2017-2018 Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Welcome!

Hi there, chaps - Believe it or not, the summer close season is rapidly coming to an end. with only a few days until the 2017/2018 domestic season starts with a full Championship program next weekend and the traditional curtain raiser The Community Shield Game at Wembley on Sunday, it's time for all of you to consult your crystal balls again. Our pal Man Utd Rules is the current holder of the vaunted LOB Shield, which is winging its way across the Atlantic as we speak to make it to Harlingen, Texas by the beginning of the season. 

After consulting the PPP brain trust again, this is the basic set-up for this season's competition: 

2017/2018 Premiership Plus Predictions Game: 

1. Premiership Champions - 10 points

2. European Qualifiers (Choose #s 2-5 in the Premiership) - 4 points each plus a bonus point for the correct order)

3. Relegated sides - 3 points each plus bonus point for correct order

4. Promoted sides - 3 points each plus bonus point for correct order

5. League Cup winner - 6 points

6. League Cup loser - 2 points

7. FA Cup winner - 8 points

8. FA Cup winner - 2 points

9. Europa Cup winner - 4 points

10. Champions League winner - 6 points

11. La Liga champions - 2 points

12. Bundesliga champions - 2 points

13. Serie A champions - 2 points

14. Premiership top scorer - 6 points

15. First Goalscorer in the Premiership (2 points for actual first goalscorer; 1 point for first goalscorer in the PPP pool)

16. First Player to Get a Red Card (including two yellow cards) in the Premiership - 2 points

17. First Premiership Player to Get an FA Ban for an Off-Pitch Incident - 2 points

18. First Premiership Player to Get a Second Yellow Card for a Silly Offense - 2 points

19. First Premiership Manager to Get a "Vote of Confidence" (shortly before getting the sack) - 2 points

20. First Premiership Manager to Get Sacked in the Premiership - 2 points

21. First Two Premiership Managers to Get into a Touchline Fight - 2 points

Please get me your predictions in the above categories either by replying to this email or on the LOB blogsite by Friday morning, August 11, if you'd like to be part of this year's game (yes, that will give you one week to judge the potential Championship promotion favorites). After that, I'll allow a change in your predictions for "Top Premiership Goalscorer" only up until the end of the Premiership transfer window on August 31; all of the other predictions will stay the same until the end of the season. I'll be updating the standings weekly throughout the season both on the LOB blogsite and here by email. Please let me know if there is a better email at which to reach you. 

Good luck to all of you this season!