JawD

The quality of the player replacing is much more important than the sums involved like. That Woodgate / Boumsong thing is a perfect example. That was not like for like. We were well shafted there and the deal stank.

Started mine in 2003. The hardest bit was making that first leap of faith. Handed my notice in and the next day I had a letter from my former employers solicitor warning me off their client base. The learning curve for me has been huge. I've almost become an accountant not the technical sales orientated person I was. Managing cash flow and people are the two hardest things I've came across. Not sure how it is in recruitment, but my business is repeat sales so you build up a customer base. I spoke to a lot of mine before I took the plunge to see what support I would get and it was good. When I first set up they paid me early etc. I lived each month hand to mouth. Used my credit card to buy things and sell them to my customers. Bought a second hand car etc to run around in. 9 years on and I have three branches and employ 10 people. Survived the recession but it was fucking scary and I laid off 3 people which was tough. Still tough trading now. It's probably the most stressful thing I've done. the lows are really fucking low but the highs are higher than you'll ever get working for someone. There's only yourself that holds you back and determines how successful you want to be.

they backed him, then sacked him when he blew the money. That's football. Operating a sell and replace policy, ie selling your best players rather than building on them, means you are a selling club. The backing of Ashley reminds me of the backing of Souness, later people will deny they did it. They won't be told, even though it is blatantly obviuos. Not sure what we were under GS. We sold a hell of a lot of our good players. Jenas, Robert, Bellamy etc and replaced them with Boumsong, Owen and Luque. When GS came in I was horrified, who wouldnt be. But, you have to get behind the manager, at least give him a chance. I think your memory is somewhat tainted to support your argument though LM. I think most people at first got behind him, as you have to. But equally I think most people quickly came to see what he was. I remember him trying to defend his personality saying he had chilled out a lot, just as we watched players want to leave. But, credit where its due and despite me thinking he dismantled a top side and started our slide that MA took over and couldnt stop, he also had us in a position that is the only time I actually thought me we might win something (Uefa and FA CUp decent runs).

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Swansea 1 Chelsea 2 Spurs 3 Wigan 0 Wolves 0 Liverpool 1 Everton 0 Man City 1 Man Utd 3 Stoke 1 Aston Villa 1 QPR 1 Blackburn 0 Newcastle 2 Bolton 1 Arsenal 2 Fulham 2 West Brom 2 Sunderland 2 Norwich 1

Im not expecting us to lose any key players. Mind, I wasnt expecting us to lose AC until it all went fucking mental in the last 24 hours. Would like to see us bring a defender in of some ilk. Even just a temporary option to see us through to the summer.

LM, genuine question, do you think the global recession and current economic climate has an impact on football?

Slips trips or falls

I like doing some Astrophotography but with just my camera, its more a foreground interest with the sky a background addition no more than a collection of stars. I would like to attach the camera to a 'scope and also one of them table rotating things that allow long exposure to a fixed point and turn the same time as the Earth. £££ kinda stopping me head down that road.

Lower expectations, take control, increase expectation while maintaining control. Keeping control of that though is what sends you around the bend.

Granny here watching kids. Me n the wife off to the Hilton for today/tonight (anniversary thing). She's off for a swim later while I try and and find the game in town. Then off to Blackfriars tonight. Taking my camera as well for a bit of photo taking around the town at some point. She has a class as the gym in the morning (FX on the valley) so Im going here with her for an hour before heading back home mid day tomorrow where we're off out for Sunday lunch, thinking of going to Beamish Hall for that.

Good thing for both parties. Getting him off the wage lessens the pressure to get rid of someone else we might want to keep.

Im so used to us fucking up these kind of ties it makes me nervous. Then add in colo could be out and we are lacking up front. This said, everyone says Shola, Perch, Best are Championship players so now is their chance to shine So long as we are professional about it and dont sit back while they are fighting for their lives, we should take it 2-0. Get complacent though...

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Shouldn't have sold him tbf.

