Everton wearing green

Fulham here we come

Thirty five years ago almost to the month, Best and Marsh arrived at Craven Cottage at the end of their illustrious careers. Brian Moore was there as well.

The Mise le Meas Championship Weekend 2011

Well, it's all sorted out now with arrangements made for the first and last Mise le Meas Championship weekend on April 30th / 1st May. On the basis that Leeds are going to mess it up in the play-offs, we may as well get this Elland Road thing out of the way now because we ain't gonna see them featuring regularly at the Lane, Bridge of Goodison anytime soon.

Mise le meas should be in great form and his knowledge of all things Leeds will be tested as we come face-to-face with some diehards as, over lunch, we quaff the finest wines the region can produce. Time therefore to get familiar with a few of the ground rules:

1. Don't mention Clough and don't look for his picture on the wall in the Legends Suite


2. Pretend you're related to Johnny Giles


3. If you can't understand what a local is saying to you just reply "Ecky thump, by gum" and offer to shake hands


4. Remember it's Emmerdale - not Coronation Street


5. Easy on the faryard animals noises and no sudden sheep sounds when near the gents


6. A great topic for debate is the War of the Roses - it appears no-one knows who won it. The daft buggers.


7. Don't mention Cantona either - a big no-no


8. Please keep an eye on Mike if he wanders. Nostalgia, emotion and elation will be rampant and the locals might not take too lightly to the stuff we put up with.

Finally, remember these guys idolise Billy fuckin Bremner:

An interesting footnote on Emmerdale from Wikipedia:

The farmyard filming techniques of Emmerdale Farm were originally modelled on the revolutionary soap-opera The Riordans, made by RTÉ, Ireland's broadcaster, from the mid-1960s to the end of the 1970s. Th e Riordans broke new ground for soap operas by being filmed largely out of doors (on a farm owned in the storyline by Tom and Mary Riordan) rather than the usual practice of British and American soap operas, of shooting almost completely in studios (where 'outdoor' scenes were sometimes filmed indoors). The Riordans pioneered farmyard location shooting with real farm animals and actors driving tractors.

In the 1960s and 1970s, outdoor filming of television programmes using OBUs (Outdoor Broadcast Units) was in its infancy due to the far higher costs involved and the reliance on things like the weather that were out of the control of the programme makers. The success of The Riordans showed that a soap opera could be filmed largely out of doors. Yorkshire Television sent people to The Riordans set in County Meath, Ireland to see the making of the programme at first hand.

So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Amazing penalty!

Amazing penalty from Calvente of Spain in the U19's European Championships won sadly by France last month.

Be sure to watch the replay.

Our thoughts now turn to Leeds

A bit of controversy arising from the allocation of referees this weekend and the assignment of Ray Tinkler to the Leeds v Bristol Rovers game.

Ray has a bit of "previous" with Leeds as evidenced in the attached clip and additionally has been brought back out of retirement after 35 years with his feet up in Market Sidbury, Shropshire. Rumour has it that this decision by the FA is motivated purely by hatred against Revie on their part, as a result of his decision to walk out of the England job in 1977 and go for the Arab loot, managing my own dearly beloved UAE.

Let's hope Leeds can overcome the Tinkler man and earn their rightful place in the Championship.

Victory for Wayne Bridge at Stamford Bridge

Without dwelling on the unfortunate fact that it helped both Man City and Man Utd in their respective pursuits of 4th and 1st place, it was nice to see Wayne Bridge getting one over on John Terry this afternoon. It was however scant revenge for Terry getting one over (leg that is) on Bridge's wife a few weeks ago.

Terry, albeit a great player, is a prime example of the type of lowly principled, ignorant moron who festoons the English game at present - a man with no moral turpitude who can probably show loyalty to only one thing - money. In a game where team spirit and camaraderie is supposed to count for so much, bonking the wife of a team-mate is hardly the behaviour of a leader and captain.

Tevez has been quick to support Wayne Bridge, wearing the "Team Bridge" t-shirts and then embracing Bridge after the goal today, but then Tevez and Terry have a bit of previous....



Good gob as they say but then you know you're in the ring with knackers when it gets to this.

