Welcome back.

I’ve again decided to keep it the same as previous seasons because it works well, most folk know what to expect and it saves me changing this bit every season. There may be a few newbies, so just look at what the others do. All are welcome so bring your friends - it costs nothing to enter. You’re all playing for the kudos of winning, £80 prize money (so far) to the winner and to hopefully avoid the pointing and laughing that comes with finishing bottom. If anyone else feels like sweetening the pot just let me know.

I pick the games, mainly from the EFL, and avoid the Premier League like the plague. I’m trying to be a bit more formulaic this season by choosing games differently. Wherever possible I’ll go with the first, third, fifth and last of those kicking off at 3 o’clock in each appropriate Division according to the BBC. If that isn’t possible it’s my discretion, e.g. cup games where I’ll ignore those matches involving Prem teams. I avoid the Prem because this isn’t just about the teams that are always on the telly or players that are forever in the newspapers. It’s about the games where money isn’t everything.

I generally put the games up around Tuesday each week and entries should be in before kick-off for each game. I produce a league table after every week’s games. If points are the same, up to the final week I’ll put folk in reverse alphabetical order (it changes each season). If a game is postponed, I’ll award points when the game is eventually played. Probably important with covid still hanging about and global warming meaning that we get snow in August. Possibly.

HOW TO PLAY

SO…. In each of the three groups try and forecast the results of two of the games and the final scores of the other two. It’s that simple.
Three points are awarded for correct scores. One point is given for each correct result. If a score prediction is wrong but you got the result correct you’ll get a point for that too. You’ll catch on quickly but remember it’s a marathon lasting 40 weeks. Good luck.

GROUP A
Blackburn v Swansea
Cardiff v Barnsley
Luton v Peterborough
Stoke v Reading

GROUP B
Bolton v MK Dons
Crewe v Cheltenham
Fleetwood v Portsmouth
Wycombe v Accrington

GROUP C
Carlisle v Colchester
Forest Green v Sutton
Hartlepool v Crawley
Tranmere v Walsall