I know this will descend into lots of dull chat about the EPL and mostly Binners moaning about Man U but face facts, league football starts tonight with the most exciting league in the country and then a whole host of matches over the weekend. Personally I'm going to try and get to some more local matches after enjoying an evening at Whitehill Welfares ground where one seating option was a garden bench under an arbour and one row z clearance nearly got stuck up a tree!
Yeah, there maybe should be a separate thread for Man United!
Are you referring to the Scottish Championship as that begins tonight. As for it being the most exciting I’m guessing you’ve never watched Dunfermline?! Had some long afternoons at East End Park last season!
Christ, is it back already?
I'll be keeping an eye on Shrewsbury (checking BBC Sport on Saturday evenings and sighing deeply) after a catastrophic season saw us relegated to L2. I doubt we'll aspire to more than mid table this year.
Still, Bristol Rovers went down too so at least we can continue the Weetabix Derby
I'll also check up on traditional rivals Wrexham (still watching the documentary) though I'm starting to lose interest, as they keep firing the money cannon at everything in sight.
It was great fun at the start - a real-life version of taking your local team to Europe in Championship Manager, plus daydreaming of what you'd do if you won the lottery. And nostalgic, as the Racecourse was just like the shonky old ground the Shrews left in 2008.
But, y'know, I'm sure Wrexham fans won't be too bothered about the money cannon.
MrsDoris is keen to go and see Arsenal ladies this season as they're playing all their home games at the Emirates. We saw the North London derby there in 2023 and it was a really great atmosphere.
It's exciting from the point of view that almost every match is meaningful and you could make a case for at least half of the teams having a realistic chance of promotion. One of the best matches I've seen in recent years was Bonnyrigg Rose v Spartans which had a bit of everything. Only downside was the pie sold out by half time.
Reading, of course will be trying to climb out of the market town league towards the bear pit (Championship). Reading have new owners, which are approved by the EFL - so nothing can go wrong this time.
Though I’ll invariably still be moaning about United, (as I just can’t see things significantly improving), I’ve decided that this season I’m going to go and watch my local team more - Ramsbottom United in the North West Counties Premier Division.
No doubt it’ll be a more rewarding and the pies are better 😁
A United fan supporting their local team? Wait til i tell my mates in Ireland that - they'll explode.
Will Ipswich follow their double promotion with a double relegation?
Anyone find the Isak situation a bit odd? Clearly he wants to go to Liverpool, who surely knew this, who then went and bought Etitike, who Newcastle were after presumably as Isak’s replacement, surely annoying Newcastle and making them less likely to sell Isak with no replacement. They seem very similar players as well?
But, y'know, I'm sure Wrexham fans won't be too bothered about the money cannon.
Correct, although it still feels a bit surreal with players such as Connor Coady coming in. Temp stand behind the goal has now gone as they build out the new Kop so tickets will be even harder to get this season so I won't be seeing as many matches as last season. Southampton away is our first game.
I really feel sorry for Sheff Wed fans, what a mess.
Notts county season ticket holder here, the leagues oldest and most depressing club! Hoping for a league 2 playoff spot but expecting mid table mediocrity of around 12th with nothing to play for from march onwards. The Mcdons are trying to do a Wrexham and chucking millions at promotion, and it’ll probably work
Anyone find the Isak situation a bit odd? Clearly he wants to go to Liverpool, who surely knew this, who then went and bought Etitike, who Newcastle were after presumably as Isak’s replacement, surely annoying Newcastle and making them less likely to sell Isak with no replacement. They seem very similar players as well?
I think losing Diaz is significant. I get the feeling Isak wants to go to a Spanish club that wears white.
From last season's thread, 19th May (page 19)
This is going to sound like sour grapes however I write it, and I'll obviously be proven right or wrong in the end, but.....
He has been immense this season, absolutely made up by what he has done and yet still I'm not 100% convinced. The pundits rave and sure they know their stuff but I wonder if he is potentially a one season purple patch and strikes me as possibly one where if the offer is right then we should accept. We have been very lightweight up front, Isak excepted and while Osula may be an option for the future he has a lot to do, Wilson is spent at this level, and we need reinforcing, which might mean cashing in on Isak for another semi-name first choice and another in reserve. I quite fancied Ferguson at Brighton but he's disappeared from view.
