Its what i dont understand, how he was allowed into England in the first place, arent immigration extremely strict in England??

Strict if you're skint - a ton of cash in the bank goes a long way. Look at how we let convicted rapist Mike Tyson in a few years back.

Barca: A people´s Passion by Jimmy Burns was a particularly good read as was White Storm by Phil Ball(about Real Madrid). Not read Morbo which is also by Phil Ball but that is also supposed to be good.

Cheers FLB - will add to the pile

Edit: just bought the pair of em. Barca for ~£2, Real for ~£4. Ain't the Internet wonderful?

I'm loving Tim Parks's A Season With Verona at the mo but always an eye on the next book. Sooo can any of you recommend any books about Spanish football?

Barton sounds like some far right thug.

Nah he's definitley a centre-mid thug

I fancy a go on Colin's Adrian Chiles book. I think Chiles is a bit of a pillock but I've a soft spot for books detailing that level of footie obsession. Fever Pitch is another one (one I'm sure has cropped up on this thread before).

Last night I read the first chapter of Tim Park's A Season With Verona (recommended by Mr Creosote on one of Nicko's threads). If it continues as well as it's started I won't be able to put it down all weekend. Expect a glowing review soon!

Anyone know what Chris Sutton is up to these days. Great player, was gutted when he left Rovers.

He retired from Villa due to an eye condition. No idea whether he's coaching, improving his golf handicap or whatever.

A great player. I remember the hattrick he got at Villa Park less than a fortnight after I'd moved to Birmingham and having to do a job interview the next day having lost my voice!

Incey Wincey's Blue and White Army!

I will never sing a Rovers song that contains the words Incey Wincey!

Carsley leaves Everton

I know he was a bit bobbins for us but he had some good years at Everton.

Gone to Big Club

I'm sure Atko still lives at Jack Key's in Darwen, last time I heard of him he was Stalybridge Celtic assistant manager.

Sacked in 2007 according to Wikipedia (unreliable, I know)

Dunn has had some good games for us this year (Everton away and Bolton spring to mind)

Yup. We've looked very flat when he's been missing as well.

As for Duff? Nah.

Carsley leaves Everton

I know he was a bit bobbins for us but he had some good years at Everton.

Would anyone have him back on a free?

Definitely! Forget the sour grapes about how he left the club, Lucas is a superb defender!

More's the pity. I think that for the sake of Football as a sport and for the long term good of all who have a genuine interest in football as sport and entertainment, the best thing that could happen would be if Utd simply implode and disappear (hopefully to rise again in a more acceptable form). Also it would be helpful to the good of the game if Abramovich suddenly decided to pull the plug on Chelsea and disappear taking all his cash with him.

Some imagination you've got there Fife

Jeez, are we still talking about this guy?

I can't believe we are still on about Neill, he's long gone and it's about time we got over him.

Toogs, USAB. I couldn't agree more. We're as bad as Big Club still banging on about how far it is to Wrexham!

What's that sticking out of his sock,

Is it his ankle, is it his ankle

OK it's wrong but... :D

Pure footie gold Ozz!

Quick word about MGP's rare good game yesterday. He's been heavily criticised by many including me, and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one to point out that one swallow doesnt make a summer, but...

The difference today was something I've touched on before. When he was well regarded MGP's game was always about scoring goals from midfield. His general play was always just OK but his strikes made him look better than he was. Quite a number of his goals (both headers and volleys) were a result of him arriving late at the back post. These runs seemed to dry up the minute he missed 'that' header against Chelsea at OT.

This season he has very rarely ventured into the danger area, instead lingering either too wide or too deep when the ball is on the opposite wing. It has looked almost as though he is 'not interested' or 'scared' to make the run incase the ball does come to him.

It was interesting today that a number of times in the first half he was coming infield at the back post. His much-needed goal was also as a result of him arriving late. Maybe during the break the coaching staff have had a quiet word and we'll see more of him doing this.

It remains to be seen whether he can continue for the remaining games. I'd guess at no.

Something's changed - not just in MGP but in the other players, too. He was getting a lot more of the ball than he has been lately, when players have been taking on a difficult pass to other players rather than an easy one to Ped.

Something's changed, I can't explain what.

Tried a couple of "weekend lunchtime" pubs since moving to the area a few weeks ago - namely the White Bull at Ribchester (which was excellent) and Red Lion at Blacksnape which was very good. Rosins at Hoddlesden is on the list for the future.

Don't want to become reliant on the printed guide books though - word of mouth is worth more IMO - so anyone got any good suggestions? Off the beaten track / back of beyond boozers welcome.

A good thread to revive Tris. I'd love to find a decent pint in walking distance of the ground. Thwaites's original at the Navigation's ok but not a sniff of the proper good stuff (Black Sheep, Landlord and whatnot).

Well, the only thing that works in our favour in that respect is that I don't see many jobs becoming available soon. Newcastle, Chelsea and Spurs have recently changed managers. Arsenal and United have no reason to, unless one of them retires. Villa, City, Everton and Portsmouth will all be very happy with who they have at the moment. The only real threat is Liverpool, but I can't see them going for Hughes even if, more likely when, Benitez goes.

True Eddie. The idea of Hughes to Liverpool is as laughable as Hughes to City was in the summer. As an ex-Utd star he'd get the crowd on his back in no time.

One of the things with being a Rovers supporter and living where I do has been the years of having conversations about Savage. I always thought it was a little sad that fans of Big Club couldn't find anything else to talk about than some midfielder that they sold bloody ages ago.

I'm seeing parallels with sections of Rovers' support and Lucas Neil and it's just as sad.

Lucas is gone and there's more to life than slagging him off y'know.

On a light hearted view with all the speculation after listening to a few liverpool fans I have come up with this...

Ohhhhhhh ohhhhh ohhhh the best defence in the world .. Stevie Warnock, Nelsen, Samba, and Andre oiijeeeeeer! (Repeat)

to the tune of

Ohhhh ohhh ohhh best midfield in the world Xavi alsono, momo sissoko, gerrard and masharannnnnoooooo!!

We could've done with that one at Wigan

Cooks meat healthily and cleans the windows, it is truley a wonderous device

Yup.

"How's your steak?"

"Turned out nice again!"

We've got squirells breaking into houses round here. Once in Erdington, always in Erdington

Bloody hell. I thought B12 was bad. We've got a rat infestation but at least they're not after the DVD player and George Formby grill.

I have two scarves on my wall but I can't seem to find any poster or flag anywhere. If you know of something like that or have one yourself that you're looking to offload and it's in good condition, please let me know.

This might not be exactly what you're after but Barmy Flags will make one to order:

http://www.barmyflags.com/

HTH

and, What is the original song?

The original is "I want to be a drill instructor" - a US Army marching song.