Sadly for you Gav, there's increasing speculation that he could be on his way this summer. The Liverpool board have failed to publicly back Monsieur Houllier this week, amid reports that some directors are looking for a change after six years of excuses from the Frenchman. When taking over at Anfield, Houllier said that he had a "five year plan" to win back the Premiership, but this season has finished 30 points behind Arsenal. If they had missed out on Champions League qualification this season, I've no doubt that Houllier would definitely have been sacked. But the fact that they managed to squeeze into 4th place might possibly persuade Chairman David Moores to give him one last chance and let him carry on for another year. Many of the papers though (tabloids as well as broadsheets) believe that Houllier's future on Merseyside is looking increasingly bleak. In the Daily Telegraph today, the paper claims that Alan Curbishley has a number of supporters on the Anfield board. (Link to that story below) http://www.sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai...ixsporttop.html I don't think Houllier will be too pleased with the 'come and get me' plea from Dalglish - "If the club think I can help they just need to ask," says Kenny, who would clearly love the chance of returning to his old club.

This afternoon Leeds are reported to have turned down a bid of £3.5m from Man United for Alan Smith. Fergie seems to have been hoping to get Smith on the cheap, but he might be willing to up his bid to a level that's acceptable to the Leeds directors. It doesn't come as any surprise to me that Smith is said to be keen on defecting to the Red Scum. He's just the latest in a long line of selfish greedy players who proclaim loyalty, but in reality they're only concerned about themselves. If his move to Man United eventually does go ahead, Smith would be spitting in the face of the Leeds supporters who carried him on their shoulders in his last appearance at Elland Road. The day after that game, Smith then told the media that he'd quite fancy a move to Old Trafford. At Stamford Bridge a couple of days ago when Leeds supporters urged him not to move to the Red Scum, Smith shouted at the fans to Eff off. It's clear he cares only about himself. Crocodile tears were shed on his last game at Elland Road, when in reality he'll be laughing all the way to the bank when he departs for another club and gets his fat signing-on fee. I wonder if the cheeky barsteward will even ask for a 'loyalty bonus'. Link below to an article in today's Times: Smith in line to defect to Old Trafford Meanwhile, another blonde striker who used to play at Elland Road - Lee Chapman - has recently been exposed as a vicious wife-beater. Chapman, who scored his debut goal for Leeds in a 2-1 win against Rovers in 1990, is reported to have savagely beaten his wife Leslie Ash on a number of occasions. Leslie's sister Debbie says that she "fears for her life" being married to such a brute. Multi-millionaire restaurant owner Chapman reportedly dragged Leslie across a room by her hair, pinned her against a wall and punched her so hard she collapsed to the ground. Charming. The police have regularly been called to the couple's home. In 1996, police found Chapman kicking the door down and screaming threats at his wife. He was charged with common assault and criminal damage, but Leslie later forgave him and dropped the charges. Her sister says that she's insecure and sticks by Lee even though he regularly beats her. David Batty clearly didn't have a high opinion of Chapman, judging by his autobiography. Batts said that Chapman would be spend ages preening himself in front of a mirror in the dressing room, and when the manager gave his team talk, the striker would be busy filing and shaping his fingernails. Since leaving the game, Chapman, whose playing career included spells at Stoke, Arsenal and West Ham, tried to cultivate an image for himself as an articulate urbane restaurant owner. The reality is that he's a pig-headed brute who uses his wife as a punchbag. He's every bit as savage and reprehensible as that other well known wife-beater - the car park sex menace Stan Collymore. Footballers....don't you just love 'em eh?

Yep, credit to him and also to Alan for setting it up. Ouch! We're not that bad are we?

A similar thread where we discussed speculation Cole might be leaving us, is below at: http://www.brfcs.biz/mb/index.php?showtopic=8428

Jimmy Hill has caused a bit of a stir today in an interview he's given to the Independent. Hill claims that saying the word nigger can be "funny". I don't agree with those views, and I don't condone the 'N' word myself. Jimmy though says that "nigger" is all part and parcel of the language of the football field. Link to that story in the Independent below at: http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/ne...sp?story=520725 Hill, who comes from a family of Jewish immigrants, previously made the headlines a couple of years ago when he campaigned against an asylum seeker centre being built near where he lives. The former Coventry Chairman and BBC pundit said that although he welcomes genuine refugees fleeing from persecution, there was a danger that Britain is now becoming "swamped" with bogus asylum seekers and illegal immigrants.

