Football : Season 2007/2008

[pedantic]

Great gesture from Olof Mellberg, on his final game for Villa. He gave every supporter a replica shirt that travelled to West Ham, with his name on and a "thanks for the support" message embossed on it.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by pedantic

Great gesture from Olof Mellberg, on his final game for Villa. He gave every supporter a replica shirt that travelled to West Ham, with his name on and a "thanks for the support" message embossed on it.

That was awesome.... 3200 shirts from his own back pocket too. I know footballers earn loads but I think that was a very touching thing to do.

[TheDaddy]

Thats over £120 000 I wonder if he got a discount, mind you this time last season, didn't Randy Learner give every fan a scaf on the last day of the season, so he probably did get a few quid knocked of, nice gesture nevertheless though

The cynic in me wonders if they are going to change strips next season

[Nidge]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Thats over £120 000 I wonder if he got a discount, mind you this time last season, didn't Randy Learner give every fan a scaf on the last day of the season, so he probably did get a few quid knocked of, nice gesture nevertheless though

The cynic in me wonders if they are going to change strips next season

When Villa played at Blackburn Randy Learner was driving past a pub which was full of Villa fans, he said to his driver stop I want to buy those fans a drink, his bodyguard said I don't think it's a good idea, he told him to shut up and just drive to the pub, when he got there he received a reception fit for a king, he bought every fan in that pub a beer and thanked them for their support.

If anyone has ever been to Villa park there is a pub at the Holt End which is a Villa pub, Doug Ellis closed it down because it wasn't making any money, when Randy Learner took over he re-opened the pub and refurbished it, the sell cheap beer to the Villa fans at home games.

A few months ago all the Ex Villa players went to Villa Park for a get together, when Doug Ellis was there they all refused to attend, when Randy Learner took over he invited them all to the ground for the get together, he presented them with a medal, paid them £1,000 and put them up in a hotel for the night.

When you ask Villa fans about Randy Learner they won't shut up about him, they love him to bits.

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Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

No mention of Scholes escape courtesy of Steve Bennett then...

Congratulations anyway!

As much as I dispise Steve Bennet he used his cannister on this occasion, he could have sent Scholes off but decided to rattle Scholes's ear hole. If I was the ref I wouldn't have sent Scholes off, any decent ref would know how Scholes plays.

[Russ B]

Rumours are abound that SAF is after Michael Owen. Can't say I'd be all that impressed - Owen hasn't done anything remarkable in a long time.

[PeteTheMusicGuy]

Thats what I was wondering too when I seen the paper yesterday. Owen is not that great and Man U already have an injury prone striker

[Kevin T]

Originally Posted by Nidge

As much as I dispise Steve Bennet he used his cannister on this occasion, he could have sent Scholes off but decided to rattle Scholes's ear hole. If I was the ref I wouldn't have sent Scholes off, any decent ref would know how Scholes plays.

With hindsight ( ) he would have been better rattling his ear for the first challenge & booking him for the blatant block. As it was he probably used the yellow to try & calm him down, that restricted his choices for what was clearly a second bookable offence...

[Shadow Demon UK]

I didn't think the second challenge was a booking anyway, the player running with the ball had actually lost control and the ball had gone out of play when he went down, Scholes barely touched him as well. It would have been very harsh to be sent off for those two fouls which were the only two he commited all game.

[Shadow Demon UK]

This is Andy Gray's team of the year. What do you think?


-------------------James------------------

-Johnson-----Ferdinand----Laursen---Lescott-

------Fabregas---Flamini---Gerrard------

-Ronaldo---------------------------Young-

----------------Torres------------------

I thought Santa Cruz deserves a place in the team, he's been fantastic for Blackburn and was very good value for money. But what about Laursen????? strange decision that one with all the other good quality centre backs in the league, i know i'm a bit bias but surely Vidic has had a better season? Or put Lescott at centre back and put in a different left back? There hasn't been many good right backs this season but surely theres a better one that Glen Johnson? I also don't think Gerard deserves a place in the team, he played well for about 1/4 of the season and thats it imo. Flamini wouldn't be my first choice either.

[iadom]

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK

This is Andy Gray's team of the year.

I stopped reading at this point,

Clueless TV pundit.

[Shadow Demon UK]

Originally Posted by iadom

I stopped reading at this point,

Clueless TV pundit.

Thats exactly what i think, i was just wondering if anyone else felt the same way.

[iadom]

Wahay.

Got my tickets for Wembley to cheer on the first ever team I supported ( nffc) My Dear departed Grandad used to take me when I was a nipper.

The town of my birth reached the Div 2 play offs which will be on Monday 26th.

COME ON THE DALE.

