 889 64790
12 Mr J McDermott RAFAS' GOATEE 72 879 73737
13 Mr G Johnston MINUS THREE FC 67 878 74650
14 Mr S O'Sullivan SHEER KIDOLOGY FAF!! 78 855 95776
15 Mr D Crudden YLNEVERBEATHEFRANKIE 85 844 106261
16 Mr W Cherry CHERRY UNITED 46 832 117422
17 Mr C McAvoy REAL GOLDFISH 73 831 118320
18 Mr B Kelly FLEXYS FAIRIES 69 819 129334
19 Mr J Eilledge TRUE BLUE STRIKERS 91 803 143539
20 Miss C Baber MINYBABYBELLEFC 68 786 157576


Week 23
Points