Optimistic Nut

It's still pretty decent. I think that's about as low as it will get in the Premiership. If things turn around it'll sharp get back upto around 50,000.

Yeah good point. Can't see Fenerbahce winning their last 2 games.

On the other hand though, we send out the kids, get beat, finish 2nd in the group and draw Werder Bremen next round.

Maybe, but imo, Emre is the more skilful player and has a much better shot. Emre's more likely to ride through a few tackles in midfield and have a shot/thread a throughball than Parker.

Given Taylor Ramage Huntington Bramble Solano Luque Butt Emre Sibierski Martins

Emre offers more going forward, Butt is better defensively. Parker is the better footballer, but Sven got hammered with England for just trying to pick his best players rather than team, and for me, Butt-Emre is the better partnership.

Now what was that all about?

Stop sweat from his forehead dripping into his eyes.

Shepherd stretches to the fridge for a pastie.

Hmm, ok in theory, but are you telling me if they get this 18-year old whizzkid through the ranks who dives they're going to sack him and miss out on a 6 figure-fee from a Championship club or whatever? No chance.

The sailors in Portsmouth docks?

It's like Deal or No Deal. Last 3 matches with Bramble, we've had a round where we've got rid of the 1p, 10p & £10 boxes...but you just get the sinking feeling the £250k will be in the next box.

5 goals.

Merry Antoine nets.

Amelie was in French but is one of the best films of the last 10 years.

I don't think so. I think they'd see the UEFA Cup as nothing more than their equivalent of the Carling Cup and would keep key players out for their European games in order to keep them fresh for what is looking a very tight La Liga. Werder Bremen on the other hand would look to win it, and for me, probably would.

Hysen's actually doing well for me (when he's fit).

Agree with that. Palermo were the same. Maybe British teams are coming to the fore again in europe?? Naah. I'll still put money on a Spanish club winning the Champions League & UEFA Cup...again. They don't start performing until the business end of the competition.

Despite giving myself a shitload to spend with Gateshead, I finished 7th in the Conference and got the sack. Decided to start a new game, running the top 4 English Leagues, as well as the top 2 leagues in Spain & Italy. Let the game randomly choose my side in the "Random Team" option of the start game screen. Of the 170+ teams they could have picked, who did they give me? Fecking Sunderland. Decided to go along with it, so my summer transfer activity was... OUT. Stephen Wright, £250k to Hearts. Nyron Nosworthy, £525k to Hull. Neill Collins, Free to Wycombe. Danny Collins, £20k to Brighton. Daryl Murphy, £50k to Hartlepool. Dean Whitehead, £1.1m to Coventry. Tommy Miller, £250k to Nottm Forest IN. Andy Griffin, £875k from Portsmouth. Claudio Reyna, £110k from Man City. Gareth Bale, £1.8m from Southampton. Went into the January comfortably in the Play-Off zone, and added to the squad by signing... David Thompson, £675k from Portsmouth. Christian Vieri, £90k from Atalanta. Also signed Mamady Sidibe on a 3-month loan deal from Stoke due to having 4 strikers out at once, and he scored 5 in 6 games for me! Normal squad when all are fit is, GK - Alnwick RB - Griffin LB - Bale CB - Cunningham CB - Varga RM - Lawrence LM - Hysen CM - Reyna CM - Thompson CF - Elliott CF - Vieri Subs from: Ward, Caldwell, Elliott, Delap, Kavanagh, Miller, Leadbitter, Stead, Sidibe & Yorke. 30 games in, Thompson & Vieri both scored on their debuts in a 5-3 home defeat to Coventry...with Kevin Kyle scoring 4. Currently 6th in the table, 11 off an automatic promotion spot.

Never seen much of him so not going to say yes or no, but this is an almost identical thread to what we were seeing 18 months ago when we were first linked with Moore and he hasn't been as bad as everyone made out.

Apparently Liverpool have agreed deals with 3 new players, who will be transferred in the January transfer window. Former Liverpool player John Wark's son will sign. Phil Neville is due to sign from Merseyside rivals Everton, and Jason Euell is moving from Charlton. All three players are being allowed to move under a loan agreement until they can sign, during the window. Rafa Benitez is quoted as saying that he needed to strengthen the side, and has decided to listen to the fans cries for these players.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Euell, Neville, Wark on loan

I signed Primus (£100k) & Mark Crossley on Deadline Day. 5 games to go, in the FA Trophy Final with Stevenage, currently 9th, 5 points off the play-offs with a game in hand.

TBH I don't think he ever really wanted to come here (probably an agent convincing him for the money), or at least realised he'd made a big mistake pretty early on. I guess the question is would have someone like Bobby Robson actually got a player out of him at newcastle, or would he still have just wanted to be back off to Spain anyway? Viana? (ok I know he was Portuguese but you can see my point). And Robson was manager when Domi was here yet he was still homesick.

He did it before he signed in a way. Look at the way when he's "charging down" Hottiger's free-kick at Ewood he pulls his leg out of the way of the ball last second.

Was weird. I'd already pulled my pants down because I needed a shit, then mid-plop, I was going to be sick and instincts (and drunkeness) made me stand up to be sick in the toilet...same drunkeness made me pick it up with my hand. Had to give my dad £50 for some new tiles too because they were stained.