Badger

We've been linked with Ritsu Doan who plays for Gronigen (links further up this thread), but why would signing a Japanese, or even Korean, player appeal to Gao ? Not likely to increase the profile in China which was said to be one of his hopes on buying into the club.

A modern and upgraded version of David Connolly then. For £20m I suspect Ralph could recruit better, but under Les Reed's recruitment and negotiation we did a lot worse for similar amounts (Carillo at £19m). If Reed left us an opt out I'd look to exploit it, but doesn't look as if he did. I agree a fit version of Ings could be a tremendous asset but it's questionable if we'll see one.

Perhaps like during the Puel season we will need to change for a cup final and then realise that the change strip is such an embarrassment we'll decide to wear white instead. Grey and yellow !!! Sounds shocking. Should just let Gecko or The 9 draw up a few prototypes, always better than what the club's official 'partners' come up with.

What became of the five pledges ? A pledge to spend diddly-squat A pledge to adopt a monastic vow of silence... I'm lost for the other three.

Strangely though, Hojberg and JWP are our most saleable assets, and likely to be subject to most interest, unless there is renewed interest in Redmond on the back of recent form.

This would probably need a third kit as we couldn't wear a purple kit to a team wearing red,or claret (West Ham, Burnley, possibly Villa), which makes up most of the teams we'd need to change for. Having never worn purple is no reason for us not to go off in this direction though, that seems an attraction to the designer types. We'd not worn green until a few seasons ago that didn't stop them.

That may indeed be a realistic assessment but the overriding thought on viewing that as our potential squad is an overwhelming mediocrity at best. The striker options still look weak if we are relying on the 65 minute/half a season Ings,Long,and the untied Obafemi even with a new striker (depending on who it is). Ideally I'd like to see upgrades throughout and RH given the means to really put his mark on the squad. Doubt it will happen to that degree though.

He was on the radio the other week, may have been last Saturday lamenting the fact that they hadn't taken their chances again. 'We're crying out for a goalscorer, thought we had one in Sala, had we signed him things could have been different...' he stated. Clearly no one at the club told him he was never really their player.

Bit of a Leeds-Villa situation gather, without the sportsmanship after.

Bit of a Leeds-Villa situation gather, without the sportsmanship after.

1-3 Palace. Bye, Neil.

Or if the 'match' was played in the back garden, with the dog providing the opposition ?

Maybe it won't destroy the atmosphere then. Just make it more expensive for an old f^cker like me to enjoy it though...

The A* band really is a p1ss-take, £50 for behind the goals or Northan/Kingsland corner. What will form an A* game, Liverpool, Man Utd ? Boxing Day, last game of the season ? That'll destroy any atmosphere.

It was, but only called The Football Echo. Never knew why someone in the marketing side of the Echo decided to change the name years later. The old FE was an integral part of Saturday. You did of course describe it as the pink FE , rather than The Pink !

It most certainly wasn't The Pink in those days. Good old Football Echo. RIP

Indeed. We'd just weathered the 10 minute storm by now. Never forget the first couple of minutes, Gordon Hill's jinking run past our defence and cross which Turner spilled, then recovered it at Stuart Pearson's feet (probably long before Pearson got their in truth but to me at the time it seemed we were paying in slow motion). **** !! Another 89 minutes of this !!!

Doesn't track back enough either. Just to add a Branfoot touch to the debate.

£££....

Who's the big bloke with Ross Wilson ? He was stringing you along

I read he wanted to bring his piano over here. Now that's what I call commitment.

Unless he has had a miraculous change in form and agility shown in training it would be madness of Les Reed proportions to go into the season with FF as back up GK. A serious injury to Gunn in the first game after the transfer window closes would leave us with FF in goal for half a season, potentially as damaging as allowing Hughes to manage the side until December.

Leipzig are also about to bring in a new manager, Nagelsmann, who will probably want to bring in players to build his team. I wouldn't rule this out. Caution though - Vestergaard was considered one of the better CB's in the Bundesliga, and he's not really been a dominant presence for us this season.

Yes - that would do me.

They do have history of end of season drama and uproar... Today's wasn't as good as this one though in 1971. Bielsa at least comes out of today with some credit.