Jon

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the English government really wanted to bring in this ban did they? They were pressured into it by the non-smoking lobby after coming up with a (not very clever admittedly) compromise about non-smoking food pubs. was in their election manifesto I believe DV, so i guess it was a policy they were keen to introduce?! and Yes, i believe a full ban was their original election aim/promise, but then for some reason there were attempts to water it down with sh*ty compromises. Glad to see the full ban introduced as per election promise, as far too few of these are ever kept.

Well of course. The point is not whether smokers are inside or outside, but whether they impose their smoke on other people. Similarly, I have no problem with people shooting up, but would complain if they leave their needles where I might injure myself on them. If they were smoking inside a pub, and doing so in a hermetically sealed bag or a wet suit or something, I really wouldn't care. That's their choice, that's their freedom. If I step outside into a cloud of noxious gas given off by smokers huddled round the door, or can't sit in a beer garden without having their smoke drifting all over me, I don't like it and wish they would go somewhere very far away. That's just common sense, isn't it? To use the farting analogy that several people have quoted, I think it's commonly acknowledged that farting in a lift is a pretty antisocial thing to do. Smoking in enclosed premises where other people are present is very similar in respect of the effect and the inability of other people to avoid it without physically removing themselves from the premises. Actually, let's cut out the crap about freedom and all the other fine principles. Smokers who oppose the ban really don't give a flying **** about anyone else and in particular other people's freedoms, and that's really all it's about. Since they have (generally) shown themselves unwilling to accommodate other people's needs on a voluntary basis, they clearly need to be compelled to do so. post of the thread Peter, amongst several worthy contenders. agree with every word. TBH even amonst smokers I know i've found some support for this, which indicates to me i hang about with people who have some sort of sicla conscience. I lose a lot of respect for those that argue they should be able simply to do what they like, where they like, with zero regard for the impacts they are having on others. The Govt is often accused of being a"Nanny". I think in this instance (and some others) they are very right to implement this law, for the benefit of the general populace ....

only smokers create an atmosphere? :? or because there are less peoeple in the pub there will be less of an atmosphere? TBH, if those that smoked stayed away and were replaced by the same amount of non smokers in the same pub, i can't see why there would be less of an atmosphere. Once the ban comes into effect, smokers are quite welcome to stay away if they wish to. they can drink at home if they wish to, it's all about personal choice. What i do/did object to was smokers polluting my immediate atmosphere with my only option of getting way from said atmosphere to leave the establishment. So in order to socialize i had to "grin & bear" this faily disgusting aroma/pullatant. That was my choice i suppose. Thankfully, the choice is now being played out the other way around, which IMO is as it should be.

Genuine question this gareth. Do you have to have "Official" no smoking signs are are you permitted to make your own, as long as they say the same thhing? I doubt many people have the facility to print on clear celluloid with adhesive on one side indeed. But i was wondering if there's anyhting stopping you simply typing up some notices on your PC and simply printing them off and sellotaping to your doors? I know it would look sh*t and tacky but if you're that upset about having to get these signs bought then it's a cheap option. I was just wondering if that was acceptable by law or not, or whther the sign has to be "official" and of a certain material.

Genuine question this gareth. Do you have to have "Official" no smoking signs are are you permitted to make your own, as long as they say the same thhing?

One could argue Bri that's is also very selfish for one to inflict their polluting and damaging smoke upon others whose only course of action should they not be overly enamoured with such harmful fumes to be to either a) not socialise with that person/persons and/or not go to pubs/bars. I think smoking in the presence of others that have no choice about inhaling your fumes is the "selfish" action, IMO.

countries are working towards this Nick. with you on the aftershave thing too! be interesting to see a list of "banned" aftershaves though. No Blue Stratos/Old Spice for starters!

he'll just resort to the trusted glassing i'd have thought!

Roll on July 1st. I've been waiting for this ban since I first started going in pubs/cars. WooooHooooo!

