Again, Again, Again.

Shall we?

Week 41: Winning and Not Winning

A fantastically fascinating final furlong in the ferociously fought fumble for the fantasy football title.

A massive Manager of the Week certificate-winning week's score of 42 points from the recent long-time league leaders Pyeators threw Dave Clayton's lads all the way back up the table earning themselves a final Second Place finish to the season for the third time in five years.  They landed up there with a bump, short by just 11 points, behind this year's Office Fantasy Football League Champions, Neil's Diamonds.  Yes, it's now official.  Congratulations to Neil McConaghy who hasn't won the title since 2008 when he topped the table with Big Mac's Mingmongs.

Congratulations/Commiserations therefore to Dave 'Runner Up' Clayton who adds 2017 Runners Up, to his legacy of losings.  This includes 2014 Runners Up, 2013 Runners Up and 2012 Cup Runners Up.  "Don't worry Dave," as we've comforted him almost every year since 2012, "there's always next season."

Meanwhile, talking of not-winners... the curiously quixotic Edgar Rayner had the chance of a Fantasy lifetime to lift the OFFL Cup... here's what happened:

==============
OFFL Cup Final
--------------
RESULT

Inter Milandrover 26 v 11 Moreton Rovers
          Smasher         Edgar Rayner

Indeed, with a few clever transfers Mr Rayner would have definitely definitely definitely had it 'dans le sac'.  But disastrously tethered to his honourably unrealistic transfer policy ideals, the third-from-bottom-placed Moreton Rovers's lack of quality shone brightly through against Third Place Inter Milandrover who retain the title of 'OFFL Cup Winners' this season.

Indeed, Smasher taking the Cup for the second year running should momentarily mute much of the moaning from the many mortals within the Milandrover mingmongery who have been moodily mooting for Smasher's sacking after more than 20 years at the club.  As it happens, their legendary manager has just signed another two year extension to his contract.

And with that, we say goodbye and thank you for your participation in yet another OFFL Season.

Roll credits with a backdrop of Neil McConaghy lifting the League Title to an exciting music track of pop metal.

OFFICE FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 2016/2017
Neil's Diamonds, managed by Neil McConaghy on a score of 448 points

OFFICE FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE CUP WINNERS 2016/2017
Inter Milandrover, managed by Smasher, by 15 points

T h e  F i n a l  T a b l e

                                            Value Points

   Team                 Manager             (GBPm)Wk Tot

 --------------------------------------------------------

 1 Neil's Diamonds      Neil McConaghy       54.8 21 448

 2 Pyeators             Dave Clayton         54.5 42 437

 3 Inter Milandrover    Smasher              54.7 26 435

 4 Livercoolio          Russell Bielby       54.8 32 433

 5 Epic Yellowz         Stanley/Kate Wilson  54.0 14 415

 6 Crystal Phallus      Guy Salter           54.2 27 414

 7 Dowds Farm Goblins   Nick Borrett         54.8  7 404

 8 Game Of Throw Ins    Craig McHugh         54.9 23 399

 9 Moobchester United   Jon King             54.7 41 395

10 Irishpool            Mike Smears          54.2 24 385

Week 40: West Spam United

Livercoolio's Transfer Requests

Unless a miracle hits the fan [depending on which team you manage] it looks like Mr McConaghy has the OFFL Championship 2016/2017 all sewn up.  18 points separate his Neil's Diamonds ahead of second place Inter Milandrover.  All ears cocked toward the gargling Fat Lady.

Dave Clayton and Ashley Keeler are joint Managers of the Week with a score of 32 points for Pyeators and It's A Snickers respectively.  What a way to go into the final week of the season.

Meanwhile, the blameless OFFL are embroiled in a transfers scandal involving Livercoolio being maliciously Spam Filtered out of submitting transfers by Google.  So if you've spotted an apparent glitch in the table please rest assured, Livercoolio are currently Fourth in the table with all appropriate points awarded.

And talking of transfers... none have been submitted by Moreton Rovers' Edgar Rayner meaning Smasher is in with a shout of winning the OFFL Cup.  How magnanimous of the singer from Loopy...

==============
OFFL Cup Final
--------------
The Final takes place in Week 41

Inter Milandrover v Moreton Rovers
          Smasher   Edgar Rayner


   Inter Milandrover             Moreton Rovers
   ----------------------------------------------------
GK P Cech        ARS   4.2   v   D De Gea     MU    4.3
FB K Walker      TOT   4.3   v   C Fuchs      LEI   4.2
FB L Baines      EVE   4.3   v   A Barragan   MID   3.5
CB G Cahill      CHE   4.5   v   J Collins    WH    3.8
CB A Williams    SWA   3.7   v   C Smalling   MU    4.5
MF R Snodgrass   HUL   3.5   v   J Cuadrado   CHE   4.7
MF E Capoue      WAT   3.3   v   J Wilshere   ARS   3.8
MF K De Bruyne   MC    6.5   v   A Ramsey     ARS   4.8
MF Pedro         CHE   4.8   v   R Mahrez     LEI   5.6
MF Z Ibrahimovic MU    8.0   v   D Sturridge  LIV   7.3
MF A Sanchez     ARS   7.6   v   S Aguero     MC    8.5

