Hope I spelt his name correctly, if not, expect a new thread. Anyway, I recall someone posting about 2 weeks ago with the 'tached one's predictions for the run in, with us coming fourth behind Manure, the Arse, and 'Pool. Does anyone know what results he predicted for us, game by game? Starting with Southampton, I'll bet the little snot gets it completely wrong. His predictions for the other three contenders would also be interesting. I'd like for us to track his predictions each week as they go tits up. Tosser.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Answers

A Pillock

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Surely Lawrenson couldn't get something wrong. He's allegedy an expert and constantly tells us useful and informative pieces about how we will lose every game.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Aye, and I see Alan Shearer is still with us too. It must be years since his prediction of Al's departure.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Mark Lawrenson's parents got it wrong, that's for sure.

T**t.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

See him on Look North after the Bellamy quayside incident?

He said "I blame the parents". No, honest, he really did.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

I had the same idea. I read the original article in the Mirror but couldn't find it online. I saved the original post to track as much as I could - Sorry I didn't save the author but it's somewhere in the older threads.

Reprint of the original post here:

Obviously this is a subject with varying opinions so what we really need here is an expert. Cometh the hour, cometh the man - step forward the doyenne of "expert summarisers" par excellence, the one and (fortunately) only Mark Lawrenson. A man who has made the word pundit his own - (and turned it into a term of abuse). The moustachioed supremo of the talking-bollox-for-a-living brigade has put his Premiership forecasts in today's Daily Mirror.

He forecasts all remaining fixtures of the top 4 and predicts the points finish, which is Manu 81, Arse 79, Pool 73, Toon 72. Of the 50 fixtures the top 4 have to play (that's less than 50 matches because a few games are amongst the top 4)

Lawrenson predicts just 2 defeats, and they are both for the Toon at Liverpool and Southampton.

The Manu forecast is 9 wins and 3 draws (against Chelsea, Arse and Leeds)

Arse 9 wins 4 draws (Everton Toon, Spurs, Manu)

Pool 6 wins 6 draws

Toon 6 wins 5 draws (Sunderland, Arse, Blackburn Villa Derby) and 2 defeats.

So there you are then - I vote that Mark Lawrenson be the man to present the trophy to YBR in May. :-) Bookies odds are :- MU 8-13, Arse 11-4, Pool 9-2, Toon 14-1 Chelsea 33, Leeds 40. Those Toon odds are very tasty considering we are in pole position at present.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Sorry I didn't save the author but it's somewhere in the older threads.

And you couldn't tell from the style?

The author is beyond saving. :-)

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Humble apologies Jonno - Still, I was right about the "older" bit! :o))

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Here's what Lawro said in August!

Lawro's Premiership predictions

Tuesday, 14 August, 2001, 14:42 GMT 15:42 UK

BBC Sport's football pundit Mark Lawrenson gives his expert verdict on the new Premiership season, with tips for the teams to watch - and those to avoid. I know it sounds predictable, but when it comes to winning the title, I can't see beyond mighty Manchester United.

They are just so far ahead of the rest.

Having said that, I don't think the champions will have such an easy time as last season - Arsenal could well push them close.

I expect the Gunners to claim the runners-up spot, with Liverpool third and Leeds and Chelsea battling it out for fourth and fifth.

There is a possibility - but it's only a slim one - that Liverpool could finish above Arsenal in second place.

But if you look at the Arsenal squad it actually looks stronger this year than it has done for ages.

Arsenal's form has always been sensational at Highbury and I think this time they will just have a little bit more away from home - especially with Sol Campbell in defence.

I fancy them much more strongly this season, with new-boy Francis Jeffers up front.

Jeffers is a very bright young player and he has the knack of knowing where and when to run.

If he stays injury-free then he will do very well in the side - particularly if Dennis Bergkamp plays behind him and can slip those intelligent through-balls to him.

With the signing of Campbell Arsenal should prove more resilient than in the past couple of years.

And when it comes to their tussle with Liverpool, they have also been used to the distraction of the Champions League, which is new territory for the Merseysiders.

Although Liverpool have played in the Uefa Cup, the Champions League is far more of a slog and the games are more intense.

Spurred on

The top five teams look settled already to me - I don't think you can really look beyond Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Leeds and Chelsea.

The only other team that might compete with the big five are Tottenham - but they will need to have an inspired season under new manager Glenn Hoddle.

