broadsword

He ain't half embarrassing. Toshack drops him from the squad originally, which to me would've been a clear sign that he wasn't welcome. He takes the hint, so "retires" with a lot of bitchy comments in the press, slagging off Toshack's fondness for fried bananas etc, giving the overall impression that it's no skin off his nose. Now he thinks he might've been a bit hasty, and suddenly it is important for him to play for his country, so is conducting a campaign via the media to get himself re-instated, which if he had zero chance of a recall before, he's got even less now. You can tell he used to play for Birmingham, must've learned a few tricks from Brucie!

Not sure whether I should respond or not, but shall have a go! Would I have had a go at Bush if Katrina hadn't done any damage to a major city? No, of course I wouldn't. But the problems New Orleans is facing (and no, I don't claim any in-depth knowledge, I just read the 'papers) have been exacerbated by a president who has committed his country to an almighty cock-up in Iraq, which has drained it of resources that might've in part prevented (funds for improved flood defences turned down because they were required for war budget) and alleviated (30% of Louisiana National Guard is currently in Iraq, with equipment that could've been used in the US). I do wish the people of New Orleans well, you can take that for granted. I'm not pursuing a hidden agenda to criticise Bush no matter what happens, I just think he should carry a lot of the blame. Maybe when a few more facts emerge I might modify my opinion, but from my limited knowledge of the situation, I stand by what I said. Perhaps we should drop you into Louisiana and get you to stop its residents slagging off Bush, and start baling the state out with buckets? Because it ain't just me who's slagging him off. He's even getting stick for taking too long to appear on TV and make a speech (such that it was). Hope you have calmed down now.

It looks like the US has turned into some sort of Banana Republic! Perhaps Bush should rule with a military junta, because about the only thing he knows how to do is wage war. I get the feeling that by the end of his term, he'll be one of the most reviled presidents in recent history. How many people will have died because 30% of teh National Guard is in Iraq. It just beggars belief. Nauseating to watch.

So, if someone voices their disapproval of other people's boorish, self-indulgent, *unfunny*, moronic behaviour, *they* are inconsiderate? Thanks for clearing that up. What a bunch og joke-meisters these guys are. I wouldn't mind half as much if they actually came up with some amusing chants. "We're not really here ..." - what the flip is this about? "£2/ hour", presumably it's £2 and not more because that would be dangerously close to your own income? ... and as for the song about Graeme Souness, well, that's terrible. In very poor taste, and makes Blackburn fans look like complete to$$ers. Sad, really really sad.

Bluddy hell, I'm away for a few days and look what happens. Everyone seems to have missed an obvious fact ... "Wez" can't be a hooligan ... ... he wears a *cardigan*! Could you imagine Alan Partridge dishing it out with a stanley? "Knowing me, knowing you ... a-ha! <Thud>"

Brilliant! Not a fuddy-duddy myself, but I can assure you thaat as far as experience of life goes you are very much a kid. Would agree with what glenn and speedie said, particularly the bit about coming a cropper one day when no-onee's there to run to. It's ssaad, but football sseems to be aan outlet for this sort of behaviour, you don't get it elsewhere. not that I'm perfect, or ever have been, been in my share of scrapes, maybe it's just something you have to go through ...

Bit simplistic that, Alan. You can go to a football match not wishing to get clobbered, but it can happen. Just look at the woman who got belted at Leicester vs Spurs, Worthy Cup final. Different scenario I know, but still ...

Right ... Eurostar and hotel booked. Let me know if you want to meet up for a beer after the race Eddie.

I'm not sure if you do mate! I shall have to have a party if we win them back. Not that we ever let you have them in the first place! Unfortunately, I've missed a lot of the play and had to follow it on the internet (been working like a dog recently), but one of the things that's really pleased me (other than us being very competitive, natch), is the sporting spirit in which the series has been played. When we won at Edgbaston, the England management etc, muted their celebrations as the Aussies were sat right next to them. Only disappointing thing is the reports of the crowd going over the top in their remarks to Aussie fielders. But all in all, happy days!

Fulham are one of teh poorest teams in teh division, their biggest signing was a fitness coach who has the subs warming up on static bikes during the game. So don't get too excited.

That's teh way the Kuqi crumbles, sadly.

