Not The Top 20 Podcast

The Match in Focus game is Wimbledon v Charlton this week. Season stats: AM -17.65 GE - 8.06 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ali sat down to get to know Paul Hurst and hear about his experiences in football. Below is a list of topics with timecodes: 1:45 - How Paul has filled his time after first experience of being sacked by Ipswich in October 3:15 - How difficult is it psychologically to lose your job? 5:10 - How does the relationship between a Manager and his long-term assistant change after departure from a club? 7:15 - Can you stay a fan of a club (E.G. Sheffield Wednesday) while working in the game as a player or manager? 13:00 - Reflections from a playing career with Rotherham United 1993-2008. 17:45 - Memories from a double promotion with Rotherham United 1999-2001. 20:30 - The team-mates who are now managers. 22:30 - How has the game changed & developed in terms of tactics? 25:30 - The use of stats in football and in football media. 30:15 - First steps in management with Ilkeston & Boston United, as joint-manager with Rob Scott. 37:00 - Move to full-time management with Grimsby Town & the difficulties of getting back into the Football League. 47:00 - Reflections on 6 yrs with Grimsby - relationship with the fans & board and reasons for leaving for Shrewsbury. 52:15 - Joining Shrewsbury when they were bottom of League One. 55:00 - Discussion about Shrewsbury’s 2017/18 season - at what point did Paul realise it could be a special team? 59:15 - The playing style and systems behind the 2017/18 Shrewsbury team. 1:06:00 - Shrewsbury’s defeat to Rotherham in the Play-Off Final. 1:11:15 - Departing Shrewsbury for Ipswich after the Play-Off Final - Paul’s perspective. 1:14:45 - Recruitment at Ipswich Town in the Summer of 2018 - the intentions and difficulties of that period. 1:20:00 - Dealing with a tough start at Ipswich, the reasons behind the # of changes being made game by game. 1:22:00 - The group of young players at Ipswich, how talented are they and are any destined for the top? 1:24:00 - Next steps for Paul Hurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Running order: Football Index chat FA Cup - Millwall and Swans go through! Championship chat - Norwich and Sheff Utd batter lowly Bolton & Reading. West Brom and Boro putting the pressure on. League One - can anyone catch Luton and Barnsley? Southend 3-3 Portsmouth Coventry 3-0 Walsall Gillingham 1-0 Scunthorpe Oxford 0-1 Peterborough League Two Great weekend for Bury, worries for Lincoln or Mansfield? Grimsby four in a row. Morecambe do the usual! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Carlisle v MK Dons this week. Season stats: AM: -16.38 GE: -6.805 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sign up to Football Index using referral code 'NTT20': https://www.footballindex.co.uk/ A £20 deposit will be doubled by Football Index and can be used on any players - but we reckon we can do well out of the rising stars of the EFL! In this podcast, we talked about the usual stuff - matters at the top and bottom of the three EFL divisions. We appreciate any shares you give the podcast and thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Oxford v Sunderland this week. Season stats: GE: -10.815 AM: -22.47 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Championship: Leeds 1-3 Norwich WBA 2-3 Boro Bristol City 5 in a row - moving into the Play-Offs. Peter - any wildcard picks to reach the playoffs in any of the three divisions? Dan: Which current mid-pack championship club do you think are getting themselves is order to be in the mix for promotion next season? Tim: What is the reason that the big-spending clubs aren’t doing well on the whole in the Championship and does having a bigger budget lead to less inspired recruitment? Oliver: Are we beginning to see clubs take advantage of the foreign market more in the EFL? Thinking Norwich/Barnsley/Oldham as examples. League One: Barnsley, Luton, Sunderland won. Pompey drew. Charlton lost. Massive wins for Rochdale, Bristol Rovers, Plymouth. Gab - Can any team below DRFC reach the playoffs? Richard - are Accrington an outside bet to go down? League Two: Colchester - performance of the weekend in the EFL. Impressive - Grimsby, Exeter, Mansfield. Dale - who gets promotion/playoffs? John - name your top 3 from the top 8. Andrew - what’s the cut off in League Two for relegation battlers? