League One Fixture (and Postponements) 18th December 2010

Only one match in League One is going ahead today.

Bristol Rovers P-P Colchester United

Dagenham & Redbridge P-P Peterborough United

Exeter City v Sheffield Wednesday
It must be quite nice being the only team in League One with a playable pitch. I don’t know when the Sheffield Wednesday players left Sheffield or if they’ve actually got there in one piece but it’s difficult to imagine them getting home tonight.
Richard Duffy should start for Exeter after some good performances but he doesn’t think he’s quite at his best yet. Daniel Nardiello seems to start on alternate matches so it’s his turn to start this time. Rob Edwards will probably be on the bench. Rob says the club are excited to be playing at home again after a long run of away matches.
Goalkeeper and general manager Andy Marriott will leave Exeter to join West Bromwich Albion as assistant to the sporting and technical director. He’ll be missed but manager Paul Tisdale says the players and staff are thrilled for him.

Leyton Orient P-P Plymouth Argyle
This match would have been Jason Brown’s final game on loan at Leyton Orient although he is hoping to extend his loan spell.

Rochdale P-P Bournemouth

Swindon Town P-P Tranmere Rovers
Ash Taylor was looking forward to getting back into Tranmere’s starting line-up after being out injured for four months. He was a doubt for this match due to a wrist injury but now he definitely won’t be playing.
Fellow Tranmere player Jack Mackreth has signed for Colwyn Bay on loan. He has just returned from a loan spell at Burscough Town where he played against Colwyn Bay. Jack joins Welsh players including former Crewe Alexandra striker Alex Titchiner, who has just returned from a loan spell at Chester.

Yeovil Town P-P Carlisle United

League One Fixtures 11th December 2010 (Part 2)

Plymouth Argyle v Exeter City
Exeter won when the two Devonshire teams faced one another recently in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and was the first of a four-match unbeaten run for Exeter – which will become five if they don’t lose this game. Plymouth however are on a winning run. If you can have a run of one games.
Carl Fletcher should actually play for Plymouth this time after finally recovering from a leg injury. Carl is on a three-match unbeaten run while Plymouth did win their last game. Carl says the club’s financial problems are affecting the players but they’ll still be doing their best to win the derby.
Exeter’s Richard Duffy has a slight hamstring problem but he should be fit to play. Rob Edwards has warned his team-mates to be wary of Plymouth while Daniel Nardiello is looking forward to giving Plymouth even more to worry about although he’s likely to be on the bench.

Sheffield Wednesday v Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers are looking forward to taking on Sheffield Wednesday. They are unbeaten in two despite playing the matches in question against the top two, Brighton & Hove Albion and Charlton Athletic. They would have faced third-placed Bournemouth last weekend had the weather not intervened so now they play fourth-placed Sheffield Wednesday. Nice stat although maybe Sheffield Wednesday wouldn’t have been fourth if the last lot of matches had all gone ahead. Bristol Rovers’ next league fixture is against Colchester United – who could easily be in fifth by the time that match comes around. The run will end there as Walsall won’t quite get up to 6th place in time for the match after that (actually they won’t even be out of the relegation zone) but it was nice while it lasted.
Byron Anthony returns from suspension to boost Bristol Rovers’ chances of not losing. Ben Swallow (scorer of the best goal in the last round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy) and Eliot Richards will probably be on the bench.

Tranmere Rovers v Leyton Orient
Tranmere are only two places outside the relegation zone but they’re already thinking in terms of the top half – two wins could to it. And with Orient missing two central defenders following their dismissal in the FA Cup match against Droylsden (and having won only one away game this season), Tranmere might fancy their chances.
However, Tranmere will have to get past Orient’s loanee goalkeeper Jason Brown, who is unbeaten not only in his four matches for Orient (let’s ignore the fact his only win came in extra time), he was unbeaten in his last three games for parent club Blackburn Rovers, including the match against Chelsea.
Ash Taylor could make his first start of the season after recovering from knee surgery.
Jack Mackreth has returned to Tranmere Rovers following a very successful loan spell with Burscough and was on the bench against Hartlepool United as I failed to mention. So he could be on the bench again.

Welsh Player News 2nd October 2010 (League 1)

Rob Edwards says Exeter City will try to forget about losing to Bournemouth.

Daniel Nardiello really appreciates Exeter City’s decision not to rush him back from injury too early.

‘Super Ben Davies’ is having a great season for Notts County.

Plymouth Argyle captain Carl Fletcher was not impressed when he was told by a judge that he isn’t too famous to do jury service. I can’t blame him, I would just hate to do jury service though with me it’s the idea of being locked up with a load of strangers and being expected to talk to them all although I would feel a bit better about it if there was a former Welsh international there.

Tranmere Rovers’ Jack Mackreth has joined Burscough on loan for one month. He’s just helped them to their first home win of the season.

League One news and rumours 14th May

Craig Davies has returned to Brighton following a loan spell at Port Vale and his future is said to be in doubt. Port Vale manager Micky Adams has hinted he could return to the club.

There were rumours a while ago that Bristol Rovers would release David Pipe by mutual consent but they don’t seem to have done it yet. Cheltenham Town could be his next club. Following a successful loan spell there earlier this season, he attended at least one of their matches. Cheltenham wanted to extend his loan but Bristol Rovers said no.

Jason Price has returned to parent club Millwall after his loan spell with Carlisle United came to an end. He says he would be happy to join Carlisle permanently if the possibility arose. For now, howver, he is a Millwall player and they have another play-off bid on their hands.

Stuart Fleetwood is another who could potentially be involved in the play-offs. He has returned to parent club Charlton Athletic following his loan to Exeter City.

Rhoys Wiggins is very interested in returning to Bournemouth next season should the opportunity arise. He helped them to promotion to League One as parent club Norwich City were crowned champions of League One.

Jack Mackreth has been offered his first professional contract by Tranmere Rovers.

Mark Bradley has been released by Walsall although he’s still in Wales’ under-21 squad. He says it was disappointing but not a surprise as he’s hardly played recently but he will come back a stronger player.

Rhys Weston has also left Walsall by ‘mutual consent’ as his family live in Scotland and he’d like to play there so he can be closer to him. He had a recent trial at Motherwell.

There’s no news on Arron Davies but presumably he has been released by Brighton & Hove Albion after signing on non-contract terms until the end of the season. He had made an agreement with Yeovil Town but due to his already playing for Nottingham Forest (who released him) and loan club Brighton, he wasn’t permitted to sign for another club. Non-contract terms at Brighton and a loan to Yeovil were, however, permitted so that’s what he did, with a view to signing for Yeovil as soon as he could.