OzzieMandias

Most people make the who-do-I-support decision when they're very young. I remember the son of a friend of mine, in the mid-90s when he was about eight, deciding to support Man U -- mainly, it seemed, to wind up his Toon-supporting father. This made me laugh, as his dad is the biggest wind-up merchant ever. And then we had to console the kid when someone actually beat Man U for the first time since he'd been paying attention. "Well, if you're going to support someone you have to deal with it when they lose as well as cheer when they win..."

Well, hell, we finished second the first season that second place got a CL spot.

Joey Bartyawn

Good read that.

Great piece by Winter, that.

Says more that a tosspot mackem is using the tragedy of Speed's demise for the purpose of a cheap fucking wind-up.

Sustained. Absolute nonsense. Hang on, Ferguson questioning the status of his part-time job doesn't give rise to his primary profession? Yeah, right. Yes, that's right. What he does as his primary profession, unless it is football related, has no bearing on whether Ferguson has a right to question why we are still using part time Linesmen. Ryders tweet is Sun or Mail standard dislocated emotional wummery at its finest.

Good piece by James Brown, from the Leeds United perspective: http://www.sabotagetimes.com/football-sport/gary-speed-an-inspiration/

Bloody hell. What totally crap news. What on earth could have driven him to take his own life?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/26/manchester-united-newcastle-united-premier-league

He works best with no money, see Leicester and Celtic. Suppose, not great though were they. Better managers out there I would think. I think an appointment by ellis short with little or no input from anyone (ie Quinn) is going to be an interesting one. Who does he think is good? What line is he going to go down, stabilise and consolidate or push the boat out and Take a gamble? Foreign or British based, up and coming or experienced, big name or cost effective? Lot of pressure to get this right, it might be a case he doesn't want to sack Bruce as he hasn't got a clue who to pick. Also reckon the talent pool he thinks he can fish in will be a lot smaller in reality. The wrong appointment could see them out of the division, even if he picks the right one a mid table finish is all he'll be capable of, if things go right from the off. What I really love about the whole situation is that they have totally blown the last two years, they'll never have a better chance to put a gap between us and them, they had money, the right owner, his manager, a figurehead everyone loved and apparently one of the best squads Sunderland have ever owned, whereas we were total opposite, down and out, sounded out to struggle to get out of the championship, a hated owner who hated the club and wanted to sell, refused to spend, a novice manager and a squad full of crap dross no one wanted. How on earth we have not only closed the gap, but stormed miles ahead of them is a mystery, well it's not really, apart from all the things we learned from relegation, as fans, as an owner and as a club we have to thank Bruce for creating his own mind games (that we didn't get involved in) against the club he is supposed to love, then having a mental breakdown when it all backfired in his face. He totally created the mess he's in, has ruined the momentum that Quinny worked so hard to build up (which if were honest we were all concerned about, we all thought it would be some time catching up) and in panic, in confusion bought the wrong players, bought for the wrong positions trying to create the biggest best squad to have graced Wearside, but in reality filled it full of shite, it's great. Whoever comes in has a job on, the problems are not easily fixable, there's more points in that team for sure, but a new manager will come in wanting to change things, and for spells they look competent in defence, then fall apart, a new manager could stop that and they just fall apart from the start. If a manager wants to attack, what the fuk does he attack with? Bottles and bricks is the mackem way, he might need to borrow a few off them. Anyway, it will be interesting if he does go, I really can't see the fans being happy with whoever they bring in, the madness at some of the names uttered is crackers, but in all honesty, a no name could do the trick, you just never know, I thought Pardew would be the biggest mistake this club had made in a decade, and that's saying something, looked how that turned out. Interestingly, much of the way they've had it these last few years is exactly what many would prescribe as being just right for us: a distant but benevolent owner willing to plough in cash for lots of expensive signings, a nice local hero for a chairman instead of an insensitive boor like Llambias.

http://www.sabotagetimes.com/football-sport/the-greatest-goal-i-ever-saw-newcastles-phillipe-albert-vs-manchester-utd/

Not. Pisses all over Bobby and KK. Not sure like. We played Champions League under both of them and challenged for the title under both of them at least for a while. If Pardew gets us into European football again (Europe league will count), I'll agree with you. I think he will. Just think it's too early to say. No we didn't. We didn't? Not under Keegan.

Not. Pisses all over Bobby and KK. Not sure like. We played Champions League under both of them and challenged for the title under both of them at least for a while. If Pardew gets us into European football again (Europe league will count), I'll agree with you. I think he will. Just think it's too early to say. No we didn't.

They could still drop another place towards their natural position if Fulham get anything out of Arsenal.

Happy.

Union Berlin fans to buy a stand for their stadium http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/8015/38/

I forgot to mention Stevenage.

Wank.

When I lived in Budapest I tried going to Újpest, Ferencváros, MTK, and eventually ended up quite liking Vásás, mainly because of the bar you could sit in behind one of the goals, always strangely empty except for a few club officials, and partly because I liked a sparky midfielder called Zoltán Vaci. Had a few laughs at Viktoria Zizkhov in Prague. In Lisbon, I went to both Sporting and Benfica games, and decided I preferred Sporting, mainly because every other foreigner seemed to go for Benfica. Belenenses was also quite cool, with its beautiful three-sided stadium opening on to a view of the Tejo. In Berlin, been to plenty of Hertha matches, but never learned to like them much. Like most people, I quite like Sankt Pauli but I hardly ever get to Hamburg. Ever since I watched the "Lisbon Lions" win the European Cup as a child, Celtic were nominally my team in Scotland, but it's been a long time since I paid them much attention. Internationally, I always want Morocco to do well.

A general clear-out of crap small towns in Lancashire would be a good thing.

Mackems, Spurs. Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool. Don't like the rest much either, but those are the ones that I can't abide.

Fair comment. He wasn't that intelligent, either, but he was quick and strong and obviously had an eye for goal. And was better than The Mighty Wyn.

Wyn Davies wasn't that great, tbh. Excellent header of the ball but otherwise a bit limited. Malcolm MacDonald was a big step up. From those days, Bobby Moncur and Tony Green deserve consideration.