TheBrownBottle

Likewise. ‘Phwoar, down boy’ etc etc

Yeah, that’s definitely the root of it - but that of course doesn’t mean they shouldn’t know better. Every book I’ve read on England’s WC squads read like what you’ve written - boredom resulting in betting (card schools, horses etc).

The other players were pointing fingers at Tonali being the one getting them into it. Definition of a ringleader: ‘a person who initiates or leads an illicit or illegal activity’. The hat fits.

Others will likely know better, but I’ve got a feeling that a contractual clause that stops a player from earning could lose if challenged in court. Of course, what would usually happen is a sacking, but that won’t happen here. It’s an impossible situation for the clubs - though I agree that the club should do what it can going forwards to protect itself from repeats of this nature.

My sister’s mate Rebecca Welch will be the first female VAR ref at the weekend - they worked together at the PPA in Newcastle: https://www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11095/12998938/rebecca-welch-to-become-first-female-fourth-official-in-premier-league-this-weekend-for-fulham-vs-man-utd

That does seem less bad, though if our friendly grass noticed him doing it and asked about it, it can’t have been all that inconspicuous. Others likely noticed too.

That isn’t happening anytime soon - Tonali signed knowing full well what the risk was to his new club. Zero chance he’ll take a pay cut. I haven’t even seen something as asinine as a public apology yet, never mind handing millions back to the club.

PS At present this really doesn’t look good for Ashworth or his scouts. That’s a significant amount of outlay for a club with strict limitations on outlay. The owners are likely pissing blood about it - they pay people to make these calls. Those people aren’t on minimum wage - I wouldn’t be too worried about them.

Football is very ‘insidery’. Tonali was acting like a ringleader - so there would have been people in the dressing rooms he was in who knew. He managed to get others involved - so there would likely be others who he approached who didn’t. There is a good chance AC Milan were aware - either from internal whispers or outright knowledge. Someone claiming to be his psychologist came out and said he’d been diagnosed with a gambling addiction. So the chances are the club knew. Making that stick is likely impossible. Scouting is about character as well as xG wank. We don’t know whether what Tonali was up to was discoverable or not - most on here appear to have made up their mind that it was ‘impossible’ to know.

Scousers do tend to settle well in the NE - and vice versa

Yep, and I’m going to continue laughing at the dopey sods. I used to passively laugh at them - but after the Ashley era, balls to that. I want their noses rubbed in their own shite like a bad owner training a puppy

I love how short their memories are. A Man Utd reserve loanee was their stand-out player last season

And Kyle Walker … who is the best of the lot.

I’m not arguing that, I’m just saying that Trippier at LB isn’t crazy. I wouldn’t play him there myself, but it’s hardly a madcap idea. NB players don’t get caps for their clubs

Trippier plays LB at international level tbf

That Le Mans car in the 1995/96 season - it’s funny how the continental ‘sporting club’ thing hasn’t been revisited in England. (I know Coventry & Wasps etc, but it hasn’t been in any real sense).

Bet they’d make more than they do for Brewce Springsteyn gigs

His role in making space for Willock’s goal has been mentioned, but his diagonal run drawing away the centre half for Almiron’s hasn’t. (Well, it has now). The lad has a football brain

The Korean lad is great. The international language of angry. I love it when he goes on like that old ‘Star Wars Kid’ video. Let’s be honest; that’s 99% of them if the numbers are real. It’s hilarious.

Everton played four of the top five in the 2009 FA Cup, as well as then-PL Middlesbrough. That’s the hardest one I can think of

ffs

Who is it then?

The Football League can’t help but look like an amateur operation, can they? Fucking hell man, you’re pulling eight balls out of a bag. There’s three minute videos on the internet of this same thing happening …

They always do. Bellamy’s position has notably softened too.

Are they doing this fucking draw or what?