Kitman

It's a real shame we are playin each other so early, these are the two sides that have the mental strength and intelligence to upset the South American sides in the latter stages of the tournament. I appreciate your comments, but still think Germany will win.... I'm sticking my neck out and saying we'll win 3-1. The last time we played them our reserves utterly dominated in Berlin against them. I think the real England will stand up, I really do. Kin hope so, or it's going to be hell watching the rest of the tournament here. "Herr Parky, your team did not play so well I think! It is always this way against us! You vill hope we do not meet again next time, hein?!" * belly laughs and slaps back *

That's what I was tryng to explain earlier, already had Mrs P's brother on the blower giving it large. They don't even think they can lose to us anymore when it counts. NEIN! NEIN! NEIN!

Living here I know that they have absolutely 0 fear of playing us. That'll make it all the sweeter when we beat them! Seriously, I'm more excited about this than the prospect of playing South Korea or some other numpties.

Let's give it a go before we write ourselves off - you never know we might win. If all else fails at least we did better than France. I think Parky is imagining the pitying looks and patronising airs he's going to get if the sausage munchers turn us over. Chin up, old boy, Spirit of the Blitz! You need to go about your buisiness in one of those plastic England bowler hats the Sun gives away about now....

Germany next. Let's hope it's not going to pelanties.

These days you get arrested for that type of behaviour! To be fair I saved my worst behaviour for air shows. Even worse than country shows imo. Some old shit heap transport plane limping past time and again while you sit and hope for the red arrows to make an appearance. I think I'd rather stab my eye with a pencil tbh.

Just got back from this and without doubt one of the best value for money days out we've had in a long time. Arrived at 8.30 and just got back at 5 Loads of traditional animal stuff, best of breeds etc, dog display team, horse stunt show, show jumping, coach driving displays. Ferret racing, join in archery, tents and tents of crafts, farmers Market foods stuff. Old car rally with gorgeous pristine cars, camera and motorbikes. A steam rally with steam rollers and loads more engines. Can't really praise this show enough and would reccomend it to you all for next year. We've had such a great time that were even thinking of attending the really big county show in Harrogate, later in the year. Wow No offence, and I'm glad you enjoyed your day out, but without exception that all sounds fucking shit. Whatever floats your boat I guess, but coming from a connoisseur of large greenhouses in Cornwall I assure you no offence taken. To be fair Gemmill's right; country shows are usually shit. Unless you're a farmer or looking to meet a woman who's fatter and lonelier than you are. Or both. I've been dragged along to a few shows in my youth and was without exception bored stupid. Ferrets are shit. Hawks circling above some loser with a leather glove are shit. Tractors and farm equipment are shit. Dogs jumping over stuff are shit. People cutting wood with chainsaws. Motorcycle displays. Showjumping. All shit. People trying to sell you a new type of potato peelers or hedge shears are shit too. And the place is full of animals pushing out shit at an alarming rate which you have to dodge continually cos you don't wear wellies. The only one I ever enjoyed was the Royal Welsh show. And that's because they had a fun fair and some decent stalls so I didn't have to look at the fucking animals and tractors.

Hmmm, I think I'd struggle to come up with a single favourite meal. Maybe a smorgasbord of Mr Creosote proportions: Tom Yum seafood soup Thai Beef Salad Crispy duck with pancakes and hoisin sauce Tandoori chicken Roast lamb with garlic and rosemary, mint sauce and all the trimmings Apple and blackberry pie with custard Selection of cheese One wafer thin mint Drinks: Cold Peroni, a couple bottles of nice red and a few large brandies and maybe a single malt or two to finish. Followed by a fatal heart attack.

I don't like the England football team, nowt to do with England the place, you appear to be kevin squared tbh Our rivals are Argentina, Germany and Portugal etc! You're a shit little country with no significance what-so-ever. There is no rivalry Smell your breath. Examine your small change. You mong. You tight shameless cunt. I'd be embarrassed being from a country where I'm unable to support my local team through pure embarrassment. FoK. Well super supporter. Where are you from? How many games do you go to? You useless cretin. North East England. 12 home games last season. You? Southern Houston, CA. 32 Major League Baseball games last season. We don't have a local soccer team. You cumstain. You my dear little fuckface are a downright liar. In the Bloody Sunday thread you claim to be from Derry. So which one is it then? Bullseye

The problem, bald balls, is you don't think. As has been said, if the troops involved were named now, in order to protect them from reprisals taxpayers would foot a bill in the tens of thousands. To what end? Bang on Mr Fist. They would be straight into the witness protection programme. It wouldn't resolve anything imo.

Difficult to see things ending well for Gazza

The government gives money for booze to alcoholics? It's medication. Surprised they don't get a voucher for Diamond White. Am genuinely gob-smacked. Its not medication, its fucking retarded. It's not their fault, they're victims of society, man. Glad I'm not a British taxpayer, paying for an alcoholic's first bevvy of the day Sounds made up to me like. Probably is but I'd like to think it's true. Imagine going to the pub to fill your prescription!

