Going All Smashie & Nicey – It’s Charidee Mate
Sep 9th, 2012 by 'holic
The interlull provides the opportunity to bring some charitable work to your attention. It’s something different to feast your eyes on. It’s also an area where Arsenal people are active on many fronts and in different ways, I have found.
Martin at the Tollie introduced me to Eamonn before the Sunderland game. Eamon is one of three Gooners running the London marathon next April for Well Child, raising money to help children. Martin is also helping out by hosting a raffle for the cause on the day of the West Ham away game, so you can go and watch the boys notch another three away points and come home with one of the many, mostly Arsenal-related prizes.
Details of the cause and the raffle can be found by clicking here, so get your tenners in and fingers crossed, the list of prizewinners will feature a ‘holic or two. More importantly, we will be helping a charity that does some superb work with sick children and their families.
The Arsenal Foundation
Although the above is unrelated to the charitable work carried out by the club, Arsenal have a long history of helping charities that work with disadvantaged and sick young people.
Last season to celebrate the Clubβs 125th anniversary, The Arsenal Foundation was launched to help engage more young people than ever before and continually move forward in growing its community work. A fundraising and grant-making organisation, The Arsenal Foundation will help to grow the reach and effect of the programmes the Club supports to help an increasing number of young people across the globe. The Foundation will work hard to raise funds for a powerful combination of charity partner projects including those of Save the Children and others.
OK, that is their words. I’m sure you will recall the official charities for the year that have been linked in the sidebar of this blog in recent seasons. As well as Save the Children the club has also dedicated a season of fund-raising activities for the likes of the Teenage Cancer Trust, Treehouse, Centre Point, and the Willow Foundation. The Foundation has been established to share the funds it generates with more than one beneficiary. As you will see if you check out the Arsenal Foundation pages the club is working in local communities as well as further afield in association with Save The Children.
If you want to support the Arsenal Foundation then clicking on their logo in the sidebar will take you to their Just Giving page, where you will find more details and will be able to pledge your support.
It will take your mind of this dreadful break in the real football season too.
Cheers ‘holics.
330 Responses to “Going All Smashie & Nicey – It’s Charidee Mate”
First drink.
Lemonade please.
The URL on that flyer has an unfortunate typo!
Turd?
look at drink now
Haha Nonny, trust you π
Well played ‘holic. A shout out for charities is always needed and appreciated.
I personally like local charities because you can see your monies and efforts being put to immediate use. But also support many national charities here in the states.
I have found that any time , effort or money given to charities is repaid tenfold to the soul.
Indeed Norcal. The top one is very localised to the UK, I understand. The Arsenal Foundation are helping on a much wider scale however, which makes for balance and relevence to those outside the UK.
Heh, Truegits, the list is long.
Nice plug Holic.
Oh, there are people! And a new post!
‘True Gits’, Nonny?
Good stuff posting this, ‘holic.
Should be True Grit which is the title of Frank Mclintock’s autobiography (which I’m reading at the moment and recommend).There must be a link somewhere.
heh, I didn’t even seen ‘on the flyer’, just checked the links in the blog on by one, and yes, it does have ‘truegits’ in it.
Meaning, it’s not a typo, heh
I think it probably was to start with Ollie π
Hi all, thanks Holic for the support, just to touch on the URL, we started with TruGits as a touch of irony and humour and then thought better of it and went for True Grit, unfortunately we couldn’t change the Virgin Money page without a lot of admin, but all for a good cause and there will be a lot of grit and determination to get three of us through 26 miles, thanks again for the help
could this be the new Danny Graft http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqSJMnrHPLw
I think not
Relegation form Oxon. Get a grip mate. Now go read the posting.
You’re welcome Eamonn,
Good luck with hitting your targets. The marathon is a remarkable experience.
Good posting guv’nor. More constructive than most of the nonsense people like me will have spouted during the interlull. I chose to believe that “True Grit” was originally a typo. If anyone knows better, please don’t disillusion me.
COYG ICDDR
More power to your elbows (and knees and other joints), Gits. I’ve just made a small donation, including voluntary fine for not reading Eamonn’s@14 before adding mine@18
COYG ICDDR
heh, could well have been, ‘holic 13 π Or someone with a wicked sense of ‘humour’.
