Crab Lungs

Worse still, I just had visions of Ant 'n' Dec, Simon Cowell and a reality-tv type show with JLS winning the official vote to pen a new anthem...

Haha, was just thinking how annoyed I get when Steven Gerrard is picked for England and had to come back here to be among people who feel the same. Can't stand his "Roy of the Rovers" attitude. If there is one person ****ing things up for people, it's him. Whenever in the middle, trots around and leaves Lampard to do the dirty work and whenever wide, he leaves Ashley Cole to defend the left side all by himself (Cole, it has to be said, done a bloody good job of it too - no wonder the poor bugger couldn't get forward that much..) I can only hope that come the Hungary game, we'll have a fresher looking line up... no more hangers on, the "golden generation" have to be binned. They've had their chances, they've continually ****ed them up.

On a side note, other than my own national anthem, I always found "Uber Alles" an awesome anthem... not the Nazi version though... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEdoLKknCi0

This has been discussed quite alot amongst my friends before but I thought I'd bring it to the board to garner opinion. How would you feel about a new national anthem? Would you prefer one, or are you happy with God Save The Queen? Personally, the current one still gives me goosebumps listening to it but part of me would like something more relevant to the country and not the Royal Family. Besides, it's more of a "British" thing than an English thing IMO. It'll probably never happen, but I'm going to throw these suggestions at you and see the feedback. Option A "God Save The Queen" : Option B "Jerusalem" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfqRh0D72f8&feature=related Option C "Land Of Hope & Glory" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=podh1wht9RY Option D "I Vow To Thee, My Country" : And for the more traditional.... Option E "Rule Britannia" (sung by Brian Blessed?) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UcvBLd06wA&feature=fvst On a personal level, I do love "I Vow To Thee, My Country" but can see the merits of the other suggestions. And, besides, "Jerusalem" is always rousing for the Cricket Nominations for anything by James Corden/Dizzee Rascal or mentioning "German Bombers" is not accepted

LOL, I certainly didn't expect that I totally take your point with regards to what we might expect. I was just blown away by their customs and how they done things over there. I honestly beleived that I was well travelled and had experienced pretty much every culture there was to experience but wasn't at all prepared for how vastly different it was. It was so (positively) different in so many aspects big and small that, I guess, once it was all mentally tallied up it made such a huge impression on me. It's those things like how there are no hoodies, no real malevolence and that it was a very accepting culture that left my drawing comparisons with just how, well... ****ed up it is over here. I'd like to think we'd look eastwards for some of the solutions, I really would but I cannot help but think that we're just so detached from it all that it'll never happen. And... the nice thing about Thailand is that if they do rip you off, they do it with a smile.

Haha, well, I guess that was more of a societal thing than a cultural thing. Actually went into Bangkok on the day of the "Battle of Bangkok" when the troops moved in... smoke and flames everywhere, gun toting military personnel and ambulances shooting by. Wasn't worried for some reason but the Thai's around me were scrabbling around, bring the shutters down on their shops and panic buying... they even ran out of Seawood flavoured crisps in our local Tesco Lotus! Well, seeing that certainly did make me realise that the military really don't mess around there! Anyway, yes, you're quite right. It was eye opening seeing the respect afforded to the monks, who received everything first and certainly weren't as impoverished by a life of simplicity with their mobile phones, laptops and digital cameras When I came back I said that we've so much to learn from what, in some respects, we see as a backward culture. I would never have considered myself arrogant (if anything, open minded) but now I've seen Thailand, I definitely was arrogant and naive. I'd love for their way of life to be adopted over here but sadly, it'll never happen! My experience has certainly led me to the conclusion that I will most definitely entertain the prospect of a Thai girlfriend/wife. As for a club like you've mentioned above... well, I think it'd be attractive to alot of the women here looking for something "different" - much like, I guess, other cultures and foreign nationals seek out different people other than their own. And I'm sure if it involved military personnel (sailors etc) they'd be plenty of girls gagging to earn their "wings" and so forth! (Which reminds me... what was that club in Portsmouth tailored towards the military? That short but eventful night was truly was one of the most terrifying experiences of my short life!) Oh... and "Earth" in Eastleigh... now, there was plenty of girls who only went black who specifically went there, that is for sure... especially considering I knew them and they made little secret of it!

Baj!

