Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Nerf]

Fabio Borini has returned to light training and will likely be match fit in six weeks, whilst Martin Kelly will probably be out until pre-season.

[HailtotheYo]

Sixth, it's the magic number.

(This may or may not explain everything about Liverpool's strategy these past few years.)

All good things come in sixes....FA Cup in 2006, Capital One Cup in 2012 so I am eagerly anticipating Jamie Carragher being manager and leading us to the League Cup in 2018 ^_^

That's just two things... that happened six years apart. Not really a pattern .

I knew it, Liverpool is the Devil.

[Colly]

No ligament damage for Haidara, should be back in April. Yay!

[Adam]

Newcastle fans disrupt amateur game in Wigan

Newcastle United has described the behaviour of its fans who disrupted an amateur football match as "wholly unacceptable".

The incident happened before Sunday's away game against Wigan Athletic.

Some supporters stopped the nearby game between Wigan Cosmos and AFC Leigh Centurions by invading the pitch, ripping out nets and hanging on to the crossbars, and stealing a ball.

The Premier League club said it would reimburse Wigan Cosmos for any damage.

A spokesman from Cosmos said that supporters spilled out of the coaches, and watched the game from the touchline before some ran on to the field of play, causing the game to be stopped.

"Although good-natured at first, the fans then started to rip out corner flags as they ran over the pitches and also took the match ball.

'Distasteful experience'

"We never recovered the ball, though we did manage to recover the corner flags.

"This incident was a very distasteful experience that lasted for over 40 minutes and with families, dads, granddads and youngsters all watching the games, as well as some quite experienced players who were all left shaken."

Newcastle United said in a statement: "Our travelling fans have a very good reputation, but the actions of a minority on this occasion were wholly unacceptable.

"Football, at all levels of the game, deserves the same degree of respect whether it is played in the Premier League or at the grassroots level.

"We were sorry to learn that this South Lancashire Counties Premier Division game was disrupted in this manner and we would urge anyone who witnessed this incident to contact Greater Manchester Police."

I hate some football fans. How arrogant disrespectful and moronic can you get? "Oh haha, look some non-league football. Let's smash it up!"

[Dan]

Newcastle played Darlington in a friendly a few years ago away. The fans sang "if Sammy scores we're on the pitch", then Sammy Ameobi scored so they ran on the pitch and caused mayhem.

[Adam]

I remember that. They've been letting off flares/smoke bombs at recent away games too, deserve to have reduced allocation at the very least if they keep on proving that they can't behave themselves.

[Plubby]

Sounds like a good day's work for a Newcastle fan.

[Colly]

I remember that. They've been letting off flares/smoke bombs at recent away games too, deserve to have reduced allocation at the very least if they keep on proving that they can't behave themselves.

I agree with you entirely. We've had smoke bombs at home cup games too, its disgraceful. Sadly I think once we get a bit of success we draw in more than a handful of pricks, and its stopping a lot of decent fans going away.

I went to that Darlo game and it was easy to put it down to 'casuals' due to the local game on a Friday night for a tenner (and it was mostly good spirited bar a few clowns, not that I advocate a pitch invasion. There were also Darlo fans on the pitch), but when its happening still even after the board starting restricting away tickets we clearly have an issue. We're due UEFA sanctions too due to two streakers in the group stage and said smoke bombs.

As I said, disgraceful, and at the moment we've got fairly decent stewards who'll allow you to take food and drink in etc (I know Boro don't, not sure about everywhere else), but I wouldn't be at all surprised if we were restricted and searched more heavily in future. Fucking scum.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Complain all you like about ticket prices in the Premier League, but they do a great deal to stop people buying a cheap ticket and doing everything but see the match.

Which is why you only really see the problem at friendlies and youth football when you can get tickets for about a tenner or less if you're lucky. As much as I'd like to say "they weren't really Newcastle fans", they probably were Newcastle fans, it's just that very cheap tickets gave them an opportunity to be cunts.

[brenchill]

Just booked tickets for the Liverpool game at home. Really stoked for this one.

[MDK]

Interesting thought: West Ham have got their new stadium for less money than Liverpool paid for Andy Carroll.

Bastards.

[Adam]

Are they paying for it's conversion into a football stadium?

Cos if they are, it's going to cost a lot more than Andy Carroll did.

[Hobo]

West Ham are also paying alll Carroll's wages so they're not that smart

[MDK]

They are paying 25m for the stadium plus 2m a year rent, I think.

[stokeriño]

Nope, only £15m. Link

"Initially the club had been reluctant to pay anything, but over time they increased their contribution to £10m and are now prepared to pay £15m."

The poor babies.

So, £15m upfront and £2m per year (a little under £40k per week). You could possibly just about scrape together a pretty good 'top six quality' midfielder for that much.

[MDK]

Bit annoying since the tax payer is paying for it as well. And apparently if Spurs didn't want the stadium, the Spammers would have had to pay full price for it.

Thanks Spurs.

[Lineker]

Nigel Adkins is set to be confirmed as the new Reading manager today.

[Matticus]

Not sure about the appointment, he turned us down last week, obviously we came back with more money and he's accepted. Seems like he's taken the job because of money rather the the challenge

[Baddar]

Yep, it's official now.

I think even if Jose had been appointed they'd still be relegated come the end of the season.

[brenchill]

I don't think they made this appointment with staying up in mind, to be honest. Sure, they'll say that to the press, but I think they have the bigger picture in mind with this one.