Farewell to Gordo - all the best for the States and living with Polish Babs. As he said himself, it's been emotional. He'll hopefully be back for a guest appearance sometime in May.
So that's it - two weeks off to eat, drink and be merry. I will see you all for sweating off the mince pies on the 6th of January.
This is it! Gordon's last game for Fitbaw. He was Man of the Year in 2005 in his début season. He's plumbed the depths and the heights of the table over the years finishing bottom in 2006 but almost clinching the POTY in 2008 (Craig's head stopped him).
Gordo's playing style has changed over the last year, going from a sulky, left foot missing, goal hunter, into a defensive midfielder who bosses the back with his Beyonce bum as well as grabbing the odd good goal (even with his left foot too!). This new style has seen him become a much improved player who gets his head down and gets on with the game rather than kicking the boards in frustration that we're all not good enough to pick out his brilliant runs ;)
Gordo has picked the teams for tonight's testimonial (he obviously wants to go out on a high) and it's also Big Steve's first official game as a Hardcore player so well done to Steve (and Ross of course).
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Gordo...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Foxy: u might be getting a promotion to the harcore for next season
Foxy: only thing is - the black balls are still out there
Steve: black balls?
Foxy: the objectors
Steve: are there people who dont want me promoted?
Foxy: aye
Steve: really
Steve: on what grounds
Foxy: personality, skill level, general stuff really
Steve: persoanlity
Steve: what the fuck does that mean
Foxy: whether or not u fit in
Steve: what do they think i take it too seriously
Steve: ?
Steve: surely having better players involved makes you play better yourself?
Steve: i always think people raise their game
Foxy: absolutey - dont disagree and it would be a travesty if it happened imho
Foxy: dont worry - ill sort it
Steve: should i be shmoozing certain people at the day out on sat
Foxy: why the feck should u - you're a good bloke with rugged JohnTerry looks so u'll be ok
Steve: i dont get the john terry thing
Steve: but ok
Foxy: listen - ill be voting for u without a doubt
Steve: so who thinks i shouldnt get promoted. i think i should have a right to know
Steve: so i can kick them next week
Steve: lol
Foxy: well it widnae be a secret vote then
Foxy: if it goes tits up and u dont get in, ill defo tell u
Foxy: u'll deffo know by saturday
Steve: do you have an idea already of who will vote what way?
Foxy: Ive got my suspictions but it no fair to say - ill sort it - dont worry
Steve: alan said to me last night he thought i was too good
Foxy: potential threat to POTY
Foxy: Listen ah shouldnae have said anything but ur my mate and thought u should know the process - it'll be aw right on the nite - my vocals will be heard
Steve: when is the vote
Foxy: Sat
Steve: when we are all out
Foxy: ah think so
Foxy: im sure u'l be celebrating come the vote
Steve: thatll be weird
Foxy: listen don worry about it
Steve: imagine coming out for drinks with everyone and then being told they dont want you to play footie with them
Foxy: listen if that happens then Im chucking it as well
Steve: i appreciate the support
Foxy: Ive just asked eeky about the vote and he said it'll be done later on in the day
Steve: on the sat?
Foxy: aye
Steve: so ill find out on the sat
Foxy: by the time the result come out, u'll be well pished
Foxy: u'll deffo find out on Sat
Steve: lets hope im in then or ill prob say something
Foxy: u'll be aw right
Steve: we shall see
Steve: what about ross?
Foxy: same scenario for him as well
Foxy: no point in stressing urself about it - wait till Sat - u'll be fine
Foxy: last thing on the vote - no one's been black balled before so it's just tradition more than anything to give the new guys a scare - thats all - as the Fox says 'toffee'
Steve: not sure everyone will want 2 new guys coming into the hardcore at once tho
Steve: is that part of the vote (1 or 2) guys to be promoted
Foxy: aye they will - if ah know the minds of some of them, they might think that u and Ross are too good but I think that would raise other peoples games if u both joined
Steve: the more good players the better the game if you ask me
Foxy: i totally agree
Foxy: it'll be ok - u worry about yer chicks and ill worry about the vote for u - u'll be ok
Here's some photos from Saturday - in my ridiculously hungover state, I forgot the camera so these are photos off Andy and Gordon's phones.
Thanks to everyone who turned up and a pox on those who didn't (apart from Si of course). One more game and then a wee rest over the festive period before it all kicks off on the 6th January where the most points will take the POTY 2010!
All hail Alan, POTY again! We've been playing for six seasons now and Alan has won three POTY awards - that's 50%! So well done to Alan. Here are this years "winners":
POTY - Alan
Players' POTY - Kyle
Most games played - Neil
Best goal difference - Gordo
Wooden spoon - Neil
I will see you all on Saturday at The Admiral from 1:30pm onwards. The kitty will be getting bust open at 1:30pm so the later you are there, the less free beer you get! There's no food so line your stomach before you come.
If anyone is interested in filling with lunch before you arrive, Steve is suggesting grabbing a big burger at Ad Lib so contact him if you're interested - steven dot bruce at idoxplc dot com.
The teams have been picked. The lines have been drawn in the sand black rubber balls. The time has come to stand up and be counted - are you a contender, or a pretender? A man or a mouse? Fit or baw?
Will William retire as POTY or will Alan take the title for the 3rd year out of 6? By 7:35pm this evening, we will know. Best of luck to everyone and may the best man win.
I'm not sure what happened last night. I thought the teams looked pretty even on paper and they were ratified by three members of the Mince but it turned out to be a bit of a whitewash. Congrats to Neil for securing the wooden spoon and commiserations to Foxy for missing out on an historic treble - POTY, MOTM and wooden spoon.
If you go by the first two minutes then it looked as though the Mince were the stronger team. Were it not for some good goal keeping by Foxy, then we could have been quite a few down early on. After that, however, we seemed to get hold of the ball and keep a hold of it. Never mind - it's all down to next week!
Wills is back for one final push to secure the POTY. It's good of him to try and win it rather than hope Alan loses it and means that it should be a great encounter. As is traditional, I'll let Alan and Wills pick the teams so I'll get the squad out as soon as I have it. Scott is back and hopefully Si and Andy will be fit too. Foxy canny make it and I'm not sure about Martie.
William has decided to take a break from his studies to come back and play next week in the POTY decider. I've done the maths even if Alan loses tonight, if he beats William next week, he'll be POTY (for the third time and second in a row) but if Wills holds him off then he will be POTY. Again, it's all coming down to the final game of the season!
Speaking of final games, next week will be the last one for the POTY but there's still another week before Chrimbo so I thought we'd just play a friendly - with the block booking, we probably have to play anyway!
This week, the only real battle going on is at the bottom. If Neil beats Foxy this week and wins next week (when Foxy isn't playing) then Foxy will finish bottom. If not, Neil will take home the wooden spoon.
Andy and Si have picked up injuries and are out. Scott has a parents' night and Martie is at work. Marc continues his run and the other reserve was meant to be Steven but he's just left after chundering all over the place, so Craigo has very kindly agreed to dash home and get his kit and step in at the last minute.
Please bring both tops as I don't think I'll have a chance to pick teams before hand as the proverbial is currently hitting the fan as far as work is concerned. See you all tonight!