---

T h e   T a b l e
                                            Value Points
   Team                 Manager             (GBPm)Wk Tot
 --------------------------------------------------------
 1 Neil's Diamonds      Neil McConaghy       54.8 29 427
 2 Inter Milandrover    Smasher              54.7 23 409
 3 Epic Yellowz         Stanley/Kate Wilson  54.0 30 401
 4 Livercoolio          Russell Bielby       54.8 20 401
 5 Dowds Farm Goblins   Nick Borrett         54.8 18 397
 6 Pyeators             Dave Clayton         54.5 32 395
 7 Crystal Phallus      Guy Salter           54.2 26 387
 8 Game Of Throw Ins    Craig McHugh         54.9 22 376
 9 Radnorshire Tigers   Alun Edwards         53.3 17 365
10 RS-TBOY              Rick Beecroft        55.0  6 365

Week 39: Fidget-Spinning in Excitement

Neil's Excited

Manager of the Week?  Malcolm Meaden-Pratt.  16 points for Starpratt Mustgo.  They're up into Thirteenth, four places above wife Karyn. *Sizzle*.

Meanwhile at the top of the table... two weeks of results to go.  12 points in it.  Is the gap too big?  Yes, probably.  Let's be honest.  We can see Neil McConaghy fidget-spinning in excitement.

But what of The Cup?

========
OFFL Cup
--------
Semi-Finals, RESULTS, Wk39

           RS-TBOY  5 v 10 Inter Milandrover
     Rick Beecroft         Smasher

Dowds Farm Goblins  6 v  7 Moreton Rovers
      Nick Borrett         Edgar Rayner


The final is therefore between Inter Milandrover and Moreton Rovers.  Moreton Rovers have 12 transfers left while Inter Milandrover have none.  This means that Moreton Rovers can GUARANTEE a cup win if they can spot any player that is out injured for the rest of the season in Inter Milandrover's team. They just have to swap the entire team to copy that of Inter Milandrover's apart from the injured player and put in a cheaper replacement.  Make sense?  One manager hopes not.

Good luck to Eg Rayner in working it all out, if indeed he can be bothered.

Of course he can be bothered.

It's The Cup.

The Final takes place in Week 41.

==============
OFFL Cup Final
--------------

Inter Milandrover v Moreton Rovers
          Smasher   Edgar Rayner

It's Second against Third From Bottom.  Transfer deadline, Monday 1730 hours.

T h e   T a b l e
                                            Value Points
   Team                 Manager             (GBPm)Wk Tot
 --------------------------------------------------------
 1 Neil's Diamonds      Neil McConaghy       54.8  2 398
 2 Inter Milandrover    Smasher              54.7 10 386
 3 Dowds Farm Goblins   Nick Borrett         54.8  6 379
 4 Epic Yellowz         Stanley/Kate Wilson  54.0  6 371
 5 Livercoolio          Russell Bielby       54.8  2 368
 6 Pyeators             Dave Clayton         54.5 -1 363
 7 Crystal Phallus      Guy Salter           54.2  2 361
 8 RS-TBOY              Rick Beecroft        55.0  5 359
 9 Game Of Throw Ins    Craig McHugh         54.9  6 354
10 Radnorshire Tigers   Alun Edwards         53.3  2 348

Week 38: Diamonds On Course For League Title

McConaghy: Getting ready to accept the title

The magnificent Alex Blundell, dithering from one week to the next, is rewarded for his dawdling with a Manager of the Week certificate.  His Moanchester United netted a massive 32 points moving themselves up six places.

Meanwhile Neil McConaghy has nudged his Diamonds even further away from the chasing pack of wannabes.  Now 20 points ahead with 6 transfers left it all looks like what one might call a commanding lead - and at such a late stage in the season too.

Meanwhile...

--------

OFFL Cup

========

Semi-Finals, IN PLAY

           RS-TBOY v Inter Milandrover

     Rick Beecroft   Smasher

Dowds Farm Goblins v Moreton Rovers

      Nick Borrett   Edgar Rayner

T h e   T a b l e

                                            Value Points

   Team                 Manager             (GBPm)Wk Tot

 --------------------------------------------------------

 1 Neil's Diamonds      Neil McConaghy       54.8 25 396

 2 Inter Milandrover    Smasher              54.7 14 376

 3 Dowds Farm Goblins   Nick Borrett         54.8 15 373

 4 Livercoolio          Russell Bielby       54.8 10 366

 5 Epic Yellowz         Stanley/Kate Wilson  54.0 28 365

 6 Pyeators             Dave Clayton         54.5 19 364

 7 Crystal Phallus      Guy Salter           54.2 15 359

 8 RS-TBOY              Rick Beecroft        55.0 20 354

 9 Game Of Throw Ins    Craig McHugh         54.9 28 348

10 Radnorshire Tigers   Alun Edwards         53.3 20 346