summerof69

I personally find this amazing.. You really dont care about openly fascist views being given a platform by a high profile manager within the PL? You really dont care that an openly racist viewpoint will potentially now be given some credence and time? Have we sunk so far, become so de-politacized as a society that a "blind eye" can be turned to these vile, pernicious and abhorent views? I know its sport, and for many the two shouldnt mix. I disagree, I remember the same arguements around sport and the openly racist South Africa during the apartheid years. The apeasers and apologists making the same noises... Its a sad day for sport that this man is allowed anywhere near our national game. Yes its the mackems, but some things are actually more important than football,,this is one of em. He isnt a misguided young un, one of the skin heads selling the bulldog ouside SJP from the 70s and 80s that we had to contend with. A youngster feeling marginalised by society, easy prey for the base arguements of "3 million blacks, 3 million on the dole"et al.... Hes a certified, self confessed ideological fascist and by that ideological link a racist, anti semite, anti trade unionist, anti sexual freedom... it wasnt just the heat of the moment rash fascist salute in 2005/6..This guys a committed racist. Lets laugh at the Mackems eh? I wonder if any of their Jewish, Bangaladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or other ethnic minority supporters are laughing. I wonder if any of the elderly population, who fought against fascism in the 30s and 40s are laughing? We should actually be uniting with any of their support who are rightly disgusted at this appointment by showing some solidarity with them. I see there was actually an Anti Fascist Action event on in Wearside this weekend...ironic. It would be very difficult to keep politics out of football, given that certain clubs have been built around a certain people's identity, religion, or status of class with in society. For as long as the clubs have existed, Rangers and Celtic, have been engulfed in a rivalry that has been based around religion. St Pauli as a club, have been built around left wing socialism and in Argentina you have Boca v River a rivalry based around the wealthy against the poor, there are many other examples how politics have crept in to the game, which now would make it extremely difficult remove from the game . If we were to say politics should have no place in football, does that mean we can't have "kick racism out of football" campaigns ? If you have a view on racism one way or the other, then that is a political opinion, personally i believe that everyone should be allowed to participate in either watching or playing football, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation, and that could be also argued as a political stance.

Aye, fire hazard IIRC. Ridiculous really as nowhere else seems to have this problem. Talking of big fire hazard flags... http://www.elpais.com.uy/anexos/imagen/11/175571.jpg

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20130316/secure-your-seat-in-benfica_2281670_3111667?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

http://serbenfiquista.com/forum/index.php?topic=42947.7920

oh god, Benfica fans have found rtg.

This link isn't working for me, can someone tell me how i could find that on their forum ?

This website says you're wrong http://www.stadium-attendances.com/England-attendances-2010.html

Just opened level 6

What did he say ?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/its-not-racism-the-muslim-players-just-shouldnt-be-here-beitar-jerusalem-fans-walk-out-over-signing-of-two-muslim-chechen-players-8519748.html ‘Ten… Nine… Eight… Seven… Six… Five… Four… Three… Two… One…War! War! War!’ A typical Beitar Jerusalem welcome, one of Israel’s biggest football clubs, on Sunday night from ‘La Familia’ the team’s hardcore fans who are in revolt over the signing of two Muslim players, two of just five non-Israeli players to ever play for the club which is identified with the country’s political right. On Sunday night at the Teddy Stadium, home of Beitar Jerusalem, members of the club’s hard-core support, “La Familia”, were in place an hour before kick-off for the game against Maccabi Netanya. While most fans go to games to support their team, La Familia spent the game showering the club’s owner and his two new signings with a torrent of abuse. What provoked their ire is the decision earlier in the season by Beitar’s president Arkady Gaydamak – father of Alexandre, former owner of Portsmouth FC – to sign two Chechen Muslims, Zaur Sadayev and Dzhabrail Kadiyev. They are two of just five non-Israeli players ever to represent the club, which has strong links to the Israeli right. Only the 23 year-old Sadayev, a big, heavy-set striker, played against Netanya on Sunday. In the first half, boos rang around the stadium every time he touched the ball. But what happened next was not La Familia’s script. Sadayev – who has been accompanied by a bodyguard since his arrival in Jerusalem from Chechen side Terek Grozny – ran on to a pass just after half time and slid the ball past Netanya’s goalkeeper. It was his first goal for the club. Beitar’s best player, the Argentinian Dario Fernandez, jumped on Sadayev’s shoulders and celebrated with him, but the reaction in the crowd was confused to say the least. In one stand supporters screamed with elation, but behind the goal, in the La Familia end, hundreds walked out. “The reaction to the Muslim players being here is not racist,” insisted 19-year-old Akeeva, a Beitar fan. “But the club’s existence is under threat. Beitar is a symbol for the whole country.” Jacob, another fan, agrees, “It’s just a matter of being Arab [by which he means Muslim]. It’s not racism, they just shouldn’t be here. Beitar Jerusalem has always been a clean club, but now it’s being destroyed – many of the other players are thinking of leaving because of the Muslim players being here.” Akeeva, Jacob and many of the other fans are angry with Mr Gaydamak for bringing in Sadayev and Kadiyev to the club. After they signed the reaction among fans was so extreme that the club’s offices in Jerusalem were burnt down. The pair have been greeted with jeers and whistles every time they step out on to the pitch. The home club of Sadayev and Kadiyev is no ordinary football team; Terek Grozny is run as the personal project of Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Although he is no longer officially the club’s president, nobody doubts that he is in charge, while the money man is the oligarch Telman Ismailov, known for his lavish birthday parties in which A-list western pop stars are flown in to sing odes to him. The unlikely dual transfer came about after a bizarre tour to Chechnya by the entire Beitar squad early this year, which went ahead against the advice of Israeli authorities. There are rumours in the Russian media that Mr Ismailov, a friend of Mr Gaydamak, had an interest in purchasing the struggling club. Rather than travel to see the team in Jerusalem, Mr Ismailov wanted to bring them to Grozny. So it was that the brief tour to the troubled Caucasus republic took place amid extremely high security. After its conclusion – and a friendly match between Terek and Beitar – it was announced that to “strengthen Israeli-Chechen friendship”, two players would be moving to Jerusalem. “Chechens, like Jews, have a great number of difficult pages in their history and have lived through many tragedies,” said a press release from Mr Kadyrov’s office. “We have a lot in common.” The 23-year-old Sadayev was seen as a player with some potential, but since his entrance into the Terek team five years ago he has hardly set the Russian league alight – the striker has managed just eight goals in 83 appearances. Dzhabrail Kadiyev, had never started for the Terek first team. Sadayev said in an interview with Russian media last December, before the Israeli move was on the cards, that if he could play anywhere in the world he would like to try England. Details of the transfers are murky, and it is unclear whether the players have moved on loan, or permanently. Calls to Terek’s press service went unanswered yesterday. After being substituted after 73 minutes on Sunday, Sadayev received a standing ovation – although by then the boo-boys had largely left. Three minutes later Netanya scored to make it 1-1 and pushed hard until the end. Whether his performance is enough to win over the crowd remains to be seen, but perhaps he could afford to give his bodyguard the night off.

