Official Premier League 2010/11 thread

[Baddar]

We'll only need 1 goal against City anyway, the defensive motherfuckers.

And yes, I mean whenever they come up against one of the bigger sides, so linking me to their 5-0 demolition against Sunderland doesn't count.

[Sam]

Means Berba gets to start again which I'm all for.

I do think it's a stupid ban though, he swore down a camera at the end of the day, hardly deserves a 2 match ban, a fine and a warning would have been sufficient :/

I guess you never really know what the FA is going to do, wish they'd sort the shoddy levels of refereeing this season rather than mucking about banning Fergie and Rooney.

[The Future]

Berbatov and Hernandez with Owen to come off the bench works for me, a player like Rooney is needed for the semi though hopefully he appeals and the bans reduced.

[Baddar]

Fucking pointless appealing, if you ask me. His stance has been that he knows he's wrong - now that a ban has been handed down, he should just accept it an move on. Any appeal Utd make would be considered 'frivolous' anyway.

There'd be more chance of getting the ban increased than decreased, so leave it, I say.

[stokeriño]

In many ways the ban is a joke, since the FA apparently wash their hands of excessive violence in games but happily jump in to deal with a bit of swearing. Still, it's only been a week since they announced they would be introducing a "crackdown" on behaviour so it was inevitable I guess...

In David Bond's BBC blog he speculated:

Their best hope of ensuring Rooney doesn't miss the FA Cup semi-final against local rivals Manchester City may be in accepting the charge but arguing mitigating circumstances.

While keen not to use it as an excuse, one source close to the player claimed Rooney had faced vitriolic levels of abuse from West Ham fans at Upton Park on Saturday.

He also suggested the player was under extraordinary levels of pressure from the media.

A big hearty LOL when you compare this argument to the likes of John Terry etc. who don't blow up every match despite equal/worse "mitigating circumstances".

Also, cue a thousand comments beneath the blog from United fans complaining that this ban would only happen to Rooney, "one rule for most, a harsher one for United", etc. I wonder if that last one is actually written by viperlike.

[Pesci]

Re, Rooney: about fucking time something happened to him.

Re, viperlike: stop feeding the troll you guys. If you haven't worked out that he's only posting to get the reactions you're giving him yet, do it now.

[Lineker]

Basketball star LeBron James has become a minority stakeholder in Liverpool after signing a representation deal with the club's owners.

Fenway Sports Group (FSG) has struck a deal to partner the Miami Heat player's marketing firm to become his exclusive worldwide representative.

The report in the Wall Street Journal said James received an undisclosed stake in Liverpool as part of the deal.

"This is a great opportunity for me," said NBA star James.

"The first time I stepped on an NBA court I became a businessman."

Referring to Liverpool's title honours James added: "Eighteen championships. I see myself trying to do the same things they have."

The Wall Street Journal said Maverick Carter, chief executive of LRMR Branding & Marketing, had expressed his desire to build James' portfolio internationally.

"We're not interested in talent or athlete representation but we think he is one of the most remarkable athletes of his time," FSG and Liverpool chairman Tom Werner told the newspaper.

"We believe we can open doors for LeBron and LeBron can open doors for us. Without purchasing Liverpool, we never would have been able to have this conversation."

The Crystal Palace fan who was kicked by Eric Cantona in 1995 launched an unprovoked attack on the manager of a boys' football team, a court has heard.

Matthew Simmons denies attacking Stuart Cooper during a boys' game last August.

Kingston Crown Court heard Mr Simmons, 36, bore a grudge against Mr Cooper over the alleged exclusion of the defendant's son from his football team.

Mr Simmons' son, now 13, was allegedly left out after Mr Cooper learned of his father's role in the Cantona incident.

Prosecutor Michael Logsdon said this exclusion, just before the 10th anniversary of the infamous incident at Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park, caused "bad blood" between the pair which, several years later, culminated in an attack at a football ground in south-east London in August 2010.

Mr Simmons threw a "flurry of punches", hitting Mr Cooper in the face, arm and chest, leaving him with a bloody nose, bruises and a black eye, the court heard.

About 30 boys, who were playing in the park, were witness to the "unprovoked" attack, jurors were told.

Giving evidence, Mr Cooper said: "I felt somebody spit at me, and call me 'scum'.

"The next thing I knew was just punches flying at me from everywhere, from the side and from behind."

He told the court a newspaper article mentioning the Cantona incident was brought to his attention in 2004, and said parents of some children had expressed "some concern" about Mr Simmons.

However he did not refer to Mr Simmons' son being excluded from the under-8s team he was involved with at the time.

