Enter our World Cup prediction competition

[Daedalus]

Enter our World Cup prediction competition (click to be redirected to the Saints City Trust website)

Does the prospect of wall-to-wall football for four weeks fill you with joy or send you running for the hills?

The FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa on 11th June and Saints City Trust has the perfect way to help you through the tournament - whatever your feelings about football - by entering our free, Prediction Competition.

You simply need to spend a few minutes to complete and return the application form below, predicting the scorelines of each match in the competition and answering a few, bonus questions.

Then just sit back to watch the results unfurl and visit the Saints City Trust website and SaintsChat message board for regular updates so that you can see how your prediction-performance compares to the other players.

This competition is free to enter, open to all and strictly just for fun; please feel free to invite your family, friends and work colleagues to enter too. There will be prizes of Saints goodies for first, second, third and last places. The points scoring and entry rules are shown below and in the attached rules document.

We are grateful to our friends at Sandridge Cricket Club who kindly provided the format for the competition.

You’ll be amazed at just how much it adds to your anticipation and enjoyment of each and every game. And if you find yourself stuck for a prediction, just remember these words of prediction-advice from Ron Atkinson, "Well either side could win it, or it could be a draw".

Happy predicting!

[Daedalus]

DOWNLOADS

Prediction Competition application form (spreadsheet) - click to download

Prediction Competition rules (document) - click to download


POINTS SCORING

Group Stage

Predict the score for each of the 24 group matches.

For each game, the following points are available:

4 points for the correct result (e.g. team A beat team B); 2 points for the correct number of goals for a team; 1 point for being 1 out in the number of goals for a team; 2 points bonus for predicting the exact scoreline.

So there is a maximum of 10 points available in each game.

Knockout Stage

Predict the winner of each game.

Based on your predictions of the results in the group matches the spreadsheet calculates the final group standings. The top two teams from each group progress into the quarter-finals. These will be automatically shown in the spreadsheet.

If two or more teams are tied in the league table on goal difference and goals scored, and the spreadsheet has not calculated your desired team to go through to the next round, you can override these entries in the amber qualifier boxes. Simply type the name of your preferred team and the spreadsheet will do the rest.

You predict the winner of each of the second round matches. This gives the fixtures for the quarter-finals and so on all the way to the eventual winners.

Points for the knockout stage are as follows:

4 points for each correctly predicted match winner in the knockout stages; 4 points for each last-16 team predicted; 8 points for each of the quarter-finalists; 12 points for each of the semi-finalists; 16 points for each finalist; 20 points for correctly predicting the winners.

There are also bonus points to be awarded for correctly predicting the top scoring team, the top scoring player and England’s top goalscorer in the tournament. The number of bonus points awarded is based upon the number prefixed in the answer in the drop-down box of the spreadsheet. For example if you correctly predict Wayne Rooney to be England’s top-scorer then you would get 5 bonus points, whereas you would get 13 points if Frank Lampard is England’s top scorer.

The overall winner will be the entrant with the highest total points from the Group and the Knockout stages, plus the bonus top scorer points all added together. In the event of a tie the entrant getting the highest number of scorelines right in the Group stage will win.
　

HOW TO ENTER

Fill in the application spreadsheet and email it to [e-mail] by Friday, 11th June 2010 (16:00). The competition is free to enter, so please leave the payment method box as blank.

[Daedalus]

This should be a fun competition. I like the format!

18 bonus points for Peter Crouch as the top England scorer. I fancy that! You heard it here first! No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/acclaim.gif

[COYS]

Sounds like fun. Where did they get the spreadsheet? Did they make it? Impressive work!

[COYS]

Although, I've just noticed, the draws are going in the 'loss' column on the group tables, and vice versa. Oops.

[Daedalus]

Jun 3, 2010 16:21:03 GMT COYS said:

Sounds like fun. Where did they get the spreadsheet? Did they make it? Impressive work!

