No sooner have we walked exhausted off the field of Valour than its time to Gird up yer loins, take a deep breath, and commit pen to paper once more in a blind act of faith.

Results from week 12 are not fully in yet but it looks like a tight ship of rats scurrying around for crumbs on a boat of the dead and disappeared.  Morsels of comfort are hard to come by in such cramped quatres; we live in the 'space of a door that opens and shuts'.

Two wonderful bits of news:

Nez Miller is in the building. Nez is not one for the limelight so I hope he will allow me this brief intrductory welcome. 

Without doubt this is the guy to learn from. His style is unique and if he stays the course for the rest of the season I think not only will he top the weekly charts often but may well even catch the bottom of the group. Also, welcome back PIDG.  P.S. Please see prediction thread No 11, which is on page 2 now , and place your bet for top and flop .

I think I am fairly safe ground assuming most of you came away from NYS on Tuesday night feeling happy and light despite only gaining one point. Its still desperate and dangerous time down at NYS but the captain looks like someone we can believe in. Hoist the anchor and away me hearty s. 

This weeks bonus relies on good stewardship of the whole vessel, and that stewardship is the responsibility of the captain- absolute responsibility.  No matter what, a captain makes the ultimate sacrifice due to the elevated and noble position he/she has taken on. most of the time a captain is a mere figure head, an authority, an axiom.

However, a good captain knows all there is to know about his ship and crew. Ultimately, the buck stops there! Right on his shoulders. One action or omission can impact everything.

Are you a captain?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/niagara-falls-survivor-reunites-boat-captain-hero/story?id=14123316

https://princetonbuffer.princeton.edu/2014/01/11/captain-phillips-definitely-a-ship-worth-sailing/

Have you ever taken full responsibility even when the course of action wasn't clear and heroically accepted your fate, or were you like Lee Joon-Seok- who saved his neck but not his soul when he abandoned hundreds of children to their fate while he ran like a coward... I feel deeply ashamed and sorry he said afterwards. 

Have you ever sacrificed yourself and your reputation for the team?

10 bonus points will be awarded to any punter who can recognise the true qualities of a captain ( Hero or coward rating)  in the fixtures below.

All you have to do is predict how many captains will either score a goal or receive a caution/sending off. Straight red will =  2 ;and a yellow plus red =  2 ; yellow=1 Goal =1

Here are the fixtures for week 13: Bon voyage!

Saturday 24 th October:

1. Blackburn 1 v Burnley 1

2. Fulham 1 V Reading 1

3. Bolton 1 V Leeds 1

4. Brighton 2 v Preston 0

5. Charlton 0 v Brentford 1

6. Huddersfield 1 V Derby 1

7. Hull 2 V Birmingham 1

8. Forest 1 V Ipswich 1

9. QPR 2 V MK Dons 0

10. Wolves 2 V Middlesbrough 1

Mon 26th October

11. Cardiff 2 v Bristol City 0

Thursday 29th October

12. Leeds 2 v Blackburn 1

Friday 30th October

13. Brentford 2 QPR 2

Hero or Coward rating = 4