NJS

I was just thinking that - it also leaves plenty time to pick up some late deals and may mean we get the 8 or 9 (at least) I think we need.

As I've said I'm impressed by his professionalism but at the same time I'm starting to think this sort of stuff is becoming the be all and end all of his job. Surely buying, coaching and playing the players correctly is the real crux of the job? I know this is all part of it but I'm starting to worry about the emphasis.

Canny - enjoyed them at Reading last year when it was obvious they were like kids on xmas day - probably should have given up there and then.

2 days into a "New" government. Two things I don't believe in - coincidences and leprechauns.

Milk, Pespi Max and lately apple and cranberry by someone called "Feelggooddrinks"

Software developer in a bank.

They never see the irony in posting about "barcodes" wearing their shirts all the time - I remember going to Kiev with Keith Barrat's flight in '03 and at 5am at Newcastle airport (sorry Ponteland airport) there were loads of the fuckers going on holiday who got a bit shy when they saw some of the "dafter" elements in the Barrat party - good start to the day.

I had one of those a few years ago and it was the worst medical experience of my life. Having said that the worst part of it was the consultant who scheduled it - he had a God complex and was the worst excuse for a human being I've ever met and thats saying something - If I hadn't been so worried about the actual health issue (which turned out to be nothing) I think I'd have had no problem punching his lights out.

As usual the truth will lie somewhere in the middle - though I agree with him about how McClaren's and Mourinho's names weren't mentioned.

The fallout on Tevez was that despite saying they'd removed the 3rd party ownership, said third party still thought they had a stake (ie the contract was still valid) which I think is why West HAm were "done". On this basis I'd like to know Mascherano's status before transfer to Liverpool.

This thing about Allardyce's son puzzles me. Are they saying that any business deal in which family members put business the way of others is inherently dodgy? If its more specific than that then say what the problem is, otherwise they are tainting thousands of deals done everyday in all walks of life. If the accusation is that he bought players who he didn't want just because there was money in it for his son then thats a matter for Bolton and would surely massivley increase the scope of the inquiry if relationships with agents other than familial were taken into account (eg Souness/ McKay). I'm sure that something like 51 of the 54 players the monkey's heed signed for the Mackems had the same agent (a firm he had shares in iirc). When you consider the likes of Nunez I could never understand why the FA weren't interested.

The biggest crime seems to be "not co-operating fully" -nowhere near as bang to rights as Graham and Arsenal (got away with murder) were. In fact if there are repurcusions for us I'd site precedent to that case and either ask how Arsenal got away with it or retrospecively close the fuckers down.

I say this every year but .com before they paid up tried all sorts of shite like "The day before Biffa visits his auntie who lives in the town next to Bolton" and they STILL got threatened. (Though I'd guess the club had a hand in the harassment)

Absolutely - if he'd banged in 40 goals in two seasons then I would "blame" him less if he does leave but the "what might have been" is a killer. I also agree with Wacky - the idiot has to realise that his trophy signings don't share his "geordie nation" bollocks.

I'd define that as making him fully responsible. Why did he ask for it? - for exactly the reason we are now finding out - so it would be easier for him to leave when it suited him. Continuing the analogy from above if a girl way out of your league agreed to go out with you on the basis that you dropped all your mates, burned all your CDs and gave up watching football then yes, its your "stupid" fault for being so desperate to agree to it but that doesn't make her less of a bitch.

Like nothing around at the time, must have been something to see when they first appeared on the scene!!! And especially that part of their sound came from Iommi chopping the ends of his fingers just before they launched themselves. I enjoyed the programme but obviously only having an hour there was alot missed out or glossed over that they could have made more of that i'd have liked to see. I thought they would have mentioned the 3 chord note thing from the track Black Sabbath which was supposedly banned for centuries by the church for being evil. Iommi was right - it does make the hair stand up. I thought it was sly to count Led Zep as "stadium" to feature next week instead of including them as a "founder of metal". Oh and on topic - so not Paul Scholes then?

Because He or his agent acting on his instructions leaked the story to the press about the release cause. That is enough for me to seriously question his position.

And therin lies the problem - he's had plenty time and opportunities to say yay or nay but imo is biding his time waiting to see if anyone comes calling. I'm sick of this "we should be grateful such a god should even contemplate playing for us" attitude some seem to have. We pay him more than £100k a week (insurance ot not) and have spent a fortune in medical bills so lets cut the "poor little messed about Michael" shit for starters. On a career basis Shepherd was right - none of the "worthy" clubs look like they want him (for now) - people like to think that the £17m bid blew Liverpool out of the water angle is correct but I'd put it down to him realising that Benitez didn't want him and we did. I'd love him to stay because even a sad old bastard like me is starting to feel positive but I'm certainly not going to do a Wayne's world type worship of him. What like asking him to clarify his position and the new manager going out of his way to sell his vision for the future to him? Is that not enough?

If he stays for a "token effort" as he feels he owes us or something like that, tbh I wish he'd just be honest and leave now. I know its an old cliche which sometimes is full of shit but I do feel its a case of "we only want players who actually want to play for us". I was very cynical about how he only just dipped his toe in the water at the end of the season before last so that he was fresh for the world cup - again being honest a "that serves you right" thought did enter my mind when he was injured know matter how much it may have cost us. I think it was that that really pissed me off especially with all the emphasis of when he'd be back for England and not for us. I agree with the comments that if he's "forced" to stay we'd get 100% on the pitch but when he does leave I'll still have a bitter taste in my mouth.

I'm being more and more impressed every day - I like the way Barton has mentioned the "sell" that was given to him and Viduka looks the same. Could be cynical and mention the money but I get the feeling Sam, as with the backroom thing, just goes about things "properly".

I get what you're saying but bias aside Shearer's tackle on Lennon has been at best excused and at worst glorified by fans. Also ask other fans about his elbows over the years - I think he gave as much as he took but from one angle he was a "thug". Which leaves mooning - hardly a capital crime.

I;m not one for dodgy anecdotal evidence but I worked with a lad who had a dodgy back for months but was completely sorted by one.

As I've said before I hate the fuckers and the report is no surprise but agree its an attempt at blame shifting. I think the worst aspect is the willingness of so many fuckwits to charge the gates without thinking about the past and what it would do any hope of justice. Having said that in their place I doubt I could have kept calm.

Got my bill from Virgin today without the promised refund from last month so rang to complain and see if the upgrade had happened. Messed about quite a bit until I spoke to a lass who did seem to care (had to ask me to calm down a couple of times and tbh if I'd been her I'd have told me to fuck off). Upshot was that the upgrade has happened but as I'd suspected the throughput on my router was limiting it (bought a new router off ebay at the weekend in anticipation) but worryingly the tech support people knew nothing about networks. Wacky - if you have a router attached it might me worth trying a direct connection (heinous crime normally) just to see if thats your problem. Anyway the lass rang me back at the end and offered me the price of the 8Mb connection for 6 months (£12 saving) so what with having a good rant, getting it working (sort of) and saving money it all worked out okay in the end (for now).

As I've said I still have doubts about the style we'll play but this kind of talk of professionalism does impress me.