trousers

All very pedestrian at the moment... No sign of the promised intensity yet... That said, probably more down to the weather than anything?

Jack Stephens in no man's land...

1-0 Still out!

New kit actually looks decent when worn in matchday mode

Just tried setting up an account and they're asking for upload of driving licence + other proof of address to verify the account. F*** that for a game of soldiers!

Cheers! Sounds like a plan

Not sure if you're being sarcastic there Sue, but in case not....

Excluding the players who are yet to join up with the squad due to international duty, the only obvious omission there is Manning, isn't it?

Subscription free?

Less of the "all" please mate...

If your friend has heard this from the horse's mouth, then what's to disagree with...?

The interim report does highlight a previously known issue with the fuel cutoff switch locking mechanism, but it would still be highly improbable for both switches to have developed this fault simultaneously, I'd have thought?

Maw

Apologies for trotting out the forum's most annoying question but do forgive me... Source? 😁

I'm in two minds as far as Armstrong is concerned. On balance, I think I'd rather have him in our squad than in one of our rivals'. On that basis alone, it's a "stick" rather than a twist from me.

Yep, if there are players in the team that aren't pulling their weight (as per most of the team last season) then the captain should be giving them an on-the-pitch bollocking. I don't recall seeing any such admonishing from Stephens last season....?

Wasn't he played out of his best position whilst there though? (Supposedly) #context

The likes of Donley is exactly the sort of loan signing we should be targetting though, IMO. i.e. A highly rated player on the cusp of breaking through into a top* premier league club's 1st team. (*MLG note: yes, I know that Spurs weren't a "top" premier league team last season, but they can be considered a top PL team over a sustained period of time)

https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/tottenham-rebuff-offers-two-young-31934876 " Jamie Donley, who took League One by storm with Leyton Orient last season with 19 goal involvements in 48 matches as well as a remarkable strike from the halfway line that forced a Stefan Ortega own goal in the FA Cup tie against Manchester City and had Pep Guardiola praising the versatile 20-year-old. football.london understands that Spurs are currently rebuffing loan advances for Donley, who has four years left on his contract and can play in midfield or attack, and will reassess his situation later in the summer after Frank has worked with him on the training pitches in pre-season."

Was once dubbed "the new Harry Kane"... https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/who-is-jamie-donley-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-tottenham-striker-at-the-centre-of-an-international-battle-between-northern-ireland-and-england/40949191.html Excuse my curiosity but are you asking about him because of some intel you've heard about him possibly being scouted by ourselves? Just seems a bit of a random player to mention otherwise... cheers!

Yeah, good points 👍

I agree that it's often difficult to separate sentimentality and practicality, but I think it's possible, and indeed logical, to express both. Yes, Jack has been a loyal servant and I too applaud his "give it all" attitude. But, alongside that, we ought to be able to secure the services of better Centre Backs for the starting 11, given our financial clout in this division and the stated goal of the owner to get re-promoted at the first attempt (cue the "Who would you buy then?" mantra....) My concern with Stephens isn't that we've given him a contract extension, per se, but that it seems he is to retain the captaincy. To me, you give the captaincy to someone who, barring injury or suspension, is pretty much guaranteed to start every game... the likes of Downes, for example. If the club management believe that Stephens is a such a player then that rings alarm bells to me. So, nothing against Stephens as a bloke, but one shouldn't let sentimentality get in the way of logic and practicality. IMHO of course.

Forgot one... Have met the band 'Enter Shikari', courtesy of being good friends with the lead guitarist's father

Ah, ok, perhaps my memory playing tricks on me then... How many games did he start,, out of interest? (and how many of those non-defeats were draws Vs wins?) Cheers 👍🏻