Gloucester Saint

Ben McKinney has been their likely Crawley replacement and done well for the Lions. Is he better? I suspect we might find out in the summer. James Rew at Somerset would be another wk/bat option if Jordan Cox was used as a specialist top order player. Tom Haines at Sussex is liked by England and Josh Bohannon at Lancs would be #3 option although played D2 cricket last term, was D1 top scorer before that. Jacob Bethell is in the Ashes squad and had some white ball success and a decent NZ red ball tour at #3. But needs more domestic red ball experience and still to score a FC ton.

His ratings are rapidly tanking and MAGA letting loose on infighting in a way even our parties would blush at. Mid-terms next year the Dems will do well simply by not being the GOP as they’ve done in recent weeks in other contests. After that, it’s whether the GOP will be ruthless enough to kick Trump out or at least sideline him and do what the Dems didn’t have the cojones to do with Biden. Biden was deteriorating unacceptably but this is even worse from Trump, this is a full scale mental health breakdown on the way. Vance is unpopular so that’s why there’s so much jockeying going on in MAGA.

Pope at 3 hasn’t worked consistently and doing the same thing, failing and repeating it is stupidity from Key, McCullum and Stokes. Pope at 4 or 5 I can handle but he will have to dislodge Root or Brook for his place. Crawley - not Test quality bar one off innings. Duckett I’m not sure about vs genuine pace and ditto Brook. Jamie Smith - white ball basher, Jordan Cox is the longer-term bet as wk batsman.

Good - sick of UK citizens stirring this up. If you want to kick off and fight, fly out there and get stuck in by all means. Or if you want to advocate for Palestinian rights in a peaceful and constructive way then I actually have plenty of empathy with you. But to chant these slogans such as Intifada and from the River to the Sea are extremist, and incitement to others https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cde65de81jgo

1980/81 - just before my time but have seen clips of it.

Late 40s so FA Cup win was my parents generation (they were there). Ditto Keegan signing and the amazing 1980-82 sides (Keegan modelled his Newcastle sides on that). First season was 1983/4 - finishing second, Liverpool home win on BBC1 (very rare in those days), 8-2 v Coventry, although pain of FA Cup semi final. 4-1 win v peak Liverpool at the Dell 1989. Knocking Man U out on penalties early 90s. Bally and Lawrie’s return - Liverpool home in the snow, Newcastle away who were hammering everyone at home, Norwich 4-5, Villa home with more MLT magic and their fans Scotland at Wembley 1977 impression, then survival v the odds at West Ham final day, with another pitch invasion. Newcastle home, 3 goals in last 5 mins with the tannoy announcement to sit down. 3 successive home wins v peak Man U - including the grey shirt 3-1 and infamous 6-3. SMS opening, winning 4-2 at Chelsea under WGS. 2002/3 as a STH, FA Cup Final, Europe, beating peak Arsenal at SMS, Claus’s first goal. JPT final, successive promotions, Poch, Ronald our best manager since Lawrie, Sunderland 8-0, successive 4-0 v Newcastle, back to back Old Trafford wins, 4-2 comeback win v Liverpool, 6-1 v Villa and Mane hat-trick, 4-2 City. EFL final, beating Inter and seeing us play in San Siro, Gabbiadini at Swansea. Play off final at Wembley.

Outcome - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vjjw3wylxo Guilty of racism as were two other Reform councillors. Kept his seat and now an Independent.

Some of the stuff she’s written about Charlie Kirk’s widow is also staggeringly inappropriate and poor taste.

What is it with the sick people making videos claiming the Bondi attack was a fake?

Shopping crowd behaviour at this time of year We visited the lovely Cotswolds village of Broadway at the weekend. It’s always popular at this time of year and the Christmas lights and scenes are very pretty (pictures below). But does it really warrant people fighting for the parking space we were about to vacate, also making it harder for us to exit as they muscled in on each other?

Debate his policies, his impact, the MAGA movement and the motives of the 77m who voted for him. But just on this type of behaviour alone, he should not be anywhere near such an important leadership position,

All the charm, grace and diplomacy of an encrusted jizz stain on a headboard. Great advert for the USA.

