obelisk

Fellows offers a threat, right up until the moment he shoots. Maybe if he gets one to dribble in then the floodgates will open. Mind you, he probably has a fair number of assists.

If City lawyers are involved I wouldn't expect a decision until well into the next decade.

Ok then, does the FA letting Chelsea off the hook after years of improper wrangling behind the scenes bring the game into disrepute? I'd suggest it does but who could bring charges against the FA? The only reason we're having these pointless exchanges is because the FA are dragging their feet after a jolly to the world cup. It'll be good to return to the football.

That's an EFL rule. No other league has it by the way. I'm perfectly aware that Eckert has admitted improper behaviour and he'll no doubt get a kicking from the FA blazers for it. I'm referring to the catch-all FA Rule 3.1 and my point is a general one relating to it. What is or is not "improper" can be open to interpretation. It's a fairly simply point.

When a rules based system of governance tells participants that they mustn't do something "improper" without defining what it means or what sanctions might apply for being improper then I'd suggest that those making up the rules probably did so after a long boozy lunch.

If the FA follow the Chelsea route then it'd be a suspended sanction in a few years time. But then it isn't Chelsea or City so the FA blazers will probably want to kick one of the smaller fry.

Oh I give up.

Yes, randomly. Depending on whether the FA blazers have had a good lunch.

I'm not talking about "the rules" really. The phrase "sporting advantage" is bandied around as if nobody ever seeks to use it. There are rules about financial fair play for instance but they get applied randomly depending on who can afford the best lawyers which is itself seeking to gain a sporting advantage. Tapping up and paying the best players huge salaries is gaining a sporting advantage but let's worry instead about someone lurking behind a tree watching a team who are practising in public view. The whole thing's got out of hand in my opinion. Just look at bleedin' FIFA for instance. It's laughable.

Still can't get my head around the idea that seeking to gain a sporting advantage is somehow classed sinful. Isn't that part of what professional sport is about?

Banned from Teesside then? I'd accept that. All this mindless speculation does is to reinforce the fact that nobody knows where the so-called crime is considered to be in a range from "nothing to see here" to "deserving of public sacrifice". It's the EFL and the FA that are starting to look ridiculous. Wish they'd just damn well get on with it.

Dobbin's a cool dude. Nice finish.

Dodgy looking offside flag. 1-1 at HT.

Saints first shot I think. 1-1. Leo.

Shocking from THB. Another shot from Munster and it's 1-0 to them. Saints have hardly approached the opposition penalty area.

If you can call it that.

I see the FA have gone easy on Chelsea. https://www.thefa.com/news/2026/jul/31/chelsea-sanctioned-31072026

How would we know whether or not they have had an indication of how hard the FA want to hit Tonda? For all we know the lawyers could be slinging mud at each other while we hurl guesswork at each other.

The FA blazers are probably enjoying an extended G&T lunch. There's still plenty of time for them to lurch into a boozy decision.

What straw would that be old chap?

But when you go on to tell the whole world about Saints secret training methods? What is it then?

Isn't that called spying these days?

Indeed. If a spot of scouting opponents were such a grievous offence that it requires sackcloth, ashes, beating with sticks and even a few weeks in a pillory then why is it specifically allowed one day and not the next. And why does no other league have such a daft rule?

I don't suppose the FA could charge FIFA with bringing the game into disrepute.

The difference is that Saints have erected fences in order to stop other clubs scouts getting a look whereas Gibbo's lot were doing their work in public. It's about time that the pearl clutchers got a grip.