Toonpack

We'd have been just as badly off, if not worse off under that useless git. We've been stumbling around the crap zone for the last 5 years or so and he presided over the fall much more than he presided over the ascent, despite what Leazes may say.

Capitalism has survived by continually borrowing from the future. True, but capitalism is trying to recover from a serious kick in the nads just now and borrowing isn't exactly easy at the minute, even banks won't lend each other money. For all there's huge debt in the Prem League and that is apparently seen as OK, that will all be within existing banking arrangements/agreements, it's the renewal of banking facilities that'll be interesting to see.

Not a defence of Ashley per se, but it'll be interesting to see what happens when some of those debt terms run out and they need re-financing. Liverpool have already had to get a 6 month extension as they couldn't sort it out by the original deadline, they're with RBS though so can't see a UK bank pulling the plug on an "institution", but some of the rest, who can say. If major players in finance and insurance can go down (as they have), a foreign bank pulling the plug on a football team is not inconceivable (if it's got assets)

No he's not, he's just yet another young foreign player not given a proper chance (as in brought through properly) On Barton, if (big if) he was to be replaced - sell him yesterday

On the downside, he's out of contract in the summer. I can't see him leaving if he's told he'll be our No.1, he's waited long enough for it so it would seem silly to leave now unless we're taking the piss with his contract. Alledgedly the offer was half what he's on now. (suspect source mind - another board - friend of a friend type post)

Therein lies the problem, the Sultan of Brunei is the one with the dosh, this Brunai fella's an imposter. Would doubt there's anything in it at all, and I believe he has his own vehicle fleet in the UK so Limo bookings/stories highly doubtfull.

Keep an eye out for this. at around 10:56 (according to the flightplan) It'll probably turn out to be a squadron of flying pigs like

Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/wale...ast/7845771.stm Well 3 mebe's Edit - that'll teach me not to post before reading the whole thread

No He's a very good keeper but nothing more, Harper isn't that far behind him IMO, not as good a shot-stopper but better command of his box (by a little), which Shay has always been garbage at. OK OK so Harper may walk as well at the end of the season, BUT the question was about this season

At One Hundred Yards.......................

They do when the old sanctions start. That's what I mean, or even just making the USA withdraw more support politically. Mind you a war is a war (and that is how Israel views it, rightly or wrongly) and bad shit happens in every one. It's more like the slaughter of the defenseless. What is it now 1,000 civilians killed?!! Shouldn't have voted for Hamas then should they All the surrounding country's would LOVE to anhialate Israel, only by acting the big bully cunt can it survive

Direct debits can always be cancelled

The fact he hasn't "snapped their hands off" speaks volumes IMO

Maybe aliens are made out of shit, not so much a species as a faeces

It's funny actually, I never thought I'd subscribe to this view, but now that the Premier League has become such a closed shop and we're obviously not going to get back among the big boys for several years (if ever), I'm starting to come around to the idea... I was 10 when we won the Fairs Cup and "just" remember it and the associated rejoicing, Chronicle special editions etc. I'd take a major trophy win, even if it meant 10 years outside the top flight, tomorrow. At the end of the day, you go and watch your team, they win some games and they lose some games (hopefully they win more than they lose). The feeling after a win irrespective of opposition, to me, ain't a lot different (exc the Man U 5-0 and when we beat them down the road). I'm not into "seeing the best players on the planet playing for the other team" I can do that on TV (which wasn't the case in my youth - we did have TV's back then mind but live footy wasn't on much), I want to see my team win games, screw anything else. A win's a win's a win, the big picture of winning the league/top 4 is a million miles away, to tell you the truth the "thrill" of finishing fourth (out of the medals in Olympic terms) was never particularly great to me, except it possibly provided funding and created a very slim chance of winning something else. I've seen some players of real class in black and white the likes of which I never dreamed I would, and it was very nice, BUT we still won sod-all.

What about it ?? No one year is like another (except for us as we've been rubbish for donkeys and never win owt)

Can't win it without a challenge, I really don't believe (even in my wildest dreams) we could win it mind (I reckon we'll go out tonight), but you never know. Wouldn't write it off on the basis that there's a direct correlation between being better placed in the league if we drop the cup. I actually think the opposite could be true, having something to play for rather than a week in, week out, toil against the drop may just raise the players from crap to mediocrity.

