spyinthesky

Just an update on the Everton situation. They spent £60m this season on new players plus another £50m on plans for their proposed new stadium without a brick being laid. Their owner Moshiri, (like Abromovich at Chelsea) seems to have a bundle of cash available to invest in the club and revenue streams are likely to increase significantly when the shiny new ground is built but it seems that promised financial assistance from the Everton supporting leader of Liverpool Council will not be forthcoming as the gentleman in question has resigned and awaits his day in court. I guess one of the few things we can thank Rupert Lowe for (and the City Council) was finding and funding building of St Mary's. Even allowing for inflation, the reported £32m spent on SMS was a decent deal.

Bit like the Spanish Flu that killed millions in 1918/19. Apparently it started in Kansas and it was only when it spread to neutral Spain and was able to be reported in their uncensored newspapers that it was given an incorrect label. Bit like the virus strain that was first identified recently in Kent (because our scientists are world renown for their ability to screen viruses). This has now be labelled the UK virus in many places!!

It will be interesting to see how rival clubs in the Prem and other Divisions, and also abroad, are coping financially. Spurs is an interesting one having to deal with near £1 billion outlay on their new stadium. Everton is another case in point as they have splashed the cash and have aspirations of a £500m new ground. However both clubs seem to have owners with deep pockets. Maybe all this will bring about a more sensible view of transfer fees and players wages.

Do you really think a united Ireland would be helpful? I could see the Unionist kicking up a fuss and blaming the Whitehall Govt and this could lead to more conflict both in Ireland and England. As for Scottish Independence there is every chance that trying to sort out a deal would create more problems than it solves. Boris and his supporters wont allow another vote and this will only add to a stronger call for Independence and the prospects of more radical action by certain factions in Scotland.

Price of fish does tend to alter considerably due to a number of factors including the weather, amount of catch etc. However if the Peterhead catch cant reach European markets then this may well increase the voice of those promoting Scottish Independence. Elsewhere the Road Haulage Association is saying that the supply chain into Northern Ireland is close to collapse and even Mr Gove reckons it will get worse before it gets better. Sinn Fein must be loving that situation. Apparently we have our 'Sovereignty' back but at what cost, break up of the UK? Meantime a quote from a haulier in Dover...'The chaos has begun. Organising even the simplest load into Europe has become an almost impossible task due to the mountain of red tape brought in post Brexit'... This is at a time when traffic between the UK and Europe is approx 25% of peak movements. Of course there is time for the current mess to be sorted out but if it isn't......???

We have won 2-1 at Leicester for the past two seasons. I cant see us winning three in a row unfortunately!!

Last I heard was that Steve Moran was working as a HGV driver in Hull and was also doing an occasional stint on radio up on Humberside. I seem to remember that, as a youngster, he was attacked by a Pompey Youth player in a night club down around the 'dark side' I think he originally lived in the Fareham area.

Ecuk I tip my hat to you researching the status of Southampton Free Trade Zone. For your further information it was originally set up by ABP using warehousing facilities vacated by Union Castle at 102 berth when the South African trade changed to containers. It was also adversely affected by the Dockers Union wanting to be involved. After the repeal of the Dock Labour Act in 1990, ABP built a new FTZ building up near 20 Gate which was subsequently taken over by a company called Import Services who continue to trade (and expand) this facility.

Wes Always interested in your view but perhaps I can comment on a couple of points. Re Freeports, there were a number in the UK from the early/mid 1980's (including Southampton) but the UK legislation that established them lapsed about 8-10 years ago so it is interesting to know what the Government will do differently with their new arrangements that they were unable to do in the past. Re Trade deals, as I understand that around 60 trade deals worth approx £160 billion have rolled over from existing EU trade deals. Japan is a new one representing approx 2% of our worldwide trade and there are ongoing talks with Canada & Mexico. Meantime the highly promoted trade deal with the USA will be subject to all sorts of 'ifs, buts and maybe's' as a consequence of the new leadership in the country. I am involved in the Logistics industry and I can assure you there are significant issues with additional paperwork and, to be fair the French/Belgian and Dutch ports are taking a relatively soft approach to processing paperwork at the moment. Challenges in accessing Northern Ireland are well documented. In view of this I am finding a number of our staple imports are increasing in price and some supply being adversely affected. This may only be a temporary situation but only time will tell. With a couple of friends working in the City (one of the most important sectors of the British economy) they are very concerned about their future and can see a future where our finance industry is essentially regulated by Brussels if our negotiators are unable to agree a suitable deal. Only time will tell if things will improve but initial signs are not too encouraging. Good job we are not Sheff Utd or West Brom fans!!

