A few World Cup bets which look a bit of value...

All of these are backing the teams to get knocked out in the last 16 and look like decent value to me...
England 3/1; Spain 11/4; Brazil 7/2 (obviously, there's a small chance Spain and Brazil meet each other in the 2nd round).

No doubt this will end in tears, but I felt it was time to get back in touch with a few rotten bets. Best of luck y'all.

Newmanator in German football bribe shocker!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8595167.stm

1.5pts WBA 7/2 to win Championship (LOST)

If anyone wants to hedge out a position on the league leaders, or even have a bet (god forbid), the 7/2 about West Brom is a nice bit of value. [29%]

I think the time has come to cease punting like a loon on the Championship coupons. The performance this season has been nothing short of embarassing; I haven't done the figures yet but off the top of my head I suspect I'd have a less pathetic return on investment by randomly picking three teams to back every matchday. Adding into this the fact that my long-term is looking equally as sorry for itself (even the much-loved points match-bets are all looking like losers), and Coca-Cola silly season is fast approaching, I quite frankly can't be fucked to embarass myself further.

I'll still post the odd thing up from time to time, and will be looking at the betting, but I certainly won't be putting anything like the volume of shit bets up that I have been for the rest of the season. I'd still much appreciate any thoughts from you all on the other leagues (so thanks for the French winners Bobalob; they're the only winning bets I seem to have these days apart from the odd one in-running) as I obviously can't make money off my own back punting 1-2-X before the off.

Adios amigos.

0.75pts Chesterfield 4.8 at Notts County (LOST)

Rare look at League 2 for the Bunter. The Spireites cannot be this price at the Magpies. [24.5%+]

1pt Sheff Utd 11/8 at Peterboro (LOST)

[48%]

0.5pts Sheff Weds 8.6 at WBA (LOST)

[16%]

1pt Derby 4.8 at Reading (LOST)

[26%]

1pt Swansea 4.2 at Nottm Forest (LOST)

Forest haven't won since the last time I opposed them. As I thought back then, they have seriously gone off the boil (scuppering dreams of my Rochdale / Trees ante-post double) whilst the Swans are flying at the moment. Currently I don't think there's anything between these two. [28.5%]

0.5pts Barnsley 8.4 at Newcastle (LOST)

Poos-in-pants season for league leaders? Most of the Barnsley team playing for favourable new contracts. Working man's price. [14.5%]

0.5pts Derby 6/1 at West Brom (LOST)

[17.5%]

1pt Sheff Weds 4/1 at Reading (LOST)

Possible cup hangover for the Royals here. [24.5%]

0.75pts Scunthorpe 5.1 at Coventry (LOST)

[25%]

0.5pts QPR 5/1 at Middlesboro (LOST)

[21%]

1pt Watford 10/3 vs Newcastle (LOST)

I've really tried to trim this list down, but I haven't been able to. So make of it what you will. Needless to say, like the wagon I am I have backed all of these (for smalls though, seeing as I'm still in the red). [26.5%]

1pt Plymouth (DNB) 7/5 vs Leicester (VOID)

Oh look!..it's Plymouth getting tipped up again. That makes a change. This one is with the Asians. [46.5%]

0.75pts Sheff Utd 5.2 at Nottm Forest (LOST)

Forest seem to be having a bit of a wobble of late. Sheff Utd look a decent price. [22.5%]

0.5pts Doncaster 4.0 at Sheff Weds (WON)

A couple of late additions to the midweek portfolio as they've drifted significantly enough to have a bet. [28.5%]

0.75pts Reading 5/2 at Crystal Palace (WON)

This is banking on a cup hangover at Selhurst Park somewhat, but Reading have hit a bit of form of late as well as Palace. [31%]

I've had a small interest in West Brom on the FA Cup long-term at 50/1. The win part is a fair bet, but the place at 1/2 odds is pretty good value. I reckon they're about 8.5% to reach the final.

1pt QPR 5/2 at Coventry (LOST)

QPR in disarray at the moment, but I think this price is a bit of an overreaction to their poor recent form. [31%]

0.5pts Plymouth 6.2 at Barnsley (WON)

Here we go yet again with another Plymouth bet. Stakes getting gradually smaller with each time they get chinned. [20.5%]

2pts Fulham (-1.0) 2.04 vs Notts County (WON)

Notts County still overrated (I expect they come out a massive lay in League 2 on the sims). Concerns that Fulham have UEFA interest in mid-week, but even after adjustment I make them a bet here. [55.5%]

0.5pts Kevin Lisbie 1st G/S 5/1, Colchester vs Southend (VOID)

He's bagged the first goal in 6/28 so far this season. [18.5%+]

0.75pts Plymouth 6.0 at Reading (LOST)