[Marge]

Sorry Jim but I'll be shouting for your opponents as lived there for quite a number of years, COME ON YOU HATTERS

[iadom]

It will still mean that Oldham Athletic will have another local derby either way. You can't begrudge Rochdale their chance, last in division three, 39 years ago.

I'm staying over at my brothers in Woking then catching the train up to London from there.

The last time we both did this was when Oldham played Forest in the Littlewoods Cup, years ago.

I got ratted in Woking after the game and decorated his pristine lawn with the contents of my stomach. I'm a little older but not much wiser now.

I've promised to behave.

[mouqeet]

Theres been rumours tha gareth barry has been linked with arsenal

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Breaking gossip

Manchester United look like they will miss out on £10m rated Antonio Valencia who looks set to remain at Wigan

Barcelona are reportedly tracking Arsenal trio Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott and Alexander Hleb. (Epping Forest Guardian, 1651 BST)

Tottenham remain favourites to sign Samuel Eto'o after bidding £24m for the Barcelona striker - £8m more than AC and Inter Milan. (London Evening Standard, 1421 BST)

Birmingham have signed Lee Carsley on a free transfer from Everton after the midfielder rejected a new deal to stay at Goodison Park. (The Birmingham Mail, 1355 BST)

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is on the brink of signing for German side Stuttgart after meeting with club officials. (Press Association, 1157 BST)

Lassana Diarra has a gentleman's agreement with Portsmouth that he can quit Fratton Park if one of European football's big clubs come knocking. (Daily Mail, 1112 BST)

Aston Villa are being linked with a move for 18-year-old Real Valladolid goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo who has a buy-out clause of £3.3m. (Sky Sports, 1058 BST)

Dean Ashton could be on his way across London with Tottenham the latest club to be linked with the £15m-rated West Ham striker. (Daily Mail, 1022 BST)

Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani is discussing a possible move with Arsenal. (Setanta Sports, 0950 BST)

Le Mans midfielder Hassan Yebda is closing on a deal with Wigan, according to his agent. (Setanta Sports, 0946 BST)

---------- Post added at 21:43 ---------- Previous post was at 21:41 ----------

transfer gossip
Liverpool could turn their attention to Stewart Downing if their proposed move for Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry falls through. Reds boss Rafael Benitez is prepared to pay £12m for the Middlesbrough winger. (Daily Telegraph)

Bordeaux midfielder Alou Diarra, who was at Liverpool as a youngster, is an £8m target for Everton. (Daily Mirror)

Barcelona have agreed a £6m fee with Manchester United for 21-year-old defender Gerard Pique, who arrived at Old Trafford from the Catalan club in 2004. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United striker Louis Saha has admitted Wednesday's Champions League final could be his last game for the club. (Daily Telegraph)

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has urged Barcelona team-mate Samuel Eto'o to quit the Spanish giants. (Daily Telegraph)

Henry himself has been offered £5.2m a year by Major League Soccer newcomers Seattle Sounders to join Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham in the United States. (The Independent)

Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson could make his loan move to Aston Villa permanent in a £6m deal. (Daily Mirror)

Harry Kewell is also on his way out of Anfield, with Portsmouth prepared to give the midfielder a £50,000-a-week deal. (Daily Mirror)

If Harry Redknapp does sign Kewell, Nico Kranjcar will be allowed to join Arsenal for £10m. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal have also been heavily linked with a move for Marseille playmaker Samir Nasri, who has been labelled the next Zidane. (Various)

Lille midfielder Jean II Makoun and St Etienne right-back Mouhamadou Dabo are also in Arsene Wenger's sights. (The Independent)

Everton midfielder Lee Carsley has been offered a two-year deal to join Birmingham. (Daily Mirror)

West Brom midfielder Zoltan Gera has received an offer to join Benfica. (The Times)

QPR want to sign West Brom striker Kevin Phillips and Wolves forward Freddy Eastwood. (Daily Mirror)

Derby boss Paul Jewell has put his whole squad up for sale following the club's relegation to the Championship. (Daily Record)

Fulham captain Brian McBride, whose contract expires this summer, is wanted by MLS sides Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire. (The Times)

Celtic are lining up a summer move for West Brom left-back Paul Robinson as a replacement for Lee Naylor, who could be on his way to Portsmouth. (The Herald

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Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini claims he will take over from Avram Grant at Chelsea, even if the Stamford Bridge outfit win the Champions League final on Wednesday. (Daily Mirror)

Grant has told friends he will walk away from Chelsea if his side beat Manchester United in Moscow. (Various)

Steve McClaren is mulling over an offer to become manager of Dutch side FC Twente. (Various