SHE'S
DONE IT AGAIN!!!
The astonishing Caroline Blackmore made Fantasy League history at the weekend by becoming the first manager to win the championship three times.
The mum-of-three and staunch Southampton fan cruised to the title by a 30 points margin - and now the prized Today Memorial Championship trophy will once again be back at her home on the south coast. Caroline's ability to pick solid fantasy sides and then enhance them with astute transfers is an art we could all learn from. They should give her the Southampton job. I have it on good authority from her brother Steve Keenan, who unfortunately does not share the same fantasy football gene as his sister, that Caroline aims to put her £400 winnings towards a season ticket at St Mary's. I hope she sees them go up. Well done lass.
It was an excellent season also for another league regular, Peter Thornton, whose late run brought him his highest ever finish in the runners-up spot, landing him £100. Maybe he can go one better next season. And another of our regular top managers, Amon Cohen, followed up his runners-up placing last year with a top three finish for the second year running. Last season's champ Troy de Ruyter had to settle for fouth spot - but the Aussie, now living back Down Under, showed he remains a force to be reckoned with as he hands the title over to Caroline.
Olly
Maxey, twice a league runner-up and a former Fantasy FA Cup winner,
showed his enduring class by grabbing fifth spot while our long-time leader,
Mike Walsh, hung on in sixth having experienced
the agonising rollercoaster ride that is life at the top of the table. At
the beginning of April he was top and looking at a possible double... How
quickly things can change.
WEMBLEY SWEET FOR NEIL: Joy for a lower table manager at last in the Fantasy FA Cup. Neil Sweetman finished 30th in the league but still overcame one-time leader and sixth-placed Mike Walsh in a tight final. They drew 15-15 but Neil won on the tie break which means the trophy and £100 prize money goes to the manager who has scored most points overall in the Cup competition. Neil was unlucky enough to land in the limited third round draw, but as I said at the time the silver lining in that cloud was that you'd have extra points to count at the end of the season. In the end he didn't even need the extra 45 he scored in the third round, winning comfortably by 163 points to Mike's 87. Well done Neil - and tough luck on Mike whose glorious-looking season crumbled in the last few weeks.
ORIGINALS CHAMPIONSHIP: The full table – which will show some of
you how much better things might have been if only you’d not tinkered with
your team – can be seen here Full details of prize money:
CHAMPION: Caroline Blackmore,
£400 plus trophies WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT: Life in
the toilet bowl of the bottom four can have its own rewards - like a nice
wooden spoon to hang in the bog. virtually assured of one all season were
David Wadmore, who made bottom spot his own,
and Terry Ramsey who effortlessly grabbed the FOURTH
spoon of his brilliantly calamitous career by simply making no transfers whatsoever
and having in his team a striker, Kevin Phillips, who left the Premiership
before even a ball was kicked. Outstandingly abysmal. Well
done.
The indefatigable Phil
Davies, another multiple spoon winner, ensured his
team lived up to their name in fine style while Sunderland fan Geoff
Webster celebrated his team's promotion by finishing
up where they usually do whenever they venture into the Premiership. However,
under Roy Keane, they should avoid the drop next year and may well be the
place to shop around for fantasy bargains as you pick your teams for 2007-2008
in August.
BONUS FIVER WINNERS: The winner
of the last one was Andy Jones, who pipped
Mark Solomons in the tie break. Both went for
two minutes as the earliest goal scored on the last Premiership Sunday. Top
bonus winner of the season was DEPARTMENTAL CHIEFS: Best defence
of the season was Karen Skinn's, her stoppers
notching 526 points. Best Midfield belonged to league debutant Peter
Berkeley with 568 points. And the Best Attack was
Dave and OJ Harbord's with 430 points.
I will be getting in touch with you all shortly with
a date for the awards night. I’ll email you all when it’s fixed.
Finally, thanks to everyone who has participated. I hope
you all got some enjoyment out of the league wherever you finished. And I
hope you’ll join us again next season.
Cheers, Mickey
RUNNER-UP: Peter Thornton, £100
Third: Amon Cohen, £50
Fourth: Troy de Ruyter, £40
Fifth: Olly Maxey, £30
Sixth: Mike Walsh, £25
FANTASY FA CUP WINNER: Neil Sweetman, £100
Originals Champion: Martin Phillips, Free
entry to next season's league