Marcel Desailly says he hasn't forgiven Atkinson for his comments in Monaco. He also reveals that he hasn't yet had a written apology from Big Ron.... http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/sporttop/tm_...-name_page.html

Me cynical? Never in a million years.... Last July, Leeds fans were hugely impressed when Alan Smith told Four Four Two magazine that relegation would never make him want to leave Elland Road. This is what he said: "It would take a better type of person to stay and say we're all going to stick together and make sure the club gets back to where it belongs." He went on to declare that England would always come second to his Leeds career. But just 10 minutes after losing to Bolton, Smith told the media that his future was more important to him than the club's. "Nationwide football isn't for me," he said. When Jermain Defoe did exactly the same thing at West Ham a year ago, he was slaughtered for his insensitive outburst. But hey, Smithy cried a few tears, so that's okay.... He now says that he's "dreamed about playing abroad for years." This is all rather different from his earlier declarations that he wanted to stay at Leeds for life. Smith's disciplinary record for a striker is quite appalling - having been sent off nine times for Leeds and he's attained more yellow cards - 67 - than the number of goals he's scored, 56. He's only been booked nine times this season though, compared with 12 yellow cards and three sendings off the previous season. I suspect that this obnoxious blonde blubber boy is one of those guys who tries to act hard on the pitch, but when push comes to shove, he's just a baby-faced cry boy. He can throw a plastic bottle at supporters from the safety of the pitch, but he wouldn't have lasted five minutes in a ruck with Norman Hunter or Billy Bremner. Maybe he thought that by trying to act the hardman, he'd become a Leeds hero in the Don Revie mould. But Smith's status as a Leeds hero has become disproportionate to his achievements. He's never won a trophy at Elland Road and was ultimately powerless to prevent their relegation. His goal scoring record - 56 goals in 190 appearances - isn't outstanding for an England striker. How long will it be before he's kissing the badge of Newcastle, Liverpool, Man United or some foreign club?

Couldn't agree more mate. 10 minutes after Leeds lost to Bolton last Sunday, Alan Smith was talking to the media telling them that he'd made up his mind - he was definitely leaving. He couldn't even be bothered to wait a few weeks after relegation had been confirmed. Today against Charlton, Smith was kissing his badge again - just like all the other badge slags who claim that they love the club they represent. In reality what they're most interested in is their fat pay packets. Loyalty? It doesn't seem to exist anymore. There have only been a couple of examples of it in recent years - one was Matt Le Tissier being willing to stay for the rest of his career at the Saints. But as far as the majority of other players are concerned, they're just a bunch of greedy barstewards. Take a look at Smith's colleague Viduka. What an arrogant sod he is. Earlier in the season he tried to undermine the authority of Peter Reid, the previous manager, by turning up late for meetings, ignoring instructions in training, and showing bare-faced contempt by attacking Reid in the media. A few months later, under Eddie Gray, his tells his agent that he's not willing to take a paycut and starts kicking up a fuss by saying that he must have all his image rights paid up in full. Then with relegation looming, he stupidly gets himself sent off against Portsmouth. He makes a half-hearted apology to his manager, and a couple of weeks later goes and does exactly the same thing against Bolton - getting himself sent off by elbowing an opponent. Leeds fans are obviously remarkably patient if they can cheer and applaud off the pitch today the bunch of arrogant big-time charlies who have got themselves relegated. Admittedly, many of the former Leeds directors also have to take their share of the blame for the shambles. 'Publicity Pete' Ridsdale is the man who when Seth Johnson told him that he'd like 20 grand a week to join the club, responded by telling Johnson that he'd pay him £37,000 a week if he'd move from Derby to Elland Road. While Leeds was drowning in a sea of debt, Ridsdale was out spending money on a huge fishtank for the boardroom to house some tropical fish, and phoning up journalists telling them that he'd always be available for any interviews. Strangely, Ridsdale has gone quiet recently. When asked a week ago what he thought about Leeds being relegated, he curtly said: "No comment. Leeds isn't my responsibility." He should be hanging his head in shame and banned from ever getting involved with another football club. Instead, the arrogant silver-haired crook is earning himself a nice salarly down the road at Barnsley. I'll always love the game of football. But many within the game are making me sick at the moment...

