Oh, is he still playing?!

[Various Artist]

James Milner for one (debut 2002*, 'The Championship' rebrand came in in 2004).

I'm mildly stunned to realise it's so long ago – it feels like they've barely changed over, just as it felt like they'd barely paused for breath after previously shunting everything down one notch after introduction of the Premiership made 'Division 1' the second tier. In fact, then, since the ending of the classic D1/D2/D3/D4 setup the Prem/D1/D2/D3 era lasted 12 years, and the Prem/Champ/L1/L2 era has in fact now lasted fully 50% longer at 18.

I'm frankly stunned they haven't relabelled everything at least once more since then. I think that judging by the way things were going after those consecutive reconfigurations in 1992 and 2004, I'd have expected that 'Division 1' or 'League 1' would be about the fifth tier by 2022.

[That Night In Barcelona]

I'm mildly stunned to realise it's so long ago – it feels like they've barely changed over, just as it felt like they'd barely paused for breath after previously shunting everything down one notch after introduction of the Premiership made 'Division 1' the second tier. In fact, then, since the ending of the classic D1/D2/D3/D4 setup the Prem/D1/D2/D3 era lasted 12 years, and the Prem/Champ/L1/L2 era has in fact now lasted fully 50% longer at 18.

I'm frankly stunned they haven't relabelled everything at least once more since then. I think that judging by the way things were going after those consecutive reconfigurations in 1992 and 2004, I'd have expected that 'Division 1' or 'League 1' would be about the fifth tier by 2022.

They should change the names to something more descriptive. The Championship could be the Parachutes Payment League, for example.

[Walter Knight]

I'm frankly stunned they haven't relabelled everything at least once more since then. I think that judging by the way things were going after those consecutive reconfigurations in 1992 and 2004, I'd have expected that 'Division 1' or 'League 1' would be about the fifth tier by 2022.

I don't know if the adoption of 'EFL' would count as 'relabelling' here? That was in 2016 so it looks like there's a change every 12 years...

[Various Artist]

Hah, that's a reasonable point. I've never yet thought of the Football League as the "EFL" since, but it is technically a rebrand so yeah. We can look forward to the next one in another 6 years then!

[Ray de Galles]

Daniele Mannini: Beverley Town sign Italian midfielder after chance dog-walk meeting

10th tier Beverley Town ended up pulling off the biggest, and presumably most bizarre, signing in their 22-year history.

Daniele Mannini has played in Serie A alongside and against some of the biggest names of European football from the past two decades.

The 38-year-old Italian midfielder boasts a CV including stints with Brescia, Napoli and Sampdoria - a long way from the Northern Counties Eastern League in every conceivable sense.

[Discordant Resonance]

I'm mildly stunned to realise it's so long ago – it feels like they've barely changed over, just as it felt like they'd barely paused for breath after previously shunting everything down one notch after introduction of the Premiership made 'Division 1' the second tier. In fact, then, since the ending of the classic D1/D2/D3/D4 setup the Prem/D1/D2/D3 era lasted 12 years, and the Prem/Champ/L1/L2 era has in fact now lasted fully 50% longer at 18.

I'm frankly stunned they haven't relabelled everything at least once more since then. I think that judging by the way things were going after those consecutive reconfigurations in 1992 and 2004, I'd have expected that 'Division 1' or 'League 1' would be about the fifth tier by 2022.

IIRC, the Championship rebrand only occurred because a number of the second tier clubs threatened at the time to breakaway and form a "Phoenix League", so it was an effort by the Football League to placate the rebels.

[Various Artist]

Wait, so they were all so dense they didn't notice nothing had actually changed except the name now sounded a bit more 'impressive'? Yeah, sounds about right.

[Various Artist]

Daniele Mannini: Beverley Town sign Italian midfielder after chance dog-walk meeting

10th tier Beverley Town ended up pulling off the biggest, and presumably most bizarre, signing in their 22-year history.

Daniele Mannini has played in Serie A alongside and against some of the biggest names of European football from the past two decades.

The 38-year-old Italian midfielder boasts a CV including stints with Brescia, Napoli and Sampdoria - a long way from the Northern Counties Eastern League in every conceivable sense.

This is just brilliant.

[Cousin Boneless]

This is more like 'oh is he still managing'.

https://twitter.com/Emishor/status/1552381291341008896?t=tM-3VXVtMSZ2Oj29dI8tCA&s=19

[Snake Plissken]

IIRC, the Championship rebrand only occurred because a number of the second tier clubs threatened at the time to breakaway and form a "Phoenix League", so it was an effort by the Football League to placate the rebels.

Hmm not so sure, though it does tie in around the time of Phil Gartside and "Premier League 2", and he always did have an inflated opinion of him and his clubs importance in the relative scheme of things.

[Patrick Thistle]

Lee Trundle has put a message on Twitter about playing tonight against Barry.

[elguapo4]

Ex Leyton Orient striker David Mooney scored for Leinster senior league side Lucan United last night, in their 3.0 FAI Cup win over Killester/Donnycarney.

[Patrick Thistle]

Lee Trundle has put a message on Twitter about playing tonight against Barry.

Trundle scored twice and set up Ammanford's other goal in their 3-2 win. (In case you hadn't seen my match report)

[Patrick Thistle]

While I doubt anyone would recognise the name, this chap played tonight

https://twitter.com/tregaronturfs/status/1558192642529415168?t=Ct6aEraHojk1jnpRlEPtUw&s=19

[Third rate Leszno]

43 year old Kevin Ellison is gearing up for a season in the Northern Premier League with Warrington Rylands.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Colin Kazim-Richards is back in Turkey with Fatih Karagümrük, an Istanbul based side in the Turkish Süper Lig.

[jwdd27]

Mention of Sint-Truiden on the kit thread leads me to discover that Shinji Kagawa plays for them - he's still only 33.

[Patrick Thistle]

My own personal OIHSP yesterday as Jean-Louis Akpo-Akpro, once just known to Shrewsbury fans as JLAA, is now playing for Flint Town United in the Cymru Premier. He had a good game too.

[ursus arctos]

The club is owned by a Japanese Internet company

[jwdd27]

The club is owned by a Japanese Internet company

Presumably Sint-Truiden rather than Flint Town United.

[elguapo4]

Kagawa was with PAOK last year, and was anonymous against us in Europe.

[ursus arctos]

Presumably Sint-Truiden rather than Flint Town United.

Correct

[Antepli Ejderha]

https://www.theguardian.com/football...droidApp_Other

An article on Jack Rodwell who's at his second club in Sydney.

[irony towers]

Craig Mackail-Smith (38), whose principal spells were at Dagenham & Redbridge, Peterborough and Brighton, came off the bench today for Bedford Town in the Southern League Premier Division (Central).

[irony towers]

Derek Asamoah (41), whose longest stints in English football were at Northampton and Carlisle, is currently this season's top scorer for New Salamis in the Isthmian League North Division.