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Leeds v Norwich this week. Season stats: GE: -13.19 AM: -25.57 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The EFL owns the FA Cup! Wimbledon 4-2 West Ham Millwall 3-2 Everton Shrewsbury 2-2 Wolves Middlesbrough 1-1 Newport County Derby beat Accrington. Doncaster 2-1 Oldham. Swansea also through, Pompey and QPR going to a replay, West Brom could do the same and Bees v Bees is post recording. Championship: Norwich 2-2 Sheff Utd Rotherham 1-2 Leeds Preston Lovely Away Day at Stoke! Blackburn end Hull run, on good form. First win for MON at Forest. L1: Steve Evans sacked. Darren Ferguson in. Luton top 1-0 vs Southend. Barnsley poor but win 2-1 from behind. Scunthorpe win again (without a shot on target), Wycombe vs Plymouth shit-house derby. Maja off to Bordeaux, Karlan Grant seemingly off too. How bad is that for those teams? Is Grant a good signing for Hudds? L2: Bury 3-3 Lincoln Pretty wild weekend for Notts Co without even playing. Mansfield, Carlisle, Forest Green winning, Exeter into last play-off spot. WHAT’S WRONG WITH MK DONS? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Bury v Lincoln this week. Season stats: GE: -6.19 AM: -21.64 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ali sat down with Darrell Clarke to get to know him, to discuss his playing and management career, especially his time at Bristol Rovers. Find below a list of topics and timecodes: 01:00 - What Darrell has been up to since leaving Bristol Rovers. 04:45 - Any conversations been about vacancies? 06:00 - Is he hoping to get back in before the end of the 2018/19 season? 07:15 - Frustrations at difficulties for young, British Managers with many foreign managers being preferred. 10:15 - Darrell’s playing career - starting at home-town team Mansfield. 13:50 - Time at Salisbury as player and then player-manager after being demoted two divisions, winning promotion in his first and third seasons. 20:00 - Move to Bristol Rovers as Assistant Manager to John Ward. 22:45 - Becoming Manager with 8 games to go in 2013/14 season and suffering relegation. 24:30 - Being backed by the board after relegation and how he sold himself to the board as the man to take them back up. 27:40 - The difficulties of the National League 28:30 - How important was it to win that play-off final against Grimsby? 30:30 - Play-Off Final vs Grimsby memories 34:15 - League Two Promotion season - what was the strategy? Two stories about motivating the players! 40:00 - What were the main characteristics of that double promotion team - what made them so successful (tactics, style, mentality, etc)? 44:00 - Poor form this season despite 47:00 - How did he deal with the poor run of form? How did it affect him? 49:00 - Issues with infrastructure and facilities 51:00 - Insight of Graham Coughlan and the type of manager he will be 53:30 - Difficulty recruiting goalscorers - Jayden Stockley, Christian Doidge 55:00 - Tom Nichols 56:00 - Turning down Leeds United in 2016 - any regrets? 58:30 - His feelings leaving Bristol Rovers. 59:30 - League One analysis - automatic promotion battle 1:02:30 - tactics chat - how to set up against Luton 4-diamond-2 1:06:00 - League One analysis - relegation battle 1:08:00 - What’s the dream next opportunity? 1:09:30 - What sort of structure would he like to work in? 1:12:30 - Bristol Rovers fans ‘limbs’! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Championship: Stoke 2-1 Leeds Norwich comfortable win against Birmingham to go 1pt behind Sheff Utd had chances but lose to Swans to lose ground on top 2... Swansea - dark horses for Play-Offs? Nottingham Forest 0-1 Bristol City Preston’s perfect away day Solid wins for Derby vs Reading, Blackburn vs Ipswich, Sheff Wed vs Wigan and Rotherham vs Brentford. Draws in Villa v Hull & Boro v Millwall. L1: Yellows 2-1 Portsmouth. Discussion on the tightness at the top. Relegation battle better than ever with Yellows win, Plymouth three in a row, Bradford and Bristol Rovers losing. Shoutout Southend 4-0 at Bradford with great goals from Cox & Humphrys. L2: Lincoln beat Grimsby - nailed on for promotion? Mansfield win game of the day 3-2 after 0-2 down, new signings Ajose and Grant involved. Bury smashing it, 4 in a row and 2nd. MK Dons lose to Crewe though, Alex look like they've cracked it. Can Steven Pressley take Carlisle up? Big wins for Yeovil & Macc at the bottom, Notts Co gone? Scholes current favourite for Oldham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Nottingham Forest v Bristol City this week. Season stats: G: -2.89 A: -18.24 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A bit of a different one today as Ali started to cobble together a few interviews with interesting people and some league round-ups and ended up with almost 90 minutes of EFL content. Running order below: 00:00 - Intro & Championship Round-Up 12:00 - Gab Sutton on Birmingham vs Middlesbrough 28:00 - David Anderson on Brentford & Nathan Jones at Stoke. 