The View Outside The Premier League: Magpies go top and Cod Army batter Shrimps
Just as the season gets moving we get one of those annoying international breaks and the Championship shuts down. Frustrating for those clubs but good news for the rest of the Football League as attention shifts down the pyramid.
After a weekend of surprise results, a new name sits on top of League One. Notts County took advantage of Bournemouth ending Yeovil's excellent run and Tranmere being held to take the lead berth, although they had to work hard for it against a stubborn Shrewsbury side.
It was left to veteran striker Lee Hughes to come off the bench to seal the points late on. That's 186 League goals for the former 'Balti Boy' of West Bromwich Albion.
Hughes has always had goals in him even if he once seemed destined to play at a higher level. Since his return to the game after his prison term for a serious offence, the striker has always been a reliable source of goals for his clubs.
At 36 Hughes isn't guaranteed a starting slot, but he's useful back-up to come on and Ivorian Francois Zoko has started the campaign in good form. Keith Curle's side are expected to make a serious promotion challenge and goals shouldn't be a problem.
_____________________
The shock result of the day came in the Potteries where cash-strapped Port Vale dumped promotion favourites Rotherham 6-2. Amazingly, ex-Miller Tony Pope landed four against his former club - equalling his total of goals for the South Yorkshire side in a single game.
Pope will never have an easier match ball though, as Rotherham put in a truly calamitous stint at the back. The home side were four up by the half hour and while the Rotherham forwards got two back, the defence continued the Keystone Kops impression.
The result rocketed Vale into third place and came as a welcome boost to fans who have had a lot to put up with in recent seasons. As for Rotherham, knowing Steve Evans reputation tin hats will have been the order of the day in the away dressing room.
________________________
There was a brand new Lancashire derby on the West Coast as Fleetwood travelled to Morecambe for the first time in a League fixture. The Cod Army took the points easily as Jon Parkin bagged a hat-trick in a 4-0 cruise.
Morecambe fans must look with some envy at Fleetwood. A few seasons back it was the Shrimps who came into the Football League full of optimism as a newly minted League club but life in League Two has become a hard struggle.
Despite a move to a new stadium, Morecambe have found life increasingly difficult and a far cry from the table-topping days in the Conference. Several of the clubs promoted from non-league have found that a place in the Football League means bumping around in the lower tier after an initial surge based on the momentum of promotion.
____________________________
York City proved this season that ex-League clubs can bounce back and its heartening to see Macclesfield sitting on top of the Blue Square. The Silkmen struggled along on tiny crowds for years before finally losing their League status in May.
Bigger League clubs than Macclesfield have struggled to find a level in non-league but the Cheshire club have made a fine start. Interestingly, the club appointed Steve King as manager, a man steeped in Conference football. His knowledge of the division is second to none and his new side are clearly benefiting.
_______________________
After another week of making headlines, Paulo Di Canio saw his Swindon team lose at home to Leyton Orient-these were the first points of the season for Russell Slade's squad.
As usual, the activities of the combustible Italian were almost as interesting as the action on the park. This Saturday the Swindon boss made no concession to the Indian summer conditions and watched the game in a heavy coat that would have offered protection in a snowstorm.
The Orient rode their luck a little but the equable Slade amiably pointed out that his side had been on the wrong end of the luck in previous games and on this day, things evened out. As ever Di Canio took a less dispassionate view, explaining that he had 'over-estimated' the ability of some of his players. Cue another tough Monday for the Swindon squad.
Related Articles:
TVOTPL: Mackail-Smith double sinks Burnley
TVOTPL: Wycombe washed out but it's raining goals in Blackpool
Blackpool: Holloway's men hit the ground running
