The9

I can't believe they're claiming to have changed the kit in the last 4 weeks, as it is complete incompetence from the club if the case - though I'm getting less convinced as time goes on. Having worked for a Sports retailer in their warehouse a few years back, these kits are usually drawn up 12 months in advance, tweaked 6 months in advance, made not long after and then shipped for storage months before any product launch etc. If we were making it ourselves I could believe it, but this is Umbro we're dealing with. Something that hasn't been raised yet - we had a VERY unique deal with Umbro, as the kits are only currently sold online or in one of three stores (Megastore, West Quay and the IoW one) - as far as I'm aware, no other club has this kind of deal and the other clubs with Umbro CAN all have their shirts sold in supermarkets, sports retailers etc. Will this be changing ? We have a five year deal, but that element of it might not be for the entire duration. Could we see Saints shirts back "on the High Street" (or at least in SportsDirect.com and JJB) again ?

Not a bad shout given the crappy group they're in, but they'll have to beat one of Italy (to win the group) then most likely Denmark or Holland to do so...

Yeah, that's where I've been getting my stuff from, especially the bit about redesigning France's entire team around the Skate Diarra's absence - they should only allow one team to qualify from Group A. Only just realised that the draw (unlike in previous years) in COMPLETELY split down the middle - i.e. A/B/C/D CAN'T play E/F/G/H until the Final. Previously I'm SURE they switched sides about at the semi-final stage to mix the A-D with E-H but they're not doing it this time. What that basically means is as long as England win their group, they will play : D2 in 2nd Round (prob Australia/Serbia/Ghana unless Germany mess up) then in the QF the winner from the match between A1 (winner of a terrible group with South Africa/Mexico/France/Uruguay) and B2, (the runners-up from Nigeria/S Korea/Greece/Argentina). You couldn't ask for a better pathway than that, really. I make it Australia (which could be tricky) and then South Korea or Mexico, it could be South Africa or France though.

Come on, we've all got quirky ideas of what might happen, get them down here for maximum glory or utter humiliation. Doesn't matter if it's group winners, score predictions, outsiders you think will make the semis or what. Put them here, or save the "I told you so"s for off the board. I'll start : South Africa and Mexico to qualify from Group A Holland to reach the semi finals (Denmark might beat them in the group though) No goalscorer in North Korea v Portugal on June 21 Ghana won't score more than 1 goal in the tournament USA and England will BOTH make the QF (and maybe further).

I hope you're not planning on putting money on those selections... Ghana and Uruguay's groups (D and A) are probably the tightest ones, any of the 4 could go through. Starting to think this is going to be a REALLY defensive competition as well, most of the teams have terribly defensive line-ups, especially in Group D (except Germany). Quite looking forward to North Korea's "six defenders" though, my money's on "no goalscorer" for them v Portugal on June 21.

To be fair if McCarthy thinks Van Damme's worth losing half a team of reserves for its not surprising he's difficult to read...

Wasn't all this originally posted on here with links to this kind of news about a month ago on a different thread anyway ? FWIW it made me LOL, especially as I've seen Papa Waigo wandering round Bedford Place a couple of times quite near the hairdressers...

I don't have to compete, just score goals. But it would be a bit tricky from where I'm going to be instead. This is the only competition I've ever seen where 35 isn't the cut-off. Though admittedly I once played in a Veterans' competition when I was 21 and my dad's team was short, I don't think that counts.

Right, who's getting down there to rummage in the bushes ? Piece of pee to get a cameraphone shot as evidence from the trees behind the one goal next to the main road, fence or no fence...

I'd hope he had better things to do, like work out how to implement a Season ticket payment plan, or attending "how not to p15s off your fanbase" classes.

Should still be under £100 though.

Veteran - a broad definition, given that I qualify by 7 years and refused to play with the old b'stards last year.

Announced on the OS as "shortly", 6 months ago.

It's gone 1:25pm and another marketing coup foiled... Etc. Even I'm starting to not care, but I bet it's doing wonders for their hit counter.

Dunno, I'll have to check what they cost me. You'd have to take on any transfer costs to get the name changed, but I bought them pretty early so will be cheaper than a train or Steve's petrol-guzzling bananamobile.

Now now Stuart, you have made your point. I was merely suggesting our former sponsor's planes would have a good view of the grass design. It would be much too difficult to write the message in 4 different directions too.

I hope we have one with 125 different directions mown all at the same time. That would be AWESOME. Or maybe a "f'ck you flybe" message ?

I just emailed Rattlehead (we chat, y'know) and he provided this eloquent retort. As you will be able to tell, it is authentic. I have permission to post.

I really enjoyed this programme, reminded me of a bunch of awesome World Cup moments, even though it was clearly researched by a 15-year-old work experience who had been told not to include anything before 1990 if it could at all be helped. Notable omissions (I think, might have missed them on the programme) - The entire Kuwait team walking off in 1982 after a phantom whistle - The Spanish disallowed goal against South Korea in 2002 when the ball was nowhere NEAR going out - Schumacher / Battiston - The abysmal 1990 final as a whole - Baggio's penalty ?

Well if they were then they weren't taken yesterday.

And if you ARE interested to going, I have flights between Southampton and Leeds on the Friday and Sunday to shift on, cos I can't go (first one I've missed since 2003), so PM me. I heartily recommend the whole experience, it's GREAT and I'd be going this year too if life wasn't intervening.

"WARNING - contains Alpine".

Make that "healthily" !

I did, I got soaked walking to the car. In case you're having trouble keeping up, someone has claimed they took the photos yesterday at Staplewood, outdoors. It was chucking it down less than 5 miles away pretty much all day, so there's a fair chance that if the weather can be identified on the pics we'll be able to verify if this rumour is true or not. And if it IS true, and they have been taking pics the day before the launch, it's some pretty rubbish planning. I have kinda come full circle to thinking "who cares" myself now having explained that, but that was the point of it all, and there's only so many times you can have the "stripe/not stripe" argument.

Indeed, but implies that this was outdoors, yesterday, when it was significantly different weather to the previous few weeks. So if it's true, we might be able to tell from the pics. I remain heathilty cynical about the whole thing.