Not only does the EFL kick off this week, but, of course, the CL Prediction League kicks off as well.
Everyone is welcome to join and show the world how much you know about football. The rules are simple - just pick three games from the weekly list that is published (usually on a Wednesday) and use your expert knowledge to predict the final score. It's as easy as that - you will score 3 points for a correct score and 1 point for a correct result. Each week (usually on Monday or Tuesday), the results and league tables are published with weekly awards for outstanding (or dire) performances.
The full rules, if you can be bothered to read them, are on the second post this week.
There's a new way to score a bonus point this season. If you are the only person to predict the correct score for any game, you score an extra point, making the result for that game worth 4 points rather than 3.Unlike the Premier League, there are no huge sums in prize money, but there is a lot of kudos attached to winning the Prediction League, which will mean you can strut about the forum as a celebrity. The Prediction Cup, when you face fellow competitors in a knock-out competition, starts after Christmas, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Join the CL Prediction League Club and enjoy a bit of weekly fun and friendly banter.
So, here we go with the first week's games. There are no Premier League games this week, so there are three 'Guest' fixtures to pick from. Good luck, and enjoy the highs and lows over the Prediction League season as we wonder if the mighty
@WestSussexAddick can retain the coveted trophy.
Championship
Blackburn Rovers v Derby County (Friday 2000)
Preston North End v Sheffield United (Friday 2000)
Cardiff City v Sunderland (Saturday 1230)
Millwall v Watford (Saturday 1230)
Oxford United v Norwich City (Saturday 1230)
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion (Saturday 1230)
Stoke City v Coventry City (Saturday 1230)
Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle (Sunday 1600)
Luton Town v Burnley (Monday 2000)
League One
Burton Albion v Lincoln City (Saturday 1730)
Exeter City v Rotherham United (Saturday 1730)
Leyton Orient v Bolton Wanderers (Saturday 1730)
Peterborough United v Huddersfield Town (Saturday 1730)
Wigan Athletic v Charlton Athletic (Saturday 1730)
Wrexham v Wycombe Wanderers (Saturday 1730)
Guest fixtures
France Under 23 v Spain Under 23 (Olympics Mens Final Friday 1700)
Chesterfield v Swindon Town (League Two Friday 2000)
Aberdeen v St Mirren (Scottish Premiership Sunday 1500)
Comments
Prediction League rules
General
Each week, several games will be listed; you must make your selection from this list. You need to choose any three games. If you pick more than three games, only the first three will count unless there are specific instructions to the contrary. If you choose fewer than three games, only the games chosen will count. You must state the teams participating and select your predicted score for each match chosen. The first named team should be the home team and the second named team should be the away team. If the game takes place at a neutral ground, the teams should be listed in the same order as the published list of matches available. Note: Avoid jokes with team names as I have to edit your entries for the scoring system to work automatically – please, nothing like Stripey Wotsits v Blaydon Races mob.
Errors in posting
Regardless of whether a prediction is correct or not, zero points will be awarded in the following circumstances:
• Where the prediction is not in the list of matches available
• Where one or both of the teams are unclear or wrong
• Where a game has already kicked off at the time that the prediction is made
• Where one or both of the goals scored is missing or ambiguous
Scores used
The reported scores on the BBC Football website will be used when checking the predictions. If a game is abandoned, the score at the time of the abandonment will count. If a game goes to extra time, the score at the end of normal time will count in all cases. Where a game is postponed, no points will be scored unless the game was originally scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday is replayed by the Monday following the original date.
Posting errors
All matches on the list indicate the date and time of each game. While every effort will be made to ensure there are no errors, it will be the responsibility of the person making the predictions that the dates and times are correct and/or whether a date/time has been changed after the list being posted.
Postponements
When a game is postponed, a competitor may choose an alternative game for each postponed game. This selection can be made after the scheduled kick-off time of the postponed game but must be before the kick-off time of the alternative choice.
Reposting
A competitor can repost predictions at any time provided the above rules are followed. Where predictions are reposted, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the latest post will in all cases replace any earlier posts.
Points awarded
Subject to the conditions above, 3 points will be awarded for a correct score, 1 point for a correct result and no points for an incorrect result. A bonus point will be added for three correct scores. **NEW RULE** A bonus point will be added for a correct score if no one else has predicted the correct score.
Forgetting to post/not posting your predictions
You are allowed to miss three weeks over the season. If you make no post, you will score the week’s average, rounded to the nearest whole number for that week. For the final week, you will score zero points if you fail to make any predictions.
Disputes
Where there are any disputes, the organiser will try to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. If a resolution cannot be reached, a vote between the organiser and a moderator will rule on the dispute.
Preston North End v Sheffield United 1-2
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion 1-2
Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle 3-1
Blackburn Rovers v Derby 2-0
Oxford United v Norwich City 1-2
Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle 2-1
Wigan Athletic v Charlton Athletic 1-2
Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle 2-0
Wrexham v Wycombe Wanderers 2-1
I like the new bonus rule, btw
Wrexham 3-2 Wycombe Wanderers
France Under 23 2-1 Spain Under 23
Oxford United v Norwich City 0-1
Wrexham v Wycombe Wanderers 2-1
Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle 2 - 1
Aberdeen v St Mirren 1 - 1
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion 2-2
Chesterfield v Swindon Town 2-1
Peterborough United v Huddersfield Town 1-1
Wigan Athletic v Charlton Athletic 1-1
Millwall v Watford 2-0
Exeter City v Rotherham United 1-0
Luton Town v Burnley 2-1
Aberdeen v St Mirren 2-1
Exeter v Rotherham 0-2
Chesterfield v Swindon 2-0
Oxford United 0 v 3 Norwich City
Leyton Orient 1 v 3 Bolton Wanderers
Millwall v Watford 2-1
Sheff Wed v Plymouth 2-1
Exeter City v Rotherham United 1-2
Chesterfield v Swindon 2-0
Wrexham 2 Wycombe 0
Aberdeen 2 St Mirren 1
Exeter City v Rotherham United 0-1
Leyton Orient v Bolton Wanderers 1-3
Exeter 1-3 Rotherham
France u23 2-2 Spain U23
Peterborough United v Huddersfield Town 2-1
Wrexham v Wycombe Wanderers 3-0
Exeter City v Rotherham United 1-1
Stoke City v Coventry City 1-1
Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Derby County
Aberdeen 2-1 St Mirren
Stoke City v Coventry City 1-2
Blackburn Rovers v Derby County (Friday 2000) 1-0
Exeter City v Rotherham United 0-2
Leyton Orient v Bolton Wanderers 0-1
Aberdeen 1-1 St Mirren
QPR 0-2 WBA
Millwall v Watford 1-1
Oxford United v Norwich City 0-3
Exeter City v Rotherham United (Saturday 1730) 1-2
Wrexham v Wycombe Wanderers 2-1
Sheff wed v Plymouth 2-1
Peterborough v Huddersfield 1-2