The government gives money for booze to alcoholics? It's medication. Surprised they don't get a voucher for Diamond White. Am genuinely gob-smacked. Its not medication, its fucking retarded. It's not their fault, they're victims of society, man. Glad I'm not a British taxpayer, paying for an alcoholic's first bevvy of the day

I used to be partial to a drop of Glenmorangie bought at the duty free. Sadly good whisky is too pricy to buy in NZ, but that's probably better for my health anyway.

The government gives money for booze to alcoholics? It's medication. Surprised they don't get a voucher for Diamond White.

Agreed. Surely Birmingham would be a better comparison? Or are the gutter press suggesting that's a bridge to far for us? Hughton quotes Birmingham, Wolves and Stoke as role models. Of course forgetting that as I said Wolves were shit and also that they and Brum spent a good £20m each. Well that's cheered me up

Reminds of Jade Goody, gawd rest 'er soul.

Cornwall is a strange place full of strange people. There's fuck all happening in the off season and in the holidays it's jammed full of tourists. Anywhere worth visiting is impossible to drive through or park in. It's overpriced and inconveniently located. Land's End is a car park and they charge you for access to a promontory, fuck that. It's full of shit holes like Penzance, the Eden Project is overrated, the sea is cold and there are virtually no trees anywhere. The weather is marginally better than the rest of the UK but that still makes it shit. So no, it's not worth visiting. Apart from Mevagissey. If you can get parked that is.

Tbf the Army were welcomed by catholics when they first came over but it soon transpired that their intentions certainly weren't to win hearts and minds, they're heavy handed tactics meant that they ended up losing the confidence of both sides of the community. I have a general question if anyone cares to have a go at answering it, what were the alternatives for Northern Irish catholics? They were discriminated against for jobs and housing, they were disenfranchised and under represented in the Northern Ireland parliament, their attempts and peaceful protest were being ignored, they were being thrown in jail without trial, Thatcher was letting an MP die on hunger strike, they simply didn't have a voice. I'm not defending terrorism but this wasn't just about getting a united Ireland, it was also about the institutional discrimination against a community that didn't have a voice. So violence aside, what could they have done? Easy for me to say with hindsight, but, by keeping the high moral ground, they would have eventually got their fair share as a community in Northern Ireland, if that was their aim. Unfortunately things don't change overnight but they inevitably do, clever media manipulation in a media age will get you pretty far. I don't think it's a coincidence that Apartheid, the fall of Soviet empire, and the Irish peace process all happened within a few years of each other. Peaceful Catholic protesters would have had their voices heard and would have had even more strong support from the USA in my opinion. For those who wanted a United Ireland, by resorting to violence they lost the high moral ground. Also, any fear of the IRA changing their stance and getting back to what they were in the seventies and eighties went to fuck when those planes flew into World Trade centre in my opinion. I'm not so sure the Northern Irish Catholics would have attracted as much attention as Apartheid or the American civil rights protesters. The IRA gained a worldwide platform and momentum from what they did, as horrific and murderous as it was, there was a lot of calculation about what they did once they'd organised themselves. Would the British government have been as willing to make concessions faced with peaceful protests? What attention would white religious minority protesters in Northern Ireland have got in 1972? Would it have struck a chord with the world media? I don't think you can underestimate the hopelessness of the Catholic population at that time. As Ewerk says, they were treated like dogs, systematically discriminated against and victimised, disenfranchised and brutalised. Bloody Sunday was a catalyst of sorts but the platform was already there. It's all very well to talk about the moral high ground but at the time I expect it was more about Vietnam and Cuba, the little guy prevailing against the imperalists through armed struggle, than following the Gandhi way. It took over 30 years of pointless bloodshed on both sides of the divide to persuade the sectarians to move on. Bloody Sunday is a shameful and despicable episode, but let's not forget why the British Army were there in the first place. And let's not forget Eniskillen or the Shankhill Butchers while we're at it. It's time to move on.

Welcome to the burger van of lurrrrrve! No surprise to me it has a pikey club badge or two on the side......

Apparently it was all about product placement. Mate of mine volunteered that he wouldn't mind placing some product on the young ladies in question......

If Barry's fit surely he'll play Gerrard off Rooney and drop Heskey? I think he might go for the same line up as you in that case.

I thought it was pretty good actually. In a fair and just universe Brazil would have won in '82. Italy had a cracking side too mind. They played some great stuff in the final in particular. France were excellent too. England weren't too shabby either but were undone by the daft 2nd group stage. They didn't lose a game (on penalties or otherwise - played 5, won 3 and drew 2, including beating the French in their opening game). Whatever happened to Paolo Rossi? I recall watching that tournament vaguely (I'm 42 now) but I can only really remember Brazil. Plus Rossi.