The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Adam]

Why would anyone go to Byker?

Plus, surely Bessacres good enough for Donny players?

That set of apartments I was on about is basically on the 'border' between Bessacarr and where I live, Cantley. The new bit of Bessacarr is really good, yeah, but I guess a lot didn't want to forego their already big houses when they joined. I'm sure John Oster still commutes from somewhere ridiculous like Liverpool (maybe not that far away) and it wouldn't surprise me if El Hadji Diouf still stayed in a hotel.

[Lineker]

Not got a fucking clue what you're all yammering on about; these aren't real places!

[Colly]

I was so tempted to post something about confusing Lineker with all these provincial towns, I'm now slightly spooked by that comment!

[Adam]

Not got a fucking clue what you're all yammering on about; these aren't real places!

There is a world north of Watford Gap you know!

[MDK]

Not got a fucking clue what you're all yammering on about; these aren't real places!

There is a world north of Watford Gap you know!

Since when?

[Gazz]

Not got a fucking clue what you're all yammering on about; these aren't real places!

There is a world north of Watford Gap you know!

Since when?

1993.

[DavidMarrio]

Yeah it's not the nicest place but it's not like many players live in the city they play/work/manage. Redknapp lives in Dorset. Gerrard off at Formby which is 10 miles from Liverpool, not too far perhaps but still not in the city exactly. Plenty of the Sunderland players I'm sure will live in places like Durham, except Angeleri I think that gorgeous man still might be living in theMarriott and gracing the north east with his unrivalled looks every now and again when he pops out to the supermarket. Ponteland's a really nice area from when I used to go there for tennis tournaments, might as well live in somewhere nice and relatively secluded when you can wipe your arse with fifty pound notes if you fancy.

I'm happier with my players living in Ponteland than bloody Byker put it that way.

I don't want Angeleri living inside me!!!

[Lineker]

Pfft, there's nothing past Nottingham.

[MDK]

Outside the M25 is a barren wasteland.

[Summers]

Myke, fifa!

[MDK]

Its too late for me, I'm going to bed soon. Maybe tomorrow after work

[Starvinho]

Giggsy has signed another one year extension at United, the guy is just phenomenal that he can carry on at such a high level at his age.

Also Fergie has confirmed Tom Cleverley will play some part against Liverpool tomorrow, if he can show some of his early season form it'll be a massive boost for us for the run-in.

[Lineker]

What does that make it, 22 seasons? Fuck me.

Also, Thierry Henry will leave Arsenal and return to New York Red Bulls on 16 February, Arsene Wenger has revealed. So he'll be missing the North London derby (Y)

[Starvinho]

Aye it'll be his 22nd season. The way he is playing and looking after himself it wouldn't suprise me if he went on for a couple more seasons after that too.

[Lineker]

Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean has been accused of launching a "smear campaign" against fans by an MP in Parliament.

Labour MP for Haslingden and Hyndburn, Graham Jones, made the remarks in a ministers' debate on football governance on Thursday.

He also said the club was a "shambles" under Indian owners Venky's in the Westminster Hall debate.

A spokesman for the Premier League club said it had no comment to make.

There have been long running protests by fans over the running of the club since Venky's bought Blackburn in November 2010 with much of the anger directed at Kean in the owners' absence.

Mr Jones, a Rovers season ticket holder, said Kean had launched a "destructive smear campaign" at the clubs supporters.

He also questioned whether the owners were "fit and proper persons" to run the club amid increasing debts, protests by supporters and poor performances.

He told the debate the club was a "in a sorry state" and called on the Premier League to intervene.

"Serious questions now have to be asked about the owners' ability to manage an English Premier League club; their awareness of Premier League rules; their future intentions for the club; whether foreign business practices bring the club into disrepute; and whether such practices should be prohibited within the framework of the Football Association Premier League's fit and proper persons test," he said.

"The Premier League is culpable in allowing the current trend of foreign ownership to continue without suitable safeguards."

He added: "What has been destructive in this spiralling vortex is a smear campaign by the manager, his agent and other clients, aimed at ordinary Blackburn Rovers fans who seek only constructive dialogue with the club.

"To my knowledge, there have been no arrests or public disorder during the protests.

"The protests were suspended for seven matches to facilitate positive discussions, but those discussions have not taken place.

"Three pre-arranged meetings between the manager and organisers have been cancelled by the manager or by the club, the authority over which lies with the manager."

However, a number of managers have condemned the treatment of the Blackburn boss by fans including Sir Alex Ferguson.

On the barracking by fans during Blackburn's 2-1 defeat to Bolton in December, Ferguson said: "I have never seen anything as bad.

"For goodness sake, give the lad a break."

The League Managers Association also issued a statement after the game which said: "The aggression and abuse over recent weeks has stepped well beyond the mark."

The Select Committee presented its report on football governance at the debate. The inquiry was designed to assist supporters in having more say in the running of their football club and concern over the state of the game.

Blackburn Rovers are currently second from bottom in the Premier League.

The Premier League said they would not respond to Mr Jones's comments.

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish praised the "silent majority" who he believes are backing him, ahead of a planned protest by fans on Sunday.

A Villa supporters' website posted a message calling for those opposed to the Scot's management to gather outside Villa Park an hour before their match against Manchester City.

He said: "There were some who expressed dissent at the start of the season.

"I know the silent majority have been tremendous in supporting the team."

Villa have recorded only six wins in 24 league games, with fans website 'Vital Villa' claiming this is "relegation form".

McLeish added: "I've met some of the fans and I really felt their passion, but I think they felt mine as well. I'm determined I'll get it right at this club.

"I do believe, in one or two other seasons, there have been sticky moments as well. This season is a bit of a rollercoaster but the points are there for us to climb the table."

As regards the intended protest, McLeish, whose Villa side are 13th in the Premier League, said: "It is out of my control, it is a modern-day fashion.

"There were rumours of a protest against [Arsenal manager] Arsene Wenger a couple of weeks ago, so I'm in pretty good company!

"At the same time, it's not something I'm going to say I enjoy because we all like to be popular.

"It's a minority and something out of my control. But the one thing I can control is the team and what effort they put in to get the best out of them because I am pretty good at that."

Striker Robbie Keane will make his final home appearance of his Villa loan spell, but McLeish has not ruled out bringing him back.

McLeish said: "I don't know. I am probably best to say you never know and maybe leave that one dangling.

"Would I get Keane back if there was a chance? I would like to have a crack, yes.

"He has been enlightening in terms of his performances. They have been great but he has been a great character around the place and has livened things up a bit."

[Colly]

Surely football fans should never be praised for being silent.

[Starvinho]

United team: De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Welbeck

Subs: Amos, Berbatov, Park, Cleverley, Hernandez, Fabio, Pogba

Liverpool team: Reina, Enrique, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Spearing, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Kuyt, Suarez

Subs: Doni, Carragher, Bellamy, Carroll, Adam, Shelvey, Kelly

Edited February 11, 2012 by Starvinho

[The Future]

Not too sure about Scholes and Giggs in the same midfield against Liverpool that's been our undoing against them in recent years, but Cleverleys unfit..no Fletch or Anderson and Ashley Young's vanished again so we didn't have much of a choice. Must win game hope we pull it off!.

Spurs-Newcastle should be good fun too.

[Hobo]

I do kinda feel bad for Carroll, he's been playing well enough to be starting even though Suarez is back. I guess Kenny would rather not play them together.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Surprised to see Bellamy on the bench, the main player I thought could cause us some problems.