Santa_Rosa

I'm getting a lot of stick from Mackem mates about Gabby diving for the freekick leading to the second goal. Anything in that?

Found out the sad news via Twitter. I'm almost entirely an occasional lurker on VT these days, but just had to break my silence to express my sadness at the loss of Paddy. Never met the lad but, like so many on here I felt like I knew him. RIP mate.

Melissa voted off the apprentice

Great spoiler, thanks

Bloody oath - I thought you'd kopped it. Where have you been, mate?

Lurking, mostly. Being the step parent of a two year old for the rest of it. Summat had to give, and I chose being a smartarse on here. Still tune in for most match days though.

Melissa voted off the apprentice

Great spoiler, thanks

Heskey's had enough now I think

Grr, beat me to it Mike, I was trying to find that and get an edit in

It was that bit of wingeing when he gave away the foul. Looked to me like a man who wanted his bath. Good job I'm not ever likely to get anywhere near making any decisions for Villa innit?

All over. You beauty

Heskey's had enough now I think

Apart from managing Lyon successfully of course.

I'd wager most premiership managers in the UK today could manage to do well i the French league. I don't expect the reverse is true.

Theres some severe claret and blue specs on tonight on this board. Honestly, speak to neutrals, most I'm talking to are pissing themselves laughing at this appointment.

I'm surrounded by neutrals and not one has shown any evidence of soiling themselves. They all think it's a good appointment, particularly given the lack of other realistic candidates.

Welcome Gerard. You look a bit like Gareth Edwards, which is good enough for me.

I'm getting loads of shit on facebook.

Not happy..

No sympathy mate if you've "friended" non Villa fans!

Me moms side are all Wolves and Baggies, and a couple of nose/baggies mates that I work with.

It's gonna be a long season I fear.

Cry me a river. I work in an office full of Geordies :cry:

Never been the brightest in Sunderland.

:?

Footnote:

The majority anyway!

I'll take that mate

Houghton and Sunderland South is my constituency, and the tennis centre about 10 minutes from my house. A bit weird to be the centre of the nation's focus for a moment. Result not surprising of course. I went Lib Dem btw

I'm rather disappointed that you were not in the hall jumping up and down with a VT banner, mate.

Spoken like a man who's never been to Silksworth. I'd keep it that way if I were you - they're still smarting about the Carling Cup round these parts

Never been the brightest in Sunderland.

:?

Houghton and Sunderland South is my constituency, and the tennis centre about 10 minutes from my house. A bit weird to be the centre of the nation's focus for a moment. Result not surprising of course. I went Lib Dem btw

- finally finished Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and it was well worth it IMO - just the concept and that scale of the thing is impressive and to tie everything in to a very readable, and sort of believable story, is mind-boggling really.

My wife raved about this, and I gave it a go a couple of months ago. Couldn't get on with it at all, and gave up after about four chapters. Reminded me of Dickens - her favourite writer, but my bete noir.

Yeah, I could see why someone who wasn't into Dickens wouldn't like it.

My daughter's just read this - she loved it. I read it in my 20s and I thought it was OK, but a bit lacking in plot (which was kind of the point, I know).

It isn't exactly rocking my world either. I was expecting more. There's much to admire about OTR, but I think 'OK' probably sums up my feelings on it too.

Always worth digging up this thread I reckon.

My current, but hopefully temporary, job means the best part of two hours in total travelling on the Metro into the Toon and has meant that I'm ploughing through books at the minute. In the last fortnight I've:

- finally finished Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and it was well worth it IMO - just the concept and that scale of the thing is impressive and to tie everything in to a very readable, and sort of believable story, is mind-boggling really.

- polished off Drama City by George Pelecanos. My 3rd book by him and will definitely not be the last. Superb crime writing - set on the streets of Washington DC and, as you'd expect from one of David Simon's collaborators, like reading an episode of The Wire.

- got halfway through On The Road by Jack Kerouac, which I'm enjoying, and hope to finish this week.

Next up either The Perfect Spy by John Le Carre or one of a couple of Ian McEwans I've recently acquired from the excellent Bookmooch - many of those on my Bookmooch wishlist have come from this very thread. That Le Carre one from Mr Mooney IIRC

Why in the world would any Villa supporter want Spurs to get 4th. That is the worst possible result for us.

As some Gooner pointed out as far as Man Citeh goes:

If they DO get fourth, they will spend a fortune and buy some of the best players in the world and be real contenders for all trophies next year.

If they DON’T get fourth, they will spend a fortune and buy some of the best players in the world and be real contenders for all trophies next year.

don't agree. it will be infinitely harder for City to attract world class players if they can't offer Champions League football. I also feel that once they do achieve 4th they won't relinquish their place until the money runs out.

Spurs on the other hand are far more likely to have a stinker of a season next year allowing us, city and whoever else to challenge again.

Absolutely. Stands to reason that City getting in would more than likely result in the top 4 being sewn up for a good while yet. So that's why in the world I'd prefer Tottenham got it. Which is a shame, cos as a club and a set of supporters, I much prefer City

That was appalling on Pienar by Young

good idea - lets throw the fonz in with ten minutes to go and expect him to turn the game round.

no pressure like, but if we dont score we have zero chance of finishing fourth. no pressure nath...

What would you have said if he'd brought Heskey on out of interest?

that was friedels fault terrible keeping howard wouldnt have let that in

A downward header a handful of yards out at that pace? You don't save them. The marking was at fault

Get in Gabby

An extra special afternoon thanks to Sunderland's efforts against Spurs in the supposedly easy one of Arry's run in fixtures. My Mackem-supporting missus was there and reckons it should have been 5 or 6. She's going to get some of the good stuff tonight.

On the downside, Burnley are 3-0 down already.

Stuart Hall on 5Live saying that the Villa fans raised the roof and the team respond to the cacophony. Amazing what the fans getting behind you can do

Even without the context of last week's drubbing, this would be a good result. With it, it's a great one.

Small just got shafted.

Remind me to avoid British judges at all costs

Serves him right for wearing that pimp suit on the way into the ring, and calling himself 'Sugar Ray, Clay, Jones Jnr' or whatever when he is clearly not fit to lace any of their boots.

He can do whatever he wants, doesn't give judges the right to take food out of his mouth and a title from around his waist.

Indeed he can. Doesn't stop me thinking he's a cock and tittering when he gets fetched down a peg or two either

Fair enough, just out of interest did you watch it to see if he got beat up?

Nah, tuned it for the Hatton fight, and it was on afterwards, in the background while I was playing chess later.

Collins grovelling on Twitter. He can **** right off

Fair play to him for apologising I say. He could easily have just never tweeted again.