Addressing the role Simmons' notoriety may have had to play in the incident, Mr Logsdon said: "Whatever may have happened to Mr Simmons in 1995 at Selhurst Park football ground, the after-effects of that, and the resentment he felt towards Mr Cooper, he was unable to control."

Mr Simmons, of Kynaston Avenue, Thornton Heath, south-west London, argues that he acted in self-defence and the confrontation with Mr Cooper was a "pre-emptive strike".

Cantona kicked Mr Simmons after being sent off in a Premiership game between Crystal Palace and Manchester United.

Following the incident the French footballer was banned for nine months and Mr Simmons' season ticket was confiscated and he was banned from the ground.

The trial has been adjourned until Thursday.

[Lineker]

Hundreds of pounds of damage was caused by three men when they broke into St James Park.

Nothing was stolen at the home of Newcastle United at 6.20am on March 20 but Northumbria Police released CCTV images of two men they need to speak to about the incident.

PC Steve Fairless said: "No doubt there are people who know what happened and who is responsible, and I'd urge anyone with information to get in touch as it's important we speak to the three involved."

Anyone who recognises the men in the images is asked to contact Northumbria Police on 03456 043 043 ext 69191 for the attention of police at Market Street Police Station, or alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

[Clawson]

Why is Liverpool trying so hard to make me hate them? First the Red Sox owners, now Lebron? Ugh...

[MJB]

Nothing was stolen from St James' Park? Hardly suprising really, who would really want the Championship erm . . . Championship?

[Liam]

The police are probably looking for a couple of men trying to flog a faded black and white carpet.

[Baddar]

"Hey, anyone want to buy this retard I found lurking inside SJP?"

"Who?"

[Lineker]

Just so that there's no bias, here's a silly Sunderland line:

Sunderland are being sued by a fan who was injured while watching the team train, the chairman has revealed.

Niall Quinn was responding to a question during a BBC Radio Newcastle phone-in about whether fans were still allowed to watch training sessions.

He said that legal action was ongoing after the supporter was knocked out by a stray shot.

The Premier League club has declined to release further details about the incident.

Niall Quinn said: "We had a supporter who got a bad injury,

"I think it was one of Djibril Cisse's misses where he had a shot from 20 yards.

"I'm making fun of it now, but it knocked a supporter out. It was quite serious.

"That supporter is in the process of suing us right now."

And on a more serious note, I'm sure many of us remember the Blackburn fan who died after an incident at their Stoke game. Well...

The death of a Blackburn Rovers fan who was struck with a bin at Stoke City's ground was the result of misadventure, a coroner has ruled.

John Taylor, 30, of Avallon Way in Darwen, Lancashire, collapsed in the South Stand of the Britannia Stadium on 6 February last year.

The father-of-one died from head injuries the following day.

A 25-year-old man, from Preston, was arrested at the time but no further action was taken against him.

The three-day inquest was heard at Hanley Town Hall last month. Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire coroner Ian Smith gave his verdict earlier.

Witnesses said Mr Taylor, a life-long Blackburn Rovers fan, had "headed" the 25lb bin - claims that were disputed by his family.

The coroner said he had ruled out a verdict of unlawful killing because there was no criminal intent in the incident and no-one had intended an outcome of death.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Taylor's mother Susan said she believed not enough had been done to protect her son and other fans.

She said his death had destroyed her family and that she hoped "karma comes around".

Stoke City's chief executive Tony Scholes said: "The death of John Taylor was a terrible tragedy and our thoughts remain with his family.

"This was an unforeseen and unprecedented incident, the like of which has certainly never been seen in Stoke before.

"We have an excellent safety record in line with all clubs in the Premier League, one which is closely regulated by the authorities and one constantly under review to ensure that we provide the safest possible environment for visitors.

"Despite all of that, it is extremely difficult to legislate for all circumstances.

"What we must all do, however, is use the knowledge of what happened in this instance to try to prevent an incident like this ever happening again."

[MJB]

It's the only Cisse shot that has hit the target in the last twelve months.

[therockbox]

People are always likely to get sued when the shot hits the fan.

[Baddar]

Gary Neville will be co-commentating and sitting in the Sky studio for games next season.

...hopefully in Jamie Redknapp's place.

[MJB]

Neville and Redknapp both in the studio = Easy way to depression

[Dont Fear The Reaper]

Its almost as if they are competing with ITV over who has the worst football coverage

[Baddar]

Would love Nev to wear a Utd shirt and rub the badge in Redknapp's face when we beat the shit out of them next season.

[therockbox]

Would love Nev to wear a Utd shirt and rub the badge in Redknapp's face when we beat the shit out of them next season.

Spurs?