The XMR Fantasy Football League 2016
Season predictions and league open call
- 12/08/2016 -
The football season is upon us once more (that’s soccer to our American friends), and all around the country there are legions of people both excited and enraged at the prospect of another nine months of tribal rivalry. Will José beat Pep? Are Leicester just a one season wonder? How long will it take referee Mark Clattenburg to make some sort of ludicrous mistake?
This season we at Xtra Mile have decided to run our own (Premier League) Fantasy Football league, which is open to all and sundry and free to take part. All you need to do is create your team here: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/, and then join our league with this code: 139267-259630.
The person who finishes in first place will be rewarded with an Xtra Mile goodie bag of some sort (content to be confirmed – but c'mon it'll be good obviously).
To help you pick your team, we asked a few of our artists and friends to make some predictions about the impending Premier League season with the promise of crowning the person who is most accurate Xtra Mile Football Tsar 2017 (this is an official title). Some of these predictions could be considered brave (I am looking at you Thom Mills), some foolish (Dani), and some downright hopeful (Evan), but if we learned anything from last year it should be that you can never tell what is going to happen. But if our predictions are to be believed, the battle seems to be taking place in Manchester this year, and no one has predicted a top three placing for Leicester.
The predictions
SAM DUCKWORTH (RECREATIONS)
Team you support: Arsenal
Predictions for Top 3: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United
Predictions for Bottom 3: Swansea, Burnley, Hull
Top goal scorer: Lukaku
First team to sack their manager: Swansea
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Arsenal
Quote: “Why only top 3? What about Arsenal?”
Recreations' debut album 'Baby Boomers 2' is out now. Get it on gatefold vinyl, CD or download here.
Sam Duckworth. Photo by Alice Corner.
ROB LYNCH (ROB LYNCH)
Team you support: Sunderland
Predictions for Top 3: 1. Man Utd 2. Man City 3. Chelsea
Predictions for Bottom 3: 18. Middlesborough 19. Burnley 20. Hull
Top goal scorer: Jermain Defoe
First team to sack their manager: West Brom
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Stoke City
Quote: (Sunderland are) The Greatest Team The World Has Ever Seen
Buy Rob Lynch's second album 'Baby, I'm A Runaway' on CD, download and orange vinyl from our shop.
COLIN MACINTYRE (MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY)
Team you support: Liverpool
Predictions for Top 3: Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal
Predictions for Bottom 3: Middlesbrough, Hull, Burnley
Top goal scorer: Aguero
First team to sack their manager: Swansea
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Hull
Quote: “I’ve looked into the crystal ball.”
Mull Historical Society's new album 'Dear Satellite' is out now. Buy it on CD or download from our online shop.
Colin MacInyre. Photo by Dan Massie.
EVAN COTTER (138 DESIGN / XTRA MILE ARTWORK GUY)
Team you support: West Ham
Predictions for Top 3: Manchester City, Chelsea, West Ham
Predictions for Bottom 3: Sunderland, Hull, Burnley
Top goal scorer: Vardy
First team to sack their manager: West Brom
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Tottenham
Quote: “I reckon City have probably got this, but I don’t think the rest of it is going to be so cut and dry”
THOM MILLS (SKINNY LISTER)
Team you support: Tottenham
Predictions for Top 3: Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham
Predictions for Bottom 3: Bournemouth, West Brom, Crystal Palace
Top goal scorer: Harry Kane
First team to sack their manager: Manchester United
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Stoke
Quote: (Regarding his seemingly crazy prediction for manager sacking) “I know. But I think José has lost it.”
Skinny Lister's new album 'The Devil, The Heart & The Fight' is out 30 September 2016. You can preorder on coloured vinyl, CD and download.
PAUL BUTLER (RETROSPECTIVE SOUNDTRACK PLAYERS)
Team you support: Portsmouth
Predictions for Top 3: Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea
Predictions for Bottom 3: Watford, Burnley, Hull
Top goal scorer: Ibrahimović
First team to sack their manager: West Brom
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Southampton
Quote: (Regarding Portsmouth) “25th season as a suffering season ticket holder!”
Buy The RSPs three albums on CD and download 'Cool Hand Luke', 'The Catcher in the Rye' and 'It's A Wonderful Christmas Carol' (also available on vinyl) from XMR online.
DOUGIE MURPHY (PRODUCTION MANAGER FOR FRANK TURNER)
Team you support: Wrexham AFC
Predictions for Top 3: Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool
Predictions for Bottom 3: Burnley, Watford, Bournemouth
Top goal scorer: Origi
First team to sack their manager: the new Watford guy
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Stoke
Quote: “Liverpool will win everything this year apart from the champions league cause Man City will win that. Wrexham will also win the conference.”
DANI COTTER (XTRA MILE RECORDINGS)
Team you support: Newcastle United
Predictions for Top 3: West Ham United, Leicester City, Manchester United
Predictions for Bottom 3: Swansea, Burnley, Hull
Top goal scorer: Rashford (is this the kid who’s like, 12, but awesome?)
First team to sack their manager: Hull
Team with the most yellow/red cards against them: Manchester United (because of Fellaini)
Quote: “I’m just going to copy Sam for the bottom 3”