Big Ron should be banned for life from visiting every ground in the country, according to TUC President Roger Lyons. Mr Lyons told the TUC Black Workers Conference: "Atkinson was exposed as a racist of the worst possible kind. He should not be welcome at any football ground for the rest of his life." Norwich City Chairwoman Delia Smith has added to the calls for Atkinson to receive a life ban. Ms Smith, famous for her culinary exploits in the kitchen, gave Ron a roasting when she said: "His comments were absolutely disgraceful. I wouldn't want him to attend any match at Carrow Road for as long as I'm in charge here." A couple of years ago, former Olympic champion Seb Coe was accused of making racist jibes against Linford Christie. Link to that story below at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/1171320.stm

Gareth the Claret was a bit before my time, but I remember Westwood - who ran-off a couple of months after I joined the site. A little trip down memory lane for you Ste B... Other "disappearing" board members include: H From Steps - Last posted in December 2001 I think he had a change of job. Like Dunny, he enjoyed a pie or two. Classy Bird - Last posted in April 2002 She had a habit of using more swear words than Gordon Ramsey. It's perhaps fair to say that in terms of her posting style, she wasn't all that classy. This was one of CB's last posts: And after "Classy Bird" launched into a big rant against the asian community - denouncing asian youths as being the cause of all the problems in her neigbourhood - she was shot down in flames by some of the more liberal posters on here, and CB subsequently left the board. Blue Flush - Last posted in October 2003 He seemed to be rather obsessed with Jordan (in a non-sexual way.) He would regularly have a pop at Jordan for whatever reason, leading to himself being dubbed as "Bog Brush" Tarquin Weekley - Last posted in October 2001. I suspect that he may have changed his username a couple of years ago. This was one of his last posts as TW, which perhaps explains why he discontinued to post under that username: Ken Brooks - Last posted in June 2002 An elderly gentleman in his 70's, who moved from Britain across to America when he was younger. Gav got a bit of stick from other board members when he made critical comments towards Ken. But I'm pretty sure that Mr Brooks left the site for other reasons - for which Gav can't be blamed. Brian Kidd's Afro - Last posted in October 2003 Formerly a regular poster, the chap with the afro hasn't been seen on the board for over six months. Bernard - Last posted in November 2003 The Francophile of the board. I don't think he liked my anti-European views, but I'd like to see him return one day and post again. He seemed to object to certain posts from people like Theno and Blue Phil, whose views he strongly disagreed with. I don't know if he was upset by Theno's reinstatement on the board, but I remember Bernard being a strong supporter of the Moderators original decision to ban The Drog. Finally, Rosie is currently spending time looking after her baby. I hope that she's well and will make a return at a later stage....

A couple of bookmakers, Bet365 and Blue Square are offering odds on which club the fair-haired ruffian Alan Smith will be playing for at the start of next season. Current odds are: Newcastle 11-4 Man United 11-2 Liverpool, Middlesbrough 8-1 Birmingham 9-1 Aston Villa 12-1 Spurs, Blackburn 16-1 Leeds 25-1

If you go down to the Wheatsheaf I'm sure you'll be made most welcome.. Don't build his hopes up too much Phil. Plenty of nice lads drink in that pub - the competition's quite fierce these days, so he might not be able to pull immediately.... You don't want to raise RoverDrake's expectations - he might find that the pub is just a pain in the backside for him.... I gather that the Stage Door, formerly known as the Wheatsheaf, and situated appropriately enough in Mincing Lane - near Blackburn train station - attracts a growing clientele these days. I've never been in there myself.....honest !

Clive Tyldesley admits that Ron mentioned the 'N' word in a conversation with him at the end of their broadcast. Not surprisingly Tyldesley, in a newspaper article, now strongly condemns Ron's remark as "outrageous" - but I wonder if he strongly condemned it at the time? Did he only raise objections to it later on after everyone knew about their conversation together? Tyldesley's article in the Daily Telegraph is below at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...23/sfntyl23.xml Paul McGrath has claimed that when he was at Aston Villa, Big Ron used to call his black players "coons". Despite this, McGrath says that he's still got a lot of respect for Ron and he doesn't think that he's a racist.

