The Round Ball Game

[Nick Armstrong]

.... though it's rivalled almost by this 'pride goes before a fall' classic:

[jayne lee wilson]

Worrying for the Welsh that they'll be minus Ramsay for the Portugal game. I think he's had a great tournament for them and will be a sore miss.

Yes, a great pity... but he can put Andy King in there, hopefully inspired from his Leicester triumph....

Shame Italy-Germany was the predictable attritional stand-off, chess-match, paint-drying kind of spectacle... and extra time never seems to inspire anyone these days.... then that comedy of shootout errors...
18 Penalties? Goodness. I wonder what the world record is.... we had a 6-5 last season in the League Cup with Stoke, but only 3 were missed or saved, the standard was pretty high.

[johncorrigan]

Come on, Andy!

[gurnemanz]

Glory for Wales via Crystal Palace in Euros! Here's a Croydon angle. Great Wales performance masterminded by ex-Palace man Chris Coleman.

But just to dribble a gentle portion of cold water on their euphoria:
They did lose 2-1 to a disappointing England team
They haven't actually won anything
Previous minnows that did actually win the thing (Denmark 92 and Greece 04) did not conspicuously go on to great things
Achievement is not really on the same level as Leicester's amazing season

[EdgeleyRob]

Student of Sir Alex

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

"He was like a father to me."

[johncorrigan]

Student of Sir Alex

Funnily enough, Rob, I noticed that during the game and thought the same thing. Brilliant!
On a different topic, I read in my newspaper that big Sam and Jurgen are the two names left in the frame to fill Hodgson's trainers...joint managers would be good.

[johncorrigan]

On a different topic, I read in my newspaper that big Sam and Jurgen are the two names left in the frame to fill Hodgson's trainers...joint managers would be good.

Looks like the FA didn't go for the partnership approach, after all...Ian Duncan Smith must have vetoed it. Brexit means bla bla bla! Chance missed in my opinion!

The season's started up here - Saints managed a couple of wins in their first two games in the new format of the league cup (saw off Livvie and Ayr) - Inverness and Partick managed a win too but no such joy for East Stirling who are still in there for a week or two...oh, and Celtic managed to overturn their 1-0 defeat in Gilbraltar and stuck three past the mighty Lincoln Imps at Celtic park last night. Watch out Barca!

[EdgeleyRob]

Looks like the FA didn't go for the partnership approach, after all...Ian Duncan Smith must have vetoed it. Brexit means bla bla bla! Chance missed in my opinion!

The season's started up here - Saints managed a couple of wins in their first two games in the new format of the league cup (saw off Livvie and Ayr) - Inverness and Partick managed a win too but no such joy for East Stirling who are still in there for a week or two...oh, and Celtic managed to overturn their 1-0 defeat in Gilbraltar and stuck three past the mighty Lincoln Imps at Celtic park last night. Watch out Barca!

That time already thanks for the update John.

[cloughie]

That time already thanks for the update John.

The Pre-season games have started also with the usual interesting results - the Owls beat Benfica 1-0 at Hillsborough on Wednesday evening.

[antongould]

... and England, seemingly, have a Big new manager .....

[cloughie]

Looking forward to your first reports of the new season, Edge, the time when optimism starts to give way to reality.

[EdgeleyRob]

Looking forward to your first reports of the new season, Edge, the time when optimism starts to give way to reality.

Here we go again cloughie.
Round ups might be a bit more basic this season,laptop is kaput and won't be replaced so all done via I pad and such.
John Corrigan kindly did the early Scottish games and I've missed some European games.
Don't tell Anton but Rafa has work to do

Fulham 1 Newcastle United 0

[antongould]

Here we go again cloughie.
Round ups might be a bit more basic this season,laptop is kaput and won't be replaced so all done via I pad and such.
John Corrigan kindly did the early Scottish games and I've missed some European games.
Don't tell Anton but Rafa has work to do

Fulham 1 Newcastle United 0

Indeed he has ER ........

[EdgeleyRob]

So

Derby County 0 Brighton 0
Scunthorpe United 3 Bristol Rovers 1
Swindon Town 1 Coventry City 0
Walsall 3 Wimbledon 1
Hartlepool United 1 Colchester United 1
Maidstone United 1 York City 1
Wrexham 0 Dover 0
Stockport County 4 Alfreton Town 3

Truro City 2 Chelmsford City 2 Opening day forum derby
Patrick Thistle 2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0 Forum Thistle derby
St Mirren 1 Morton 1
East Stirlingshire 2 Vale of Leithen 2 Another season of unheard of football clubs
Totton 1 Hereford 2 More familiar names this season

Sheffield Wednesday play tomorrow as do Leicester and Manchester United in the community shield