Sheaf Saint

Like we did in 2005 you mean?

I know this doesn't really add anything to the debate, but I thought I would share it with you as it is relevant... Yesterday I went to my other half's graduation ceremony at Sheffield City Hall, and I was privileged to hear an address from the Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University - none other than the TV science presenter and world-renowned fertility specialist Robert Winston. He was very frank with his opinions on the current debate and expressed great concern about the health minister's recent announcement about reducing the cut-off point for termination, insisting that politics has no place in such matters and that any decision regrading terminations should be purely between 'doctor and patient', for which he received a heartfelt round of applause.

Thank you *Halo* for such an excellent summary of the situation. You do have to wonder why our media channels always choose to show interviews with Israeli officials talking about the terrorist threat from Gaza and their right to defend themselves, yet we never get to hear the Palestinian side of it. I mean, it couldn't possibly be due to the heavy Jewish influence in global, and particularly American media corporations, could it?

Apart from hitting the post before he scored you mean?

Just watched the highlights on MOTD and it seemed that Puncheon was involved in every single attacking move we made today, and could have had three or four goals if his finishing was a little better. Gets my vote anyway.

If people care more about a symbol than they do about the sentiment behind it then that's up to them.

None I guess. I was simply responding to Sour Mash so that he could have all of the available information before making a snap judgment on me and my reasons for not wearing a poppy. As for McLean, well he obviously had his own reasons for choosing not to wear one, just as I do. AS BTF suggested, there may be some reason why he or his family may face a backlash at home in Derry if he did wear one, so I am not going to pass judgment on him, as many others on here appear to be very eager to do, for exercising his right to freedom of choice and freedom of expression.

Does it? Really? I mean, if there was some way we could commune with all those dead soldiers in the afterlife and ask their opinion, what do you think they would say about it? My guess is that they wouldn't give the slightest toss if people wear poppies or not, as long as they remember the sacrifice made and honour that by enjoying the freedoms that were fought for. FWIW... My great grandfather was lost to a German U-boat during the Battle of the Atlantic in 1942. His older brother was KIA somewhere in Belgium in 1917. I know this because I have taken the time to read all of the research that my mum has carried out on our family history, and looked up the records of where there is a plaque bearing their names. I have given money to the poppy appeal on many occasions, and I always observe the silence on Rememberance Day, but I choose not to wear a poppy when I give my money over, for the same reason that I have never taken a wristband when giving to Help For Heroes: because I don't believe that wearing such a symbol in any way validates my choice to donate and acknowledge the reasons for it. I'm wondering if all of the holier-than-though judges on here could tell me... Does that make me a c\/nt?

It's a pretty dull life I lead ;-)

Wow. Just.... wow! I've just caught up on this thread and I have to say that I never thought this forum could ever reach the depths of moronic hypocrisy that it has. Just to sum up, for those who still don't see the irony... Poster A - "They gave their lives so that we could all enjoy freedom of choice and expression" Poster B - "OK I respect that and I am happy to observe a minutes silence and donate to the charity etc..., but I exercise that freedom given to me by choosing not to wear an insignificant bit of plastic" Poster A - "Then you're a c\/nt and you should be forced to wear one!" Hahahaha! Cheers guys - not had such a good laugh in ages.

Just watched Cabin In The woods. What...the.....f!*@?

From your opening post on this thread... Make your mind up...Which is it? A scathing attack on a manager and, indeed, a whole new thread, for failing to make some substitutions that were no guarantee of a different result does not really constitute 'support' in my book.

And what if Adkins had brought on some fresh legs, but we still didn't win? You and Thedulldays would doubtless now be screaming for him to be sacked because he did make the subs. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. FWIW, I don't think 'fresh legs' in attack would have made the slightest difference yesterday. Swansea sat back and defended with 10 men behind the ball to hold out for the draw. Bringing on somebody with a bit more pace only makes sense if the oppo are pushing forward chasing the game, otherwise it is surely better to keep your more talented players on the pitch. Adkins called it right IMO.

Yea cos we were so sh1t when we wore the sash weren't we.

Any excuse to have a pop with you at the moment isn't it! Adkins has said Shaw had cramp, so he was replaced with another left back. How in the living f**k do you manage to work out that means Adkins is 'out of his depth"? You're getting worse than Alpine Saint in the 'completely baseless and irrational criticism' stakes, and it's getting rather boring now.

You're not sad to say it though, are you. You've been saying ad-naseum for the last few weeks and you're like a stuck record. There was nothing wrong with the way we set up today. The formation and the tactics were spot on in fact. We didn't get the result because the team couldn't penetrate enough to seriously test the keeper, and that is 100% down to the players and not the manager. Getting rid of Adkins and bringing in someone new now will not make the slightest improvement IMO.

And it just had to be Nathan F***ing Dyer didn't it!

Architects of our own downfall once again. Swansea were there for the taking and we gifted them back into it. Played much better I thought with Cork in CM instead of Davis, and we had two good shouts for a penalty, but that doesn't excuse the fact we should have taken all three points there today. Gutted.

Not exactly a gig - Castle Morton 1992. The biggest free party the UK has ever seen, which convinced the government of the time to introduce the Criminal Justice Bill.

Just because someone isn't especailly good at speaking without a script or an autocue doesn't make them a bad leader, likewise being good at it doesn't guarantee good leadership skills. It's actions, rather than words, that ultimately matters. Adolf Hitler was a very good public speaker.

Why does it not surprise me that Alps bases his judgement of a leader on his/her ability to take to a public stage and talk a load of hot air?

Globule or... Irksome

I really can't believe how childishly posters such as Delldays are calling for his head, as if changing the manager now is going to magically make our squad better. What I saw last night was not pretty, I'll admit. But personally I lay the large chunk of the blame with the players. We were bullied out of the game by a better, more organised and, most importantly, physically stronger team. It didn't matter what formation or tactics Nigel went with, the group of players we have are just too lightweight to compete. Added to that is the fact that certain players are failing in their most basic duties ( for example, Lallana as a LW not bothering to track back and cover the LB when required; and S. Davis in CM not even bothering to put in a single tackle all game). Maybe I'm naive but I fail to see how sacking the manager now is going to resolve that. I'm more than happy to stick with Nigel and build for the future, because I genuinely believe that we can become a very strong team with him at the helm. But the simple fact is we over-achieved last season (not that I'm complaining about that) meaning the step up to the PL has been too much for a large chunk of the squad. Given that NA's long-term plan has always been about stability and team-spirit, replacing most of the first team in the close season would probably have been equally as disastrous as using players that are not (yet) up to it. In Nigel I trust. And I'm getting pretty bored of reading the same old reactionary drivel from the usual suspects every time we concede a goal. It's only a game.

Well their first goal shouldn't have stood because there was a definite handball in the lead-up to it, and we definitely should have had a penalty towards the end. HOWEVER... that really just papers over the cracks. Our defensive set-up was shocking, our midfield was way too accommodating and our forward play was far too predictable and easily dealt with. Nobody came out of that with any credit IMO, but I'm gonna stick my neck out here and say what I've been feeling for a while... Lallana really ain't all that I'm afraid. I fail to see exactly what he brings to the attack to make him so highly rated, and his defensive covering is disgraceful. Poor old Danny Fox gets slaughtered on here for allowing too much to come down our left side, but the amount of times he had two men on him because AL was just trotting back from losing the ball up front (again) was inexcusable. I really don't want to see Adkins sacked, but I'm fearful that is precisely what is going to happen... and soon.