Mary Leech and Cork City

n a week that saw the demise of Cork City, appropriate to take a look at one of their great days as they won the play-off for the League of ireland in 1971, beating "the Rov-is" 3-1 at Dalymount Park. This win was one of two which interrupted Waterford's run of LOI victories, when they won the championship in six out of eight seasons. God be with the days.

Hard to believe that the country's second city does not have a team in the Premier Division of the LOI but shit happens eh?

Anyhow look also for Mary Leech, the darling of Glenmalure as he tucks away the Rovers equaliser.

The goal that never was

Come on Spurs, Leeds are beatable

Remember this?

The Romance of the Cup

Ok, boys it all kicks off this weekend - the greatest competition in the world and a first step on the way to the hallowed turf at Offington Park, Sutton. The pizzas are on and it's just a short hop out on the bus along the coast road.

Before that the odd trip to Liverpool for the early rounds in the seventies.

We've all got out great memories from this competition, and some moments we'd like to forget (Port Vale in 1988) but all in all it is hard to argue against the romance of the Cup with its' ever-present opportunity for a slip-up by the giants at the hands of some hopeless downtrodden underdog like Everton. And then again you could also incur the wrath of the oligarchs by daring to score in the first minute.

This week it looks like relatively plain sailing for Spurs (the Posh at home), Chelsea (a repeat of the 1970 semi-final) and Everton (home to Carlisle. Spare a thought for Leeds however, drawn away to United - let's all get behind them this weekend and hope they can relive some of their former glories. Go for it Snoddie!

Leeds beat United 1-0 in the semi-final in 1970 courtesy of a Billy Bremner goals after two draws - in the round prior to that they went to the County Ground and this is how they got on:

Niall Quinn's Disco Pants are the best

Plenty of good stuff from a great weekend but we're gonna start with what's top of every City fan's Christmas list this year, and every other year since 1974.



Dear Santa can I have the Denis Law video..... and if you think I've been good this year, a pair of disco pants worn by Niall Quinn, the ones that go up from his arse to his chest.

Thanks a million,

Paul Power (aged 7).

Man City v Everton 1967

Great footage well ahead of its time - Brian wil love the Z cars (not Webcars) music towards the end.

Observe the City players for next weekend.

Another legend of a ballboy

How to treat an ex-Arsenal goalkeeper. Pick that up, Lehmann you arrogant prick.

Come back Brian Moore all is forgiven

How the hell would Eoin Ryan deal with this guy?

Mike, get to know these players.

Now that everything is sorted for our trip in December, some homework for Mike.

We will be visiting Manchester 40 years after they won the Cup for the last time, and we need to be able to give it socks when it comes to bullshitting about their heroes. Mike, you have the greatest challenge for, despite your natural enthusiasm, you let us down as soon the locals go beyond the most famous one or two players.

So to assist you in leg one of the trip, here's the City team that won the Cup in 1969 - learn it well. Please remember Colin Bell's nickname and don't try to call him Arkle as we blag our way through lunch on the 5th of December.

And here's why he got the nickname:

Chelsea score five at the Lane

Sadly it became a bit of a habit after this, until the last two years of course.

Conn, McKenzie, Cooke ...what about Eddie?

As good as the rest.

Brian Hartnett's Brazil kit

The year 1970 - the World Cup just completed - and Brazil the big thing in everyone's minds. Probably the greatest team that any of us are likely to see, ever.

Rumour went round that there was this guy up in Brewery Road who had the full kit - wore it well into fourth year if I remember correctly - so up we went for a game of two-a-side in his back garden. Going reasonably well - 3.1 up with five mins to go when his mother lets the dog out of the kitchen and hey presto, next thing you're lying on the ground having your bollox sniffed by a beast twice your size. Dust yourself down, throw the dog a bone, and resume with a hop-ball. The composure is gone however and you end up with a disappointing 3 all draw. Crying as you troop home, you can never imagine it happening to Enrico Albertosi and Luigi Riva in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico.

Spot Tammy if you can as you look back at these Brilliant brazilians........

Ian Holloway - football genius

I bet he got his ass kicked when he got home.

Impudent Ernie

Remember this?