Football

[The Hallucinating Goose]

So it's Luton or Coventry that will be in the top flight next year. I have to say I did not see that coming at the start of the season. It is pretty incredible considering the financial apocalypse Coventry were facing in recent years and the fact Luton were in the National League just 10 years ago. Incredible. Incredible. C'mon Coventry! 

Also found myself cheering for Man City tonight for probably the first time in my life. Didn't expect them to give Real Madrid such a spanking, wasn't even too confident of them winning at all. Man City have to go into the final as favourites I would reckon. 

[OnStrike]

7 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

So it's Luton or Coventry that will be in the top flight next year. I have to say I did not see that coming at the start of the season. It is pretty incredible considering the financial apocalypse Coventry were facing in recent years and the fact Luton were in the National League just 10 years ago. Incredible. Incredible. C'mon Coventry! 

Also found myself cheering for Man City tonight for probably the first time in my life. Didn't expect them to give Real Madrid such a spanking, wasn't even too confident of them winning at all. Man City have to go into the final as favourites I would reckon. 

Yeah great playoff final. Amazing Coventry were playing their home games in Northampton a couple of years ago. Should never have got rid of Highfield Rd, but good luck to them. Luton were in the Conference a few years ago too, took them a few years to get out of it. Two brilliant stories.

No comment on City...

[Adelaide Tiger]

Good luck to whoever wins the Championship play off final.

But I can’t help thinking that the Board at either club will already have a pre-prepared P45 for either coach come December if they are floundering.

[bbfaz]

5 hours ago, OnStrike said:

Yeah great playoff final. Amazing Coventry were playing their home games in Northampton a couple of years ago. Should never have got rid of Highfield Rd, but good luck to them. Luton were in the Conference a few years ago too, took them a few years to get out of it. Two brilliant stories.

No comment on City...

There's a book about Coventry moving to the Arena and it's an absolute sh*tshow.  The idea was they'd go into partnership with the council.  They put no money in but they were going to be 50% owners as partners because they were bringing the main revenue to the stadium.  They nearly lost the land, the contractors did decontamination on the site, wanted paying but City didn't own the land yet.  Absolute disaster, full of backstabbing and all sorts.

It seemed like a good idea but, to quote Joe Kinnear when he was fired by Luton (nice crossover), "champagne dreams but Coca-Cola money".

However, if Coventry do get promoted, are they going to be able to buy the CBSArena back?  Ashley bought it and he's hardly going to sell for the 17m he bought it from Wasps for.  I think it just opens up another can of worms.

[HawkMan]

31 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Good luck to whoever wins the Championship play off final.

But I can’t help thinking that the Board at either club will already have a pre-prepared P45 for either coach come December if they are floundering.

Mark Robins has signed a new contract recently so hopefully he's okay,  but you never know.

The Watford board of lunatics must be sick as a parrot as they say, sacking Rob Edwards when they were about 6th after 10 games or so. 

[DavidM]

Who’d have thunk Coventry  v Luton would be the play off final . Well done them . Also shows how competitive the championship is , so many ‘ big names ‘ left in their wake .  I remember both from being in the top flight years and years ago . Coventry did really well and I remember Kevin Sheedy doing for Luton in an FA Cup semi final 

[tim2]

17 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

So it's Luton or Coventry that will be in the top flight next year. I have to say I did not see that coming at the start of the season. It is pretty incredible considering the financial apocalypse Coventry were facing in recent years and the fact Luton were in the National League just 10 years ago. Incredible. Incredible. C'mon Coventry! 

Also found myself cheering for Man City tonight for probably the first time in my life. Didn't expect them to give Real Madrid such a spanking, wasn't even too confident of them winning at all. Man City have to go into the final as favourites I would reckon. 

If Guardiola doesn't win the CL soon with the resources he has, I think his credentials as a truly great coach would be in doubt.

The Luton-Coventry game is fantastic. Whoever wins will probably get battered next season and come straight back down, but so what? It would set the club up well for another go (like Burnley/Bournemouth/Sheff Utd) or at least to have the money to be a solid contender in the Championship. I read that Luton will have to spend 10 million to get their ground up to scratch or they'll have to ground share at MK. Luton are planning a new ground - no more going in through a terraced house - and so are Coventry, as it seems their problems at what was called the Ricoh aren't resolved. As my club, and many RL clubs, know only too well  not having control over your stadium is a nightmare.

Edit: Just discovered Mike Ashley owns the stadium. God help them. If they go up I suspect he'll really rinse them for cash on a new deal as the current one has pretty much expired.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by tim2

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 hour ago, DavidM said:

Who’d have thunk Coventry  v Luton would be the play off final . Well done them . Also shows how competitive the championship is , so many ‘ big names ‘ left in their wake .  I remember both from being in the top flight years and years ago . Coventry did really well and I remember Kevin Sheedy doing for Luton in an FA Cup semi final 

Was that Sheedy one the famous retaken free kick or was that against Ipswich? 
 

Edit: what I’m thinking of is Round 6 I think but FA Cup in 85-86 season.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[tim2]

3 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Mark Robins has signed a new contract recently so hopefully he's okay,  but you never know.

The Watford board of lunatics must be sick as a parrot as they say, sacking Rob Edwards when they were about 6th after 10 games or so. 

