NJS

I thought that at first but now see it as his "natural" accent and it seems strange seeing him in Blackadder etc

Amanda Tapping's "English" in Sanctuary.

Anyone see the cunt on Goals on Sunday? Had to switch it off when he started talking about us - "I went there to re-establish them as a footballing club" = football murdering shitbag that he is.

Yes - a bit different to walking round in something that's just wrong

Call me childish but I never have and never could wear anything red and white.

Too many shit players mixed in with the good. Sad fact is the 35m (as if it will be anyway) needs to be spent on 4 strikers and 2 wingers and that's not counting replacing Tiote and Enrique. If we do stop up (5 points gap but I think we will) next year is going to be tougher.

Not better than Clichy, Cole or Evra.

I'd agree with the bit to the north and east of the green belt next to the river being Orient but because of that gap I'd guess anything south of Stratford and the built up area to the east of that through and to the north of Plaistow is more likely West Ham. I'd also say its a bit of a push to compare Orient and West ham fanbase wise because as I said I'd guess Orient are very local - if people are going to be brought up to support Orient now, I can't really see that changing just because of the stadium.

I'd have thought Orient's fans are pretty local to Leyton and tbh Stratford itself is close-ish to West Ham. I've always thought Hackney tended to be more Spurs territory but that could be a generalisation based on the prevalent skin colour as well.

I don't understand the economics - even if they sell Upton Park (shit area) I can't see them getting that much for it as they need a 40m loan from the council. They've also said they'll charge next to nowt in an attempt to fill it but 60k x £10 say is less than 35k x £30. I can't see that many boxes being filled either. They're also gambling that 60k (if they ever get that) will generate a better atmosphere than Upton park - a huge leap of faith given the track.

I've heard/read people raving about that for years and finally watched the first episode last night and didn't even smile once. (Though I still wouldn't mind trying to "cure" Portia De Rossi)

I think I've said before I'd have Cole in as he encapsulated the sheer unashamed joy of the first year up - both as a player/bloke and as the focus of the team. I prefer Ferdinand to Shearer as I think even though he wasn't here as long, he put more in overall - I realise that's heresy but I remember pre-England iffy performances effort wise from Shearer and some of the games in the last 2 years when he'd plainly gone - he probably should have given up earlier.

Bearsley for Tiote, Cole for Shearer.

I fully accept that football has fundamentally changed and irreversibly so - I agree with SBTP that families per se is good for the game but over-focusing on them is a mistake in my view. This isn't all just about atmosphere - its about footballs place in the community as an outlet for tribalism and yes some aggression. I think claiming we're beyond the need for that outlet is naive. The whole section must only be about 10% of the overall capacity. Not sure though that it makes great sense to put the 18-21 year olds next to the away fans The whole of Milburn/Leazes L7 is 10%? Surely that's the expansion from 36 to 52 which is 16k - even allowing for 3k for away fans that 25% Another point is that as someone who much prefers to watch football side on and away from the pitch I'm now limited to a choice of one stand at "normal" prices and corporate shite.

I fully accept that football has fundamentally changed and irreversibly so - I agree with SBTP that families per se is good for the game but over-focusing on them is a mistake in my view. This isn't all just about atmosphere - its about footballs place in the community as an outlet for tribalism and yes some aggression. I think claiming we're beyond the need for that outlet is naive. ? A fundamental change in the nature of football support has already occurred, not sure where a claim for being beyond a need for an outlet for tribalism or aggression was made. Assumed it was a general point re: society's views on such matters rather than disagreeing with a point you were making. Yes - the idea that the nastiness of the past is gone and that's a completely positive notion is what I'm arguing against. The marketing men try and sell football as a pleasant experience for families (which it is) but at the same time promote what they call good atmospheres without acknowledging that unless the circumstances are exceptional like last week, there is in my view a correlation between better atmospheres with tribalism and alcohol.

I fully accept that football has fundamentally changed and irreversibly so - I agree with SBTP that families per se is good for the game but over-focusing on them is a mistake in my view. This isn't all just about atmosphere - its about footballs place in the community as an outlet for tribalism and yes some aggression. I think claiming we're beyond the need for that outlet is naive.

46 - like your 30s but want to scream and swear as appropriate (ie every other word) and go fucking mental if we score.

See the difference between climate and weather.....

Filling the ground with families is just another nail in the coffin of my love for football.

I enjoyed a lot of Coogan's early stuff (especially Paul Calf) but I'm not a big fan of Partridge and one of the reasons is the oh so nice potrayal of Geordies as lovable fuckwits. Heathen I just don't like that type of character - probably why I can't stand The Office either - I think Brent is similar to Partridge.

I enjoyed a lot of Coogan's early stuff (especially Paul Calf) but I'm not a big fan of Partridge and one of the reasons is the oh so nice potrayal of Geordies as lovable fuckwits.

Newcastle United. WE DEFINITELY forced McKeag's hand. A bit naive in my opinion - Hall forced their hand by offering money that was beyond their level of wealth. How's it naive? GMK would never have relinquished control if we had 32,000 every week being content with mid-table. SJH was just the catalyst and escape route when there was no way out for them. That wasn't going to happen at the time though - football as a whole was in the doldrums on the cusp of Sky around the corner - as I and others have said when arguing with LM, Hall was lucky in buying the club on the cheap and then riding the wave of the Sky take-off and cheap credit - it was all about timing.

Newcastle United. WE DEFINITELY forced McKeag's hand. A bit naive in my opinion - Hall forced their hand by offering money that was beyond their level of wealth.

We used to sit in the Milburn on about the Leazes penalty spot and were moved up to L7 in 99/00. Most of us had bought bonds - not under the impression we'd guaranteed the seats as it was obvious Hall and Fletcher were complete cunts but because we felt it would give us a bit of leverage when we were moved. I'd always known from reading the conditions that the SOS campaign was doomed - cunts can afford good contract lawyers. As it happens when we were moved we were "allowed" to pick all seats together from a couple of areas and add an extra person into the mix so a group of 3 and 4 became 14 lads sitting together across two rows. Over the years there have been dropouts and movements from that area and I think they're down to 4 or 5 now. I'd imagine Ashley has tighened the T&Cs even beyond Hall so I'd say you'd be screwed.

RIP - saw him live in about 83 and really enjoyed the show.