The Round Ball Game

[Beef Oven]

Steady on ol' bean, whatever you're on, halve the dosage!

I am calm enough. Having first set foot in Highbury in 1971, and been a card harder since card schemes were introduced, I took scissors to the card at the end of last year. I also now switch the radio off whenever football is mentioned other then non league. Basically I could no longer justify paying to attend a sport that has become one of our principal national asylums. The King Canute mentality of those who carry on with it regardless never ceases to amaze. It is a mass hysteria as acute as extreme Islamism.

[johncorrigan]

I was interested to read at the weekend, with regard to Terrygate, that the reason the FA stripped him of the captaincy was that they could not countenance that if, God Forbid, England were to win the Euros and then Terry were to be found guilty days later (not that I'm saying he would be), the picture of him holding the trophy would be tainted like Tevez holding the FA Cup for Man City last season.

As an outsider to any major footie tournament (St Mirren and Scotland), I watched with interest the lead up to the last World Cup. England had been wiping the floor in all their games and then the Terry situation with Bridge raised its head and the squad mentality went out the window and they fell to bits. In the lead up to this tournament it looks like he's the cause of the problem again. If I was the next manager of England I'd bin him - actually I don't think he's that good anyway.

[Beef Oven]

St Mirren!!? Are you having a tin-bath?

Update: Cockney pronounciation - tin barf.

I was interested to read at the weekend, with regard to Terrygate, that the reason the FA stripped him of the captaincy was that they could not countenance that if, God Forbid, England were to win the Euros and then Terry were to be found guilty days later (not that I'm saying he would be), the picture of him holding the trophy would be tainted like Tevez holding the FA Cup for Man City last season.

As an outsider to any major footie tournament (St Mirren and Scotland), I watched with interest the lead up to the last World Cup. England had been wiping the floor in all their games and then the Terry situation with Bridge raised its head and the squad mentality went out the window and they fell to bits. In the lead up to this tournament it looks like he's the cause of the problem again. If I was the next manager of England I'd bin him - actually I don't think he's that good anyway.

[johncorrigan]

St Mirren!!? Are you having a tin-bath?

Update: Cockney pronounciation - tin barf.

I cannae help it, B.O. - it's in the blood!

[Beef Oven]

Get some iron tablets!

I cannae help it, B.O. - it's in the blood!

[cloughie]

Get some iron tablets!

Surel, Irn Bru!

[Beef Oven]

(Groan) Go to bed Cloughie.

Surel, Irn Bru!

[Beef Oven]

Surel, Irn Bru!

Better?

[Beef Oven]

(Groan) Go to bed Cloughie.

This way around?

[scottycelt]

St Mirren!!? Are you having a tin-bath?

Update: Cockney pronounciation - tin barf.

Tin-ba(r)f if you must ...

I can remember (only just, mind) when this proud wee club had one of the finest 'forward lines' in the UK, including stars like Baker, Bryceland and Gemmell. It once stuffed the mighty Celtic 4-0 in a Scottish Cup semi-final replay and indeed the Buddies repeated the feat a few years ago when the world-famous Bhoys were under the hapless and ill-fated guidance of Tony Mowbray (yet another notable English 'failure' in Scottish football). It was also Sir Alex Ferguson's (no less) second club in his dazzling management career following a short spell of excellent grounding at little East Stirlingshire.

My boyhood memories also aver to a marvellous wee chip-shop not far from St Mirren's old ground, Love Street, both now shamefully defunct, I understand.

So snigger ye not ... !

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I was interested to read at the weekend, with regard to Terrygate, that the reason the FA stripped him of the captaincy was that they could not countenance that if, God Forbid, England were to win the Euros and then Terry were to be found guilty days later (not that I'm saying he would be), the picture of him holding the trophy would be tainted like Tevez holding the FA Cup for Man City last season.

Iin other professions, if an employee is accused of something serious, he/she is usually suspended on full pay until it is sorted out. So Terry is not being treated any worse than this - in fact probably better.

[johncorrigan]

Tin-ba(r)f if you must ...

I can remember (only just, mind) when this proud wee club had one of the finest 'forward lines' in the UK, including stars like Baker, Bryceland and Gemmell.
My boyhood memories also aver to a marvellous wee chip-shop not far from St Mirren's old ground, Love Street, both now shamefully defunct, I understand.

Gerry Baker, my hero scotty - I remember the year after they won the cup in '59, seeing him score 10 goals in a 15-0 Scottish Cup win against the mighty Glasgow University - he was a U.S. International player.

His brother Joe Baker also a centre forward played for England - the following season Joe scored 9 goals for Hibs in a 15-1 Scottish Cup victory against Peebles Athletic. My Primary School brain felt there was a strange symmetry to this - still does!

http://users.quista.net/fraserp/Season87-88/bakers.htm

.....and yep, the stadium in Love Street is no more - the turnstiles are gone and the chippies are no more - probably turned into salad and sushi bars.

[scottycelt]

Gerry Baker, my hero scotty - I remember the year after they won the cup in '59, seeing him score 10 goals in a 15-0 Scottish Cup win against the mighty Glasgow University - he was a U.S. International player.

His brother Joe Baker also a centre forward played for England - the following season Joe scored 9 goals for Hibs in a 15-1 Scottish Cup victory against Peebles Athletic. My Primary School brain felt there was a strange symmetry to this - still does!

Ah sweet memories for you, John ...

The semi-final to which I referred must have been the prelude to the Final in '59 when I think they then beat Aberdeen (my father's team)? The thing I remember most was Gerry Baker giving Bobby Evans the Celtic international centre-half the biggest roasting of his career. I thought Gerry was actually a more exciting player than his brother, but getting a cap for the USA was probably thought of as a bit of a career-spoiler in those days!

I also remember another semi-final tie against Celtic at Ibrox when the Saints were leading 4-1 and then there was bottle-throwing by Celtic fans which stopped the game and it had to be abandoned. The game was thankfully awarded by officialdom to St Mirren, that decision fully supported by Celtic.

Ahhh ... the good old days ...

[Nick Armstrong]

Iin other professions, if an employee is accused of something serious, he/she is usually suspended on full pay until it is sorted out. So Terry is not being treated any worse than this - in fact probably better.

Quite, as he's not suspended - just can't wear "the armband" to which English football attributes silly over-significance in comparison with other nations' teams.

[EdgeleyRob]

Suarez has not done himself any favours today refusing to shake the hand of Evra.Anyone see that ?