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As with the last couple of seasons I'll seek to put video highlights of Latics games on this thread. In the meantime, please feel free to join PlayerShare: http://www.trustoldham.co.uk/latics-playershare/ Make a one-off donation to PlayerShare: http://www.trustoldham.co.uk/latics-playershare/ Utilise PlayerShare WebShop every time you shop online, including holidays and travel: http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/laticsplayershare Search the Internet using Easysearch and earning PlayerShare 1p for every two searches: http://laticsplayershare.easysearch.org.uk/

It's that time again. That time when we're full of hope that this season is the one; that's it's all going to come together and that, by late spring next year, the champagne corks will be popping... That's right, it's time to see if you've got what it takes to become the OWTB Prediction League Champion 2016/17. New (and old!) players are more than welcome - even 24hoursfromtulsehill. Entry costs £10 and by taking part, you'll be in with a chance of winning a cash prize and you'll also be helping PlayerShare and Dr Kershaw's Hospice. It also makes the season slightly more interesting if (when?) Latics are languishing in the bottom half of the table. Further details in this link - http://www.owtb.co.uk/index.php/topic/48815-the-owtb-prediction-league-201617/

Okay. So, from feedback on here, and from Bristolatic and I trying to figure out something that should be interesting but manageable, we've come up with the following (please note that we may tweak things slightly before the season starts, if we spot any potential issues)... Basic Set-up There will be a Subscription Prediction League with a £10 entry fee and a separate Free-to-Play Prediction League for those who, for whatever reason, do not wish to take part in the Subscription league. The £10 fee must be paid on or before 2 August for entry into the Subscription league. There will be a separate prediction thread for each fixture, for each of the two leagues. Up for the Cup The Subscription league will include a cup competition, providing there are over 16 players, starting on 1 January 2014. The cup fixtures will be confirmed, once we have established the number of players. Players will be drawn against each other and their scores for a particular fixture will dictate who progresses to the next round. In the event of a draw, there will be a replay taken from the prediction in the next available game. In the event of another draw, the predictor with the closest attendance prediction in the replay will progress. In the very unlikely event that they remain tied, we will draw lots. Subscription Prediction League Rules Subscription league rules are as follows: Players must pay £10 by PayPal to stevie_j@owtb.co.uk by 2 August 2013, providing me with your OWTB username in the comments box. I'll post a list of participants in a thread in the prediction league forum, so if you pay and don't appear in that list, please shout and we'll try to figure out what's gone amiss. The total fees will be distributed as follows: Half to be used as a prize fund to be divided: 50% to the league winner; 25% to the league runner up and 25% to the cup winner. The other half, minus any fees, to be split equally as donations to PlayerShare and Latics For Life. Players must predict the half-time score; the full-time score; first Latics goalscorer and the match attendance. e.g. Stevenage 0-1 Latics (HT 0-0) - Schmeltz - 3,331 Please keep the predictions in this format. A number of predictions last season named every scorer or had the fixture the wrong way round. Minor, I know, but it makes Bristolatic's life a lot easier. Scoring works as follows (please note there are some slight amendments to last season's scoring): Correct result (i.e. W,L or D) +2pts Correct no. of goals for Latics +1pt; Correct no. of goals for opposition +1pt; Correct full-time score +2pts; Correct half-time score +2pts; First scorer +3pts; Within 100 of attendance +3pts; Exact attendance +10pts; No 'first goalscorer' points will be awarded if there is no goalscorer (even if you predict no goalscorer). All league games (but not cup games) will count in the Prediction League competition. Any predictions submitted or edited after the stated kick-off time will not count. Players must post their predictions in the correct thread for those predictions to count - Bristolatic can't reasonably be expected to check whether predictions have been put in the wrong place. Predictions posted in the incorrect thread will not count. In the event that a player posts more than one prediction for the same fixture, the first submitted prediction will be taken as that players entry. For the avoidance of doubt, players cannot predict Latics to score in their result prediction and 'no scorer' in their scorer prediction for the same fixture. Likewise, players cannot predict that Latics will not score and name a first scorer. Nor can players predict a half-time score which does not align with the full time score (e.g. Latics to be 1-0 up at half-time and Latics to lose 1-0). Each full prediction should be fully-formed and be a possible outcome of the match. Any predictions submitted which are contrary to this rule will be discounted. If you believe that there has been an error in scoring up predictions, please PM Bristolatic and/or me, rather than posting on the forums and we will look into it. So please sign up, if you can afford it. The more players we have, the more interesting it gets in terms of prizes, a cup competition, etc. and the more PlayerShare and Latics For Life stand to benefit too. Free-to-Play Prediction League For the Free-to-Play, please post in the correct thread and rules are as above, save for those relating to fees and prizes. The winner of the Free-to-Play league will win the player name of their choice on their OWTB profile. Please note, there will be no cup competition in the Free-to-Play competition. I do want to point out that the feedback raised in the earlier thread was considered carefully, particularly the ideas of monthly payments. I am afraid I simply do not have the time to take on the potential burden of tracking and chasing up monthly payments, as much as I would like to make it as accessible as possible. Any problems, give me a shout by PM or email. Cheers. Big thanks to Bristolatic for his continued effort with this. Without him ploughing through the threads and knocking together league tables, we wouldn't be able to do all this. ---- UPDATE With twenty-five players, the prize fund stands at £125. This means the league winner will take home £62.50; the league runner-up £31.25; and the cup winner £31.25 as well. PlayerShare and Latics for Life will each receive a shade over £60. I know I'm being lazy but someone please confirm the PayPal addresses for each? In addition, I'll be paying PlayerShare £5 as per my pledge on the thread in the main forum. The cup first round will take place 1 January, with the draw to be made during December. There will be nine first rounds ties and seven teams will receive a bye to round two. Cups games are as follows: 1st round: 1 January - Shrewsbury (h) 1st round replay: 11 January - Stevenage (h) 2nd round: 1 February - Swindon (a) 2nd round replay: 8 February - Bristol City (h) Quarter final: 1 March - Tranmere (a) Quarter final replay: 8 March - Preston (h) Semi final: 5 April - Bradford (a) Semi final replay: 12 April - Sheff Utd (h) Final: 26 April - Carlisle (a) Final replay: 3 May - Notts County (h) In the event that any of the above fixtures are postponed (or replaced by cup games) then the next league game will be used for the cup competition (which may, in turn, push the replay to the subsequent fixture).