Neil

1/4, nice. Maybe I could try the "2 wrongs make a right" mentality by betting on a league that is obviously not predictable at all at the moment.

Smithkrands vs Geminiameobi - the shittest Robot Wars tag team match in history. Shola and Sammy start as one but split into 2 to very slowly start wreaking moderate havoc.

Will he sanction another significant outlay? Does he trust Bruce to spend it well? Do your fans trust Bruce to spend it well?

I find it a bit pedantic people comparing the fees for players. Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that Newcastle have succeeded this year and Sunderland have failed. If both sets of fans didn't desperately want to finish above each other at this point then there'd be something wrong. The difference of course is, to Newcastle it would be cherry on the top of a very tasty first-season-back cake, while for Sunderland it would round off a thoroughly disappointing season if they were to finish below their rivals who are newly promoted.

Dave posted a link for a week-by-week league table t'other day, can't remember which thread.

Fair fucking Play league ffs.

Neesy man. Parker is the last reason West Ham went down. Owners, mismanagement, and a heavy reliance on players like Upson, Tomkins and Carlton Cole are the reasons they went. Parker did well for them and although of course he didn't deserve Writers Player of the Year or whatever it was, he put in some admirable shifts for them.

Yep. McLaren's a decent enough manager and if he can maintain something resembling a core of players (some top-enders on the wage bill will inevitably go), they'll do OK.

Go on. I'm sure it wasn't that bad...

Straw poll, would you rather sell him (let's say for about £7m - bearing in mind he only has a year left), or let him go for nowt next summer?

The kind of thing that comes back to bite you on the ass if/when he leaves anyway and we look like mugs. Making a bedsheet with that written on it is the equivalent of telling a girl you love her (and not knowing her response) - risking the guy she actually loves rinsing you... in subsequent seasons... and having sex with her in your house.. and their house... (okay, my extended metaphor has gone awry). My point is: It's a gamble! It's very much just, er, like that.

You can, because whatever joke it is has completely gone over my head.

No, sour.

"I like scarves."

TTom, you any good at betting?

Doesn't matter which channel it's on...

Aye, howay. You could be like wormy, and look how he turned out?

My wallet can't fucking wait. Same tbh mate. But all this means is I'll pretend I'm an expert on South America for the Copa, and tell myself that I definitely know loads about 19 year old "wonderkids" for the U21 tournament.

Euro U21s, then pre-season friendly tournaments etc... Who am I kidding, it's going to be fucking hell again. :( It's the first weeks which are the hardest. Once the fixtures come out - which is usually mid-June I think - the excitement starts to build. By early July clubs are back in training and pre-season games begin to rear their heads. The possible ins, outs and tabloid roundabouts, the all-conquering tactical plan you have come up with that definitely means your super-duper squad will do brilliantly this year, the anticipation of a new season. A new beginning. Fresh hope. But meh, nothing will beat the feeling of knowing it's the weekend and your team has a chance to win a game of footy. To be football fans, ey?

Citeh are 6 behind with a game in hand but have a far inferior goal diff. Fairy muff. Thought Colin had completely lost it for a sec.

Ah man. 3 months without footy is only a week away. Although more like 2 months what with pre-season, and the false hope begins to build.

Montage? ANYONE GOT SOME ELBOW!?

Chelsea, 4 points ahead of 3rd place Arsenal - "Well, Chelsea are probably 2nd."

"A little bit over-zealous." Couldn't have swept the contentious nature of the decision or the players' awful behaviour under the carpet more obviously.

Lawro's turning into Guillem Balague here. "The noises are saying...." The noises are saying shut up, Mark.