Blah blah blah ✓

Joking aside, this alone shows that we are in a totally different game these days. You can't just spend beyond your means as all top flight clubs have done in the past (more or less).

Nowt like one of them to brighten your day

But isnt buying Cisse backing the manager? I dont think its as clear cut as you make out LM. I'd love for them to go and spash the remaining £15M or whatever it is, but at the same time I can appreciate their method of scout the player well and not rush into any purchase. That method is what has landed us Cisse. I also think its impossible to track. DL said having that money would allow us to react which is what we are doing. but a forward as one was needed and look at a centre half as thats what is needed. I think I read that they expect to buy a back up defender this window and a large target defender in the summer. Now I like to assume money will be made available in the summer, but how much who knows? Also as I understood its not as easy saying £35M less £15M etc as they also have a wage roll to consider. I understand this. If Nolan goes and we save say £35K per week and we bring a player in on £40K per week over say 3 years that extra £780K comes from a pot. The same pot as the transfer month I guess. So long as the wages are over a threshold then the transfer pot is reduced. If wages comes down then it should give more back. Its all conjecture really what Im saying, much as yours is. But, again Ill add if we are improving over the last season then their policy can't be all wrong, as frustrating to us as it is.

I was hoping to go the night but the cloud is making it somewhat pointless. Going to see if it is still around tomorrow or not. The CME from yesterday morning is said to hit here this afternoon so Im not sure if it will still be around? Either way I might have a mess around tomorrow and also try for some star formations or whatever if its clear.

Its a subject that really boils my piss. Sadly there are so many people working the system it clouds the subject and hides those that really need it. Personally I think if the state has to help you live then you shouldnt be allowed to buy tabs, beer should be limited and you should be drug tested and benefits stopped if you take owt. Im not suggesting they should have no pleasure, but the money is there to pay bills and put food on the table not buy a fucking 50" plasma and get stoned every night playing Fifa. Another thing, though I think they stopped it, why they send out £50 or £150 whatever it was when you have a child? Again Id say yes do that, but means test it. I know its harsh but houses should be looked at as well. Of course if a landlord knows that your rent is paid by someone else he will howk the price up. The incentive should be there to want to work. Tbf though, the job centre whole thing needs changing. As an employer, I would never currently advertise in the job centre. Done it once and it was horrific. Thats wrong though.

The current government, whoever it was to be, would be on a hiding to nothing as everyone knew the next government had to cut hard. I voted conservative but I dont vote traditionally like some do (does my head in that). I vote each time on the merit of what each matches my beliefs at that time.

Missing my point that an across the board cap negatively impacts deserving and worthy people. You're not one to concern yourself with contradiction or nuance like . not missing the point. The cap is correct, what is incorrect is the worth and methods of compensation made as per the link you made. if you want to go down the road of taking the view that we all have different sorts of sympathies, that's a different thing altogether. Is it ? What boils my piss is the absence of all common sense. Of course £26KPA (or whatever it is) is enough. Some working people dont earn that so how can someone who sits on their arse complain? Its more than enough and they should not buy tabs or beer. This said, Im only on about those on the dole with say one kid. Each case should be individual and more should be done for the likes of this case with the soldier. You cant make one sweeping statement to class everyone. We all know the type that bleed the system and its they only that should suffer. Also the family with one kid living in a 4 bed detached claiming for the rent. It doesnt add up. dont forget as well, they dont pay tax on that 26K I assume its akin to someone in employment earning 32K.

Thinking about trying to get up the coast myself tomorrow night. Or walk up the big fuck off hill where I live (and less light pollution) but I was thinking of trying up Otterburn.

Pointless bringing in anyone who wont improve the team. As centre halves, that means you need to be better than Williamson and Perch. If thats the case fine. Ive asked my customer who has a box at Watford what this lad is like. As this thread seems to be about repeating yourself over and over, Ill add again that I couldnt give a fuck if the numbers add up, just like I didnt under FFS so long as what is going on on the pitch is good. Which it is.