The Weekly News from League One

With the majority of the season now gone, participants of League One now know whether they need to look up to the playoffs or keep an eye behind them on the relegation zone.  With a tight league and fifteen games remaining every one has something to play for.

Oldham sit proud at the top but they have no time to admire the view as they have a queue of teams behind them who are more than happy to acquire the spot.  With three of the top six having experienced life at the top somewhere along the line this season they are all hungry to revisit or retain the position.

Nottingham Forest were, for much of this season, highflyers and the bookies favourites to be first past the post but when they mixed the detrimental concoction of cup fever and heavy league fixtures their league form suffered.  This allowed Scunthorpe to take advantage and warm the top spot.

However as happens every season there was another team to take first place and it was Oldham who after a rocky start for Manager John Sheridan, settled into some consistent form and steadily climbed the table.

At the wrong end of the table it’s Rotherham who are currently bearing the burden of propping up the other twenty-three teams.  Their ten-point deduction at the beginning of the campaign cannot have helped proceedings but even without this deficit the Millers would still be flirting with the drop. Anyone at the bottom end of the table or anyone occupying mid-table could still see themselves starting the next term in League Two.

Rain, Rain Go Away…….

Last weekends games were in jeopardy right up until Saturday morning due to the ill weather, which hit the country, but after much speculation and many pitch inspections only a handful of games were eventually postponed.

The biggest wins of the weekend came from Yeovil who came from one down to defeat Carlisle by four goals to one at Brunton Park and Bournemouth who recorded a 5-0 romping of fellow strugglers Leyton Orient thanks to a vintage display by veteran midfielder Darren Anderton who recorded his first hat-trick of his lengthy career.

This week has seen League One clubs bringing in players on loan and also some departures.   Leyton Orient have brought in Norwich’s young striker Ryan Jarvis on a months loan. Huddersfield have brought in Burnley defender Frank Sinclair on a month's loan and Yeovil have signed Barnsley midfielder Dale Tonge on a trial as well as free-agent Anthony Barness.

Another One Bites The Dust……….

Up to this morning (Thursday) twenty-eight managers had been handed their P45 forms since the beginning of the season but Swansea and Kenny Jackett made it their duty to put an end to that figure.  According to an official statement both the club and Jackett had parted company by “mutual agreement” and it was agreed that his thirty four-month reign was to be ended.

This coming weekend’s fixtures see three of the top ten hosting opposition who are also sitting in the top ten.  Tranmere will of course travel to Huish Park to face Yeovil and both teams pulled off wins last weekend.  Tranmere defeating Manager of the Month Sean O’Driscoll’s Doncaster Rovers and Yeovil claiming that aforementioned turn around at Carlisle United.

The most attractive looking fixture for the neutral fan will be in-form Doncaster’s attempt to bounce back from the defeat at Prenton Park by beating now managerless Swansea City.  In the run in to May every game is a must win and every point counts so expect an exciting weekends football in League One.