suewhistle

I thought we wanted to sign younger players: you've just reassured me! What position does he play?

Nickg, it's like fishing for stewpond trout which are so stupid and hungry they'll take a bare hook. You'd think CH would shut up given the amount of rubbish that he/she has written in the past. When you're in a hole...

Would Corp Ho realise it was insult?

Obviously there is a cost to the plan because of the risk involved: so you end up as a fan paying more, to zebra, to cover that risk. And that additional payment will be at a far higher rate over a fixed term than other alternatives, whether a 0% rate credit card, normal credit card or overdraft (which you can pay off as quickly as possible) or even an ordinary bank loan which you also pay off over a fixed period. So why should the club make that decision on financing, why are you so keen on these expensive forms of credit Stu? Are you on some commission? And stop saying it's not a loan or credit, it patently is even if you want to call it a service charge. If someone defaults on the payments, which you say are then passed on to the club, do those payments to the club stop? If Zebra take all the risk and continue to pay the club and chase the defaulter through the courts ok. But if Zebra stop passing on money because they haven't been paid obviously there is then a cost to the club as they have to then find and confiscate the ticket. What a faff. I'll grant that the communication over this has been bad, and they've made a big mistake in not realising that lots of people need their finances sorted out by others.

Pah, you should try some of the Italian pitches we have to put up with. Our home pitch is fine, but you should see the awful state of some of the ones around Turin - barely any grass. I always have a big tub of vaseline in my bag and spread it liberally on my knees and exposed leg as I have an English reputation for sliding tackles to maintain!

Heh, heh, we have some deviously minded people on this board. As to Corp Who's question about why we follow this story, lots of reasons: as many twists as a crime thriller, the sheer amazing gall of some of the particpants, the amazing incompetence of others, the outstanding self-pity and self-delusion of pompey fans, the wish to see that cheats on this scale don't prosper. Oh, and now because it is the close season...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/8714650.stm So not out of the woods but....

But you'll need to know the scores.. "BA107, cleared for finals, England 3 USA 1"

Ah, you don't want any more kids then? I'm sure the Red Sea would be far too hot, but then I'm a skier/sailing type. How do the Russians get on with the Italians, as based on the travel agents here loads of them must go there? Personally I'm going to Cyprus in October: £100 and staying with my sister!

OK, I reckon the club should have given us more notice, but this quote (nothing personal so I've anonymized it) sums up the attitude that other people should help us organise our own finances. It's not a question of poverty, or you wouldn't/shouldn't have a season ticket at all, it's a question of cash flow, organising your life so you do have something for unexpected events. I really can't believe the moaning. Seventeen year olds and students perhaps, and those with new kids (can you afford both!!), but give us a break...

Well, I'm normally not one for conspiracy theories: I tend to go for incompetency theories for most thing in life. In this case I'll go for both! What is interesting is that the questions we are asking aren't being asked anywhere else, as far as I can see. Surely there must be the odd journalist who is wondering about the FA guy, so why the silence? Must be a schedule D notice!

Can anybody be arsed to register to ask all the questions that we are asking here? So many questions: isn't an administrator meant to work for all the creditors, why the heck would a senior FA functionary wish to join Pompey? etc.... I quite like skate wings in butter, but at the moment it smells like they've been left out of the 'fridge for 4 months!

Fortunately I have friends who live in Southampton and get hold of tickets for me for when I visit, but the online charge is strange. The club must appreciate the wide ranging nature of our support and some have no other option. As for the lack of payment plan: I can see reasons why they might want to do this, but if so announce it in good, good time; back in April perhaps? If I were in the UK I'd be ok even on my 10k pension (fat chance at my age of getting much work at the moment) but that's because I plan. If you're single employed with no family commitments you should be able to get the cash together: what would happen if your car needed unexpected repairs, for example? It's good to see that some people are wary of credit cards but perhaps stick a little bit on an authorised overdraft for another couple of months and you should be well there. Might need a few cuts elsewhere, but many of us have to do that. For families with more than one ticket and dodgy employment situation I can see it being a real problem. It'll be interesting to hear the club's response.

I really haven't got a clue. I'll say England to beat Italy in the final, if only because it'd cause a riot down the local bar and it would stop me getting too much verbal stick from my friends, pupils, footie team mates, unknown drunks in bars....

Nor do they realise he's playing in front of average of 20,000 crowds which I suspect is pretty respectable compared with St. Etienne's? Morgan's Facebook page, written by some French guy, comments on the amazing crowd at Wembley.

That's so last century (early part of). Anyway Grandad, just to keep you happy I had words with myself, and have agreed to continue drinking them if it's a decent pint.

Yep, just off out for an apperitivo shortly. Here I drink wine with a group of mainly older [safer] guys and a few gals - almost like an Austrian stammtisch, if you know what I mean. People take turns to buy a €10 bottle so occasionally you can nip out for a quick glass or two and not spend a thing.

I remember watching that Italy game and thinking how comfortable he looked with the ball in an international context, how he dummied past that defender on the sidelines. It really seemed to me that the press had an agenda and I couldn't work out what it was. When you consider some of the talentless dross that has played for England, and the fact that you need a spark of something to win at the highest level you really do have to wonder, and agree with that Romanian doctor.

Well, my bar for watching the World Cup does it for €3.50... Milan is a different world....

Ah yes, The Platform. Had three pints there before the Millwall match last season: pretty good considering it was a 12.45 KO, but you have to bear in mind that visiting from abroad means I have to get a move on... I don't remember where I ended up that evening but it may well have been The Waterloo... I was not driving! St Landrew: that's not a universal situation in Italy, I'm afraid, but I can recall going into a Macdonalds only once in my life when I was accompanying a load of french kids on a UK summer school. Here my local wood-fired pizzeria is my food of choice.

Saints, of course. Oh, and my ladies' team.

And it might improve the attitude problems that have been mentioned - a few heavy defeats and they'll realise they aren't as good as they thought they were and need to work hard to succeed at the top.

Not like any of mine, it doesn't.

You'd be better off getting an annual insurance for your excess through an independent company: I've used Insurance4carhire. The moneysaving site will probably back this idea up if you want to research it.

How about 'who is paying him'?