I wish we'd been able to keep Minteh last summer, TBH.
I haven't changed my opinion. Happy that we haven't been forced to sell, after a few years of book balancing, still not sure we aren't going to regret it.
Won the lottery of the Birmingham season ticket waiting list, so quite excited and hope we can keep pushing on upwards. 🙂
I really feel sorry for Sheff Wed fans, what a mess.
Absolutely, and Morecombe, and cetera. Lot of bell end owners around. 🙁
Headlines you never thought you’d read….
Fair play to the lad. He’s been awesome since he’s escaped, but I don’t think anyone expected to hear the name of one half of McFred and ballon d’or in the same sentence 😳
Anyone find the Isak situation a bit odd?
Young impressionalbe and very talented footballer has his head turned by agents and other clubs because they offer him £100k/week more than he's currently being paid. There's nothing odd about that, it's perfectly normal. What's odd is that Newcastle have the money to compete with the the likes of Liverpool et al on wages and transfer fees, but aren't allowed to because the top six rigged the rules to prevent them (and other clubs like Villa etc) from doing so.
Anyway looks to me like the Saudis don't want to cave in to financial bullying (for now, they probably will eventually) and use Isak as an example to any other players thinking of breaking their contracts. I hope it's worked out soon as this has the potential to destroy Isak's career and that would be a tragedy.
Will Ipswich follow their double promotion with a double relegation?
As a Norwich fan, I certainly hope so 😀
Won the lottery of the Birmingham season ticket waiting list, so quite excited and hope we can keep pushing on upwards.
All.my Blues mates haven't had a problem.getting and keeping their season tickets over the years....mad there's so many new fans 🤷♂️
dazh - I meant Liverpool's approach seemed a bit odd, in signing Etitike, not from Isak's perspective. What is also odd is PIF backed Al Hilal buying Nunez, paying well over the odds for him, and giving Liverpool a bit more cash to offer them for Isak. I wouldn't blame PSR either - they've been willing to pay the fees, but Mbeumo, Joao Pedro, Ekitike, Delap and even James Traffrod and now Sesko, have turned them down.
Nobody who has watched McTominay play for Scotland for the last couple of years is surprised. Good week for the Scottish teams in Europe.
All.my Blues mates haven't had a problem.getting and keeping their season tickets over the years....mad there's so many new fans 🤷♂️
I think keeping them's fine, but there were about 14000 applications for the remaining 3000 or so STs this year. I don't know what's the most nuts - Blues selling out season tickets, us getting them, or Mrs Pondo actually wanting to watch football! 🙂
Ben Fosters Podcast (Fozcast) had a good episode a couple of weeks ago with Wrexham Director Shaun Harvey explaining how the transfer system works in detail, free agents, signing on fees, moving players on, transfer fees etc etc. Obviously it uses Wrexham as working examples but worth a listen for any footy fan who likes that kind of insight.
@pondoas an Albion ST holder all I can do is look forward to the derbies, and tune out my mates when Blues inevitably start winning stuff 😂
@sc-xc - ah well, nothing's inevitable about sport. If the results were a foregone conclusion, there'd be no point playing the game! 🙂
What is also odd is PIF backed Al Hilal buying Nunez, paying well over the odds for him, and giving Liverpool a bit more cash to offer them for Isak.
Probably stretching it a bit but even if true that to me seems like a perfectly reasonable strategy for PIF to inject some cash into Newcastle to get round the ridiculous PSR rules.
I wouldn't blame PSR either - they've been willing to pay the fees, but Mbeumo, Joao Pedro, Ekitike, Delap and even James Traffrod and now Sesko, have turned them down.
They can pay fees but not the wages. Ultimately if you want to buy top players and compete with top clubs you have to pay top wages. Newcastle's highest earner is Bruno on around 160k a week. It stands to reason that all the players listed above will choose clubs which don't have a problem paying 200k+/week. It's also why Isak (and probably Gordon, Bruno and Tonali in due course) wants to leave. Money is the the bottom line and PSR massively restricts what Newcastle can spend (Villa too).
Birmingham have just been denied a sumptuous goal. Awful over officiating.
Birmingham have just been denied a sumptuous goal. Awful over officiating.
You got the next one - you're top of the league. We are bottom.
Thankfully Spurs look as shit as ever. With the recurring trend of largely ignoring the transfer window and injuries, I'm sure this will be another bumper season. I'm expecting a solid effort from them to achieve relegation.
Blimey, not like us to rescue a point in injury time.
Birmingham have just been denied a sumptuous goal. Awful over officiating.
You got the next one - you're top of the league. We are bottom.
I support Reading from overseas, so long given up top of the league as an aspiration.
I did only watch 5 mins - it's too early for football. September it should restart.
Felt a bit like Birmingham were robbed tonight - would have been happy with a point beforehand, not so much now. 🙁 Ah well, long way to go and all that. 🙂
As for it being the most exciting I’m guessing you’ve never watched Dunfermline?!
With Neil Lennon in charge they must be in with a good chance of the play offs at least. I think St.Johnstone will win it, Ross County will be there, but maybe 3rd or 4th, not sure who will get the last place, I cant see Arbroath doing the same as Falkirk, Falkirk were a quality team in League one the year before, I didnt see any of that in Arbroath last year, especially when Annan, my Club, put 5 past them in their last league game.
As for Annan, the 15 point deduction for Edinburgh City has cheered up all the Annan fans, things are grim here now, the Club has no money, and is working on a 6 week basis, if things get worse in the 6 weeks, it’s either a call for money from the fans, or Administration. So many lower league Scottish Clubs are in the same situation, crowds are very poor, the SFA dont give them enough money, and , mostly, they have little else to offer to get more money in.
My other local Club is Carlisle, who will win the National League comfortably with Mark Hughes in charge, and money to back him. Their fans are great, tickets sold out for the 320 mile away trip to Woking today, and more season tickets sold this year than last year.
Can’t say I have much sympathy Dazh. I get PSR is a very crude instrument, but if it avoids a club being bankrolled by dubious owners, so be it. City have had to massively increase their revenues and commercial operations to be able to pay the wages they do, I guess Newcastle need to do the same. Actually, there’s a point, when will City’s charges be heard?!
Yeah, Daz! Just look at us! Since the Glazers took over, they’ve massively increased commercial revenues and have thus been able to attract the best players as they can pay the highest wages. A sure fire route to succe…. oh… hang on a minute….
😉
So, this guy who has just signed up with Man Utd. - I hope his performances are out of this world.
Kick in the slats for Wrexham but you’ve got to take your chances at this level.
when will City’s charges be heard?!
I honestly think Citeh’s expensive lawyers will be keeping everyone tied up in legal knots for so many years that they’ll just eventually give up.
That or they’ll find them guilty on all counts but give Everton or Forest another points deduction instead, just through force of habit
What is remarkable Binners is United’s continuing allure. I thought (hoped) players would begin to turn them down due to a preference for champions league football over mid table mediocrity. Money, and their history, talks.
2 loses in a row now. Forced to go on an early ride to catch Reading’s 12:30 loss to Huddersfield and looking woeful.
Terrible start for Norwich, all the pre season excitement already evaporated! Guess things can only get better…hopefully!
What is remarkable Binners is United’s continuing allure
Have you seen the contracts they dish out?
They must basically just ask their agents for a list of demands, then sign it off. Casimero is on £350,000 a week and he barely makes the bench. He only played a handful of games last season because his legs are shot. It’s not exactly a hard life is it?
Terrible start for Norwich, all the pre season excitement already evaporated! Guess things can only get better…hopefully!
Long way to go just yet... 🙂
Terrible start for Norwich, all the pre season excitement already evaporated! Guess things can only get better…hopefully!
Oh dear, how sad, never mind
Crystal palace keeping the wembley win streak going, well done to them again. It is easy for the teams who get there year in and year out to be blase about the charity shield, but I bet it means something to the palace fans.
