We are back!!

Dear All,

We're off and running (or in some cases jogging (or in some cases walking (or is some cases crawling))) at last.

However, before we look at the scores I have to let you know that the chairman is not happy.

This year's FF is being run by another company which to date is causing me a couple of problems.

1) They don't send me the score updates until Friday afternoon (used to be Wednesday). This means that if I'm out of the office, as I was last Friday, the scores won't be emailed out until the following week - by which time they are out of date. It's also a pain in the proverbial to cut and paste from the actual Telegraph website so that's not an option for me. I will endeavour to get the scores out every Friday afternoon but you'll have to bear with me if and when I can't.

2) As you can see from the website, the format doesn't include weekly scores but just a total score. This is ridiculous and I'm hoping that they will rectify this in the near future.

Hopefully these technical glitches will be ironed out but at least there'll be no change when it comes to the thrill and excitement of DITB fantasy football with pride, honour and reputations at stake - not to mention a little cash too.

DITB Premier League

So let's turn our attention to the action.

The scores below DO NOT include the weekend's activity so I would advise you all to check the website for the latest update.

In the Premier League, last year's challenger Kirbs Crawlers is off to a flyer again with 54 points. Brother Kirby will be hoping that his experience from last season will help him sustain a genuine title challenge this year.

The same applies to Guru Walls who also gets off to a good start, while it's no surprise to see The Grapes sandwiched in between.

Newly promoted Yer Ma's Athletic has signalled his premiership intentions for the new season with an impressive 43 points, while Diaby Does Dallas gives former champion Brother Brogan the start that he didn;t enjoy last year.

The Blue Monkeys, Cherry United, True Blue Strikers and KFC Academical will all be pleased with their first week's efforts.

It's too early to talk about relegation at this stage but knowing the managers involved, Harpic Amsterdam and Prince of Darkness will be far from pleased to see themselves in the bottom three. Is the Prince now showing his true form having topped the table for most of last season. Or has his disastrous finish to the campaign carried over into this season? I'm sure Brother Molloy already has a million excuses and tales of woe as to why his team didn't show up in week one.

But what about Minibabybelle FC???? Dear oh dear oh dear Claire. What is going on?

Having narrowly avoided relegation in the last week of the season, Sister Baber hasn;t done herself any favours in week scoring just one solitary point. I know - you couldn't do that badly if you tried. Even the O'Sullivans fared better and that's saying something!

Maybe Claire likes the action down at the bottom?

I will not even respond to anyone whose filthy mind takes that out of context!

To clarify, maybe she enjoys the cut and thrust of a relegation battle, which I suppose is more exciting than a season stuck in mid-table - as long as you survive!

Defending champion Making History (he likes to rub it in!) is off to a relatively slow start with 20 points but we all know that Brother Festraerts likes to keep a low profile in the early stages of the season.

DITB Conference League

He may be in the Conference League but (Chuckle) Brother Paddy Sulls (47) will still enjoy the feeling of being at the top end of the table, albeit in second place behind Flexy's Fairies (50). Both of these teams were relegated last season but signs are already looking good for a quick return to the top flight. In fact Brother kelly very nearly missed the boat this year so Sod's Law dictates that he'll probably win the Conference League.

Bazkinginglory will be happy with his start too, as will Howrtings (no comment!), newcomer Barry's Elite XI, Probably The Best, and Boys of Summer.

Relegated Real Goldfish already seem to have settled in the mid-table quagmire of the Conference league, obviously feeling right at home along with the rest of the DITB no-hopers.

At the bottom, Mighty Con Villa is going for two relegations in a row, whilst Hoofers Utd will comforted by the fact that the deadly O'Sullivan duo of Cool Dude Zoo and Mersey Miracles are above him.

Finally, you'll be pleased to hear that the transfer window is now open. As always, you have 30 transfers to last the entire season but this year there is NO LIMIT on the amount of transfers you can make in one week.

This week's transfer password is ADAMS, which has put me in the mood to go out this evening, bet my house on tonight's football and get drunk as a skunk.

So until next week... oh it feels good to be back.....

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

Michael R.
Diving in the Box FF League Chairman
http://divinginthebox.blogspot.com/

DITB PREMIER LEAGUE

Pos Overall Manager Team Tot

1 4022 Mr Andy Kirby kirbs crawlers 54
2 17886 Mr Michael Rafferty The Grapes of Raff 45
3 20831 Mr Conor Walls Feeder club MUFC 44
4 24195 Mr Fra Jones Yer Ma's Athletic 43
5 26163 Mr Paul Brogan Diaby Does Dallas 43
6 35658 Mr Brian Shields the blue monkeys 40
7 41530 Mr William Cherry Cherry United 39
8 45112 Mr Jules Eilledge True Blue Strikers 38
9 45138 Mr Kevin McCauley KFC Academical 38
10 96923 Mr John McDermott ABCDE FC 30
11 103262 Mr Gary McDonald Gazzas Piping Hots 29
12 129676 Mr Geoff Johnston Minus Three FC 26
13 132561 Dr Owen McNally Maclacticos 26
14 134953 Mr Declan Crudden HIT THE BAR 25
15 158805 Mr Brendan Devlin Brendys Bruisers 22
16 170313 Mr Kurt Festraerts Making History 20
17 171569 Mr Matthew Henry Gulladuff F.F 20
18 176719 Mr Mark Molloy Harpic Amsterdam 19
19 186438 Mr Gavin Sheehy Prince of Darkness 18
20 224323 Miss Claire Baber MINIBABYBELLEFC 1


DITB CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Pos Overall Manager Team Tot
1 8406 Mr Brendan Kelly flexys fairys 50
2 13466 Mr Simon Patrick O'Sullivan Sheer Kidology 47
3 56578 Mr Barry Corr bazkinginglory 36
4 68791 Mr Brendan Henry HOWRTINGS 34
5 91362 Mr Barry Jones Barry's Elite XI 31
6 95783 Mr Mark Stevenson PROBABLY THE BEST 30
7 103817 Mr Austin McGinley Boys of Summer 29
8 141099 Mr Simon Jenkins Stickshifter FC 24
9 141781 Mr Andrew McCabe Joeys Monsters 24
10 147181 Mr Alan Stewart Muckamore Uld 24
11 149202 Mr Philip McCabe Chamonix Albion 23
12 170703 Mr conor mc avoy REAL GOLDFISH 20
13 175509 Master Eamon Eastwood Virgin Surfers 20
14 175570 Mr colly mckenna micky hartes x1 20
15 182444 Mr Alan McCabe Dirty Dubs XI 18
16 183012 Mr Conor Nugent The Well Hungarian 18
17 193046 Mr Conor Donnelly The Busted Sofas 16
18 200996 Mr Stephen O'Sullivan Cool Dude Zoo 15
19 200997 Mr Stephen O'Sullivan Mersey Miracles 15
20 214380 Mr Gareth Bradley Hoofers UTD 10
21 218650 Mr Connell McGinley Mighty Con Villa 8