It's my turn to be Watford coach between October 6th and whenever the first match is after that, even if they win.

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Was that Sheedy one the famous retaken free kick or was that against Ipswich? 
 

Edit: what I’m thinking of is Round 6 I think but FA Cup in 85-86 season.

You are bang on . Ricky Hill scored and we looked doomed , then Sheedy gota free kick and put it in but was called back for some reason then put it in the other side

[Gerrumonside ref]

On 13/05/2023 at 16:42, wilsontown said:

I'm a Sheffield Wednesday fan. Hold me.

Still need holding?  Haha!

[bbfaz]

18 hours ago, DavidM said:

Who’d have thunk Coventry  v Luton would be the play off final . Well done them . Also shows how competitive the championship is , so many ‘ big names ‘ left in their wake .  I remember both from being in the top flight years and years ago . Coventry did really well and I remember Kevin Sheedy doing for Luton in an FA Cup semi final 

Apparently Luton have the 5th smallest and Coventry have the 3rd smallest budget in the Championship.  Generally speaking, the teams who spend the most do the best.  We've seen an occasional shakeup, Blackpool had a similarly low wage bill under Holloway, but this is very rare.

[GUBRATS]

What incredible drama that was last night , only watched from the last 15 minutes of normal time , but fantastic 

With regards Man City , I accept I'm biased as I follow Utd , but it's spoiling the game IMO, even when It's were at their best they were still fallible , they might take a lead but quite often would let one or two in and need to up things again to win , or even end up chasing a two goal deficit on occasion , the possession based ' nisi carburundum illegitimi ' process of playing is boring , yes they are seeking perfection and aren't far from it 

But that isn't what team sport should be IMO 

I'll no doubt be accused or ' sour grapes ' and jealousy

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

What incredible drama that was last night , only watched from the last 15 minutes of normal time , but fantastic 

With regards Man City , I accept I'm biased as I follow Utd , but it's spoiling the game IMO, even when It's were at their best they were still fallible , they might take a lead but quite often would let one or two in and need to up things again to win , or even end up chasing a two goal deficit on occasion , the possession based ' nisi carburundum illegitimi ' process of playing is boring , yes they are seeking perfection and aren't far from it 

But that isn't what team sport should be IMO 

I'll no doubt be accused or ' sour grapes ' and jealousy

None of what they do counts anymore while they’re under investigation (don’t come at me City fans ).

Just remember this Gubby: *

I think footballing wise the possession based approach will always feel ‘bland but effective’ to the eyes of an average English football fan brought up on the blood and thunder.

I’d be surprised if they didn’t clinch the Treble from here although Inter like defending more than Real Madrid and Utd have been known to upset the odds against them in recent years when least expected.  I think that’s it for ‘straws’ haha!

Edited May 19, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[wilsontown]

16 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Still need holding?  Haha!

Absolutely crazy scenes, I doubt I'll see anything quite like that ever again.

[OnStrike]

National League to Championship this season has been unbelievable drama. 

Premier League and Champions League leave me totally cold now to be honest. Happily disengaged from it a few year years ago.

[HawkMan]

Just for you, @OnStrike  CL has been  a treat this season. Possibly the best display by an English team in CL ever. City totally humiliation of Real Madrid.

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by HawkMan

[OnStrike]

56 minutes ago, HawkMan said:

Just for you, @OnStrike  CL has been  a treat this season. Possibly the best display by an English team in CL ever. City totally humiliation of Real Madrid.

 

I know mate, great moment for City, fair play to them. Just not for me anymore.

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

Apparently Salford borrowed research data on taking penalties from the England team, I'd never have guessed.

[DI Keith Fowler]

On 19/05/2023 at 19:24, HawkMan said:

Just for you, @OnStrike  CL has been  a treat this season. Possibly the best display by an English team in CL ever. City totally humiliation of Real Madrid.

 

But they should be doing this? It would be massively disappointing if they didn't. In a way it's a tribute to the nature of football with all it's incongruences and vagaries that it's took this long.   

[The Masked Poster]

I was in Bradford city centre yesterday and ended up in a pub watching the play off game against Carlisle. What a friendly, knowledgeable bunch of fans. Passionate about their much derided city and team but very gracious in defeat and conceding that Carlisle were the better team. An unexpected pleasure. 

[DavidM]

How can Forest beat Arsenal , that took the edge off my afternoon . I’m now hoping West Ham aren’t to knackered from playing on Thursday . I reckon im safe  with Newcastle and Leicester though .

[bobbruce]

6 hours ago, DavidM said:

How can Forest beat Arsenal , that took the edge off my afternoon . I’m now hoping West Ham aren’t to knackered from playing on Thursday . I reckon im safe  with Newcastle and Leicester though .

Everton still need to get something last game for me but I think a draw will see them safe. 

[DavidM]

17 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

Everton still need to get something last game for me but I think a draw will see them safe. 

Very good point . DCL has basically downed tools and so we badly struggle for goals anyway bar Brighton and we’re still pretty fragile so it’s certainly no forgone conclusion . 

Edited May 21, 2023 by DavidM

[HawkMan]

Deleted

Edited May 21, 2023 by HawkMan