Sunderland should do well - but realistically they can't hope for a top-four position, let alone competing for the title.

No, I don't think you can look beyond United to win the league.

Sir Alex Ferguson has reinforced an already formidable squad with two genuine world-class players - Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

I can't wait to see Veron in the Premiership - I think he's going to be awesome.

United are still the only team in the top flight who can go away from home, not play well and still win.

At the other end of the table I'm afraid that Bolton - financially as much as anything - will find it difficult to compete.

And I think there will be really tough seasons ahead for Derby and West Ham.

Southampton will also struggle. The Dell was a fortess for them and it was really difficult for teams to go there, with a passionate crowd right on top of the pitch.

Now, their brand spanking new stadium might actually go against them.

The other promoted sides, Blackburn and Fulham, will probably survive.

They might find it hard at times - but unlike Bolton they have the financial clout to go out and buy players, so they should avoid the drop.

The Premiership is a tough league to stay in - but winning it is a totally different matter.

And though it may be a bit tighter at the top, don't expect anyone to claim United's crown.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2002

Okay, lets get this thing started, and track it. WEEK ONE: Lawro got it right, with the exception of Arse v Everton. He predicted a draw, Arse won. As much as it pains me to say it, that's two extra points for one of our top three competitors (I'm ignoring Leeds and Chelsea, if you don't mind - hope this doesn't come back to bite me on the bum). So, on the Lawro predictometer it's now Manu 81 points, Arse 81 points, 'Pool 73 points, and Toon 72 points WEEK TWO: Lawro predicts wins all round, except for us. Lawro got it wrong, we gain two points on the other three. He predicted 6 draws out of 12 games for the Scousers, so lets give him the benefit of the doubt and say the Everton game was one of them (Anyone out there know what he actually said for 'Pool, game by game?). So the Lawro predictometer now suggests Manure 81 points, Arse 81 points, 'Pool 73 points, and Toon 74 points. Already we have pulled one back on the Lawro predictometer. WEEK THREE: to be entered w/c 4th March. If we beat the Arse (a Lawro draw prediction) we move up to only 4 points behind his predicted second place side.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Good idea Terry. We need a copy of the Daily Mirror from 5th Feb. I've tried to find it online but no joy. Do libraries keep copies?

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

We don't really need to see the article to know he's a tosser of the highest order.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Quite fun to monitor how much of a t@sser though ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

The thing that sticks in my mind is still the pre-Xmas (IIRC) convo with Stubbsy on FF. "Where do you think Newcastle will finish?" Lawro (shrugging dismissively): "Top half".

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

A quick inspection of my recycling heap has thrown up a copy of the paper in question. So those Pool forecasts were 6 wins and 6 draws (Ipswich A, Fulham A, Chelsea H, Blackburn H, Sunderland A, Spurs A.) So he got both Ipswich and Everton wrong but they cancel out (+2 and - 2) so Liverpool forecast remains at 73.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Can you give us his full list of predictions for all the teams Jonno? What was his 'pool- 'ton prediction for example?

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Thanks Jonno. What else do you keep piles of? Got any copies of the May 1973 Razzle? So, WEEK TWO: the adjusted Lawro predictometer stands at Manure and Arse 81, Scousers 73, and Toon 74 (and rising). Watch this space. Can we keep this thread going until May? I suspect that the answer is yes, deffo., assuming we keep winning, or else no and forget I ever started it if we wobble. Cue Gav, with a half empty glass :-))

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

What was his 'pool- 'ton prediction for example?

What's the question? Pool v Everton? Pool to win all their games except the 6 I listed as draws so Pool Everton was a Liverpool win.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Doh!

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Lawro Watch - Week 3:

Toon v Arse. Prediction Draw. Arse +2 Toon -1

Fulham v Pool. Prediction Draw. Pool +2

Derby v ManU. Prediction Win. Manu -2

To date: Arse +4, Pool +2, ManU -2, Toon +1.

If he got the rest of his predictions right final table would be:

Arse 83, ManU 81, Pool 75, Toon 73.

Watch this space....

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

In today's mirror he reckons this week is the defining moment in the season, when the title contenders are reduced from 4 to 3. No prizes for guessing who's going to be out of contention.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Utter bollocks. 30 points up for grabs when everyone is scoring points off everyone else and he wants to draw a line under it? Cretin.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002