Wolfcastle

When we bought Woodgate we were linked heavily with John Terry, Chelsea were perhaps about to do the first stage of a Leeds and begin sellling players. Mourinho was set to come in and work under Sir Bobby then take over. Fitness notwithstanding probably the best pre-planning this club ever made. Such a fine line. Instead Abramovic rocks up, we get Bowyer on a free and nothing else and the rest is history.

and every goal from open play

All the big guns have won comfortably. Spurs not winning maintains that.

And not sure of the merits of seeing Kevin Ball smash into Gazza, John Kay into Ginola, Quinn lumbering around elbows and dives with Woodgate and an ancient Chris Waddle shuffling around like the waiter on Twin Peaks up against his former youthful self.

Hesitate to say I'd love to see our legends versus their legends but then they say the Harlem Globetrotters matches got boring quickly.

Wasn't worried about selling Given on the football side as had no qualms about Harper or Krul but it just felt so cold and sickening. Leaving an utterly miserable and cold club, absolutely couldn't blame him, felt like a form of protest (or was that just projecting on my part). Just that feeling of the people who own your club poisoning it willingly was so bleak and miserable. If we knew then we'd have 12 more years of that I don't know what I'd have done.

Caught Leicester at a good time. They've been in really good form lately, turned the corner, won last week but we got them just as they were scheduled to turn to shit again.

Really looking forward to this. My only gripe (providing their fans would have behaved themselves) is its not a normal Xmas fixture list and not an evening match on the 28th or 29th.

Don't know whether to laugh or feel scandalised

Food for thought for the league cup atmosphere's being a bit down - three games today, Mackems, Leicester, Villa and the home crowds are crypts for league games

Ignoring the fact it was an organised pre-meditated boycott....and that if they did the same nobody would know the difference.

Even the Leicester forum can't escape their bile and made up bullshit SAFC1: "Saudi scum are already talking about reaching the final. Wembley. etc etc. Of course it won’t be long before they’re eventually competing for cups but please turn them over this time lads… "

Played quite well in one of them too, what more did we want?

We only got two home draws in the entire Keegan era in this thing.

As far as home draws go, probably the second worst we could have got (I'd have fancied us more against Man U) but home draw and avoid Man City can't draw complaint.

Kin hell it still not done. Back to holiday lemmings then

Just heard Shay Given is doing the draw. Man City written all over it now I fear.

We had Leeds number at the time. They'd spent all that money but even the year before when we were average and without a load of players (even Marcelino had to play) we beat them twice, played them off the park more often than not in those days. Robert and Solano had their full backs on toast, though that's not saying much with Mills. Got to be one of my favourite goals that by Nobby. Great way of putting it. We played to the individual attributes of all the players and excelled as a team because of it, without any of them, a slowed down Shearer included, being a total package. Viduka got some grief too for a running battle for Dabizas. In the return he got "fat Aussie b*stard" after it flared up again. Cracking player though, when fit.

With all that going for them and apparently being the new Rome/Athens in ancient times, its almost incredible that they've degenerated into being considered an unpleasant backwater by everybody outside the backwater, having no identity and being a third rate club....then you experience the mackem mentality and it all makes sense.

I'd take a draw because having only lost once all season losing would sting like f*ck now. Recalling how bitter I was when Grimsby beat us after winning thirteen straight. Famous last words but can't see it not being a good game. Another test.

A sort of Lincoln memorial

Is that about the Fulwell end at the derby match in 1985?

Not bothered about performance in cup ties especially when we know what we can do. Cant ask any more than to be the better team, we were, should have been, but were. Getting to the FA Cup final in 98 was an absolute slog from start to finish.

I see Bournemouth like I used to see Charlton. Often just really awkward for us. Don't know what the score is with the disallowed goal, no VAR yet that's how VAR should be used, voice in the refs ear "yeah he touched it" "no he was onside" rather than the faffing on.

Think that was more to do with network rights.