paddy

I'd also be interested to know if you've looked into reducing the Birmingham allocation for next time we play them? If Sunderland can get our allocation reduced for persistent standing then surely we can ask to have theirs limited if they're going to vandalise the stadium causing significant damage (trashing the toilets this time and at least once in the past). I'm not sure what grounds you can get the allocation reduced but this must be one?

Also as someone else asked, will Birmingham City be sent the bill for this? If not perhaps you could add the cost onto the price of their tickets next time or something.

Hi General, hope you're well,

I'm aware you've no control over the policing around the ground, but I was wondering if you know why the policing was so poor outside the ground.

I was lucky to be well enough to be in the stands for the game today, which I enjoyed despite it not being the greatest game, as I wait for funding for my new treatment. Anyway, I was walking down from the North Stand end down past the Doug Ellis Stand to get to my entrance. This involved going past the Blues fans entrance. They were getting very aggressive (luckily no Villa fans were stupid enough to react) and just generally intimidating to anyone and everyone. The bloke walking next to me got whacked over the head with something wrapped up in a scarf by one of their 'fans' who ran up and then like the coward they were ran off. No police anywhere in sight. Which was baffling really. No police outside the away fans entrance. Had they been called away at the last minute of something? As surely that's the prime spot for trouble? Then as we got down towards the Holte End there were some calmly strolling around doing nothing and oblivious to the problems at the other end of the road. There was clearly something wrong with the policing as every derby I've been to before has been well policed and this one just seemed almost that it wasn't, or that they were short on numbers.

Was this noticed by the club or do you know why this was?

I see Sidwell got a vote. Welcome to the forum Steve.

Anyone else surprised how slack the policing was before the game? Trying to walk from the NS end down side of the DE past the away entrance there were virtually no police before as the smurfs tried to kick off with anyone and everyone, saw a bloke get smacked over the head by this **** wearing blue who then ran off like the fat bald coward he was. Then went down towards the Holte and there were police down there. What the hell were they doing at that end of the stand and not the NS end?!

I was surprised at hte lack of police at today's game. Before hand anyway. I walked down the Witton side down from the North Stand end and there wasn't a single policeman in and around the smurfs. They all seemed to be up by the Holte End. Not too much was kicking off but saw a fat small heathen run up to Villa fan, smack him on the head and run off like the coward he was. Seemed a very odd way of policing.

Did anyone else think when Hleb was substituted: "Was Hleb really on the pitch?" Completely anonymous.

It had 0-0 written all over it anyway, but when that team was released, it just confirmed it really. Far too defensive, reminded me of Taylor's first derby at the sty with Ronny Johnsen in midfield. At least this one didn't backfire so spectacularly.

Having said that Clark did very well, he just shouldn't have been there. Or if he was then it should have been instead of Sidwell really.

Honourable mention for Bannan too who looked decent and almost scored. Winning a header against Zigic (I think) too was brilliant We need Gabby back asap, any news on him?

I'll give the poll another 24 hours or so before working out the player of the month.

Wigan would be nice. Think Ipswich is a banana skin waiting to happen!

I know a couple of Ipswich fans pretty well and was speaking to one today who said that they really scraped through against Northampton, well "we were shite" as he put it.

Win is a win. Shame we had to play the extra half hour though. Great performance from Friedel. Cuellar was decent, not as good as Clark though. Why Beye was at left back I don't know. He's dreadful there. He's not great at right back, but at left back? Awful.

I went to Valencia v Mallorca on Saturday night. Very impressed by the Mestella, shame they're moving (though I'm told the new stadium is awesome). So steep and high up, much better than being at the back of the Trinity though as it's so steep. Good game too. Mallorca winning 2-1.

Went to Kaiserslautern 2-0 Bayern Munich a couple of months back. Which was brilliant.

In Valencia next weekend and hoping to get to Valencia v Mallorca but having a few ticketing issues at the moment.

Then February hoping to get to Freiburg v Wolfsburg. But that depends on what's going on with my treatment at that point.

Surprised to see no votes for Sidwell.

Before reading this link, cast your minds back to the start of the season, when all your disadvantaged and chavy Bluenose mates were giving it loud about how they are going to overtake us this season.....

Now your in the mood, read on and laugh your frigging heads off

http://forums.birminghammail.net/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=ade676e74368882028914f4f436d7b1d

Feel free to leave a message :winkold:

I could only bring myself to look briefly, having a seen a thread entitled "4-4-3 not 4-4-1-1 " I had to shut it!

Lionel Messi's parents were massive Lionel Ritchie fans so named their son after him.

Yeah you see my best mate supports them... We have to win.

Especially after, let's be honest. Getting outplayed at VP. They have nothing to lose. We are expected to win.

Also I hate watching it. Seriously, it makes me feel sick, especially if 1-0 up.

This.

I guess you don't live in Birmingham Mantis?

Surprised (but pleased) to see no chants to the tune of Who Let the Dogs Out for Hou Houllier.

(Who let the frogs out)

Ah well it was nice while it lasted...

Yeah that's a decent idea. You could argue it's fairer to do it purely on MOTM votes though as with a poll of the top 3 it again means the later games in the month are a t the forefront of peoples minds so they tend to vote for them.

But as we've said, there's no perfect way of doing it so it might be worth trying.

Why don't you just have one big vote at the end of the month..?

Couls do but I would imagine it would be massively swayed by performances later in the month and ones earlier in the month would be overlooked.

Heskey and please lock the thread!

Que?

Not the end of the world as it's a difficult place to go, but after taking the lead it would have been good to get at least a point. We seem to really miss Heskey. Which seems a ridiculous thing to say and I never dreamed I'd say it.

Good games from Cuellar, Heskey and Ashley Young. Poor from the two central midfielders I thought, particularly Petrov. Other than that pretty decent. Actually maybe Warnock was quite dodgy again. Started with two wins though. Long may the honeymoon continue.

To Carew's tune

Emile Heskey, Heskey.

He's bigger than you and me.

He's gonna score two or three.

Emile Heskey Heskey.

He's bettter at crossing than Gabby was when he first came through too. Which helps.

He made one of my favourite quotes of all time, about Jade Goodie: "Yeah we're friends but I'm not piecing her".

Didn't he sleep with someone else on his wedding night? Also I know someone who was in the same group when Hendrie pissed in a girl's hand bag. Nice guy.