And how much are your season tickets ? What somebody said about this leading to a 5,000 or so decrease in gates isn't necessarily so . If the footy is entertaining the punters will come - so (forgetting about the character of Bellamy) , his was a very necessary signing . I admit that this year I haven't renewed . I was on hols and missed the direct debit deadline and so I'll only be forking out on my 2 kids' tickets. The amount of people I come across who are simply unwilling to fork out the £3-400 upfront is incredible ; why this differs to Bolton I just don't know - apart from the obvious numbers involved , of course . All in all , though , I'd expect the crowds will hover around the 18,000 mark plus whatever the away fans bring if we play decent enough football .

No moderators reading ......or are they on the sherry as well.....?

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No innocent people would have been "murdered" by the state - there is a difference between murder and execution after due legal process . Not much consolation to those who are hanged , granted , but it is a very significant difference . Your underlying point is correct , though . Many Irish have died due to miscarriages of justice - mostly down to a corrupt police force ( who are rarely brought to justice ) and an equally corrupt judiciary (at that time). On balance , with respect to terrorists , you have to measure the costs "martydom" would provoke by a drawn out trial and execution with the need to remove such vermin from society in the ONLY truly permanent way . To me the morality of execution doesn't come into it - its effectiveness is the only issue . Unfortunately it does with the liberal ruling elite who are motivated by idealogical motives rather than pragmatic , democratic ones (any chance of a referendum on the subject?). It's also clear to me that it's this very same misguided , weak minded "morality" that has left us in the position where Muslim extremists can so easily ply their trade . If we're talking treason trials , maybe we should indict Blair on the charges of willfully and culpably neglecting to maintain any meaningful controls of our borders in order to achieve his dream of a multi cultural GB , of allowing mass immigration of people who are not vetted in any way , and of failing to deport those whose presence here is known to be harmful to our interests ; and lastly instead of admiring his performances in front of the cameras , we should be asking why he isn't calling all the major Muslim leaders into his office and telling them to get their own house in order . Clerics being allowed to ferment religious hatred and war ? FFS The vast majority of people in GB are sick of the weasel words of the politicians and of the Muslim leaders (if that's what they are) . The Muslim Council Of Britain (what happened to the Great bit?) are often quoted by Blair and co as if they warrent respect - yet this is the same MCB who refused to participate in the recent Holocaust rememberances . So much for religious tolerance ! Until Muslims start to act themselves to cleanse the scum from their midst instead of just talk , and our politicians do likewise , then the trouble is only going to get worse . A lot , lot worse . So far we've been lucky .

Considering that one of the last things the 9/11 bombers did was to shave all the "unclean" hair off their bodies , probably not much , Matt

So are these examples of sledging picked up from the web.... §McGrath to Ramnaresh Sarwan: "So what does Brian Lara's dick taste like?" Sarwan: "I don't know. Ask your wife." McGrath (losing it): "If you ever effing mention my wife again, I'll effing rip your effing throat out." §Daryll Cullinan & Shane Warne: As Cullinan was on his way to the wicket, Warne told him he had been waiting 2 years for another chance to humiliate him. "Looks like you spent it eating," Cullinan retorted. §Merv Hughes & Viv Richards: During a test match in the West Indies, hughes didn't say a word to Viv, but continued to stare at him after deliveries. "This is my island, my culture. Don't you be staring at me. In my culture we just bowl." Merv didn't reply, but after he dismissed him he announced to the batsman: "In my culture we just say f**k *ff.". §And of course you can't forget Ian Healy's legendary comment which was picked up by the Channel 9 microphones when Arjuna Ranatunga called for a runner on a particularly hot night during a one dayer in Sydney... "You don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c**t!!!" §Mark Waugh standing at second slip, the new player to the crease playing & missing the first ball. Mark - "Ohh, I remember you from a couple years ago in Australia. You were ###### then, you're we don't like that word, please don't use it useless now". Parore- (Turning around) "Yeah, that's me & when I was there you were going out with that old, ugly slut & now I hear you've married her. You dumb c*nt". §Glenn McGrath & Eddo Brandes McGrath was bowling to the Zimbabwe number 11 - who was unable to get his bat anywhere near the ball. McGrath, frustrated that Brandes was still at the crease, wandered up during one particular over and inquired: "Why are you so fat?" Quick as a flash, Brandes replied: "Because every time I make love to your wife, she gives me a biscuit." Even the Aussie slip fielders were in hysterics. §Merv Hughes & Robin Smith Smith played and missed while facing Hughes in the 1989 Lord's Test between England and Australia. Hughes, never short of a word or two, told the Hampshire star: "You can't f***ing bat, mate." Smith then smashed the next ball to the boundary and replied: "Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. "I can't f***ing bat and you can't f***ing bowl." §Merv Hughes again!! Merv Hughes & Javed Miandad in the 1991 Adelaide Test against Pakistan. Hughes was less than impressed when Javed called him a "fat bus conductor" as the pair squared up to one another. A few balls later, Hughes got his man and as Javed walked past, could not resist shouting "Tickets, please!" §Greg Thomas was bowling to Viv Richards in a county game. Viv missed a superb out swinger, and Thomas said "It's red, round and weighs about 5 1/2 ounces." Next ball Viv hits Greg Thomas out of the ground for a 6 and replies,"Greg, you know what it looks like. Go ahead and find it!" §Fred Trueman bowling. The batsman edges and the ball goes to first slip, and right between Raman Subba Row's legs. Fred doesn't say a word. At the end of the over, Row ambles past Trueman and apologises sheepishly. "I should've kept my legs together, Fred". The reply is classic Trueman, "Not you, son. Your mother should've!" §A classic from the master of sledging, Ian Healy: Ben Hollioake had just made his debut, hitting Glenn McGrath in the process. On his way back after finally being dismissed, Shane Warne cried: 'Hey, Ben' Hollioake turned round expecting a pat on the back. Instead Healy came in from behind and said: 'Get back to the nets, you idiot.' § another one, ravi shastri v/s the aussie 12th man (don't remember who, and don't want to slander anyone ) shastri hits it to this guy and looks for a single...this guy gets the ball in and says "if you leave the crease i'll break your f***ing head" shastri: "if you could bat as well as you can talk you wouldn't be the f***ing 12th man"