Sandridge Cricket Club kindly provided the template, which left us with only a few minor things to modify. No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/bow.gif It was great of them to help us out as we quickly discovered just how complex it is to build something like that on Excel from scratch! ;D

I've only just noticed the draws and losses thing now that you have mentioned it. No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/redface.gif

You'll have to just pretend the L column is actually D and vice-versa, I'm afraid! As long as the points work properly, that's the main thing!

[COYS]

Yep, that's totally fine - like I said, it is a great chart. Just fine-tuning my predictions now, before I send it in.

I've gone for some surprise results in there

[Daedalus]

Yes, you've got to gamble on a few surprises. There are always surprises in the World Cup and you know it could make the difference in a competition like this if you guess them right!

[COYS]

Exactly, D, exactly.

[Daedalus]

Don't forget to enter this competition before Friday everyone!

[Daedalus]

Just finished my entry. Really tough to predict from the quarter-finals onwards.

In the end, I went for a slight outsider to win and a few surprises along the way.

I went with my heart over my head with England though. They got to the semi-finals on my prediction chart! I think they'll do well to get to the quarters to be honest! Such is my pessimism as an England fan.

Still, you never know with Fabio in charge!

[Hatboy]

I've let my heart rule this won used my head on others

[Daedalus]

Well, I'm pretty sure I predicted the opening game exactly right. Can't remember what I had for France v Uruguay; I think I had the French down to win. Still, not a bad opening day for me!

[COYS]

The first match I got the result right, a draw, but I think I said 2-2 instead of 1-1. The Uruguay - France match I had down as 1-0 France, so at least I got some points for the amount of Uruguay goals

[Daedalus]

Same for me COYS. I had 1-0 to France.

Glad that this competition is up and running. Adds an extra element to watching the matches.

[COYS]

Exactly - today I was willing on South Korea - it really gives you someone to support in the games that usually lack something for the neutral.

[COYS]

Day 2 has come and gone, how did everyone do? Personally, I have maintained my run of picking up points in every match, as I went for South Korea to beat Greece, albeit with a different score. I then managed to get my first 10 points with the 1-0 win for Argentina, so I was happy with that, then last night's disappointment against the US brought me 2 points for guessing the amount of America goals. I was also delighted to see Steven Gerrard score, as he was the player I picked to be England's top scorer by the end of the tournament.

[Daedalus]

World Cup prediction competition (click this link to read the story on the Saints City Trust website)

The chips are down in South Africa and St Albans.

Twenty football fiends have put their international sporting reputations on the line to claim the bragging rights that come as the winner of our inaugural World Cup prediction competition.

Spain has emerged as the favourites among our pundits, with eight of them predicting that La Furia Roja will emerge victorious from the final tie on 11th July, in which Brazil are their most likely opponents. England and The Netherlands are second favourites, getting the nod from three of the panel while Brazil and Portugal get two votes and Germany and Italy have one each.

Who are your favourites? Let us know by taking part in the poll on the home page and look out for regular updates on our pundits' progress as match results unwind.

The Teams

Barry Hilliard Bazza's Super Saints
COYS Isle of Mann
Daedalus Crouch Potato
Davy Mac's Understudy Wine on Thursdays
Eli Pipco
Gaz FC Gaz
Graeme G-Stars
Hatboy Oh My Hand of God
Laura L-Stars
Matt Morris Matt's rubbish guessing
Mid Week Saint I Have a Dream
Northampton Saint Billy's Boots
Olkvam SACFC Norwegian Branch
Rebecca Cambridge Optimists
Richard Thompson Falkland Islands
Sam Stancombe Norfolk in Chance FC
Stancs II I'm Playing Ketchup
Vince Duffy Northern Comfort
The Voice That Ran The Rangers Fulchester Rangers
Westie is King Orient Rule The World and St Albans



POINTS SCORING

Group Stage

Predict the score for each of the 24 group matches.

For each game, the following points are available:

4 points for the correct result (e.g. team A beat team B); 2 points for the correct number of goals for a team; 1 point for being 1 out in the number of goals for a team; 2 points bonus for predicting the exact scoreline.

So there are a maximum of 10 points available for each game.