those on the borough forum are raving about him http://www.oneboro.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=4782&page=37

Llambias in one of his recent articles claimes we has 3.5 million fans aswell I promise that was supposed to be "we have".

Liverpool are a more prestigious club than we are and he would grab a better wage packet.

Is it really that unthinkable that Liverpool could sign Ben Arfa ? I certainly think there is a chance he would be up for it, the price would be a stumbling block, but if he dug his heels in he could force us to sell. I apologise for the negativity but if a local lad like Carroll found Liverpool to be the more attractive option then why not Ben Arfa ?

Massive waste of a footballer http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/15/michael-johnson-released-manchester-city Michael Johnson, once tipped as an England international and one of the best young players to emerge through Manchester City's academy in the past decade, has been paid off from his contract after the club finally ran out of patience with him. Johnson, convicted of two drink-driving offences last September, was offered a severance package from his £40,000-a-week contract just before Christmas, after several years of decline. The club decided not to announced it publicly but it has come to light now after a photograph of the 24-year-old appeared on the internet looking bloated and unfit. Once the subject of a £10m bid from Liverpool, the former England youth international has suffered a series of injury problems but he also caused considerable disquiet behind the scenes because of his attitude towards being a professional footballer and, specifically, his fondness for a night out. His last appearance for the club was as a second-half substitute in a Carling Cup tie against Scunthorpe in October 2009. Sven-Goran Eriksson once said he would not swap Johnson even for Steven Gerrard but the days when he was described as "the new Colin Bell", breaking into City's first team at the age of 18, were short-lived. Roberto Mancini and his predecessor, Mark Hughes, both concluded that Johnson did not have the personality to play football at the highest level. At one point City were so embarrassed by his unkempt state in his pen-pic club sources say the photographer was asked to come back to take it again. Johnson was moved to Leicester City two years ago, on a season-long loan that cost the Championship club £1m, but was signed off, then sent back, at the midway point. After that, almost nothing had been heard of him until he crashed his car, over the drink-drive limit, in Manchester last May. It was one of two occasions when he has been arrested for drink-driving in the space of three months, leading to a £5,500 fine and three-year driving ban.

Sorry if giggs but just noticed this on my news feed on facebook. Apparently we are the worlds first carbon neutral football club Taking The Positives - How Newcastle Became Carbon Positive

erm.....https://twitter.com/politedave/status/286111897378500608/photo/1

Is that really relevant though given that when Manchester United were unsuccessful crowds in general were smaller than what they are today ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20744570 Manchester City's Aleksandar Kolarov accused of racial abuse Police are investigating an allegation that Manchester City player Aleksandar Kolarov racially abused Newcastle United supporters during his side's game at St James' Park. Northumbria Police confirmed they were investigating a complaint following Saturday's match. It is alleged Serbia international defender Kolarov, 27, made comments to fans holding an Albanian flag. There is a history of enmity between Serbia and Albania. The force said it took such allegations "extremely seriously" and inquiries were ongoing into the incident. Kolarov is understood to vehemently deny the allegation. The player came on as a substitute in City's 3-1 win over Newcastle but was replaced 18 minutes from time. Tensions between Serbia and Albania most recently relate to the majority-Albanian Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Police have asked for anyone who heard or saw anything, or has any information, to contact them.

Pretty much this for me, I'm not saying he will turn it around but after last season, i think he deserves longer. It can't look great for any potential replacements either if we are to sack the L.M.A manager of the year at the first sign of trouble particularly after the way we backed him in the transfer market ( or more to the point how we didn't). Other potential suitors might look at the situation also with Mike Ashley's other decisions and not be convinced that he had changed.

http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=743978

is this a serious thread ? http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=736840

If he has a problem then he should try and work with this paticular organisation.

Minor point i know, but Shearer wasn't that much bigger than Keane, he was only 5' 10. I would imagine that would be a similar height to Keane.

Where is that Schumacher quote from ? edit: nevermind