.....make Bellamy jealous ?

That's true . At the moment I'd feel more comfortable sitting on the tube next to someone with a beard and in full traditional dress . It'll be certain that the ones who left the bombs will have been dressed appropiately in western clothes . A person can look normal , act normal and still commit such acts - the banality of evil it's been described as . What this says to me is that in the current climate any Asian , however dressed , cannot expect to walk past MI5 without being searched or questioned . The bottom line is that Asians (or even African Muslims ) were responsible for this outrage , therefore they must expect to be scrutinised more than a German or a Swede for example . Like it or not it's a price they have to pay for living in a free society . It may even encourage them to turn on the fanatics and militants in their ranks . Instead of whinging and whining about the inconvenience of being frisked maybe they should reflect on the higher sacrifices made by others these last few days .

Maybe , as a moderator , Flops , you should refrain from commenting until you have read the thread ....

Yep , Don . A "at his peak" waster is better than a "past it" waster , I s'pose

Would have liked another option - ....good player , odious ba$£ard , go somewhere else .... Maybe he'll do well if Hughes can control him , but I'll always dislike him intensely .

One day , hopefully , even the most excitable and immature among us will realise that the issues at the heart of this matter are everything to with religious and cultural matters and absolutely NOTHING to do with race . People have been so brainwashed by the incessant stupid propoganda by the race relations industry over the years that they believe everything can be explained and cured by pointing the finger and shouting "racist" . It can't because racism has nothing to with it .

Not even to ask him if he's actually seen the player....in the flesh ? Call me cynical , but any chairman or CE should be asking very serious questions before he releases £7 million . Is there any proof that the bloke can kick a ball would be a reasonable one to begin with ?

Could we please keep on topic and dispense with the racial taunting . I find it thoroughly offensive.....

Are you seriously sugggesting that the £15 mill or so spent on Grabbi , Fergy and Amo should not or could not have been "over ridden" by the board ? Describing such decisions as merely "football" matters is daft. For decades now managers have made recommendations to their bosses on the board to buy players - but it's the latter who release the funds and are ultimately responsible . The decision to buy Ferguson and Amo were regrettable ; the decision to buy Grabbi for £7 mill bordered on the criminal (literally imo) and resignation(s) should have followed .

Earth calling Bob .....

Good stuff , AESF

Maybe , maybe not , Stu . I just hope we don't regret not giving him another season . A choice between Cole and Stead and I'd chose the latter

If it had been a major protest , Paul , the police wouldn't have been there at all...

Exactly , Theno ....at least Stead could be relied on not to sulk

Yesterday I read a bit about the amount Leicester got for renaming their ground by Walkers , but never got round to posting it . If I remember correctly the sum - paid over a 10 year period - was a "seven figure" sum , which doesn't amount to a treasure trove . The princely sum of £600,000 was paid (allegedly) for the naming rights of one of ground's stands over a 5 year term . All in all , Leicester were hardly in a financial position to refuse any offer made at the time , but Rovers (IMO and with the greatest respect to Theno ) should not go down this road unless far greater sums are talked about . Maybe Coar and co should use their influence - such as it is - at the Prem to bring the game back to the fans rather than further alienate them by sucking up to big business for relatively small fees .....Maybe if they take Scotty along with them as the fans' representative this shouldn't be too much of a tall order ....

Jim , you beat to me to it......

If he got a massive 12 last season , then how many this season if he signs ? 7 or 8 ; 10 if we're very lucky ? And people are getting excited ! I can't imagine anything more depressing than to see the Great Sulker walk out for the opening game . Wave bye bye to a decent final position if he's one of our two best strikers . And if he isn't then what's the point in bringing him here - he's hardly going to be a hard working squad player .

Correct , USA ; the two are best kept seperate . As well as diffusing whatever ISA is trying to achieve , it could quickly develop into an elitist case of "us and them" between the members and non members of ISA ...

30 years or so - though took time off to take B'burn Combi by storm for quite a while...