TheBrownBottle

Just when you mentioned decency; I’d hope people would respect those paying their respects.

Again, no-one is saying that there shouldn’t be a silence etc.

You don’t get rulers in democratic republics A monarchy is a system of govt - if how people are governed is not political, then nothing is. It’s continued existence is (or should be) a choice. A political choice. Ask the French if they want their monarchy back - after all, theirs lasted longer than ours. edit: no-one is saying that there shouldn’t be a minutes silence etc. But any supporters display is a political statement - and makes it for all of us.

Yes, it is. The length of time isn’t relevant - and it isn’t a left or right thing. Right wing libertarians and left wing Marxists are both unlikely to be pro-monarchy. If it isn’t a political statement, then I’m sure no-one would be upset with a ‘pro republic’ flag next to it.

Yep. The fact that Shearer was laughing at the soppy twat said it all.

Other than Isak, I think there’s a really good chance our front three (and their back ups) have a very different look within two years.

I like listening to it while walking the dogs on Saturday morning. Sets me up for the day

Not enough for some, it seems.

The point is that it is displaying a political position that some don’t agree with. Support for the monarchy is a political position - it’s got nothing to do with respecting others. Making statements on behalf of the support - which is what a flag display potentially does - is going to lead to criticism. I love those WF displays; it’s always great to see what they’ve come up with. It’s one of the most fantastic, communally-minded things our support has ever done (probably the most fantastic thing, tbh).

I don’t think anyone is outraged at all. But it is a political statement, whether some like it or not. Theres no quicker route to divisiveness

I’m not sure that reaching for civil war era examples works on that front tbh. 400 years is a long time in politics. What would ‘loyal to the crown’ look like today? We’re not looking to cut their heads off?

Because it’s grasping for a connection to NUFC no matter how tenuous? If people were genuinely arsed about being solemn and respectful, there wouldn’t be a display at all.

Me neither, provided we have a display supporting Republic.org.uk next week. That wouldn’t upset anyone, I assume?

I’d have left the lickspittle displays to Rangers, personally. I don’t think the Windsors are anything like as popular in the NE as many are guessing. Once the bag is opened to political displays, it’s hard to plug it back in - the feeling of unity came from the displays being related to the club & city. Chas Windsor and his inbred family can get fucked, frankly. Up to WFs, ultimately.

Much as I like having them in the squad - they’re the type of solid, mid-table pros that we’ve lacked for yonks - Burn and Targett aren’t England quality for me. That doesn’t mean I think Southgate’s continuing selection of Luke Shaw makes a lick of sense, mind. Pope and Trippier should be shoo-ins for the squad (and possibly team) though.

I'm sure we can handle more than one talented young player these days Doesn't mean we've signed him yet, mind. I'm also kind of skeptical that the lad would be eligible for a work permit - I wouldn't have thought he'd meet the criteria? Happy to be wrong on that

This has been done before - twice in slightly different formats. Dropped because it was shite.

Football’s appeals extends well beyond the borders of the former empire. And regardless of how a sport spreads, writing off the national sport of a quarter of the planet is a bit rum. I never said it had global appeal - but in terms of simple numbers it’s one of the most popular sports on the planet. edit: basketball would kill for cricket’s viewing figures. A game being played isn’t the same as people watching and attending

I accept some of your points, but cricket is the national sport (both playing and attending) for all the countries in the entire Indian subcontinent - that's a quarter of the world's population. It is absolutely comparable to basketball's popularity worldwide.

Boelhy's ideas were shite because they were shite; they came about because he's think about money, not because he's 'Americanising' the sport. Holt just comes across as a little Englander. Fucking hell the man is dislikeable

No country internationally plays at close to the level that the Americans do. A basketball WC would be utterly pointless - at club level, there would be no point in a European Cup / Copa Libertadores equivalent; NBA teams would be lightyears ahead of every other nation's teams. That's not to suggest that loads of kids worldwide don't play and enjoy it - I enjoyed playing it when I was a kid. But I have read that 'soccer' is the most played games of early schoolers in the US - that doesn't lead to mass popularity later on, of course.

I wonder if the lack of international competition makes those 'All Star Games' more enticing? Here in Oz, 'State of Origin' in rugby league is massive. Mainly because only England, PNG and NZ actually play RL at any kind of decent level. No-one seriously plays gridiron outside the US, Japan plays baseball, and basketball is reasonably played in small Eastern European countries

There's no chance it would raise anything like 200m. No-one would give a solitary shite - a bunch of players you don't like playing a friendly for two sides who don't exist outside of that friendly. Also, football is a pyramid - unlike US sports and their franchise system, the 'North' and the 'South' may have a very skewed look depending on who is in the PL that season. This year, it would just about work if the midlands teams are considered 'Northern'. For the best part of a century, a 'Football League XI' played friendlies each year against other Football League XIs. No-one cared or watched, which is why it was canned. We all hate everyone else's clubs and players - for many of us, that dislike doesn't even end when those players play for England etc.

I live in Sydney these days tbf - I'm all for televised games But the priority should be the match-going fan - they shouldn't be expected to travel at stupid times to hard-to-reach locations; also, the fixture list (i.e. days and times) when produced should be fixed at least four months in advance. It is truly shocking how short a notice the TV companies can give to people who've taken time off work and stumped-up their hard-earned cash.

'Bob Lord was right'