Been anywhere Nice Risso? :winkold:

A cheap and injury free kewell would be well worth a go IMO. sadly, i think his days at the top now are either limited or over, simply due to the injuries. maybe we could get him on a pay as you play basis? :wink:

How much advance booking would these lot need though? some of them are getting a bit long in the tooth too. maybe try for some younger blood like Owias Is?

yep! FWIW I think barry is this man. The way he was controlling central mid towards the end of the season spoke volumes for me. I think we might well see Barry and Stan dominate the 2 central midfield positions this coming season.

can't agree with the 1st bit there Bri, but definitely can with the highlighted bit. history, whilst important, is just that in the garnd scheme of things: history. SHA don't have a history as such, but as Bri says, they have the potential, and are back in the premiership again. Wolves maybe run thema close-ish 3rd. But SHA have been out of the premiership once in what? 3 or 4 years? :?: So at this particular moment in time, how people can't have SHA as 2nd in the pecking order is beyone me, unless you are approaching from a biased POV that is. EDIT: sorry - misread initial post as it referrs to "Biggest Clubs" rather than current pecking order, which are 2 very different things. SHA are still up there with the best of the rest though, IMO, albeit quite a way behind us.

That's my gripe too with Hughes. he seems relatively comfortable on the ball, and can pass and cross. But defensively he's been weak IMO, especially as you say in letting his man "do" him and/or get crosses in too often.

Well that, if you do not mind me saying, is a disgraceful cop out. The Premier League has abused its position, and as a shareholder in the Premier League, we have a duty to speak out. Still never mind, it's only Sheffield United eh? seconded. This looks like a cop out by AVFC in my humble opinion. We should be standing four square behind Sheff Utd on this, and i am not happy with the club's stance on this ....

5M for the pair. rouhgly breaks down as £5.25m for davis and -£0.25m for Hughes, I'd guess? :winkold:

i seriously doubt the scousres would let Sissoko go but if they did i would move hell & high water to bring him in if i were MON. having said that, i think other areas of the side are possibly higher priority?

roughly my thoughts too Ian. It is a bold move, this re-badgeing. It's a bold new crest too, IMO - a big departure from the past and one that signals a new intent. I believe and hope that this new badge will be a grower on people.

Malc has been banned, that's why! :winkold:

How can there be 2 best ages? :? anyhoo, all the threes for me ......

Nice report Pete - was good to met up again - decent boozer we came across to :-) I agree with most of the ratings. Pretty much everyone deserved a 7 i'd say, with Barry, Laursen & Carew excelling so maybe going beyond this. My ratings: Tommy - excellnet display apart form the bizzare attack on Vass for the pen. Thought it was harsh at the time but in the cold light of MOTD, was clearly a pen - you can't run through a player to get to the ball i'm afraid - could have cost us a result - 6 Bardsley - OK defensively - 7 Boomer - ditto - 7 Mellberg - not the same player as a few years ago - not in same class as laursen - did reasonably well - 6 Laursen - excellent - nothing got past him - MOTM 8 Stan - got more & more into game - kept & passed well - 7 Barry - great display - shackled JB quite well & was everywhere 1st half - 8 Young - In & out of game - good cross for goal though - 7 TINA Gardner - hard working display as usual - augmented the midfield well - 7 Gabby - worked hard - 7 Carew - physically immense with some great touches - looked like he went off with a slight injury - 8 All in all a great display & great day - Citeh were largely sh*t though.

he should play off against baros in a sulking contest. Wouldn't like to pick the winner from that one .....

reo-cokey sidwell barton wouldn't mind either of these in our engine room next season. at a push i'd probably go for NRC. Sidwell i'm unsure about still, and JB is a bit of T*sser all things considered. Good player though

If we're up for this game, we will win IMO. Citeh are a club in a little bit of disarray at the moment, similar to where we were this time last season. They have nothing now to pla for (other than the Man U game next week) and may not be fully up for this game. If MON can get the troops focused big time on this match, we can win it. If we can dominate Barton in MF, that's half the battle won. Big IF - needs a big game from Barry and Stan.