OK….he got some help from his two mates, but I couldn’t resist using this particular photo.
The lads from Woking defeated the Bard of Barking by 17-13 in a surprisingly low-scoring final in which both held the lead at various stages. I didn’t think back at the Start!, given that The Jam ICA was comprised solely of album tracks, that would they could win the whole thing but the result does go to show just how well their songs have aged and that they still have a special place in the hearts and minds of many of you.
I can’t thank enough all of you for getting involved so much these past few months – the quality across the comments section has been astounding – and of course a very special shout-out to jimdoes who came up with the initial idea. I’m planning, all being well, to having a second ICA World Cup. most likely in 2020 and featuring teams whose ICAs are from #151 and onwards.
But…..and here’s where your voice will really matter, I’d like to run some sort of competition in 2019 along similar but different lines if that makes sense.
It’s an idea which has been mulling around my head for a few months and I have shared it with the likes of Aldo and Jacques, neither of whom were moved to talk me out of it.
Everything to do with the 2018 match-ups came via random selections amd with the use of a coin and a dice. Next time around, I’d like readers to be more involved. I’m looking for folk to volunteer themselves as managers of a squad Once I know how many folk are interested, I can start to flesh out the idea in more detail with those concerned. If nobody is interested, I’ll quietly drop the idea….and wait till 2020 for the next tourney.
If it does go ahead there will a need for a lot of e-mails to kick back and forth and so I’m likely going to set up a separate account for it all as and when the time comes.
In the meantime, I’d be delighted if any of you wanted to give an indication, via the comments section, of your willingness to be a manager……
In the meantime, both of our finalists get to close things off:-
mp3 : Billy Bragg – That’s Entertainment
mp3 : The Jam – That’s Entertainment
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
That was a great comp, more fun than many World Cups (but not maybe this year’s). Please count me in.
Congratulations to Mr. Weller (and his mates). He fought a good fight without fielding any of his best players, so he deserves that trophy.
Glad to see Billy come second – I hadn’t expected him to get that far.
Put me down for managing a team of no-hope Sunday leaguers.
Congratulations to the Jam – even though I’m not a fan – I’m slightly perturbed that I promised you an ICA for the winners so they get to defend their trophy – I guess I’m going to have to do a whole lot of listening to their back catalogue in the next 4 years!!!
And put me down for managing a team of overpaid chancers
An inspired series delivered entertainingly and faultlessly JC, thank you for all your work in putting it together. The Clash were my pick at the start of the competition, but it wasn’t their year. The Jam are very worthy winners.
I’m afraid I’ll have to count myself out of contention for your proposed new feature. I don’t have an awful lot of spare time at all at the moment and I’d hate to let anyone down. I’ll be cheering from the sidelines though!
Excellent – music’s coming home, if not the footy.
Put me down as a manager – sure I can flesh out the relegation places…
I’m in. My record as a manager is second to almost everyone’s.
Great fun, and a couple of good finalists. Keep me in mind for a team.
Thanks a lot. This was entertaining. I’ll help where I can.
A great cup even though XTC were belatedly determined to have been eliminated as a result of bribes to Croation and Brazilian refs. Happy to manage a squad, expecting all the success of team USA on the world stage.
happy to help out, i’ve really enjoyed it
If I haven’t been appointed Dundee United manager by then count me in
I’ve really enjoyed this series. As someone who has voted on every tie – even if it was down to deciding upon the least awful on a couple of occasions – I feel I ought to pick up a squad, so count me in if you haven’t got enough folks already.
Echoing others, and coming from a very “soccer-backwards” nation, I would humbly support the idea of having another cometition and helping out in any way called for, however incompetently.
Well that was one of the most enjoyable series that you have run JC. It’s a testament to the ‘buy-in’ of your audience in contributing so many wonderful ICA’s that this series could even have been thought up.
Looking forward to your next notion that turns into an idea that runs for more that a month of Sundays on T(n)VV!!!
Sorry for the belated response, I’m just back from Crete – and I’m gorgeous golden-brown: if you could see me, I’m sure you wanted to dance around me!
Count me in, preferably for the German team, mate: I’m almost 100% certain I can do better than our ‘real’ manager did last month !!!