Knockout Stage

Predict the winner of each game. The points are as follows:

4 points for each correctly predicted match winner in the knockout stages; 4 points for each last-16 team predicted; 8 points for each of the quarter-finalists; 12 points for each of the semi-finalists; 16 points for each finalist; 20 points for correctly predicting the winners.

There are also bonus points to be awarded for correctly predicting the top scoring team, the top scoring player and England’s top goalscorer in the tournament. The number of bonus points awarded is based upon the number prefixed in the answer in the drop-down box of the spreadsheet. For example if you correctly predict Wayne Rooney to be England’s top-scorer then you would get 5 bonus points, whereas you would get 13 points if Frank Lampard is England’s top scorer.

The overall winner will be the entrant with the highest total points from the Group and the Knockout stages, plus the bonus top scorer points all added together. In the event of a tie the entrant getting the highest number of scorelines right in the Group stage will win.

[Daedalus]

Good luck everyone!

[Daedalus]

Jun 13, 2010 10:58:47 GMT COYS said:

Day 2 has come and gone, how did everyone do? Personally, I have maintained my run of picking up points in every match, as I went for South Korea to beat Greece, albeit with a different score. I then managed to get my first 10 points with the 1-0 win for Argentina, so I was happy with that, then last night's disappointment against the US brought me 2 points for guessing the amount of America goals. I was also delighted to see Steven Gerrard score, as he was the player I picked to be England's top scorer by the end of the tournament.

Well, on day two, I got the South Korea v Greece match totally wrong (I went for a draw!)

I had the right result but wrong score for the Argentina v Nigeria match.

And I went for 1-0 to England in last night's game and thought I was on for the full points until poor Green slipped up.

[Daedalus]

Thanks to Northampton Saint's hard work, I can reveal the current league table for this competition. This is updated after Friday and Saturday's matches.

[/td][td]Entrant [/td][td]Team Name[/td] [td]Total[/td]
[tr][td]1[/td] [td]Eli [/td][td]Pipco [/td][td]35[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]2 [/td][td]Midweek Saint[/td] [td]I Have a Dream[/td] [td]30[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]3 [/td][td]Gaz [/td][td]FC Gaz [/td][td]30[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]4 [/td][td]Davy Macs Understudy [/td][td]Wine on Thursdays [/td][td]28[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]5 [/td][td]COYS [/td][td]Isle of Mann [/td][td]28[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]6 [/td][td]Matt Morris [/td][td]Matt's rubbish guessing[/td] [td]27[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]7 [/td][td]Laura[/td] [td]L-Stars[/td] [td]27[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]8 [/td][td]Stancs II [/td][td]I'm Playing Ketchup [/td][td]26[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]9 [/td][td]Hatboy [/td][td]Oh My Hand of God [/td][td]25[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]10 [/td][td]Olkvam [/td][td]SACFC Norwegian branch[/td] [td]24[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]11 [/td][td]Westie is King [/td][td]Orient Rule The World and St Albans[/td] [td]24[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]12 [/td][td]Daedalus [/td][td]Crouch Potato [/td][td]24[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]13 [/td][td]Vince Duffy [/td][td]Northern Comfort [/td][td]23[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]14 [/td][td]Barry Hilliard [/td][td]Bazza's Super Saints[/td] [td]22[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]15 [/td][td]Graeme[/td] [td]G-Stars[/td] [td]20[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]16 [/td][td]Richard Thompson [/td][td]Falkland Islands[/td] [td]19[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]17 [/td][td]Sam Stancombe[/td] [td]Norfolk In Chance FC[/td] [td]16[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]18 [/td][td]Rebecca[/td] [td]Cambridge Optimists[/td] [td]15[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]19 [/td][td]Northampton Saint[/td] [td]Billy's Boots[/td] [td]15[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]20 [/td][td]Voice That Ran The Rangers[/td] [td]Fulchester Rangers[/td] [td]14[/td][/tr]
[/table]

As I understand it, there will be a new updated full table (with more details) and a brief report on the Saints City Trust website at some point soon!