50:15 - League One Round-Up 55:45- League One Relegation Battle with George Elek 1:04:10 - Bury 4-2 MK Dons with Gregor Robertson 1:19:00 - League Two Round-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Sunderland v Luton this week. Season stats: G: -3.49 A: -15.04 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Running Order: FA Cup - what a Third Round! Oldham beat Fulham. Newport beat Leicester. Gillingham beat Cardiff. Other big EFL winners: Doncaster. Portsmouth. AFC Wimbledon. Accrington. Nod to Barnet too, not EFL but lovely stuff. L1: Scunthorpe 2-1 Coventry - 3 wins in a row for Iron. Scunthorpe have signed van Veen, McMahon, Hammill and CBs Byron Webster and Harrison McGahey. Rochdale 0-4 Burton - 13 goals conceded, 0 scored in last 3 for Dale. Burton up against Man City this week. Charlton 1-1 Sunderland draw & Q on Charlton: what is Charlton’s potential this season? Any more than just preparing for play-offs? Josh Maja update. L2: Sheridan leaves Carlisle. Carlisle beat Mansfield on the weekend for 6 in a row, only a point behind 3rd placed Bury. Yeovil 0-1 Bury - Bury into top 3. Manager news: Bristol Rovers announced Graham Coughlan. Steve Bruce will join Sheffield Wednesday. Main transfer news: Tammy leaving Villa - teams holding onto loanees (or not) a real theme of the window. Preston sign Stockley and Potts and Ginnelly. Forest Green - Doidge and McCoulsky. Gary Madine to Sheff Utd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of you will know that @RowdenJRSG - aka Connor Rowden - is the go-to guy when it comes to youth football in England. Here's part two of a two-part interview with him & Ali discussing specific clubs with academies to be proud of, as well as some wider issues surrounding the topic. You can find a running order below: Ipswich and Norwich spur each-other on to produce high quality footballers. Bristol City - a Championship version of Monaco - Tyreeq Bakinson. Derby County - a new wave of talent Brentford - shutting down the academy. Leeds United, West Brom, Reading & Wigan Athletic. Luton & James Justin. Coventry & Tom Bayliss. Sunderland & Josh Maja. Crewe Alexandra - the blueprint. Colchester - prioritising promotion from within EPPP, its benefits and its problems. The proposed changes to the loan system. Europe as a loan destination for PL players instead of the EFL. Checkatrade Trophy - has it benefited the academy teams involved? B Teams in the EFL - is it likely, and is it feasible? Problems with the current youth league structure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of you will know that @RowdenJRSG - aka Connor Rowden - is the go-to guy when it comes to youth football in England. Here's part one of a two-part interview with him & Ali discussing the EFL & England, youth development & specific clubs with academies to be proud of. You can find a running order below: England National Team & The EFL. Do other nations have the same relationship between non top tier teams & the national team? The rise of the young, British full-back and why CBs and CMs have it tough. England U21s in EFL - Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) & Ezri Konsa (Brentford). England U20s in EFL - Easah Suliman (Aston Villa) & Trevoh Chalobah (Ipswich/Chelsea) & Andre Dozzell (Ipswich) & Sam Field (WBA) & Ebere Eze (QPR) The George Hirst situation. England U19s in EFL - Danny Loader (Reading). England U18s in EFL - Daniel Adshead (Rochdale) & Bali Mumba (Sunderland) & Arvin Appiah (Nottingham Forest) England C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Millwall v Nottingham Forest this week. Season stats: A: -10.14 G -6.99 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Christmas! The NTT20 Podcast Christmas Party involves going through RE-PREDICTIONS for the League Two table, from 24th to 1st, with a few beers. Twitter: twitter.com/NTT20Pod Soundcloud: @ntt20pod iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-t…d1112915286?mt=2 Intro Music: 'Where Do You Wanna Go?' by New Carnival itunes.apple.com/gb/album/where-d…453?i=1048907676 