Another interesting post

Interesting comment

Wonder whether you ought to advise GM who loves the Orange One.

I wonder if the 'star'(!!!) actually went to 'medical professionals' for all the 'interactions'?

We put a relatively strong side out against Brentford in the League Cup and I think they rested a few so weren't at full strength but were well beaten. Some difficult decisions for Ralph to ponder on.

You may well be right A recent Focaldata/MRP poll of 22,000 shows Labour at 37.7% (compared to 32.2% at same stage in 2019) and Tories at 35.6% (v 43.6%) Based on all the other voting preferences in the poll, the Tories would maintain a 2 seat majority over Labour but would be a minority Govt. Boris only kept his own seat by 5.034 votes in 2019 (the lowest majority of any sitting PM since 1924) so his Parliamentary seat would be at risk if an election was held tomorrow.. Boris and his buddies have a lot to do to maintain the impetus the Tory party had in 2019 and they dont have a lame duck like Jezza and his mates to contend with either. This may be doable if the Covid situation improves and the Brexit deal is not as 'thin' as many people assume. However if the cards don't fall right for Boris and Co and he doesn't handle the call for Scottish Independence (and possibly unification of Ireland) correctly then it is likely history won't look back fondly at his time in Office. I am a natural right of centre voter but I would be hard pressed to vote Tory under this current Govt, perhaps 'Let's Go To a Party' party would be an option!!

I agree that he was always respectful about Saints performance in 1976 and a man with a lot of humour. That said, I can remember the chant...'Docherty shut your mouth 'cause the cup is coming south, la la la- la la-la la la that was sung on the terraces prior to the Cup Final. (wish I recount where the melody originated from)

Wes Carnival and Fred Olsen were two of the cruise ship operators who offered up their vessels to assist with the Covid crisis. The US also positioned two of their specialist hospital ships to assist. None of these options were taken.

Wes, It seems highly likely that the virus started in China but calling it the 'Chinese' virus does ape the comments of a certain gentleman of some ill repute in the USA> As a comparison the 'Spanish' flu, post WW1, seems very likely to have started on a chicken farm in the USA Mid West but the virus outbreak was then initially recorded in the Spanish press as the country was neutral in WW1 and their national press was not subject to censorship.

Wes, As a Remainer (but not a rabid one) I hope whatever deal has been agreed will provide the Nirvana that you and others predict, I really do. Realistically I doubt whether we will be able to make a valued judgement for 5 or perhaps 10 years. If I am still around, and compos mentis at that stage and the UK remains and is and thriving outside the EU, I would like the opportunity to buy you a decent bottle of something and bow down to your superior insight.

Wont that be looked upon as a win for Pompey in some quarters?

All these exchanges are interesting and useful. There are two main reasons why I am concerned about Brexit. One is as someone working in the Logistics industry, I know there are likely to significant issues with the movement of goods as well as an expected shortage of HGV drivers due to Eastern European drivers going home. Oh and also that Rupert Lowe is a leading Brexiteer!!!!!!!!

Wes, Sorry but I was focussing on your comment about pandemics. I assume there were previous exchanges on the EU and economic forecasting which I hadn't picked up on. Mea culpa.

Wes, I understand that most Govts have plans for a number of 'worst case' scenarios such as pandemics, nuclear war etc. Throughout history there have been a number of pandemics that appear to have started in Asia (apart from the Flu epidemic in 1918/19 which seems to have started in Kansas)so the medical world would have been alert to the possibility.

Overall I continued to be impressed with the individual and overall improvement in the team in particular Vestergard, Adams and Romeu with no real weak spots. Disappointed that we couldnt make the numerical advantage count (same as v Spurs last season) but it could have been worse if Holdings header had gone in at the death,