For me the initial raison d'etre behind collecting and analysing football statistics was to help my football betting. I reasoned that shot statistics would be especially useful in identifying which teams had been unlucky and therefore underestimated by the oddsmakers. As time went on I became more interested in what the data revealed about teams, players and strategies, rather than using it as a predictive tool. Click to continue reading...

It's no secret that Alan Curbishley is the bookmaker's favourite in their Premier League 'Sack Race' market, something that no manager wants to win. West Ham's 4-1 victory over Macclesfield has done little to end speculation that the Hammers boss is living on borrowed time, especially as the Premier League . Click to continue reading...

Tonight the mighty Hammers of West Ham will limp into a match against League Two opposition in the form of Macclesfield. Hopefully Curbs and the boys who on paper should easily beat this team, will avoid slipping on the potential banana skin that the Silkmen represent. Curbishley says he is going to start a full strength [. Click to continue reading...

Anyone who cannot make it down to the Boleyn on Wednesday can follow the Hammers in their Carling Cup match against Macclesfield on BBC London 94.9. Click to continue reading...

West Ham defender George McCartney could make a shock return to action in Wednesday evening's Carling Cup second round visit of League Two Macclesfield Town. The 27-year-old - an ever-present last season - has yet to feature this term after being sidelined with a hamstring injury and a bout of pneumonia. Click to continue reading...

Bruce...the full gamut of human emotion

Premiership -- We got a welcome early opportunity to witness the Steve Bruce Incredulous Face on MotD after Wigan's defeat at West Ham. He claimed that even Hammers' fans would admit that his side had been superior and, for once, his assertion was justified. Click to continue reading...

As a proud United fan for many years, I have witnessed a great number of very talented players come through the Old Trafford doors. I have also seen a select few of these players become managers. Roy Keane, Mark Hughes, Steve Bruce, and now Paul Ince, to name a few. To be honest, I never expected Ince to delve into football management's long corridors. Click to continue reading...

The ticketing arrangements for the Carling Cup tie against Macclesfield have been confirmed and are as follows;   Standard Adult Season Ticket Holder Senior/Youth Member All Juniors Band 1 £25 £20 £10 £5 Band 2 £25 £20 £8 £5 Band 3 £20 £15 £7.50 £5 Band 4 £15 £10 £5 £5   The match is to be played Wednesday, August 27, 2008   19:45 Click to continue reading...

Happy days for the Hammers or a potential banana skin waiting to happen? West Ham have been drawn against League Two's Macclesfield in the 2nd round of the Carling Cup. The game will be played at the Boleyn during the week of August 25th. Hopefully this match will set us up for a nice cup run... something [. Click to continue reading...

Soccerword's League Two Predictions
1. Darlington
2. Bradford
3. Rochdale
4. Wycombe
5. Shrewsbury
6. Chesterfield
7. Brentford
8. Notts County
9. Port Vale
10. Grimsby Town
11. Gillingham
12. Lincoln City
13.

Click to continue reading...

Hull City, Bolton and Newcastle all suffered surprising friendly defeats against lower league sides in England on Saturday afternoon, but do the results of these pre-season fixtures really matter? Crewe, Macclesfield and Doncaster may be reveling in their victories over their Premier League counterparts, but will Phil Brown, Gary Megson and Kevin Keegan be particularly worried [. Click to continue reading...

Roberto Di Matteo the scorer of the fastest FA Cup Final goal (43 seconds) has taken over as manager at newly promoted MK Dons.

Roberto takes his first managerial job, without any experience BUT with the qualifications, from Paul Ince who has gone to Blackburn Rovers and who has been given dispensation by the Premier League to obtain his qualifications within two years. Click to continue reading...

Goodness me, that Paul Ince is an ambitious fellow.He helps Macclesfield escape relegation and then engineers promotion from League Two for MK Dons. Suddenly, that makes him the best thing since sliced bread according to his biggest fan - himself! The Sun report that the new Blackburn manager might be letting things get to his head [. Click to continue reading...

Former Liverpool captain Paul Ince took over at Blackburn this week amidst much media fuss about him being the first British born black manager in the top flight. Yet should such a big deal be made out of the colour of his skin? A Liverpool Thing editor Paul Grech thinks not.

All praise Blackburn for going against trend and convention by appointing Paul Ince as manager. Click to continue reading...

The Guardian reports that although Blackburn Rovers have bagged themselves an up-and-coming manager, they have lost the financial support of the Jack Walker estate. Paul Ince isn't the kind of person who takes bad news well, he is a self-styled winner and one can only imagine his incandescent rage when he was [. Click to continue reading...

Those of you with keen memories might recall a little earlier in the year we ran a quite excellent piece talking about the prevalence/lack of black managers throughout the four professional football leagues in this country. It was quite shocking, but not altogether surprising really when you think about it. Click to continue reading...

Paul Ince today became the first British Black Premiership Manager by signing a three year contract to manage Blackburn Rovers.

The job became vacant went Mark Hughes moved up the road to Man City.

Ince has certainly took himself up the rungs of the managerial ladder - Swindon Town, Macclesfield Town and MK Dons.

Click to continue reading...