Dear All,

Another weekend is over, which means we’re another weekend closer to the ultimate finishing line. Are you feeling the pressure yet?

If not, then you’re most likely sitting pretty and happy to be wallowing in mid-table mediocrity, which for some people is an acceptable performance.

But for others, now is the time where managers earn their corn, show their mettle and do what it takes to either win a title, qualify for Europe, win promotion or avoid relegation and stay in their beloved league.

It’s a tough business but the rewards are worth it for those who succeed in the end.

Having said that, with five weeks of the season still remaining, there are still a hell of a lot of points to be played for which means that only a select few could, or should, claim to have nothing to play for.

If you can catch 13-15 points a week on another team, as Brothers Festraerts and Brogan have caught the chairman this week, then what’s to say you can’t catch a further 70-80 points before the season ends.

Especially at this time of year, when team selections by a lot of clubs become a lottery – as a result of rotation or injuries at the end of a long hard season.

So despite a 70 point cushion, the Grapes are taking nothing for granted at the top of the Premiership, especially with two wily campaigners like The Professor and Brogie heading up the chasing pack!

By the same token, any team in the top 10 should not be giving up hope of a top five finish – some could even argue the top 12.

And at the bottom of the table, the stakes are arguably even higher as teams fight it out for Premiership survival and all that comes with it – faced with at least a season and possibly a lifetime in the, dare I say it... I’ll whisper it quietly.... Conference!

Just like a Rafa Benitez guarantee, Andy Kirby’s promise that his Crawlers are ‘too good to go down’ doesn’t look worth the paper it’s written on, as he lies stranded by 40 points at the bottom of the table.

Perilously close to the drop are Cherry United and league stalwart Brendy’s Bruisers but providing a glimmer of hope to the aforementioned duo are the ‘perennial strugglers’ True Blue Strikers and champ turned chump KFC Academical, who has flirted with relegation before. 20 odd points separate Brothers Eilledge and McCauley from the drop zone and, believe me, at this stage of the season, that sort of cushion does not offer much protection to one’s underpants.

Similarly, Yer Ma’s Athletic won’t be ruling himself out of the relegation battle just yet either.

Before we leave the Premiership, hats off to defending champion who has shown his nerve and risen to the virtual safety of 13^th position, having spent most of the season rooted to the bottom of the table. Brother Molloy will derive almost as much satisfaction from surviving this year as he did from winning the league last year and who will blame him if he’s the drunkest man at the AGP this year!

Moving on to the Conference League, the only good thing you could say about this league is that it offers you a chance to get into the Premiership.

Fighting for that chance have been four managers, trading places on an almost weekly basis, but things look like they’re starting to take shape now.

In pole position, a recent surge of form has seen Liquidator FC force himself to the top of the tree, 15 points ahead of the Prince of Darkness who is hoping to bounce straight back to the promised land after being relegated last year.

The main threats come from third and fourth placed Joeys Monsters and Rio Chargers. However, a bad week for both has seen them lose ground only two weeks after occupying the top two positions!

In particular, Brother McCabe will be heartbroken if he misses out on promotion this year, having been the front runner for most of the season.

Outside of the top four, the two Henrys and Inshallah will still hope to come good with a late run, while Hoofers’ challenge has been fading lately.

At the bottom of the Conference, Brothers McGinley Jnr and Nugent have looked doomed for ages now but Musgys Barber and Red Cherry Devils are by no means safe as they battle it out to avoid the drop, and could offer at least the Well Hungarians a late get-out clause, particularly if Brother Nugent has some transfers to play with.

Note to all – if you have transfers left- use them! You don’t get points for having some left on Cup Final Day.

So that’s it for this week.

What will the next week hold in store for all those with something to play for?

Anything can happen my friends.

And it usually does.

Until next time...

... READ ‘EM AND WEEP!!!!

Michael R.

Diving in the Box FF League Chairman

http://divinginthebox.blogspot.com/

DITB PREMIER LEAGUE

Pos.	C	Manager	Team	Week 35 Pts.	Points	Overall Pos.
1	*	Mr Michael Rafferty	The Grapes of Raff	36	1550	616
2		Mr Kurt Festraerts	Ibiza Town FC	49	1480	4336
3		Mr Paul Brogan	Diaby Does Dallas	51	1473	5060
4		Mr Brendan Kelly	flexysmidniterunners	34	1439	10201
5		Mr Geoff Johnston	Minus Three FC	32	1410	16631
6		Mr Mark Stevenson	Probably the best	36	1405	18010
7		Mr Gary McDonald	Gazzas Piping Hots	30	1400	19357
8		Dr Owen McNally	Maclacticos	38	1386	23530
9		Mr Declan Crudden	Bleedin Red	29	1353	35192
10		Mr John McDermott	Sofa King Easy	36	1341	39899
11		Mr Brian Shields	The Blue Monkeys	47	1337	41574
12		Mr Conor Walls	Support your own LFC	28	1330	44492
13		Mr Conor Donnelly	The Busted Sofas	28	1296	59751
13		Mr Mark Molloy	Harpic Amsterdam	53	1296	59751
15		Mr Francis Jones	Yer Mas Athletic	28	1278	68325
16		Mr Kevin McCauley	KFC Academical	30	1267	73484
17		Mr Jules Eilledge	True Blue Strikers	21	1266	73942
18		Mr Brendan Devlin	Brendys Bruisers	32	1246	83446
19		Mr William Cherry	Cherry United	40	1245	83901
20		Mr Andy Kirby	Kirbs Crawlers	10	1203	103083

DITB CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Pos.	C	Manager	Team	Week 35 Pts.	Points	Overall Pos.
1		Mr Philip Risley	LIQUIDATOR FC	53	1428	12419
2		Mr Gavin Sheehy	Prince of Darkness	40	1413	15875
3		Mr Andrew McCabe	Joeys Monsters	18	1385	23851
4		Mr Andrew Jenkins	The Rio Chargers	20	1377	26445
5		Mr Brendan Henry	GULLADUFF FF	50	1334	42818
6		Mr Arnold Thom	Inshallah	19	1329	44897
7		Mr Brendan Henry	SOMEMAN4ONEMAN	27	1310	53286
8		Mr Gareth Bradley	Hoofers UTD	22	1305	55587
9		Mr Barry Corr	bazkinginglory	39	1300	57864
10		Mrs Claire McCabe	Minibabybelle FC	38	1286	64465
11		Mr Alan McCabe	Dirty Dubs XI	21	1285	64930
12		Mr Barry Jones	Gunning For Glory	34	1283	65951
13		Mr S P O'Sullivan	LICENCE TO ROAM	0	1274	70217
14		Mr Simon Jenkins	Stickshifter United	27	1263	75362
15		Mr Austin McGinley	Boys Of Summer	27	1261	76248
16		Mr Colm Mckenna	mugsys barber	24	1210	99954
17		Mr Christopher Cherry	Red Cherry Devils	24	1208	100867
18	*	Mr Conor Nugent	the well hungarians	23	1157	121687
19		Mr Connell McGinley	Con Villa	28	1110	137628