TheBrownBottle

They're ludicrously rich - their duty-free business given a monopoly worth billions by a dictatorship (note that this is never raised in the Grauniad), with personal wealth in the billions.

I work as a construction estimator. If I told a client that the price is between £60-100m I would never work again. These hacks aren’t even having to do estimates. Edwards is tiresome with this stuff. There is a laziness to not actually getting an understanding of how FFP works. And I don’t think FFP is the only driver - this is about how much they’re willing to spend. I don’t think what they’re willing to spend is what the papers have assumed they are edit: for clarity, Edwards talking about paying in instalments because of FFP just shows he hasn’t a fucking clue how it works. Instalments don’t mitigate against FFP - the transfer fee is amortised over the length of the contract. It doesn’t matter when you pay it.

He must be for the younger ones something like my generation's Ned Kelly. Excellent Division Two centre forward, not quite top-flight quality. The difference is Keegan sold Kelly as he'd bought Andy Cole, but Gayle was here under Ashley's ownership ... a pity, as I think he'd be even more fondly remembered if he'd been sold when he should (immediately after promotion). Still a top gadgie as far as I'm concerned - and not to blame for the club offering him a daft contract

At least next time you see an expensive car parked like this at the Metro Centre you know who to call a cunt on twitter:

I bloody don't ...

A decent right winger in and I'd be very content with the summer recruitment. We're only going to play one up top, so Wilson and Wood would be enough for now - though a loanee as extra cover would be nice. Yes, most seem to think Wood is shite; I don't, I just think he's a mediocre PL centre-forward; but we paid a lot of money for him, so he'll be around the squad for at least 12 more months. A midfield selection from Bruno, Joelinton, Willock, Shelvey, Longstaff looks good enough for a mid-table side too; after all, 10th or above has to be the target - the second half of last season's form is likely unsustainable. And a try at the cups would represent real progress - no more chucking the towel in. The most important area to strengthen over the last two windows was the back line. We hadn't brought anyone in since 2017 - it was a shambles; a Division Two defence playing top-flight regularly. Arguably it was weaker than the team which won promotion in 2017, tbh. Ritchie wouldn't have been playing LB in that team. Pope, Trippier, Targett, Botman, Burn means we've signed an entirely new back five, and Howe has improved the likes of Krafth to such an extent that I'm no longer terrified at the prospect of him being cover for Trippier. Pope / Dubravka; Trippier / Krafth / Manquillo, Schar / Lascelles, Botman / Burn, Targett / Lewis / Dummett looks like a solid 'top half' defense to me. The cloth-cutting in the defence under Ashley reflected where the club was - as did the paucity of talent in the club's structure; our new CEO and DoF suggests that this is also being fixed. They've (correctly) concentrated on getting the club and team's foundations right first. Makes perfect sense to me. The side's great weakness is the wingers. ASM is the only player you could say is mid-table PL quality. Fraser, Murphy, Almiron, Ritchie are all 'yo-yo' club standard players - they wouldn't look out of place in a bottom three PL / top six or seven D2 side. We desperately need another PL-class winger. The usual knackers will be imploding across the NUFC-twittersphere, of course, because they've had their heads filled with nonsense about how much we'll spend (and they've made some assumptions too). I'm willing to bet the ones with the KSA flags on their handle will be the biggest bedwetters of the lot - the 'we can spend 500m' brigade.

Me too. If he’d just look up earlier he’d instantly become twice the player. The lad has sensational close control of the ball, just needs to add some smarts to his game. Those last few games last season did offer some hope - but he either steps up or ships out now I suspect.

I’d be amazed if the DoF appointed the CEO. Ashworth might have vouched for him, but he’ll sit underneath him in the structure.

It’s mind-warping how far he is away from tea-boy Charnley. His CV is really impressive.

I was offered downies in Amsterdam once

I heard the PC Brigade keep chasing them, and killing their fun by pulling them over and tutting at them Something like that

Oh I do. I’ve had to wait a decade and a half to really be able to laugh at them thanks to the fat cunt who owned us. Not being able to laugh at them has felt like having a good yawn or sneeze interrupted. Now I can again. It’s fantastic

What did these maniacs used to do before the internet? I don’t remember anyone in the pub pre-match going on about knowing who we’re signing, but having to dole out cryptic clues

The original comment which set this all off has disappeared - not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing. It was genuinely one of the most crackers things I’ve seen on the internet. Well, today at least.

If I’ve followed this thread right, according to the PC brigade he’s not dead. I think that’s it anyway; I think I need to drink several cans of strong ale to really get my head into this space.

‘Then rushing through the Paris night They hounded you, you lost control We prayed that you would be alright The news came through - Your body cold...’

I feel sorry for Reims. Hardly their fault his agent is a bellend. They’ll end up taking the fee. Tbf it’s probably the lad’s true value.

It is a shame really, as I always found West Brom's support to be a convivial bunch, and it is a grand old club steeped in working class traditions and with a solid history. But I really will enjoy seeing that grifting fat cunt lose regularly.

I've never believed Paqueta was joining; I'd be surprised if we actually went for him. Our budget must be stupendous if we do - we desperately need another good winger. ASM is the only PL quality one we have - it is a huge weakness. I'd be prepared to go into the season with the midfield and centre forwards we have if we get a cracking no. 7 in.

Christ, I forgot all about that. Especially at the beginning, with the continuous smug shite-filled opinion pieces in the football press (incl the Grauniad - it wasn't limited to the red-top 'PFM' world) about how 'Pards' was mistreated by our support, and how wonderful a job he was doing - all the while with us saying 'give him time, he always has a little run of form before imploding'. The fact he went from 'super duper manager wot those thick Jawdees done wrong' to deservedly sacked within roughly 18 months was wonderfully sweet. Though nothing will top the smug twat's Cup Final celebration before Man Utd stole it. Along with the '95 Cup Final, that's the only time I wanted Man Utd to win a final (and '95 was only because we'd have qualified for Europe)

I thought a cunt-collision like that would destroy the Twitter time-continuum

I know we’re only messing, but MBS is head of the PIF too

100% agree with the first sentence But I’m puzzled by some of our support who think that KSA/PIF got their wealth from business acumen - I’d point to $500m paintings which may or may not be by Leonardo rotting on a super yacht and suggest that actually, most of it was entirely down to the pot luck of running a country with a shitload of natural resources Also, Luke Edwards needs to come off Twitter. I suspect it’s sent him crackers.

Likewise, Mrs BB and I are longstanding members of AI. I also can't envisage a scenario where I'd go to the place where Exile did re mass graves. It is wretched stuff.

How did you tumble me? The angry tweets at Mehrdad, or the fact that I creep after women on the internet? I'm only joking, of course. As everyone knows, I'm secretly Grumpy Old Man.