NJS

assuming his manager wanted to ? He seems to be saying he wouldn't have cared what the manager thought - then again he did the same with Robson and Gary Speed. I don't really think the Halls and Shepherd didn't back their managers, do you ? Assuming you are right, that makes Freddie Shepherd a fucking good manager, having taken a team to all those champions league and european qualifications, wouldn't you agree ? Oh aye, they booed his team for only finishing 5th, and then they booed Shepherd just to let them know they thought it was all his fault. Now, they are happy just to stay in the premiership and sell our best players. You couldn't make up such stupidity. My point was that you tried to defend him by saying his managers always decided transfers rather than him which is fucking shit - he sold and bought players when it suited him on quite a few occasions. So you've been shitting on since January about how there's no way the previous regime would have sold Carroll and now you have it from the horse's mouth he would have done - fucking deal with it. Don't use "points" to argue which are 100% wrong - and that's about selling players without consulting the manager before you use your phrase bot again.

assuming his manager wanted to ? He seems to be saying he wouldn't have cared what the manager thought - then again he did the same with Robson and Gary Speed.

Went to see Big Country tonight at Shepherd's Bush. I've been to a few gigs in the past 2 or 3 years (eg the Manics) where I've noticed that the average age has been similar to mine and I'd say everyone there tonight were in their 40s. On a scale of how the years have treat my fellow travellers I'd probably optimistically place myself in the middle of the range - I still have all my hair with no grey as opposed to a few but there were a lot of tidy lasses there it has to be said. Mike Peters did his best but it still took me a little while to overcome the whole "this isn't right" feeling but the nostalgia wave of memories of seeing them so many times years ago and the times that they mark in terms of my life soon took over and by the end I was welling up. I do like to think of myself as the world's most strident Atheist but when Tony Butler ended the night by saying he was sure Stuart's spirit was watching I was a bit of a mess. If you were a fan I'd say forget any doubts and go for it - overall fucking brilliant.

^ Anyone else think the second is better than the first by several lengths of the A1? Just had the classic semi-drunken taxi rank shouting match - had just got to the front with about 15 people behind me when this cunt saunters past the queue as if to steam in to the next car so hit with my dulcet tones of "Ho shitbag - get to the fucking back" - bloke was about 6 ft 6 and more than 20 stone so obviously thought he was invincible so started muttering that I had my car so I could fuck off - told him to look at the queue behind me at which point my cabbie leaned across to say "don't worry mate, nobody will pick the fucker up now" and got on the radio to make sure. Life's little victories.

Not that one but I've read About a boy and High Fidelity and enjoyed both.

I take the "no more than 8 in 24 hours" seriously for all the painkillers but didn't realise Ibuprofen was that bad.

I have no problem with some of his points about language and culture but business won't accept caps so it's just rhetoric. I'd also ask him how Labour encouraged welfare "abuse" as opposed to that under Thatcher and Major - the difference in the Labour years was that there were jobs for the immigrants to take - if the economy had been the same pre-97 then they would have loved the cheap labour..

Suicide makes me think of train disruption nowadays and on that note did anyone see that story about the Northampton train that caught fire the other day? Only saw a brief report but a lass died trapped in the toilet - horrible way to go.

I actually quite liked that by the end Seriously TP - I've backed you a little bit as I think there is something to the idea that having a rich owner to underwrite debt isn't necessarily a bad thing but going on to defend him on any other level is completely nonsensical.

Don't mind Barcelona as a club but their fans are fucking shit.

I used to love the build-up when I was a kid - there used to be a show the night before in the 70s where a panel would try and predict the result which was the start of it all. I haven't watched a final now post our 2 in 98/99 as it just somehow feels dead - I think the low point was that Chelsea/Arsenal/Man Utd group about 4 or 5 years ago.

Stupidly open between Man U and Chelsea - could end up 5-5.

In terms of meat - rabbit - though I haven't had any for years as my Mam used to make it. If its extended to all types then I'd say blueberry.

Interesting - I knew Clinton's administration had some "blame" but didn't realise there was an earlier one under Carter. I do know the legislation allowing retail banks to be investment banks in the UK was Thatcher's bag. It's lush how the debate still rages as to who deregulated most to allow it to happen....while there's no pressure whatsoever on the current power holders to re-introduce any regulation that will stop it happening again. The horse bolted 3 years ago and we're taking a mosey on down to the stable to have a look at the manufacturer on the door hinges. I agree - but too many are falling for Cameron's shite as CT proves.

That's the key to me on 2 points - the importance of London did/does make us central but as you suggest a reduced role and risk would cost good times as well.

Interesting - I knew Clinton's administration had some "blame" but didn't realise there was an earlier one under Carter. I do know the legislation allowing retail banks to be investment banks in the UK was Thatcher's bag.

None taken By popularist Im not sure if your're referring to Cameron or the Street parties. In all seriousness and while I accept a bit of electioneering, its still nice for him to come out and say what he's said, particularly in these times when everything is red tape. With regard to the street parties, in the 70's these were a chance for whole streets and mainly pretty deprived kids, to have a very special day and a bit of fun and change from the norm. While we have many cynical adults, you would be hard pushed to find any kid who would be over the moon to see the street decorated with bunting and all the adults and children taking a day out from the norm to have a good time. Even more of a novelty in these days where some people find it too much of a strain to even communicate with their neighbours. Atheists have no problem celebrating Christmas so the likes of NJS should have little problem enjoying a street party. I must be a natural born cynic - I was 13 in 1977 and remember thinking it was a load of shite then. I actually agree about the community thing - though of course think the "cause" is 100% wrong. I'm doing the 3 day/11 day break thing but won't be participating surprisingly.

I've always thought the way King is portrayed as some kind of hero who stood up for the common good to be bullshit.

I think Meenzer had it nailed with "lack of pride" - I know they say otherwise but this kind of worship of the monarchy shows something is completely lacking in their lives and I've always thought it was self-pride - the notion of "accepting" superiority through birthright indicates an inferiority complex imo.

Piss poor. Maybe people will realise we need 3 new strikers and a couple of midfielders before we can even think of stopping up next year. I thought Villa would be more wound up because of the 6-0 but they showed themselves to be a shit, nervous team - pity we couldn't beat them because if we had I'd have been quite hopeful of them going down.

Been struggling all week with the pre-cursor symptoms of man flu (generally feeling shitty) but had started feeling better so yesterday went out for a few at dinner time and then post work - not pissed just a decent drink. It's failed miserably though - been feeling progressively worse as the day has gone on and now off to bed - can't see much of anything being done tomorrow. Hope its the last one before summer.

That joins a shit load of sports which are only worth watching if a fight breaks out. This goes with motor sports which are only worth watching if there's a crash. Which basically just leaves football.....

Slightly derailing the thread but anyone other than Man City fans or Scousers (who live in their cities) using the "United" abbreviation should be shot. I educated my Irish ex-boss who was a Liverpool fan on this subject to the point where he did use Man United - my constant references to Rotherham (the first one) when he used it eventually wore him down.

TBF in this instance he would have had a team briefing him so don't assume he was that aware (non-political point BTW)

That's what I mean from the American Sports I only know 5 ever, bakabaal, gridirons, ice hockey, and what's the other sport they play it escapes me now. There is another one these mugs play that's popular. Baseball. I did enjoy 'Field of Dreams' to be fair. (15 to 67 in a sentence). Aye Baseball. There's another name that's hit me for some reason "Tony di Maggio", I donno who the cunt is but his name rings a bell. Joe - more famous globally for marrying Marilyn Monroe.