The typical price you could be looking at Jordan is about £30 for a room with twin beds and 25 quid for a room with a double bed.... depends how keen you are mate to save yourself a fiver! I know Yorkshiremen traditionally like to keep a tight reign on their spending and know the value of a bit of brass, but sharing a bed with another fella, well that's a different matter...... If the lovely Hannah wanted to share a room, who could resist though? That brings me to the reason why I'll probably have to give the Blues Bar bash a miss - I'd scare everyone there. Plus my old mate Mr Sidders might be in attendance....

Just to illustrate the point (again without condoning Atkinson's words) that in Ron's younger days the word "nigger" would have been fairly commonplace.... A popular crime novel written by Agatha Christie, below, was called "Ten Little Niggers". A board game based on the well known poem "ten little nigger boys" would also have been on sale back in the time when Ron was growing up. It was only in 1978 that the title of Christie's novel was changed. Before then, the 'N' word wasn't deemed to be so offensive. Times have obviously changed now - although as has been mentioned before, a number of rap groups still continue to use the word.

In an interview with the Observer today, Big Ron has again apologised for his offending comments. He said that his mistake in Monaco will cost him around £1m. Ron says that when he was younger phrases like "nigger brown" were commonplace, but he again denies that he's a racist. Atkinson alleges that in the late 1970's Arsenal had a policy of not wanting black players in their squad. Later on, in the early 1980's Arsenal changed this policy. Ron's interview today is below at: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/sto...1202686,00.html

I wouldn't want to condone or justify what Ron said. The 'N' word isn't something that I'd use myself. However, as Bobby Barnes, the former West Ham winger said yesterday: "We have to remember that Ron is part of a bygone generation when words like this were more acceptable than today." Atkinson has paid a heavy price for his comments. As well as losing his ITV job, he's also lost his weekly column in the Guardian and advertising contracts with Lucozade and the West Bromwich Building Society. Personally, I would have given Ron a reprimand and a warning rather than forced him out of his job for his remarks. He's always struck me as a reasonable bloke, but not the best in the world in terms of his tactical knowledge. Having said that, he still managed to win trophies with 3 different English clubs. At Man United, Ron was actually more successful in his first four years than Fergie was. Atkinson won two FA Cups between 1981 and 1985 - compared with Ferguson who could only manage a sole FA Cup win after four years in charge. Depending on your point of view, Ron was either rather unlucky to be sacked at Old Trafford - or perhaps it was a case of Ferguson being mightily fortunate to survive. Prior to Man Utd, Ron had an attractive attacking team at the Hawthorns. Under his management, West Brom reached the FA Cup semi final in 1978, and the following year finished 3rd in the League, as well as having a decent run in the UEFA Cup. Atkinson won the League Cup with Sheffield Wednesday in 1991, and triumphed in the same competition with Aston Villa in 1994. In 1992-93, Villa came close to winning the first ever Premiership, but were pipped at the post by Man Utd. The significant acheivements he's had in football have now been sadly devalued by those foolish comments he made at the Stade Louis in Monaco. I think you've made a reasonable point Jordan, that there does appear to be a slight dichotomy here - in terms of when black people openly refer to themselves as niggers. In the late 1980's, we had that notorious rap group "Niggaz With Attitude" (also known as NWA) - who as well as having a large number of rather unpleasant expletives in their records - seemed to be boasting and taking a great deal of pride in the fact that they were (in their words) niggers. Since then, a whole host of black gangsta rappers have taken their lead and done the same thing. The actual origins of the word come from the Latin niger, which means black. So in terms of the etymology of the language, the word nigger, in one sense, is actually a factually correct statement. However, I wouldn't condone the use of it today, as the word has obviously taken on a rather more offensive meaning in recent times. Back in the 50's and early 60's, when Ron grew up, the phrase "Nigger in the Woodpile" was quite widespread, and I don't think it was deemed to be offensive. We have to accept though that the times have changed, and what was acceptable back then probably isn't acceptable today. But to the ears and minds of the idiots (black and white) who listen to rap music - the word nigger has probably become almost a complimentary word to them. For Big Ron, his days as a footballing pundit are undoubtedly well and truly over now. It's a sad way for his career to end. But it seems as if his comment in Monaco wasn't a one-off. There have been reports that Ron also made a racist outburst on ITV during the 1990 World Cup. Those watching in certain foreign countries on a live satellite feed heard Atkinson use derogatory language to describe a Cameroon player. Midway through the first half of the match - during the quarter-final where England eventually beat Cameroon 3-2 courtesy of two Gary Lineker penalites - Atkinson said that one of the Cameroon players didn't have a brain. "You mean a football brain don't you Ron?" said Brian Moore, his co-commentator, anxious to avoid any complaints. Ron replied: "I'll only get into trouble if his mother is watching the game sitting in a tree." ITV Sport received seven complaints from satellite viewers abroad who were upset at the remarks. Atkinson's comments were not heard anywhere in the UK. Ron ought to have learnt his lesson from that episode in 1990. To get caught out again making foolish unguarded comments in front of the microphone was a big mistake on his part.

