Jonas

I thought about that but wasn't sure about the technicalities as he played in midfield that season. As with Watson and Beresford above and a Bjorn Kristensen goal. Albert v Man United Schar v PSG Hottiger v Blackburn Robbie Elliott v Leeds 94/95 Griffin v Charlton honourable mentions as not raised yet: Stuart Pearce v DInamo Kyiv and Dabizas at Watford

Fully agree. Tino and Batty were two of our better players the back end of that season. Everybody else bar Albert were off the boil (I'd add Ginola to Ferdinand and Lee as particular cases). Tino's goals and assist record in that spell was very good whilst Batty was arguably our best player, many, myself included believe that to be the case. Won his England place back, PL teams of the year, player of the month several times for us in that team on the strength of his performances. The gap after Batty's debut which we dominated and should have won and he was excellent in was 3points. He was the last person responsible for the gap having closed.

I've never known them be so determined about anything (world cup bids, respecting officials, punishing clubs for trying to form other leagues, genuinely protecting clubs from doing a Leeds) as they are about wanting to maintain the status quo and deduct points from and punish other clubs - just for trying to compete. They'd sooner see half the league on minus points, clubs qualifying for the PL/CL and weakening themselves and creating new rules bi-monthly to offset it than allow it to happen.

They were lucky it was only 3-1 too. Leeds ran them absolutely ragged. "No way are they championship material" one thought

Juninho had the opposite effect on them He signed less than 2month before that table (debut against Leeds early November). They were obviously doing well up until then having just been promoted. Momentum accounting for a lot perhaps. They won more games in 11 without him than in the 27 with him. After this they won 2 more games all season and were in total freefall and continued that relegation form throughout the whole of the following season. Probably as a result of upsetting a modest but solid team to accomodate a completely different sort of player far too soon.

David Kelly was a very limited footballer and it was probably fairplay to move him on when Beardsley/Cole were replacing he and Peacock - but he worked his backside off for the club and gave us plenty of moments and goals. Miggy deserves similar respect really not sniped at like he was Owen.

Life imitating art. Used to play friendlies against Brest on Champ Manager - funny name and everything. Former club of the boy Ginola

Knew he'd do a cop out stutter pen the pussy

You can see it a mile off. Great character for Ronaldo to miss a penalty and then not miss a second one, that's why he's one of the greatest of all time, stuff of legends etc. etc.

Glad someone else said but 100%. Couldn't understand the hype a week or so ago its been overwhelmingly dreck since then.

Their mid 90s teams were fabulous to watch and unc*ntly iirc.

of course, every change benefits them or else things would be left well enough alone

FFP/PSR working like an absolute charm even for this to be just plausible. Cover story isn't working so well otherwise clubs wouldn't have to be selling but at least its only pretendy financial difficulty. Not that that doesn't make it even more farcical

Great attitude, worked his arse off, contributed a fair share and gave us some great moments - deserves more respect otherwise were reserving that only for Shearer/Bruno/Beardsley levels

Simon Jordan called it "protectionist" the other day I saw and the bloke next to him nodded in agreement. At least its out there. The people most behind it are shameless enough to carry on regardless I fancy.

On my way to the Freeman this morning I saw they were pulling the Hoppings down. The last remnants of that clown show circus that made the place look so untidy should be down by tonight. Same goes for the Hoppings

Spend limit rounded up to the nearest hundred of the red cartel - so within their reach but also within the reach of a Forest. Which is the sticking point as they only want themselves to be able to spend the top money. The two - limiting spending and protecting the cartel have no need whatsoever to be exclusive - if the stated purposes are genuine (which they aren't)

Sorry state of affairs when that seems entirely plausible in the current climate.

When there's a football regulator for better or worse it'll be a fair kop for this absolute mess they've made of things, let alone that the mess has been created for protectionist reasons

The top clubs in any league in any era end up being representatives of the league but the idea they're fixed is bollocks yet obviously how they desire things to be. Its been interchangable. The PL did alright in its first five seasons to come on like gangbusters from selling its best players to buying the best players with Spurs, Man City and Chelsea as midtable also-rans at best. Blackburn, Villa, ourselves and Leeds had about as much right to be especially protected then as these c*nts do now.

The blood lust from them, the PL, neutral fans and other media outlets to punish clubs and in effect put them in worse financial sitiuations (only the except opposite of the pretendy justification for these rules) is galling. Like they want the drama and farce of various points deductions across the league. As if its imperative for the future of the game and survival of small clubs that this be punished and ambitous PL clubs be even further restricted.

Its good coin, no doubt, amazing how that soothes so much. Think Anderson is definitely good enough to be a squad player with us even at the levels where at and/or hoping to get to but in these times unfortunately that's a very saleable asset is how things are going to end up being looked upon as. Was longing for him to notch for us as it was if I'd known this was around the corner, more so.

What a miserable addition to football. All ambitious clubs too not one of whom even remotely needed to sell any of those players in any logical sense.

Wouldn't wipe my arse on this sport if I was 8/9 again.

Players people have hardly seen are always the best.