Junior Mullet

Come on Stu, you're smarter than your posts on this thread give you credit for. Why are you so worked up about these revenue streams? We clearly do not need them anymore than we need a shirt sponsor this season. What difference does it make to the football? That is afterall why I go to games - for the football, not to comment on advertising hoardings. I wonder why so many people are obsessed with irrelevant factors at the club - perhaps it's the understandable focus we have had on money in the past few years or perhaps it's a case of finding any reason to criticise the Chairman. Either way I think it's a shame we can't focus more on football. Just an observation - your posts on the first page are a bit schizophrenic - on one hand you criticise the new marketing bods and say they must be accountable and then say you are not having a perosnal dig at anyone. Come on Stu, calm down mate. Have a beer and enjoy the season - it's going to be a good one for us.

Our best eleven deserve the opportunity to test themselves against Prem opposition. Hopefully it will show them how much they have to do to improve to reach that level which in turn should make them raise their game against league opposition. A good run in the FA Cup and JPT seemed to have a positive effect on our league performances last year.

I think Barnard deserves a starting place in a 4-4-1-1 personally. He looked our most potent threat for most of the game on Saturday. That line-up also ignores the fact that Lambert currently plays the "No.10" role in a 4-4-1-1 formation at present. Lambert is most dangerous when coming slightly deeper rather than playing on the shoulder of the last defender. I therefore expect Guly to be a straight swap for Hammond if he can prove himself. AP went on record last year saying Deano needed to up his game and IMO nothing really has changed. We need a real dynamo in the middle of the park if we are going to cruise to promotion without having to scrap for it. Neil Danns would have fitted the bill perfectly but it seems he's not going anywhere now. Let's hope Guly can deliver. Let's face it none of us really know anything about the lad. I reckon if you made a quick compilation for UTube of most of the posters on here scoring there best ever goals on the local rec it would look pretty impressive so I never pay too much attention to them. Talking of formation, has anyone else noticed how Shneiderlin is playing slightly deeper this year? Seems to me to suit him. He's also filled out a bit which can only be good news.

The cracks are slowly beginning to appear at St Marys that's for sure.

"Keen Plymouth gardener upset at missing the Great St Mary's Summer Soil Giveaway takes matters into his own hands"

Can anyone please tell me who the big Eastern European looking bloke who trained with the team pre-game Saturday was? He was wearing No. 40 on his shorts.

2 things to share. I looked up at Cortesse at the final whistle. He just looked down and muttered something which looked a lot like "my god" to himself before turning around and marching up the steps. He wasnt happy and ignored everyone else in the area. Anyone know who the big lad, with No. 40 on his shorts was? He joined in the pre-game kick about but never made the bench. Looked Eastern European and wasnt communicating with the others. I would say he looked like a lumpy centre half or forward. It defo wasn't Skacel tho!

As a lawyer I find it difficult to disagree with HMRC's argument that it is unfairly prejudiced by the rule that football creditors have to be paid in full whilst non-football creditors do not. I also agree with HMRCs view that the image rights saga is nothing more than an illegal sham designed to cheat HMRC. Tax planning is fine, but tax avoidance is not. Sorry Pompey but I think you've fallen on the wrong side of the line. Pompey are pleading with the courts not to find against them as that would not be in anybody's interest. HMRC admit they would lose financially from such a result. However, the win for HMRC would be so much greater than the loss from Pompey in this case. The football authorities would be forced to change their rules about prefering football creditors and the payment of image rights could be investigated closely. As a fair-minded tax payer myself I would be happy for Pompey to lose given the aggregate gains HMRC would pick up elsewhere. Whatever the outcome today the matter should go to appeal. My guess is it would be difficult to overturn today's ruling. As a football fan I don't like what's happening to Pompey and I feel sorry for the fans. Unlike us when we were in admin, there doesn't seem to be an obvious silver lining for them if they lose this case. On the other hand it was difficult, as a football fan, seeing Pompey get to to the FA Cup final again last year and continuning to benefit from what appears to be in my opinion financial cheating. Despite my belief that HMRC have a good case I would not bet on the outcome of this case. I felt they should have been wound up at the previous big court case given the facts. Courts have shown time and time again in recent years that the outcome of these cases can go against the evidence and law on offer. Clearly football clubs are afforded special treatment by the courts but I think it's about time that stopped.

Like this bit: "The catalyst for the transformation was the takeover last year by Markus Liebherr, a German-born Swiss billionaire who, in city circles, is estimated to be the third richest club owner across all of English football."

The other thread on Dickson which is now closed mentioned him starting LM until Lallana returns then fighting for the LB slot. Who else thinks that Lallana could slot into the attacking CM position should Dickson and Harding both do well down the left?

What Blackpool do in the Premi next year seems somewhat irrelevant to what they do the following year. I'm sure the club and fans alike will be treating this little foray into the Prem as a temporary party to be enjoyed.

How good would it be if the tribunal decide that we have to give them Poolis in part-exchange. If Carling did football tribunals.......

Football clubs cannot be run just like any other business, it's just not how it works. Ignore the fans at your peril. History has shown time and time again that fans are pretty loyal and can take a bit of bashing but there comes a point when the tide changes...often very quickly. I think Lowe learnt that lesson although I doubt he would ever admit it. The club are IMO on the right side of the line at the moment and most of the changes seem to have been received favourably. Things can change quickly however and I can see a few cracks that the club would do well to make some timely repairs to.

I expect there is more to this story than meets the eye. I'm sure the club have seen this thread and yet have declined to comment. It appears that the jury is still very much out on Cortese. Time will tell but I can see some worrying cracks starting to appear.

I've just read the OS article. Do the 13,000 'sales' not also include the free tickets to under 8's? Personally I think it's a major spin to suggest that free tickets to under 8's could be included within 'sales' figures. Therefore I have to agree with SRS / DBP at this point in time that they have not truly sold (within the common sense of the word) more than last year.

I agree that it is sad that some decent fans will not be able to get a ST this year but they have their fellow supporters to blame not the club. Personally I am glad the club is not wasting money chasing people that can't pay. What does annoy me though is the way the club did not make their announcement sooner. That way those fans who would find it hard to obtain a credit card offering interest free credit for 9 months or a year could have put some money aside or made alternative arrangements. Fact is they were given no time at all which to me sucks.

Sign of intent. I wonder what Leila Habibi thinks of her new boss.

I would bet you money to the contrary.

...yup, because Lallana ain't no oil painting.

Danns. Absolute quality. Not fussed by the others.

Would have played Hart in the first place. Quality player and bang on form. Green is not mentally tough enough to play for England at a world cup. Unfortunately I think because of all the hype about it, I think Capello will have no choice but to play James because he's probably mentally the toughest as a result of his experience.

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Looks ghey

Bale was winning matches pretty much on his own in his first senior year. He really was outstanding. I remember saying to mates from London that he would at that time have walked into most English teams outside of the top six. I have watched a fair few youngsters come through but I have never seen a player improve so rapidly as Bale.

Surman would be an excellent addition to the team. Great passer of the ball, excellent first touch (something AP has critisised Hammond for not always having) and gets a good share of goals. I would love to see Surman doing his thing within the current saints team, which is a lot better than it was in the CCC. The current team would suit him well and would bring the best out in him. I always felt he had too much weight on his shoulders in the CCC team and a lack of support from the other players who simply weren't good enough. If we can pick up Surman and Danns we will absolutely ****** everything next season. For me Danns should still be #1 on the target list - the lad's absolute class.