Unreal I'd take winning the cup AND relegation without hesitation. We haven't won ANYTHING for 40 years man (well except the Texaco Cup and the Intertoto)

Fair do's like. Conversely, if I was in the company of a group of whites and one Asian and everyone was referring to him as 'Paki' I'd be utterly ashamed. Why? if the Asian wasn't bothered/didn't object, what's the problem. I would suggest IF the Asian was as you said "in the company" of a white group of friends he'd be used to whatever names they usually call him, what if they said and he's called "Paedo", is that shamefull. This whole name calling MUST BE Rascist thing, really winds me up, it's name calling for heavens sake. Now I accept there are certain words like Nigger, Wog, Honkey or Kafir that certainly ARE rascist but Paki, deary me. They (and society) shouldn't be so damned "precious" about everything. Rascism/discrimination via deed or action is MUCH more wicked and should be stamped upon instead of furore about trivia like name calling. Look for it where it really is, not where it's percieved FFS Paki is no more rascist than Brit, Yank, Aussie, end of. (except that some Paki's find it offensive - aw bless) I find "Sweaty" offensive as a name for Scots, but shit I ain't going to lose any sleep over it or call the papers. Mountain out of a molehill I must be a rascist

Unfortunately I believe their funding is via RBS and I can't see a UK bank pulling the plug on a "popular (yet despicable) institution" . Shame they're not funded by some nameless foreign hedge fund that just wouldn't care about any possible public backlash. Doesn't stop RBS hammering them on interest rate though because shopping around for alternative credit isn't going to be easy.

Interesting comment about the £ to the Euro, I'd not even considered it before but a lot of the foreign players likely bank "at home" and as such the 30% drop comment may not be far from the truth. As well as them "losing" money it also means a lesser contract "back home" is not so unpalateable

Given's a very good keeper (shit at commanding his box though) but Harpers also a decent keeper, I'm not convinced the drop off would be huge, losing Owen's goals would be a much bigger problem IMO. I'd like both to stay by the way, but Owen will be gone in the summer whatever happens. I think we're at 3 less than same time last year, but then again a lot of other teams have many less points as well, that's the big difference this season.

There-in lies the problem though, are they REALLY a bunch of arseholes, or is everyone just blinded by emotion. We're in the shit along with 75% of the Premiership (if you just look at the league table), we're (according to us), in a tailspin and doomed beyond redemption BUT we're above Spurs who've spent loads, The mackems, who are in their golden age - according to them, and Boro who have the bestest chairman in the world. Our wafer thin squad is performing better than those mentioned despite being top (again) of the physio-room table. Maybe just maybe, it's not all as bad as some would believe it is. Only difference from about the previous 5 or so years is we've swapped Shepherd (thank god) for someone else. We are undoubtedly not very good at all, but so it seems is no-one else (excluding top 4-5) we've just got to hope we remain less shit than three other teams, I'm also with the gents who mentioned above that our transfer dealings have not been that bad, certainly compared to some in our recent past. I'm an old twat as well and I was gutted when we sold Pop Robson Yes you are right, we are no worse than the other teams below us, we are performing better, but we are a lot worse that the small number that are challenging for the title and the gap is getting bigger. We are about the same as the others barring two or three points, and a whole lot better than the bottom two, but ther is not much in it. How far have we fallen since the title challenge under KK, and please do not read this as a sign that I advocate the return of KK, again forget the history it is about what we have to do now to get us into a position to challenge but I fear we are light years away. I was also gutted when Pop was sold and once again the Club treat the player really badly. We seem to have a knack for that On the other points, oh we've plummeted from a great height at remarkable speed, what we don't know is if we've bottomed out yet. The descent started and continued under the previous regime, whether this one can or will arrest the slide is the million pound question, I'm not ready to villify them yet. They have to a greater extent pissed off their customers, but cold hard facts seem to suggest, we're actually in the same boat as many others but in better shape than many - At least we don't owe foreign banks bazillions, unlike some, and depending how the next couple of years go economy wise and what the next TV deal brings, lot's of chickens may come home to roost.

There-in lies the problem though, are they REALLY a bunch of arseholes, or is everyone just blinded by emotion. We're in the shit along with 75% of the Premiership (if you just look at the league table), we're (according to us), in a tailspin and doomed beyond redemption BUT we're above Spurs who've spent loads, The mackems, who are in their golden age - according to them, and Boro who have the bestest chairman in the world. Our wafer thin squad is performing better than those mentioned despite being top (again) of the physio-room table. Maybe just maybe, it's not all as bad as some would believe it is. Only difference from about the previous 5 or so years is we've swapped Shepherd (thank god) for someone else. We are undoubtedly not very good at all, but so it seems is no-one else (excluding top 4-5) we've just got to hope we remain less shit than three other teams, I'm also with the gents who mentioned above that our transfer dealings have not been that bad, certainly compared to some in our recent past. I'm an old twat as well and I was gutted when we sold Pop Robson

Agree with all of that I'd add that the bugger's 29 at the end of the month, so how much of his pace is left is open to question