Here we go again. 0.75pts for the dustbin. [20%]

1pt Preston 5.2 at Swansea (LOST)

[24%]

0.75pts Sheff Weds 7.0 at Nottm Forest (LOST)

[18%]

1pt Watford 3.95 at Barnsley (LOST)

Three more losers for you all this weekend. If I were you I'd just back whoever they're playing against, regardless of the price. [29.5%]

0.25pts No Bookings 14/1, Bury vs Rochdale (LOST)

Referee for this one is the curious Andy Penn of the West Midlands (why don't they just say Walsall, or Birmingham or whatever?) who has made up zero in 9 of his 23 games this season. Of course, this is a fierce local rivalry we're dealing with and there have been carte rouges a plenty over the years, but hearteningly enough a few zeros scattered in amongst the carnage. Make of it what you will; it could be a bloodbath but if Andy Penn has his sensible head on, then the 14/1 had to be worth a poke.

1.5pts Over 2.25 goals 2.02, Nigeria vs Algeria (LOST)

Usual 3rd place play-off shenanigans. [56%]

0.75pts Plymouth 4/1 at Sheff Weds (LOST)

Very worst case scenario this is a 22% job. [22%+]

1pt Sheff Utd 4/1 at West Brom (LOST)

Got most of the way through the Championship without finding a bet and was breathing a sigh of relief before this one popped up. Some defensive problems for the Blades but even accounting for that I think they're a bet. [23%]

1.5pts Man Utd 2.0 to qualify vs City (WON)

I'm probably losing it here, but I'd have thought Utd were favourites to qualify for this one. It's on the Daq so commission must be taken into account. [55%]

1pt 25-45 Bookings Points 7/4, Scunthorpe v Man City

Buoyed by a rare winning bet on Stoke to beat the Gooners just on the off, I have decided to step in and back a bookings middle. I noticed Kevin Friend was (11/20) in charge, and that swung it for me. [38%+]

Nothing in the Championship this week (thank fuck for that).

1pt Fulham (-1.25) 21/20 at Accrington (WON)

I hate backing Fulham in the cup; they always disappoint. But, with some trepidation, I'm having a one pointer. [53%]

1pt Aston Villa (-2.0) 6/5 vs Brighton (LOST)

The two fourth round selections are not half as bonko as those in the third. Not sure what price these were at the start of the week as I've been too busy to have a look. However, two small investments seem the way forward. [49.5%]

1pt 25-45 Bookings Points 7/4, Blackburn vs Fulham (WON)

I expect by now nobody reads this shit anymore, especially as yesterday's 'magic' middle couldn't have made up much higher. Anyway, reluctantly I battle on. Kevin Friend (who still remains no relation) takes charge of this match. He's on 10/19 so far, which is an admirable strike rate (assuming he backs the middle in all his games, which he probably doesn't). [38%+]

1pt 25-45 Bookings Points 7/4, Wolves vs Wigan (LOST)

It's the Webb-master in charge, 9/17. [38%+]

0.5pts Plymouth 8.8 at Newcastle (LOST)

[13%].

1pt Plymouth 3.15 vs Palace (LOST)

[38%]

0.5pts Reading 5/1 at Nottm Forest (LOST)

Value, but smells like a loser; perhaps Forest will be suffering from an FA Cup hangover? [18.5%]

1pt 25-45 Bookings Points 7/4, WBA vs Forest (WON)

Not long before these middles get binned at the current strike rate, but we battle on. Probert, 7/16. [38%+]

1pt Ipswich 3/1 at Leicester (LOST)

This probably won't go ahead, but Roy Keane's flops look a decent price away in the Midlands. No others to mention in the Championship this weekend. [28.5%]

A miserable showing from Man Utd ruined what could have been a great weekend. The experience was made even more unbearable by having to watch the game at the mother-in-law's over a roast dinner. For some reason the whole family was desperate to find out if I'd had a bet on the game and what I'd backed. No sooner had I reluctantly got the words out (simplifying the one and three-quarter ball handicap, of course) then Beckford boshed one in and everyone started laughing at me and coming out with witty comments like 'I don't think your bet's looking very good now!' I really don't know why it was so funny that I was about to do my conkers.

The rub-downs continued as the game progressed and I lost count of how many times I was told that my bet looked like a loser. I was going to explain about how I'd got the value and all that, but it would have been wasted. The wife was listening intently hoping to find out exactly how much I'd spunked away, but I was not about to reveal to anyone that I'd lost more than I'd spent on Christmas. That would not have gone down very well.

At least Sunderland and Chelsea did the business, although the in-laws didn't get to hear about those ones.

Wishing all Bunter 'fans' a profitable new year!!!