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Christmas! The NTT20 Podcast Christmas Party involves going through RE-PREDICTIONS for the League One table, from 24th to 1st, with a few beers. Twitter: twitter.com/NTT20Pod Soundcloud: @ntt20pod iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-t…d1112915286?mt=2 Intro Music: 'Where Do You Wanna Go?' by New Carnival itunes.apple.com/gb/album/where-d…453?i=1048907676 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Christmas! The NTT20 Podcast Christmas Party involves going through RE-PREDICTIONS for the Championship table, from 24th to 1st, with a few beers. Twitter: twitter.com/NTT20Pod Soundcloud: @ntt20pod iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-t…d1112915286?mt=2 Intro Music: 'Where Do You Wanna Go?' by New Carnival itunes.apple.com/gb/album/where-d…453?i=1048907676 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ali sat down to get to know Paul Heckingbottom and hear about his experiences in football. Below is a list of topics with timecodes. 03:00 - Being out of work. How he’s dealt with it, how he spends his time. 7:10 - Falling out of love with the game. 8:15 - Youth team player at Manchester United 9:45 - Barnsley when he first became manager 15:30 - Sales of key players (Hourihane, Bree, Winnall) in January of 16/17 season with the team close to play-offs. 18:30 - Issues in the second half of that 16/17 season with contracts expiring… 21:25 - First 5 months as Barnsley Head Coach - winning at Wembley twice, winning promotion. 25:00 - His philosophy and teams he studied. 26:30 - Tactical discussion - how he set the team up in League One & adapting to the Championship. 30:30 - Many of the players from that squad are Championship & even Premier League players - Paul discusses Conor Hourihane and his development. 33:30 - Other former players Paul has enjoyed watching develop further. 37:45 - Why did Paul leave Barnsley for Leeds having just signed a new contract? 42:00 - Why he felt he had to move on. 42:50 - Was the call from Leeds a surprise? 43:50 - The different types of owners he’s worked under. 45:00 - Moving to Leeds. 46:15 - Did he know what he was getting himself into at Leeds? 48:00 - His remit at Leeds at things he felt needed sorting. 50:15 - The Leeds squad and recruitment strategy of the last few years. 53:00 - Leaving Leeds. 55:15 - Being replaced by Marcelo Bielsa - what’s he made of Bielsa’s Leeds? 58:00 - Championship tactics, is there time to plan a specific game-plan with so little time between games? 59:00 - How to set up against teams like Wolves (3-4-2-1) & Sheffield United (3-4-1-2) 1:05:00 - Working with a Set-Piece Coach at Leeds. 1:07:15 - What’s next for Paul. 1:08:30 - How do managers apply for jobs? 1:09:30 - Working in a structure with a Director of Football as a Head Coach and the difference in interpretation. 1:11:30 - Charity Work and having something else aside from football 1:13:30 - What is Myanmar like? 1:14:30 - Quiz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Grimsby v Notts County this week. Season stats: G: 2.94 A: -10.46 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just talking about the EFL from the weekend. Hope you enjoy it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Barnsley v Portsmouth this week. Season stats: G: +0.85 A: -11.14 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL and FA Cup games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to NTT20 Remembers: The Battle of Bramall Lane, where George and Ali - with contributions from Patrick Suffo and Alan Biggs - look back at the infamous game between Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion in March 2002, the first professional football match in England ever to be abandoned due to lack of players. This episode is sponsored by Blacktype Bet. They are giving away a West Brom and Sheffield United kit from the Battle of Bramall Lane era. Head to twitter.com/NTT20Pod to find out more. You can sign up for a Black Type account online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. This is the first 'NTT20 Remembers' - a series in which George and Ali will review, recollect and present memories of iconic Football League games, teams, players or managers of the past, with contributions from those directly involved - in this instance: Patrick Suffo, who was sent off in the Battle of Bramall Lane, and Alan Biggs, the Sheffield sports guru and key performer in the aftermath, the lads sift through quotes and old footage to remind the listeners the characters, the incidents and the aftermath that made this day so special. Please feel free to get in touch to suggest any other potential topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Championship: Norwich & Leeds pull clear with wins. 5 pt gap now to Sheff Utd who beat Reading. WBA 2-2 Villa Forest 0-1 Preston Birmingham 0-1 Bristol City Brentford 2-3 Swansea L1: Wally Downes appointed at Wimbledon. 