shurlock

Totally agree. But would you include some fan who turned out last season for the Walsall game - that was about watching saints get promoted -and no disrespect to walsall or ollie lancashire, nothing to do with the oppo. Would they be plastics as you define it?

Wait till the pencil-necked in the northam start chasing some local munter - they drop like flies and are nowhere to be seen. Have much more respect for people who try, and often struggle to reconcile saints with work, family and the bottom line. Yes being a Saints fan is a long-term commitment but its a state of mind as much as anything that's reflected in lots of different behaviour, not just the games and grounds you've attended as legislated from high by the superfans. Watching egg chasers, though, is another matter...

The proverbial hanger on. As irrelevant as that relegation-era saints shirt that she tokenistically paraded around in. Fair dues to that last saints soccer am girl though who goes to games and generally minds her own business.

**** all over their seats - when in Rome and all that.

Exactly, who said cross-party consensus was dead.

Ask any nob on x-factor or premiership footballer or TOWIE feck parading a poppy or indeed lemming on the street what the poppy means - and you'll get glazed looks, vacuous responses and push come to shove something about 'our dead' rather than the general costs and sacrifices of war. Its one reason why I've always chosen to associate the poppy with WWI rather than WWII, a war that did nobody any favours and was turning point in European psyche and history. Morons like Dune should also realise that's why so many are also committed to the European project -at least in spirit. Our culture makes it hard enough to engage in genuine reflection and remembrance; I would be more comfortable if it was made private. At least, it would force people to think and confront the meaning of things. And that means taking it out of things like football.

When politicians start opening their mouths, it does become political.

Thought it was a younger souey on steroids minus the mo

A hinderance rather than a help on the part of these helmets.

Best, balanced post on this thread amongst some of the more outlandish stuff. Who knows the nature of Hayward's request - the Club has been pretty open with some outlets (lets not forget it made its peace with the Sun only for it to put words in the clubs mouth). Like anyone, they're happy to have their fair share of banal and harmless puff pieces. I'd suggest that Hayward probably wanted more and it cut closer to the bone than he's letting on.

Some Echo journalists have spoken quite openly about going to games/having STs. Whether they are doing this in a private or professional capacity is another matter (though is largely irrelevant if we're talking about 'spies').

...so we're signing nathaniel clyne then

Both Hume and Mellor are injured for them, so they're short of striking options. Mellor has looked good this season and is still a potential HCDAJFU.

Got two vital goals against franchise and looked decent when he came off the bench at Rochdale; but generally he has come up v.short. Not to say he has been given chances - he was preferred to Connolly for a while and started some crunch games -Brighton away was a massive call. And we're still crying out for pace. But he hasn't taken them. The arrival of SDR, the five sub rule, the likely arrival of another striker in Jan and his performances in the cup make it pretty clear his future lies elsewhere. Would have been nice to see him play on the wing rather down the middle; but NA knows best.

Heard Don Cortese sold them to a local Korean restaurant. Surprised the UI hasn't been all over it.

What was the policy for STs for the game? One ticket per ST as is usually the case? If so, the fact that they've gone on general sale doesn't mean anything let alone that they're struggling to sell tickets.

maggot brain by funkadelic (an extended guitar solo) there's plenty of stuff on the warp label but I guess that doesn't technically count.

Anyone watch for the Steelers-Ravens match? Absolutely epic. It had everything -violent tackles, dodgy officiating (for both sides contrary to Steelers protestations), pressure third down conversions and decisions (e.g. the Steeler decision to punt rather than attempt the FG). A TD with 8 seconds to spare after an amazing 92 yard drive against the 2nd best defence in the NFL won it for Baltimore. I thought Torrey Smith had blown it with a catchable pass in the endzone just before the TD; but none of the team blinked and another chance came round. Easily Flacco's best game -hopefully he can now produce the goods week in week out, though still worry about his consistency: clearly some of the problem lies with his raw wide receivers (Boldin is the only veteran) and he's playing with two new tight-ends. We'll see if the Ravens can now kick on -the AFC has been blown apart and is anyone's this season; each time the Ravens have built some momentum, they've had a horror showing -Jacksonville being one of the worst. But I haven't been particularly impressed by the other usual suspects. As far Green Bay are concerned, they look great offensively; but I would like to see them come up against a strong defense (amazingly the top three are in the AFC North) and then see how their defense, their arguable soft-spot, deals with some pressure. A Ravens defense and against a Packers offense would make for a fantastic superbowl.

Dave Bennett, the co-commentator, is hilarious.

He makes the walk along the canal sound like something from a Turner landscape Nice touch but lets just to say its always easier to be magnanimous when times are good. And the skate remark is bizarre.

You find the centre-fold of any use?

Morale/Momentum Midfield Movement on and off the ball and of course the Manager

Am a big fan of his - and he works very hard; but his touch sometimes is sloppy. Its infuriating and amusing in equal measures. Its as if the easier the pass or the more time he has, the more error-prone he is. Almost better when he's playing instinctively or taking on the harder option.

Like a poor man's darius henderson. Nige has no interest in him - basically said that the only reason we've been linked to him is that he's a local lad.

And to date we've used one of the least.