OzzieMandias

The passions of Glasgwegian sectarianism would not, one suspects, be a good influence on Joey.

They welcomed relegation with open arms. It finally gave them something to talk about that was related to what happens on the pitch. Utter s****. They stayed in the top league through dirty tricks virtually every year. The strokes they played on the makems (twice).....long overdue and they thoroughy deserve it. My mates a Sunderland fan and he celebrates their demise. But can't help but agree. They're only getting what dirty tricks deserve. The mackem thing makes me like 'em, tbh.

Great minds.

Could do a song to the tune of "Yes, we have no bananas".

Hell, only an optimistic nut would – oh, hang on...

Always have it at home. That and Becks Gold. Did really my one sentence make this into a beer debate? Decent. Are you living in Germany David, if so whereabouts? Easily my favourite country to visit in Europe. In Bavaria. Near Augsburg / Munich. My favourite beer anywhere in the world is a draught Aventinus at the Weisse Bräuhaus in Munich.

Hugo Viana back in Portugal squad ... and a load of toss about "Fryneside". http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/may/24/hugo-viano-portugal-purists-realists

Fucking great header, like.

Some fucker setting off fireworks in my Hof.

Brilliant name!

That's very good to read.

Done.

Hooooof!

I'd prefer the Europa League.

Nothing lasts forever, but I don't think we're a one-season wonder either. The revenue from 5th-8th/occasional EL qualification isn't enough to establish anyone in those positions -- not the way CL money established a "top four" quadropoly. But that seems to be changing too. Loads can change. Who knows what effect FFP will have, or what effect there will be from Man City sitting on the top of the table until the oil runs dry in Abu Dhabi? Unless our revenues ramp up, we'll continue to be in a position where we have to sell big sometimes. I don't believe this will happen in the summer, but we may lose a favourite sometime in the near future if a big offer comes rolling in. And who knows if our incoming transfers will continue to be quite so effective?

They could easily get the paper to publish a formal apology, IMO. It'll be buried on page 94, but that's how it goes.

No... no... no... still no.

Being an old fucker, I was there in 1968 the day Man City won the First Division title by beating us 4-3 (while Sunderland beat Man U). I remember it as a great day, although I felt a little guilty about enjoying a match we'd lost until some grown-up reassured me that it was OK to get off on the football and the occasion. It's funny that there seems to be something of the same atmosphere about today's defeat -- we lost, but hey, it's not that bad really and at least we gave them a game. Don't often feel that way after a defeat. I felt better today than I did at the end of last season after our pathetic second-half capitulation against West Brom. I was at that match, but so deflated by the end of it that I didn't stay for the lap of honour. My brother and I just looked at each other and said, "this team needs some new players". So, anyway, 1968. The next season, of course, we went on to win the Fairs Cup, ancestor of the Europa League. So let's hope the pattern continues...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17973518 You tell 'em, Barnsey!

Sol Campbell on the FA Cup final: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/may/04/fa-cup-final-chelsea-liverpool

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9244686/Chelsea-chairman-Roman-Abramovich-weighs-up-15.5million-offer-for-Germany-forward-Andre-Schurrle.html Looks like Chelsea are now trying to follow the "Newcastle model".

It would have been asking a bit much for a non-English manager (or, at least, one not currently working in the Premier League) to step in at the last minute, familiarize himself with the available players, and get to grips with the whole England set-up