1-1 vs Rochdale. Sam Ricketts loses first Shrewsbury game. Big games in battle for play-off places - Blackpool beating Charlton and Donny smashing BRFC to go 6th. Gillingham beat Scunny. Ref Plymouth come back 3 times v Bradford and mad xG numbers & Payne being king. L2: Tough start for Ardley - 0-2 vs Mansfield. Tough start for Sol Campbell - 0-1 Colchester Yeovil 1-2 Forest Green Swindon under Wellens… 0-4 first game, lost to Woking in Cup but three wins in a row now in the league. TEAM OF THE WEEK - ??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Plymouth v Bradford this week. Season stats: George: +1.15 Ali: -11.47 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL and FA Cup games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Christmas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Sheff Utd v Leeds this week. Season stats: George: +0.45 Ali: -7.62 Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more, from this weekend's EFL and FA Cup games. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Champ: Aston Villa 4-2 Birmingham Stoke 2-2 QPR Hull 0-2 Nottingham Forest Preston 4-1 Blackburn Swansea 1-4 Norwich Bees 1-2 Middlesbrough Wins for Leeds West Brom, Derby with varying levels of comfort. Decent performances from Rotherham and Bolton and Reading to get tough points. L1: Big wins for Plymouth, Wimbledon (Russell Slade?) & Bradford). Portsmouth go 4 clear. Luton win again. Barnsley & Sunderland & Posh draw. Blackpool win vs Burton. Charlton 3 wins in a row. Wycombe 5 home wins in a row - into top half. L2: Macclesfield 1-0 Yeovil - Sol Campbell Good away win for Swindon. Great vibes at Cheltenham. A few midweek Betting Show picks. TEAM OF THE WEEK: ??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Aston Villa v Birmingham this week. Season stats: -9.95 Ali -1.6 George Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discussion about the big news at the top and bottom of Leagues One and Two & Team of the Week Enjoy it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Bury v Stevenage this week. Season stats: -6 Ali -0,6 George Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Championship: Norwich 4-3 Millwall WBA 4-1 Leeds Boro 2-0 Wigan QPR 3-2 Bees Birmingham 3-3 Hull Reading 2-2 Ipswich Bristol City 0-1 Preston Bolton 0-1 Swansea Manager news: Neal Ardley, John Askey, Phil Brown sacked. Sunderland & Touches in the Box Team of the Week!!!!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Sheffield United vs Sheffield Wednesday this week. Season stats: -0.80 Ali +2.20 George Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apologies for the odd bit of crackle and pop. Championship: Wigan 1-2 Leeds Sheff Wed 0-4 Norwich Derby 3-1 Birmingham Hull 1-0 WBA Reading 3-2 Bristol City Rotherham 2-1 Swansea Lambert’s debut at Ipswich, 1-1 vs PNE L1: Scunthorpe 3-3 Oxford Blackpool 0-3 Bristol Rovers Walsall 1-3 Burton Wimbledon 1-2 Shrewsbury & Sunderland 6 wins in a row. L2: Macc 1-4 Bury Lincoln 2-1 Forest Green Northampton 2-0 Crewe Tranmere 2-0 Exeter TEAM OF THE WEEK ?!?!?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Tranmere vs Exeter this week. Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Topics: Ipswich sack Paul Hurst, appoint Paul Lambert. Championship 2 wins in a week: Swansea Birmingham QPR Millwall Norwich - Gregor at the game! Championship 2 losses in a week: Wigan Sheff Wed Brentford Aston Villa Bolton Reading Ipswich League One 2 wins in a week: Coventry (5 in a row) Peterborough Sunderland (4 in a row) Luton (3 in a row) League One 2 losses in a week: Bradford (Lost 10 out of 12) Wimbledon (Lost 11 out of their last 13) Scunthorpe (5 defeats in a row!) Doncaster Other: Gillingham 4-0 Bradford, Oxford 3-0 Shrewsbury League Two 2 wins in a week: Forest Green - beat Tranmere and Exete Northampton - Curle doing well Cambridge League Two 2 losses in a row: Macclesfield - they still don’t have a manager… Cheltenham Notts County - why hasn’t Kewell turned things around? Team of the Week?!?!?!?!?