MessiWillSignForVilla

I don't think he wants to bring the game in to disrepute

eventually selling Long

To be fair, Long was crap for them, I think a lot of Villa fans don't realise it because he scored 2 of his 3 goals this season in the first 10 minutes against us, and his only other goal was a week before (perhaps after?) in a goal line scramble against Chelsea. You may mock them getting Anichebe, but he scored just as many as Long in less starts.

Unlucky there for Burrell, would've been a fantastic try if he'd not been put in touch.

If we stop giving away silly penalties in the second half I think we can close that points gap on Ireland.

Also loved the dig at Savage by the commentator too (At least I'm assuming it was a dig..)

KEA I'd imagine, or Weimann/Gabby, go for two wide players in Grealish and Albrighton.

I find it amusing how that article is already suggesting he's going to leave when he's not even played a senior game for us yet 

What a start by England! Been superb so far.

Well played by Care to see the gap.

I always love the national anthems in rugby matches, the player always belt it out with such passion instead of just standing there like a statue.

Always makes me feel slightly more optimistic for some reason too. Come on England, smash the bastards

Anyone watching 37 days on BBC2? Only watched the first one so far, and I'm about to watch last night's, but I'm quite enjoying it.

I'm fascinated by the start of WWI, and both world wars in general, so it's right up my street. The whole domino effect and coincidence of it all is amazing really!

Huge win for Ireland, I think their points difference now makes them the favourites, unless one of the other three get a bigger win this weekend.

I think this massively points out England's problem. We have a huge amount of people who play rugby in this country, but they only really play mini's and junior rugby, by the time they reach senior level, most stop playing and move on. We have the lowest percentage of senior males there, and whilst it is still much higher than anyone else, it kind of shows that we lack the coaching and enthusiasm to keep these players going on. I must have played with 30 odd people between Club and School rugby - at Junior level - which no longer play. About 9-10 players from my age group made the step up to senior rugby at my club a few years ago, when the club had probably only gotten that many juniors carry on to senior rugby in the last 10 years, yet alone 1. And I'd bet it wasn't only the biggest influx of young players in the last few years, but probably for the last few decades.

We just don't take it seriously enough in this country imo, and I think that's why we'll rarely ever compete with Oz/SA/NZ. The reason teams like Ireland and Wales are so close to us despite the population differences is that they take it much, much more seriously.

He's had "clear the air" talks with Lambert and will be fighting for his place again according to Mat Kendrick on twitter.

Also, several clubs tried to take him on loan apparently, but we wanted him to stay as back up.

8 hours is shocking if true, it's a turn based RPG!

It's South Park though, any longer and I think it'll start to grate for even the biggest fans, as even though I love south park, you're likely to see the same jokes and animations quite a lot of times, which will probably begin to annoy you and get boring if it went on for say 15 hours.

Also, I doubt the world will be very big, as it looks like you can only explore south park itself, so it's not going to take the time it takes games like Skyrim as travel won't be an hour of exploring and sidetracking.

All I want it to be is more like an interactive 2nd movie, and it looks like it could well be that.

That's a flimsy argument, especially in a sport that has been dominated for roughly 100 years by a country with a population of ~4.5 million.

I don't know if this has been posted but following our third goal, Lambert celebrated and then immediately turned to a Villa fan behind the Norwich dugout who I assume had been giving him grief.

Lambert was gesticulating that he wanted a word and shouting at this bloke who then came rushing down the front row to the edge of the Villa dugout and was pounced on by a few fans and security. Lambert took his coat off as if he was going to go toe to toe for a scrap and was going crazy. The "fan" was escorted away by a couple of security fans and I assume thrown out. If you have video'd the game, watch how lambert snaps round and looks at someone behind the dugout after the goal and a moment later you will see him without his coat, despite the fact that it was pissing down.

Whilst that is a bit disappointing to read, I think the highlighted bit is telling somewhat, why would other fans try restrain him if they thought what he was shouting wasn't unnecessary and too far? Maybe they didn't want the fan to have an argument with the manager, but if they agreed, why intervene? I can only assume what the fan was saying was more than the conventional "You don't know what you're doing" and bordering more on unnecessary and uncalled for abuse.