Interesting that Sidders didn't repeat his foul-mouthed abuse to the likes of Paul, RevidgeBlue, Philipl, AlanK, Bryan and Scotty amongst others, who have all at some stage called for Souness to go. But then again, Sidders prefers to have a small select group of targets for his cheeky abuse. I'm firmly on his list - he's got a real bee in his bonnet about me, not that it unduly bothers me that much. He was nicknamed "Cheeky Sidders" when he was a 14 year old schoolboy. Fair enough, but isn't it sad that a grown man in his 30's, still wants to carry on in the same vein.... Maybe he's got a big grin on his face when he's making his "cheeky" comments.

Forgive me for a moment Lofty, but after that earlier rant you now go on to say: Lay off Cole? But you previously condemned Cole, saying: You had two posts locked earlier today. You went on to say: May I draw your attention to the section of the posting guidelines which say: Think before creating new threads "Nothing is more annoying than multiple threads on exactly the same point, please check that the subject of your new thread has not already been created by checking the existing threads and using the SEARCH feature. Duplicate threads are likely to be locked, repeat offenders will be warned and then banned."

I have to agree with the point Jason made in the LET today, when he wrote: "It's all well and good to talk about our dominance in possession but what's possession without penetration. If all we're doing is playing five-yard passes but not really going forward, the opposition needn't worry. It's too predictable." Jason's full piece this week can be read by clicking on the link below: http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancash....N0.html

I'm sure most Rovers fans would agree with Jason in his LET piece this week that the 4-5-1 system used against Charlton and Southampton was a definite mistake. None of our midfielders have enough penetration to adequately support a lone front man, and the system shouldn't be used again. As our new LET correspondent says, the striking department in the next few weeks is a real problem for us at the moment - especially with Cole's 3 match suspension looming. Yorke's been given the cold shoulder by Souness, Grabbi again proved against the Turks that he can't hit the target from two yards out, which leaves us with just Gallagher and Jansen. I don't think we'll be relegated, but at the same time, I don't for a minute underestimate the seriousness of the situation we find ourselves in. If we don't improve, the consequences will be grave. Anyone who wishes to contact the Sports editor at the LET to comment on either Jason's pieces or any other Rovers related material - Paul Plunkett's telephone number is 01254 298222. His e-mail address is: pplunkett@the-let.co.uk

I agree tashor. I'm well aware that the situation we're in now is a serious one. 8 points from 10 games, and not a single clean sheet in our ten matches - the table doesn't lie and we've got a battle on our hands. But I don't believe we'll be any better off by giving Souey the chop. BTW tash, I liked your teddy bears picnic song earlier. It made even a miserable sod like me laugh!

You wanted him sacked a lot earlier than weeks ago. For the last year or more you've been calling for him to get the boot. Didn't it start off with something about him not saying hello to your daughter when she was a mascot at Ewood? Because Souness didn't say hello at the time, you started calling for him to go. Where I do agree with you Jim, is in your description of this becoming a crisis now. Six league defeats, 19 goals conceded and hovering perilously above the drop zone - The situation is serious and there's no escaping the fact. I still firmly believe though in giving Souness more time to turn things around. You'll say that I'm burying my head in the sand - but I'd argue that sacking him by no means guarantees that we'll do any better. I suspect that a couple of months into the 1998/99 season, you were demanding that Woy Hodgson be sacked. But look at the replacement we got. It didn't do much good did it? We were relegated under Kiddo. Chopping and changing managers every time there's a bad run of defeats isn't a recipe for success. I just wish the Man United board had sacked Fergie when they went through a full blown crisis back in 1989.

Saw a video the other day of The Darkness - What complete trash they are! God, the music scene's in a terrible state.

Edited.