the stain

I'd imagine he'll be a little bit busy just now...

The best thing about The Cult was never their brains...

I wouldn't be pleased, but I'd accept it as part of the give and take of banter. At least I'd like to think I'd be able to keep my temper in check to the extent that I didn't start breaking things or throwing things or injuring people. Does that make me plastic (?!?), or just someone who's responsible enough to be allowed out in public? If you think a goal celebration is justification for an outbreak of violence then you're a bigger numptie than I'd given you credit for.

Down to earth with a bump. After my 100% season last year, I open my account with a 2-1 loss to a beatable team. Lost my staunch centre-half and leader of men on the quarter hour, at 1-0 up, and never recovered composure. Don't like this game anymore

The goal celebration was hilarious and completely justified. Anybody who treats a goal celebration as an incitement to riot needs to take a look at themself, not the player who 'provoked' them.

He sometimes is. And he has a column in the Guardian (or is it the Indie?)

I once stole that from a hospital waiting room. One of only two things I've ever stolen. The other being a small book of lick-on tattoos from Top Toys on Winchester High Street (valued at 2p). The guilt and shame were to hot too bear and my life of crime ended that day. Bliss, by Peter Carey. Brilliant. His first novel and a rampant s h a g of imagination and storytelling. A joyful cry-wanq of secular redemption. Etc.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/sep/09/chelsea-fifa-premier-league-academies More good stuff from David Conn on this issue. Very interesting to see some of the 'wastage' stats.

:D:D

Yes, I would like the Scots to qualify. That probably makes me a simpering bum-bandit.

No pre-season, squad in tatters, barely enough players to send out a team, club just emerging from it's biggest ever upheaval, starting on -10 points... he really couldn't have asked for more.

I've got 2 scouts atm. I think there's a lot to be gained from getting them to scout in the right part of the country, i.e. where there are a large number of teams.

Good article in the Grauniad about the precedent for this decision. Chelsea may not have as much luck fighting it as initially thought... http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/sep/04/chelsea-fifa-contracts-transfer-ban

This is a Lowe

W00t! Promotion at an easy canter. Maximum points and a +92 goal difference see Amon Duul III to the glory they were cruelly denied last time out. Not too much tinkering for next season, just clear out the remaining duffers in the squad and get some less duff chaps to warm the bench. Anyone want some duffers? The stadium's looking handsome now and I'm going to give the coach a chance at the next level. My youth team though, well... the young boys have suffered a brutal induction to a man's world. With one game left in the season, Neu 74 are bottom of the 'Bongo Bashers' league, with a single, snivelling point to their name (picked up in a goalless draw). Spent too much time trying to coax latent talent from my initial squad. My advice to anyone starting a youth team, first thing you do should be to scout a decent keeper, there almost certainly won't be one in your squad. Once I finally saw the light and started listening to my scouts, I turned up a few with real potential, enough to give me hope that the investment will be worthwhile in the end.

Ah, I see. Well maybe. Last season he had a very good squad, and he's made an astute purchase in Johnson. If he hadn't ****ed up the whole Alonso business things would be looking rosey for them. And maybe he's squandered cash, but it's all relative to their size. What manager hasn't spunked a load of cash up the wall on a player who just didn't work out? In the end it's bloody hard to break United's strangle-hold on the title, unless you suddenly come into a market-changing fortune. Liverpool ran them pretty close last season. However, he has ****ed up with Alonso. And I think Gerrard will look half the player without those passes.

Something like that. Thing is, although they were pretty derisory sums and the whole thing leaves you feeling a bit dirty, the selling clubs agreed to the deal; it's not the same as just talking a player into walking away from his contract.

I think it was residents of the town not being able to register with AOL.

So those teams all have better squads yet, with the exception of United, all finished below Liverpool. How does that make Benitez a clown?

There's a lot of truth in this. For me Oasis were pretty much a spent force after Definitely Maybe and the sacking of the original drummer, it was all a bit polished and plain after that. But for a lot of people it was era defining music and a massive shared experience. It's just a shame that the music that defined that era for that audience wasn't anywhere near as exciting or innovative or frankly good as the acid house that their older brothers would have listened to. 10 years of bland-rock instead of 10 years of excitement is the price we've all paid.

Rock music died with John Bonham.

So yeah, come along to this at the weekend. It'll be a roight old laaarf!

That's cos it was Nick 'Gridiron' Halling, who used to write in the match day programme. Good to hear him back talking about association football again.

Don't think I've ever noticed it as much of an issue in the stands. But there must be something rotten amongst professional footballers that none of them ever come out. It's statistically way beyond improbable that there have only ever been two gay men playing in the English league. David James wrote a pretty good column about this a couple of years ago... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/apr/15/sport.comment2

In that case I give you... Coventry City, giants of English football! Actual, literal giants, like the BFG, not just like someone who keeps hitting their head on roof beams in old pubs. Giants!