Ted Bates Statue

He could end up toast before then, the way he seems to have completely underestimated the Covid threat to his own health.

Anywhere between 9th and 12th - we haven't done enough to improve on last season but I don't believe we'll get significantly worse either.

Let's be honest, we would have sold him on long ago after two decent seasons. Heaven forbid having Ings and Antonio in the same side. Although we couldn't justify paying around £1M for him while we were in League One, bearing in mind we had knowledge of the player, it feels like he was one of those that got away, not getting him in when we were back in the PL. I suppose we had better options up front until relatively recently, and he was unproven in the PL. Just checked West Ham's fee - £7M, bargain for ten goals a season.

Couldn't cut it as a manager so he has to resort to being a professional shit talker to pass the time. Entertaining but low effort from one of the giants of the prem. He strikes me as the sort of person who has to restrain himself from punching his own face when he sees his reflection in the mirror.

I'd like a novelty face mask of MLT so I can wear a surgical mask over it.

We went into restart without many friendlies (Bristol City and Brentford?) and that was following a longer period, albeit with the players on standby as opposed to on holiday. Based on what we saw in June/July I'm comfortably optimistic that we'll be one of the fittest sides in the division.

Have they tried putting them through the wash a couple of times?

Pretty much sums up why he's decided to move on. On the other hand, it took JWP around 7 seasons before really nailing down a place in the XI and showing his true capabilities and Jack Stephens has given 3+ years of dodgy performances before last season's improvements. Chicken and egg hypotheticals, but I think if we gave Harrison Reed similar patience he might have been a lot closer to nailing down a place in our matchday squad. Even if Fulham go down, I wouldn't be too surprised if he ends up playing in the PL again.

LD Sports - the Ali Dia of sponsorship. We all knew something was fishy. If anything, it's surprising that it took this long for things to fall apart.

He's been sent to fat camp

Obafemi not there either? Salisu could just be crocked as opposed to infected with Covid.

Epic. Obviously he's still playing hardball with AC Milan as they desperately try to pry him away from whatever the hell he does these days.

Fair enough. I was only reminded of the Guly thing as Saint Garrett mentioned above he started vs Man City. While we're at it, Cortese's spoon hunt... did that really happen? I'm praying that it did. Too good a story to have been made up.

So Guly's contract stipulating he had to play at least 15 minutes every game wasn't a wind-up after all...?

Say no more, I know just the player.

Is this Gao's way of putting pressure on Kat Liebherr to buy the club back? American interest rumoured but seems some way off from materialising.

It's felt like Watford were getting away with stealing points off us for ages. They also benefited from the disallowed goal that led to Charlie Austin's 'Parklife' rant. So this was fully justified top trolling by Djenepo. So good that I actually forgot he only provided the assist.

Most importantly, the lyrics aren't too complex so there might be a chance of it catching on at SMS.

Nice to see they have to endure the same issues we've had for the last few years. If we had a red and white stripes kit looking like that we'd all be saying "well done, yet again UA manage to fuck up even the simplest kits." What is so difficult about having striped kits that actually reach the shoulders? I guarantee you that the Palace fans will hate it. Edit: They hate it. https://www.holmesdale.net/page.php?id=106&tid=176640&page=4

Is it cancel culture to want someone to stop spouting bollocks though? It's a bit different if he's being satirical - I assume he is being serious unfortunately. Perhaps he's finally realised he's best sticking to the football.

Much more concerning is the tagline at the bottom - "We never stop". I demand that this is updated with a disclaimer to acknowledge that we actually do stop at the end of the season, and also whenever a pandemic occurs.

Did you ever follow Kelvin Davis' career? He was selected on multiple occasions for 'Team of the Season' in the lower leagues and yet every time he played in the Premier League either he lost his place or his side got relegated. Still, the selective reading of stats is all that matters, and on that basis I for one welcome our SPL Champion Fraser Forster back as Ralph's number one for next season.

I have been guilty of only noting Eddie Howe's failings in the transfer market but reading the above twitter thread suggests that perhaps he isn't that bad after all. Even Man City have probably had to spend the best part of a billion on their defenders in the last five years. It is odd in that previously proven players like Begovic and Defoe didn't work out, but for others like Ibe, Clyne, Wilshere, they were already shown to be struggling at their previous clubs so there was obviously a risk to take them on in the first place. To me it looked like he would have been fine to deliver at Championship level as he clearly has an eye for a bargain... an actual wheeler-dealer unlike another sensitive local resident. Maybe if he doesn't turn up at Palace, perhaps he is an outside bet for a Director of Football.

Not sure the gold looks right on the 3rd kit. Reminds me of the sort of packaging you get on bags of rice. Maybe it'll look ok when it's worn but whenever I see it I just think of the Yau Brothers supermarket.

The fact that many of them seemed to pin their hopes on it being similar to Gao's protracted takeover of us tells you how desperate they are. If that's the attitude pervading through the club then it cannot end well. My guess is when they do get sold it will be a fascinating honeymoon period before a rather rude awakening, by which point they will be looking nervously at the lower end of the Championship.