It’s about the trade and foreign policy levers in part. Governments are desperate for growth to head off the risk from populism but turning to Saudi for that after seeing China’s intentions is literally jumping from the frying pan to the fire. FIFA are accelerating this with the WC going there as part of a sports washing programme. The current Saudi dynasty tbf are trying to turn away from Wahhabism and pre-October 4 attacks were trying to steer the Palestinians away from Iran to focus on regional economic growth. Engaging with the Saudis economically but ensuring they are really clamping down on the worst of Wahhabism and closing the schools and training centres down would help in the longer-run. Very long-term project though.

I can’t see any contradiction in saying that the Bondi attack is vile and unwarranted, carried out by brainwashed brutes from a faith which globally needs urgently pivoting away from aggressive Wahhabi and IRG theories and violence funded since the late 1970s, and saying factually that Netanyahu is pathetic for blaming Albanese for the common sense step of recognising a Palestinian state which has to happen for any faint sliver of peace and settlement for that region to happen. Unfortunately the UK and other Western nations selling assets to the Saudis instead of the Chinese isn’t exactly helping this pivot, and neither is MAGA propping up Netanyahu. Both the Wahhabi teaching schools and hardline Netanyahu governments need to disappear for any progress to be possible or the cycle of endless violence accelerates further. Rabin’s assassination was a sliding doors moment.

MLT only missed the one (v Forest - Mark Crossley still talks about it) and I don’t recall Beattie missing one either. On the other extreme, we missed 2 in one game under Burley (McGoldrick at least one) but generally late 80s to 2014 we had reliable penalty takers which is remarkable. Full backs can be a good bet (Manning? He can’t defend so let’s utilise him other ways) - my old man stuck a tenner on David Peach as our regular and reliable spot kick taker at Wembley in 1979 in case we were awarded one at 16/1. Paid for his day out and more besides.

Ralph had fallen out with McCarthy after the Brighton home game so there was the obvious opportunity to sell him (there were buyers although probably a low fee with the crazy wages Semmens awarded him) and if Rasmus/Shields really wanted Bazunu given Forster had left, there was ample headroom for an experienced keeper with 2 more PLs seasons in them to allow Bazunu room to develop through cup appearances which is more than he’d have got at City. Not sure with his lack of keeping basics that he’d have developed heaps more, but throwing him in at such a young age was a horrific mistake and unfair on the lad. I’m primarily blaming SR but Ralph is experienced enough to know better as well.

They’re just trying to come up with a coherent strategy for the health priorities of Portsmouth tbf…

And a third one on loan with such a notorious record he’s not allowed anywhere near the first team. All of the stupid things SR has done, that was top 3.

True, but I’d rather have a semi-retiring 37 year old McCarthy on genuine back up wages rather a non-goalkeeper expecting first team wages. Tim Flowers joined us very young from a Wolves side plummeting through the divisions but despite some errors you could see a natural keeper there. John Burridge was an ideal stop gap to give Timmy space to develop and mature. Bazunu doesn’t have that natural ability or ceiling.

Unless your #1 does what Forster did v Burnley and is out for the best part of a year. Bazunu won’t be on/want back up wages either. Can probably get more in a less physical league.

Fund it all by televising on Sky. Great TV to be streamed in various Carling-serving pubs with lots of ‘come on England’ chants and merchandise. For a bit of balance with Gary Neville, add Richard Littlejohn on co-commentary.

This is what successive past and future governments are up against. Easy political slogans such as Stop the Boats, Smash the Gangs and Let the Navy Intercept them from Tories, Labour and Reform are pointless in the face of it. The current Home Sec probably has the right approach by removing the incentives to come in the first place. But there will still be numbers trying. The French for their own sake as much as ours need to get back to slashing the boats in shallow waters. Soggy would beat one off about the English far right harassment of migrants in N France but that’s a growing problem too as the smugglers are well tooled up to respond in violent kind.

Oriel is a bone fide Saints legend and I’m sure the fitness will come but yes, the cameos have been Hurlock-esque so far.

Hadn’t even seen that but yes, I agree. Their actions make no difference but just create more problems in the country. That issue won’t be back on the road to resolution until Netanyahu is removed and a 2-state solution is back on the table.

Conservative newspapers say that regulation in the economy isn’t needed - wrong. They say they stick up for working class people - wrong https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq107yxxjyo Our Evri deliveries have been fine but many people’s we know haven’t and it’s clear why - illegal greed.