IMO, there might be some truth in what you say. I think we'll see quite a lot of this political gamesmanship in the upcoming months, possibly years. For me, the "western world" is ****ed. We've been bought by the Arabs and now the Chinese and we're now scrambling to grab every last resource and bargaining chip before nothing is left. Possibly, in my lifetime, I think we'll see a major shift in super powers. We've had our time... I think the east is on the rise and we'll soon all be reliant on them. That is, of course, assuming we don't bully a few more lesser nations to our eventual benefit...

Not really responding to the original point but I do recall one club in Chiang Mai being tailored towards Western men wanting to me Thai women and vice versa. Had a rather disjointed conversation with a chap from Moscow called Alexei about it. It's where all his girlfriends go That said, implementing what they have in Thailand over here would be impossible due to the cultural differences. For a start, in some respects, a Westerner is seen as a way out of poverty for some women - or at least a break from the Thai guys who themselves, sleep around. The perception I got is that whilst, yes, they are attracted to Western men for their money, they also believe they treat their women considerably better too. (Which, in my opinion, is staggering!) There is one club in Chiang Mai I'll always remember. A stones throw from my hotel, it was jam packed solid full of local Thai university students and I kid you not, the women were absolutely stunning. I saw one unattractive girl over the duration of four evenings in that club and I felt a tad sorry for her (not sorry enough, however, to buy her a drink!). The attitude is also quite incredible over there. In Thailand, everything is so non-confrontational and respectful. If you bump into someone in a club, they apologise and wai (bow) to you out of respect and friendliness. Imagine the same scenario here. In Thailand (well, the club in Chiang Mai), when you order a "vodka/coke" you don't get a glass with it pre-mixed - you get an ice bucket, a bottle of vodka and a bottle of coke. If you don't finish it, you take it home with you. Try imagining that at Oceana! No chance... they'd be glass bottles rapped around so many people's head it'd be a bloodbath. If one of their friends had a little too much, they'd carry them outside, drip feed them water and ensure they're ok. Imagine that in the UK! Plus, you don't get any trouble not only because of the respect/non-confrontational perspective, but also because all the bouncers appear to be ex-military - and you just don't **** with them over there. As for the OP... like I said, it'll never work... but it'd no doubt be an attractive proposition for alot of the local women...

Fookin' hell, that is a superb signing. Very accomplished Champ player that didn't and wouldn't look out of place in the Prem. Nice one, Saints!

However binding it is I'm not sure though it appears to me that Pompey have reneged on a megabucks contract and now Kanu (rightfully) is pursuing it...

Whenever a new place in town it opens, the clientele is superb for the first 4-6 weeks. And then, almost without warning, the c**ts banned from everywhere else in town normally materialise and it steadily goes down hill from there. Haven't been out to town since I've been back in the UK and I don't really want to, either. Either top of town with the pretentious ****wits or down the bottom with the knuckle draggers. Nah, give me a few drinks, a nice meal and chat with a few friends at Prezzo, Ports Solent any day!

Not a pot to p1ss in and off they go to the US and Canada for a "tour" Still, they're only taking a 5aside team, right?

Charlton fans in "bitter" shocker

I cannot believe how many "football thickos" we're dealing with on here! :-o

Ah, I know... that's fair enough. Personally, I think he could, pontentially, play at a higher level if he gets himself fit. We should have a sportsman's bet to determine which one of us is the football thicko? Whaddya say?

Living up to your avatar, per chance?

I'm another who has always championed Lee Holmes' cause. He's a quality winger playing far below his level at L1. If only he didn't keep getting injured/overlooked...

Uh oh, this could prompt a mass suicide among some members

Where exactly are we clicking? :S

Ooooooh, he's doing it in picture 15 as well :-o http://www.pitchsidephotography.com/Football/2010-11/Winchester-City-1-Southampton/12887297_q8MyP#930606526_2HotE-A-LB

I particularly like the picture 14 and Ryan Doble's "camp hand" gesture.... http://www.pitchsidephotography.com/Football/2010-11/Winchester-City-1-Southampton/12887297_q8MyP#930606520_QtV7m-A-LB

We seem to getting things correct, right down to the squad numbers these days... Oh, how I remember the halycon days of 'Michael Svensson 11'

just wondering... how the bloody hell did someone get that job!? Twittering, taking pictures and hob-nobbing with the first team...

Yup, what you said. Spot on. The only thing worse than a Bournemouth fan is a Saints fan who goes "Bournemouth are alright, aren't they guys? Huh?"