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Match in Focus game is Coventry vs Doncaster this week, a fascinating game between League One play-off chasers. Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Loads of Championship chat: Aston Villa under Dean Smith - 1-0 win vs Swans Brentford under Frank: Brentford 0-1 Bristol City Wigan 1-0 WBA Blackburn 2-1 Leeds Derby 2-1 Sheff Utd Forest 1-2 Norwich Stoke 0-1 Birmingham Sheff Wed 1-2 Middlesbrough Ipswich 0-2 QPR Reading 3-1 Millwall L1: Peterborough 0-1 Accrington Charlton 2-0 Barnsley Donny 3-3 Gills Bristol Rovers 0-0 Oxford L2: Macclesfield win! Crawley 4-1 Newport TEAM OF THE WEEK???????? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A double profit week! Things are getting quite lively. Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign-up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When offered the chance to sit down with Michael Appleton for an hour, it was a no-brainer. Often mentioned on the podcast - sometimes as a brilliant young British Manager, other times as George's favourite footballing person of all time - now rivalled by Chris Maguire! We packed George off to chat with him, and we made the most of the hour, discussing: his desire to get back into management (and the importance of choosing a club rather than a division), the Championship players and managers that he admires, his time at Blackpool, Blackburn, Portsmouth and Oxford United, his philosophy and his view on data & xG in analysis, his vision in the transfer market, and how cup competitions can help & hinder. Thanks to Dean at Oporto Sports Management for helping to arrange this interview at short notice, and to Michael of course for his openness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We answered the following questions: If you were a Championship club and could sign any league 1 player, who would you sign? Likewise with a league 1 club and league 2 player? L1 managers - 'in or out': Neal Ardley, Darrell Clarke, Steve Lovell. On the basis of Saturday, how close are Luton to competing for promotion again? Bradford being utterly rubbish … Coventry’s chances of finishing top 6? Can Accrington keep up this form and actually challenge for a playoff spot? Seeing them in the Championship would be pretty incredible, however unlikely it is currently. Who is most likely to stop Lincoln? Are Col U and John McGreal the real deal? If Ali & George replaced Giles & Ankerson as Brentford DoFs tomorrow, (T Frank is hypothetically out of the picture) who would each have as their top pick as new Head Coach from League 1 or 2 to present to Matthew Benham for final sign off? Team of the week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George is on an absolute rampage after last week. We discuss Dean Smith's move from Brentford to Aston Villa and how it may suit all parties, before going through the weekend picks from Leagues 1 and 2. Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We bring up our century of podcasts in style, reminiscing about our #journey to this point, before doing the usual: Championship chat including Villa manager and big results down the bottom, then major League One talking points, and Arman Mirkarimi - Strata Bet's League Two analyst - joins us to run through some League Two talking points. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fresh from a 7/1 winner, George fancies teams in different shades of blue, while Ali is on a pilgrimage to find some winners. The match in focus is Peterborough v Barnsley. Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were joined by some absolute dons, Daniel Mann of Sky Sports and Oli Walker, a League One analyst. We also made some snap judgements at this 10-game stage. We're on EFL Matters on Sky Sports Football on Thursday at 7pm, don't miss it. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sign up for Black Type online at www.blacktype.bet or via the BlackType app. Use the offer code 'NTT20' on the sign up page for a £10 free bet - this must be used on a football selection. Get involved with #ScoreBore by tweeting us with your 0-0 pick and a game with 5 goals or more. You can find all of our weekend picks listed on www.blacktype.bet/sportsbook/SOCCER/NTT20/ Use that link to add whichever bets you like the sound of! All bets are listed at the end of the podcast. Follow us on Social Media: @NTT20Pod @blacktypebet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices