|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 11, 2023 21:59:50 GMT
Thatcher wanted the UK to be more like the USA. That included no state owned broadcaster. That's been carried on by the Tories ever since. A while back Murdoch was schmoozing Cameron,presumably to curtail the BBC. It's barely disguised that they'd close or cut it back radically. Lineker is an excuse to persue that agenda. Similar to Jonathan Ross, who popped up on ITV with no comment. I have to say though that the BBC don't help themselves. I've just Googled Ross Parker and Kriss Donald - two murders never reported by the mainstream BBC. Conspiracy theories everywhere,is it not more simple?. He signs a contract in which there are clauses curtailing his activity on Social Media,it was not signed under duress and he subsequently breaches his contract,what may I ask are the employer meant to do ?. I know that if I had public criticised Barclays,I would have been compelled to resign or be sacked. He had a clear decision to make and made it but with it comes consequences bearing in mind he has form here . I have no issue with what he said but he did it knowingly ,cannot be surprised by the outcome surely . Trevor, perhaps the BBC is the new football where we know contracts mean b***** all in the end. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 11, 2023 21:52:57 GMT
After a show of solidarity with Gary Lineker, Everton have announced that they will no longer appear on Match of The Day from next season. Very good! 👏👏👏👏 Sharp today. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 11, 2023 21:13:23 GMT
Evans gives away a needless free kick… It won’t happen but I really hope Evans, Loft and McCormick are moved on this summer. Really? Evans was ok, imo obviously. And he does try and play forward. McC I agree with you. But Evans is ok and when he comes on as part of wholesale changes it’s difficult I think. I thought he was a silver lining against Burton and today he was ok. But you may be right come the Summer. I guess it will depend on what the intentions for next season are. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 11, 2023 21:06:56 GMT
Just back and FWIW. Marquis my MOM today. Great goal which gave him the confidence to hassle and stop their defence from settling all afternoon. Him and Coburn excellent but tbf so were all the others, 7 or 8/10 for all players today. I was in the big stand level with the 18 yard line and near the front and the Lino was 10 yards behind the play all afternoon. I thought after some iffy displays Gordon had a very good game and had a sound match. Sinclair really brings a calmness and some quality to the team. Hoole linked well with Sinclair and our two CHs were very good after their goal. Both had good games although today FGR attack weren’t very good with Bakayoko a complete waste of space. Him and Gibson clashed right in front of me and was lucky to avoid yellow card. Bogarde made the occasional error but him and Ward were very effective and we didn’t really miss Finley in this match. So although we did well today and could have won by more, it has to be said FGR were awful and are going down. Belly had his easiest match and his penalty save was the icing on the cake. It wouldn’t surprise me if Ferguson was not there by the end of next week. He must be very frustrated at the poor quality of the players at his disposal.
Well done the team and JB. All you can ever do is beat what’s in front of you but today was not the best test for us. Harder teams lie ahead. But a job well done.
UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 11, 2023 7:42:29 GMT
Everton v Brentford. 1-1 Leeds v Brighton. 0-1 Q P R v Watford. 1-1 Reading v Millwall. 1-1 Barnsley v Plymouth. 2-0 Bolton v Ipswich. 1-1 F G R v Gas. 1-2 Pompey v Sheff Wed. 1-1 Colchester v Stockport. 1-2 Mansfield v Orient. 2-0 Newport v Bradford. 0-2 Swindon v Carlise. 2-0
UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 10, 2023 23:49:48 GMT
I’d be very curious to see certain posters’ thoughts in here about Linekar and his tweets. Especially considering those on the right generally complain about the BBC & cancel culture… And to everyone else, thoughts? It’s an interesting one. I think it’s a storm in a tea cup really. A footballer, or ex-footballer has tweeted something that some people don’t like. Had the BBC done nothing then I think it would have been over by now. Some Tory MPs would have had a moan and most people would have ignored them and the main story would have continued to be the Migrant Policy and Rishi meeting Macron. But they didn’t, they felt the need to implement their policy of impartiality. Anyway some thoughts: …. We know that GL, from previous tweets /views is probably against this government. He likes to publicise his views and I think he did this to cause a bit of mischief. But whenever people (JB? In the past) express their views and use any of the terms ‘nazi’, ‘Germany of the 30s’, ‘holocaust’ or any other that draws a comparison with that awful period of time they’ve immediately linked whoever, the government in this case, to the Adolph Hitler times in Germany and this makes it far more emotional than it should be. The links he made with that time were ridiculous and people involved can certainly take offence at what he said. Had he tweeted more about the incompetence of this government he would have been more accurate and got his point across far more effectively. …. To draw comparison with what the Nazis did or said whether in fact or cleverly by implication was wrong and stupid. And that is what has caused, and always does cause such offence. Any survivor of that awful time could quite rightly shake their heads at such inept use of words. It is nothing like it. …. As a regular listener to the Today programme I get the impression that BBC interviewers, political pundits, correspondents give Government ministers a fairly hard time as they always do because what they are doing effects us and our lives. I have no sympathy for them but I can understand why the Government feels there is an anti-right wing bias among the BBC. They are held to account far more rigorously than the opposition. Understandably obviously because what the opposition says, in this case the left wing Labour Party, is just noise and doesn’t really count. And of course at the moment Starmer isn’t going to be saying anything worth listening to because his only policy at the moment seems to be keep quiet and let the government do his job for him as they are so incapable of doing anything without making errors. But, and I’m not sure about this, I get the impression that some of the people at the top are far more right-wing and will want to show themselves as strong and impartial. (Esp with the Licence fee still to be decided) Current trends in TV: more choice, more independent streams, (none of my children watch the BBC, they watch streams and others). The BBC is changing and the people running it are worried, they need to show strength. By implementing this policy they think they are doing this. ….. The people coming out of the woodwork with this story has been quite comical. Alistair Campbell this evening being outraged and talking about government influence and pressure. Slightly ironic after remembering his work for Tony Blair and how the government influenced the Iraq War and the poor David Kelly. I don’t think Campbell does ‘shame’. …. Another aspect of this story…….Hearing about the responses of Ian Wright and Shearer also made me wonder. I can understand that they want to show solidarity with their mate, most people may respond in a similar way. I presume they are contracted to do their punditry for the BBC and by refusing to do so this weekend are they in breach of contract? Now we are only having the commentaries which may well be better so no complaint from me if I’m in to watch them. But it smacks of ‘my mates not doing it so I’m not going to do it either.’ Perhaps a case of the tail wagging the dog? Some people may really enjoy MOTD as it is and their enjoyment will now be compromised by people withdrawing their labour. …. BBC incompetence, withdrawing GL before they’d established a plan B for tomorrow or a principalled BBC? GLs tweet certainly wasn’t impartial but then he’s never been impartial so perhaps an accident waiting to happen. And not only do those working for the BBC need to be impartial, they need to be seen to be impartial. I’m not sure GL passes either of those tests, but then he never did so perhaps no surprise. Hey ho.
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 10, 2023 20:29:42 GMT
So why the need for the Sue Gray report? So I take it you fully support a "politically neutral" civil servant being appointed by Starmer. If so would you have supported it if the Tories made such an appointment. Who asked Sue Grey to investigate, was her or her son's affiliations known and did you have a problem with Cameron offering a post to General Dannatt as his defence adviser while he was still Chief of the General Staff? Plenty of precedent on both sides. Indeed stuart. Just off the top of my head, Bernard Ingram worked as a civil servant under Wilson before becoming Press Secretary to Thatcher, Jeremy Haywood worked for both persuasions and even Jonathan Powell was Chief of Staff for Blair before becoming Cameron’s special envoy to Libya later on. That’s what civil servants do they are very capable and can work for both main parties. And before now no one within the main parties made an issue of it. The only time I can remember a real argument was when Callaghan appointed his son-in-law Peter Jay to be the British Ambassador in Washington. It’s only now that the Tories are making a fuss. Perhaps trying to deflect from their own ways of doing things. ps Sorry for the lateness but I’m just catching up with this. 😉
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 9, 2023 23:30:03 GMT
Well said Wareham.Recall a rare interview when I thought Mr Wael was going to give us the details of a new ground that I have waited nearly 70 years for,and when asked he said something like ,'I have provided new hand driers in the toilets'. He was clearly ill at ease and I felt so sorry for him.After all the new Directors appointed and then soon departing the poor chap seemed out of his depth dealing with this interrogation.Don't recall the club saying much officially since so that is what is so frustrating. Just tell us where we are at even if it's the same as 50 years ago.Hoping and longing for something better is painful and not attracting new fans. Like you Colyton I’ve probably seen too many schemes, read too many words over my 58 years of support to believe it until I’m sitting in it. And the biggest sadness of it all is that had we had that stadium we could have been where some of our former rivals are today. You know who they are and so do I. Unfortunately no one has been able to tap our real potential and if someone in the 1970s had said to me that I would be getting excited about getting promoted from Division 4 and then going on a good run for a few matches in League 1 I wouldn’t have believed it and would have wondered what had happened. But we are where we are and I always support the team and am looking forward to going to FGR on Saturday and look forward to winning but let’s be honest the stewardship of our club has not kept us where we should be and this has been gradual over 50 years, or even longer. Not just Wael. It’s very sad. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 9, 2023 18:31:26 GMT
I think you can be grateful for what he's done but also critical on the stadium. The attitude that we should be grateful to have a club is why we have stagnated for the last 40 years. Every club is on the brink and needs to be grateful to their owners. We are no different but this lack of ambition and unproven faith that Wael will sort something out will mean we will continue to stagnate. He has had seven years and we have no plan, no stadium in the pipeline. If we want the best for rovers us fans should be pushing Wael to come up with a strategy/plan. I'm sure if it is done in a constructive way then Wael would understand where fans are coming from If we stick with the mustn't grumble mentality then we really aren't pushing the club on My dream would be for Rovers to get to the prem but without serious ambition this won't happen. I dont want my footballing lot to be us moving between L1 and L2 with the odd gem of a footballer to watch. And I would expect the owner of the club to have at least my level of ambition. How much does your level of ambition cost you? Baggins you’re right, I don’t know about you but I haven’t got the money to help our ambition and I don’t expect heartofgas has. (Apologies if he has and I’m wrong.) But that’s not really the point is it? Wael bought us and I would have expected him, or any owner, to have done their homework and only bought us if he could improve the club and meet the needs of the club. It’s no good buying something which needs maintaining and improving if then he turns round and says ‘I can’t do that because it’s too expensive.’ That would be stupid wouldn’t it? UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 9, 2023 18:18:18 GMT
I think you can be grateful for what he's done but also critical on the stadium. The attitude that we should be grateful to have a club is why we have stagnated for the last 40 years. Every club is on the brink and needs to be grateful to their owners. We are no different but this lack of ambition and unproven faith that Wael will sort something out will mean we will continue to stagnate. He has had seven years and we have no plan, no stadium in the pipeline. If we want the best for rovers us fans should be pushing Wael to come up with a strategy/plan. I'm sure if it is done in a constructive way then Wael would understand where fans are coming from If we stick with the mustn't grumble mentality then we really aren't pushing the club on My dream would be for Rovers to get to the prem but without serious ambition this won't happen. I dont want my footballing lot to be us moving between L1 and L2 with the odd gem of a footballer to watch. And I would expect the owner of the club to have at least my level of ambition. I see it slightly differently. You cannot blame Wael for the last 40 years and tarr him with the same brush. He took over a club in desperate need of more than a stadium, the whole place needed going over and infrastructure put in place. We had a false start when ultimately Hani was in charge, whilst Wael was President, he wasn’t fully in charge, so we must really judge him on his accomplishments. He’s been in charge technically for 4 years since he acquired his brothers and fathers shareholding giving him control. In those 4 years we’ve been relegated and promoted, built a training facility. Professionalised the playing side to a standard worthy of championship level staffing. Increased our commercial revenue, reduced our operating loses and done all of that through a pandemic where he bankrolled us for 2 years. I think he’s doing ok. It’s also why I’m grateful to him and everyone else should be too. Yes, I can agree with much of that and clearly Wael can’t be blamed for any pre-2016 stuff but it’s a bit of a stretch to say he can’t be held responsible for anything post February 2016. I understand what you said about Hani but Wael was happy to be carried down the Gloucester Road so I’m presuming he was ‘in charge’. And presumably if he wasn’t in charge as you said then at least he could have been preparing or investigating possibilities in regards to our biggest priority. Perhaps he was but we’ve had no indication of success. But his approach to the issue of the ground has been poor imo. No real plan B and now, after 7 years, we’re possibly going to have a developed South Stand. Perhaps. I’m more optimistic because TG, a paid employee of the club said as much instead of the usual rumours. I hope it happens. The last 4 years seems to have been little different in regards to the ground than the previous 3. Little success, little communication and little happening. I hope that’s beginning to change. We need to be grown up about all of this. By that I mean that his stewardship of the club doesn’t have to be all good or all bad. Like most things there are shades of grey in between and everyone has an opinion which may be different from others. But Wael needs to treat us like adults and keep us informed. Perhaps he doesn’t because there’s little to communicate I don’t know. But if that is the case after 7 years then frankly, that is poor. He has had plenty of time to have constructed a plan of what could happen and what the intentions are. And 1981, please don’t tell me that I and everyone else should be grateful for him. I’ll decide what I should think and I’m sure others will do the same just as you do. Again, it’s not all black or white. There are nuanced views and I think Wael has achieved some good things but he’s the one who identified the real need of the club in his first interview in 2016 and since then, nothing positive. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 9, 2023 17:44:18 GMT
What gets me is we have had since the Eastville days to try and sort a new stadium, so 40 years. We have never been as close as the UWE. What is surprising is there is no plan B. When we sold off half of the car park for houses why didn't we use that to help build a stand. We could build a new east stand with 8000 seats. If we would have done this 20 years ago it would have more than paid for itself by now, with the added bonus we'd actually have a nicer environment to watch the football. It could be another 20 years before we get another UWE situation. Even if it costs £10M then lets get a proper stand built. I think the long term future has to be a new stadium but that has to be at least 10 years away. At the moment it seems there is no plan or strategy. even with the south stand it feels it is something that was said as an off the cuff remark. There doesn't seem to be any strategy behind it. This post sums up my feelings exactly. I am 70 this year and don't think I will see a new South Stand let alone a new ground in my lifetime. But the days of rolling up to a delapitated Mem are getting shorter and shorter. I agree with both. Spot on.👏 UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 8, 2023 19:36:41 GMT
Just come to this thread late so sorry for late response. But… you have to list something you bought if you can’t attend and if you don’t do that and just give to a friend or family member then they will yellow card you. And could possible lose your right to apply for a ST if you do it 4 times. Is that right? How do they know it isn’t you? And as an aside I don’t think this is a PL issue as I believe about 20/30% of Liverpool ST are in names other than that oF people who actually sit in them. And this Saturday I will be at FGR so my AFCB ST for the Liverpool match will not be used by me! UTG! No, it's if the season ticket isn't used on 4 occassions in a season, or not offered for resale. So they are actually stating that it's ok to give it to a fellow supporter. I presume that they are fed up of unused seats, when there are people who have been unable to get tickets. I can imagine that some people would buy a ST but only attend the premium fixtures (money to burn, those Londoners!). I would hope they have exceptions for supporters with a validated health issue, who may not be able to predict whether or not they will attend until after the 10.30 a.m. cut off on matchday. Thank you for the clarification. That’s not so bad. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 8, 2023 18:37:19 GMT
So, if this new stand is built I wouldn't mind giving that end a go, if I renew my ticket now I won't be able to go in there, is this correct? Blimey, you are an optimist. 😉👍 UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 8, 2023 18:27:57 GMT
Brentford operate the ticket exchange system, they are making changes next season. If you can't attend a game, and don't list your ticket on the exchange, or give it to a fellow supporter to use, you will be issued with a yellow card. 4 yellow cards in a season and you lose the right to renew for the following season. They obviously have a high demand for seats, so I suppose it makes sense to try and make sure that every seat is used. Just come to this thread late so sorry for late response. But… you have to list something you bought if you can’t attend and if you don’t do that and just give to a friend or family member then they will yellow card you. And could possible lose your right to apply for a ST if you do it 4 times. Is that right? How do they know it isn’t you? And as an aside I don’t think this is a PL issue as I believe about 20/30% of Liverpool ST are in names other than that oF people who actually sit in them. And this Saturday I will be at FGR so my AFCB ST for the Liverpool match will not be used by me! UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 7, 2023 9:49:53 GMT
That is not what the OP said! I know, just expanding on the idea it could be the 'local' team for many, certainly the nearest. Indeed. A bit like Somerset CCC, no other county cricket Championship club west of Somerset so the counties of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall are all our catchment area. And Somerset are careful to brand it that way. And crowds reflect that. Plymouth likewise can call on Cornwall to support them. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 7, 2023 9:36:51 GMT
We need to break our duck of never winning at their placeWe also so need to get 3 points on the board towards our 52point target so this has to be a must win game. Trouble is we struggled against the last 3 teams at the bottom we thought would bear 9 points. COYB let’s smash these Except the most important match perhaps, the play off first leg in 2015! But I know what you mean.😉 UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 6, 2023 15:55:24 GMT
Reckon our only hope would be to ground share with Swindon Will never happen. No, of course it won’t happen. Going somewhere else defeats the whole objective doesn’t it? With a steady average this season of around 8000+ we do need a greater capacity obviously but if we were to go outside of Bristol then I think the gates would fall considerably. Perhaps to as low as 5000/6000 which would make it a nonsensical arrangement, we wouldn’t need that extra capacity. I presume dark blue was joking. UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 6, 2023 9:33:40 GMT
Burton Albion?
UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 5, 2023 19:06:08 GMT
Balcombe has been unlucky in many ways. He played in a team without confidence but with 3 clean sheets in 4 games the whole team and defence is playing much better now. I suspect the team have more confidence with the results they’ve had and play better and it just happens Belshaw has been in goal for the last two games. Whatever it is we seem to be on the rise.
When you defend the keeper is important and obviously the defence is playing so much better with Gibson back from injury and I think we play better with a back 4 imo. But when you are defending well the midfield has probably been making it harder for the opposition and even the attack plays a part. The poor performances coincided with every department of the team mis-firing. Now that we seem more settled in the midfield we are defending better. So no surprise we’re looking a better team and getting better results. You attack as a team and defend as a team.
UTG!
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Mar 5, 2023 12:20:33 GMT
Spot on, imo. After struggling in League 2 and nearly going out with awful football I thought Atkin’s first season was much better, we were even top at one stage before falling away. It went wrong in the end but I think that was due to his ability to start an argument in an empty room. And he was very good, as you say, at getting players in and recognising a decent player as his future career showed. And I’m afraid he did get far better jobs after us. ☹️ UTG! None in management though, so perhaps he accepted his failings were management. Yes probably, though the jobs he carried out were in the PL so likely to be more lucrative. But he was a fairly uncompromising character esp against Yeovil iirc. UTG!
|
|