As has been said, it doesn't seem that cut and dry, I can only assume that the fan had gone too far with his "concerns". And just to clarify, I'm not doubting what you've said, just without knowledge of what the fan actually said, it is a bit harder to judge the incident, at least for those of us who didn't see it.

Lambert may be getting paid a lot to do the job, and it's the sort of thing that unfortunately is part and parcel of football management, but he is still human, so I don't begrudge him too much for getting heated with a fan if what the fan was saying was too far.

Love the attitude of, if we lose, it's Lambert's fault, if we win, well done to the players!

Why can't Lambert be both responsible for the defeats and the wins?

Of course Bacuna has a chance at the Holland squad, Vlaar is their starting CB ffs and it's not as if they have huge pool of class players either, it's not a crazy idea that another of our players could be considered if he plays well. I don't think he will, so it's all a bit pointless really.

I'd like us to buy a proper RB in the summer and play Bacuna more in a right wing role, or in centre mid, he can be awesome going forwards at times, and I think if it's he's played consistently in an attacking role his slight technical wobbles he has will disappear.

Absolute bargain at £900k

Public votes and opinion polls on TV shows, especially the News.

I'm here to watch the news, why would I give a shit about what some uninformed word removed in the city centre or sat at home has to say? Just tell me what's happening and move on!

Saints just absolutely annihilated Gloucester 39-13, with players like Lawes, Hartley and North missing, I think they might finally win the Premiership this year 

So did Faulkner lie to the trust back in October then?

Surely he meant for October time or the end of this season? These are the accounts for last season, with players like Ireland, Bent(partially) and Makoun leaving, the wage bill should have been reduced even more so. Plus as sharky said, the new TV money should be getting paid out this year.

Saying that, I find it hard to believe we would have increased our revenue by £40-50m.

I think we already knew the info about the £90m, didn't we? (Been the subject of a separate thread, I'm sure.)

 

These figures look to me very much like we would have expected, but I await those more expert at reading accounts to comment.

Well, we knew that £90m had been put in the club, or the trust, or something like that. I don't think it was actually clear what had been done and why.

Maybe I was a bit optimistic hoping for a profit then 

Hopefully the accounts show a healthy profit (in football terms), i.e. more than £1-2m. Also if the wage budget is finally in a stable situation, it's time for RL to put his money where his mouth is.

Looking forward to someone with a better understanding of finances to spell it out in layman's terms so we can fully understand the situation.

Enough with international talk, how about some local stories;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/26367472

 

 

Officials have 'underpants ripped off' at Aylestone St James

The RFU has fined Leicester amateurs Aylestone St James £1,575 for "forcibly removing the underwear" of three anonymous north east-based officials.

The incident took place at Aylestone's Covert Lane clubhouse after a Midlands Three East (North) match with Grimsby.

The referee was unaware of a tradition that patrons should wear no underpants.

Several club players and members then "ripped off his underwear whilst he was still wearing trousers" and two other officials arrived to the same welcome.

In one of the officials' written statement, he described the experience as "humiliating and embarrassing", and said he suffered "12 hours of some discomfort and pain".

Aylestone stated to the disciplinary panel, who described the act as "a physical assault", that "the club deeply regretted the referees were subjected to discomfort and/or humiliation".

Of the £1,575 fine, £1,000 was a voluntary donation by the club to the charity of the officials' choice.

Jimmies aren't too far away from my hometown and I have played against their 3rd & 4th XI's a few times, and can confirm the majority of them are bellends. They're 1st XI are also in the same league as the first XI at my club too. There's a pretty much identical rule at my club, but I don't think it has ever been enforced on non-players. They're a bunch of complete rocket polishers to do it to the refs, and doesn't really help the image of grass-roots rugby.

Amusing still, and the fine couldn't have happened to a nicer club, except maybe Coalville   (I appreciate that not many will get this bit  )

Started a new save with the update, and drew Huddersfield in the League Cup! Alas, it's away, so no VP game for Joe.