Scott7

When I started going to football there were huge crowd’s mostly men who made their living woking with their hands and many of them straight from the yard or the factory for a 2pm kickoff. There was constant hubbub augmented by cheers and counter cheers, shouts of abuse, bad language of the worst kind though not chanted in unison and rarely within earshot of a woman, fights, blokes passing out, general disorder and angry demos at the front door (until five o’clock when the pubs opened) What there was not, was any suggestion of politics other than the superficial loyalist/rebel stuff. Political and general social statements are a foreign invention, recently imported, latched onto by the usual suspects and sadly copied by UBs. Rangers are not restricting free speech. Only what people say or do within the curtilage of the stadium.

100% agree Anyone but Palace for me, preferably the Villa whom failing Forest then City.

City were comfortable winners over all but seem to have lost their collective team purpose possibly associated with the decline of de Bruyne. Wonderful player so “decline” is relative. Roy Keane was angered by the City players’ carefree attitude in the first half. “Strolling about smiling”, he said. I think he was right.

For a reason probably.

Brighton out on penalties, thank goodness. Forest ‘keeper saved two.

Forty odd minutes on and you’re still right.

They will.

3-0 Palace. Fulham methodical, well organised but lacking inspiration. Palace inspirational if only three times but that’s enough. Bassey is a hard man to get past but once he’s been passed there’s no recovery.

Half time and Palace rule at the Cottage. 2-0.

I wonder if Cameron will play. Big risk of a career ending injury administered by someone worried about his place next season.

That would suit me fine. I could relax for the semis and the final. Any of that four will do.

Quarter Finals: Fulham 2-1 Palace BHA 2-0 Forest Preston North End 0- Aston Villa 3 (a fallen giant against a revived one) B’mouth 2-1 City I’d like Preston to win the tournament but they won’t so Villa will be fine.

Reading the extract from the Post reminded me of the days when papers actually printed news without hyperbole. I remember McEwan. Good player. (“Fife Ace in big money move to Midlands Giants”)

Pity Rangers hadn’t snapped up Bobby Hope while they were at it..

An Israeli strike force is more than some of the members here will be able to thole. Expect at least one diatribe.

I have no clue whatsoever who should be the new manager. Rangers are long gone from hiring in the Souness/Advocaat Category which means Ancelotti must stay at Real for now and I have no knowledge of the lower levels. Whoever is offered the job should have a consistent record. At the beginning of this season the chap at Aberdeen was a diamond and Gray at Hibs was a laughingstock out of his depth. Now look at them. (NB: This is not an endorsement of either)

Got a bit of a fright there at first glance.

Good idea.

I think @Rousseau has taken that into account in computing the list.

A name springs out of that list but sorry Wilf, but you’ll never get a job in the UK. Who wants their team called the Nancy Boys?

Wonderful footballer. Gordon Smith is my preference as indeed would be Willie Henderson.

I was going to say “and losing ground to the field” but if he looks back he’ll see that the field such as it is, is about two furlongs behind.

Pygmies in footballing terms. Gordon and Robertson each at the height of his form might have been considered for selection in better times, Souttar for a B International or the Scottish League side.

Forgot it was on. Saw the last eight minutes plus added. Dreadful. Players didn’t look bothered. Maybe they prefer not to be selected for future games. If I had remembered, I suppose I would have watched the first ten and then switched off.

Genius with a football when he matured or maybe in his younger day the platform he was on wasn’t as solid as it became. In a team game artists need labourers for the mundane tasks.