AESF not had a rant yet? Excellent article, really, and sums up the way I feel. The bit about players' perceptions of fans was a bit hard to stomach! There's nothing wrong with the sport, it's the money that ruins it. I just don't have the same passion any more, it all seems a bit of a waste of time. But if you pumped as much money into any other sport, it would ruin it, too. That's when you start getting people just turning up for teh dough. Idle good-for-nothing wasters like Rio Ferdinand (Gopd, I really hate that guy). Anyone heard the story about Kieron Dyer? He walked past this lad playing keepy-uppy with a can or something. Lad says: "bet you can't do this"; so Kieron Dyer takes out a £50 note burns it in front of him and say: "bet you can't do that". John terry is another one who likes burning notes, allegedly. Wnakers.

It's just been one of those weeks, not just for football. Sheesh. Not too hopeful for a win tomorrow (against one of the poorer, but fittest sides). Think I will be watching from behind my hands this season.

Wasn't it only 20% of the electorate actually voted for him? Fair do's looks like I may have got it wrong over this incident ... looks a terrible mess.

Never seen anything like it. Wow.

Bit of humble pie for me - hadn't seen this coming at all. But then, I hadn't foreseen McGrath narking his ankle up (possibly out for the series?) That guy is a real thorn in our side, as bad as that git Alderman was in the late eighties. I sadly haven't managed to see any of the test, but I can't help wondering whether Australia might have had a light lead if McGrath had been playing. Could one 35 year old in the twilight of his cricket career really be so influential for them? I'd guess so, and with no obvious pretenders to the crown, perhaps Australia are due for a slump. But after almost 20 years of pain I wouldn't guarantee that. It's hurt like hell to have been so pitiful against them for so long, and to be honest, my expectations are so low, I'm just made up that we're giving them a proper scare. Whatever teh result, they'll know they've been in a contest! But shame on teh ECB for the scheduling this Summer.

Can't see Rovers being higher than eighth (although would love to be proved wrong). certainly not in any relegation danger though. Expect some transfers (2 or 3?) in Jan to finally remove the bad-naughty-evil-Souness influence.

Well, that might well happen. The CCTV tapes are in the hands of the IPP(?) now, so at least they will know for a *fact* whether or not he leaped over the barrier. I think I shall withold any further opinion on this until there's some judgement passed on it. Went from Greenford to Waterloo yesterday. Waterloo, as you might well imagine was *crawling* with Old Bill. Never seen anything like it. Perhaps we'd see a more visible police presence on our streets permanently if we didn't bury these chaps in pointless paperwork. Ealing Broadway tends to have typically 4 or 5 policemen outside these days. Even Greenford in the morning has a few some days. I do tend now to look around me on the carriage. Paranoid it might be, but it pays to be vigilant and play "Spot the suicide bomber".

Steven Waldorf, and that was 22 years ago, not 20. ha ha! Not heard of the drug dealer, but I'll let you have that. It's an absolute avalanche of names, I'll grant you.

If you think you can do better, go for it, Jimbo. You'd think people are getting popped off every week by the Police. The number of innocent people shot dead by the Police in, oooh, the last twenty years is? I've obviously read different reports on Harry Stanley to you. How many other cases can you name, where something similar has happened?

Yes, they were being told what to do from a control room. Number of people shot dead by police carrying table legs = 1 Number of known criminals who were a bit mental and were carrying a table leg when shot dead by police = 1. If you thought the bloke you'd pinned down had a bomb on him you might empty teh magazine as well.

It might have been under 350 if we'd held our catches. Sigh. Never mind, maybe one day we will have a team of naturalised Brits, and maybe we'll get a draw.

Chuck 'em in an aircraft carrier and push them out somewhere over the Atlantic. That'll learn 'em!

What teh hell wanred is I don't know. God knows what I was thinking.

Pro: He was wearing a quilted jacket (in this weather?!) This is immediately suspicious. He leapt over the ticket barriers, even more suspicious. If there's 6 geezers with guns chasing you (how often does that happen that 6 criminals with guns are after you in broad daylight if you're an electrician?) you must stop. It would've been obvious to me they were coppers. Or would 6 blokes with guns be after me to mug me. He could speak English, so if he was wanred, he must've known to get down. Eye-witnesses said the coppers were putting hats on as they chased him into the station. It's a situation of heightened tension, it's a weighed risk. If he *had*'ve been a suicide bomber (and the police might not have been able to ascertain this before he got to the tube station) then he wouldn't have killed and many more would've been if the police hadn't acted. But he wasn't, and an innocent man is now dead. Cons: - Could they have stopped him before the tube station? Was it incompetence or was there an operational reason for watching him without stopping him? - Some witnesses have said that no warnings were shouted. My own opinion was that it was a terrible tragedy. But I don't think it was down to someone wanting to play soldiers, it was a cock-up, but whether it was preventable or not I don't know.