Oh well, I have seen post 14 now. Cheers Eamonn and good luck.
What mec said in the previous drinks, below the chevrons.
Night all
COYG ICDDR
Hi everyone. Good luck Eamonn (I will pray for good ‘running’ weather). Classy Holic. This Interdull (no typo) wouldn’t be quite so bad if we could ALL see the same game, so we could share it at the bar. Anyway, our Gervinho did quite well, scored a couple of goals. Very proud of him! Now it’s off to work, I go. Good nite peeps.
Boilk.
Good morning all. Good luck in the training True Gits.
Going to see if I can summon the energy to stagger the 200 metres to the clinic. Coffee will be required.
Life without football eh?
“interdull”. Very good ABB
Interdull indeed abb!
What to do, what to do…
I super boilky after this weekend.
Maybe I should focus on recovering from consuming numerous amounts of alceefood….
Nice one Holic.
Good luck Eamonn.
Good post holic…many runners from where am from, used to winners so tell eamon that ours dance at the finish line, if he doesnt win, a dance would suffice given he makes it to the finish line.
Typos?, my autocorrect has interlullaby…
Good morning holics …just checked the news and went truly “wtf” to the headline of Andrew Hall, player of Stoke City U18s got lifelong sentence in jail for stabbing his 15 yo girlfriend 60 times after she flirted with another guy at party. Crazy ..absolutely crazy.
Crazy indeed Eandy
Does anyone know if Szcz play for Poland on Friday?
I dont think hes even listed as “Gunner on duty” on .com site Harsha, so I presume he didnt even leave London for international break.
Today I am going to be mostly hopped up on metaphorical and confidence-boosting goofballs….
What? Interlull has had a name change to Interdull? And I was thinking this would not be a momentous week. Well done, Nurse. π
Folks!
My theory and quest to expose dodgy footy agents continues:
http://footylatest.com/agent-behind-the-fake-arsenal-bid-for-argentine-defensive-midfielder/32242
These four years the U.S. government has been the main owner of Man United’s previous sponsor. Apparently now that could change, but it gives an idea of how serious a financial crisis we’ve been in.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19541149
Abb – interdull. π
Kenyan – interlullaby. π
Cos of the way it breaks up the season, how about a splinterlull ?
Interlullaby. π
“Interlull” is still a very useful term, suggesting the possibility of a Rip Van Winkle-like nap of two weeks’ duration.
So, where is everybody then?
Imagine Andy Goram being short of company π
Thank God for that. Thought I was in a minority of two for a moment there.
Trev, for games that are called off due to snow, a winterlull?
Pass me a confidence-boosting goofball, Andy…..
Andy Goram could double the number of posts.
Very handy on slow-drinks day.
An unnecessarily awkward and over-long pause in the proceedings – a pinterlull…what, what – did someone say pint??? Good idea – the last swallow o’ summer, p’raps.
Up The Arse!
Diaby injured – Daily Mail on twitter says so.
Unsubstantiated rumour is he sneezed and will be out for 6 weeks……
Heh @ AL
Or the man from the fields (Deschamps) doesnt want to over use him
Is Ned in da’ house? Anyone else know what record for the slowest half century?
COYG ICDDR
nyt says “unspecified muscle injury” from a hard knock.
and ladyarse says it’s probably a precaution, and that our new OG will be available for selection, according to dechamps.
http://gossip.ladyarse.com/2012/09/10/deschamps-diaby-has-muscular-discomfort-and-will-not-play/
Slow batting rate here.
Aren’t their penalties for that sort of things?
*goes for 4*
Incapacity caused by alcoholic spirits – ginterlull.
So if Deschamps thinks it is normal for Diaby to suffer this reaction after this many games after that amount of time out, why didn’t he just allow him to rest instead of playing ?
From my point of view, international football can just go and bloody do one.
And when it does do one, I hope it does it right on Stuart Pearce’s head.
Luckily, I read Arseblog just before I decided to let rip on Stupid Pearce in here. Blogs has done a great job.
Come to think of it, I wish I’d just let rip on Stupid Pearce.
Has there ever been a more annoying tosser in any England management team ?
Answer: NO. FACT!!!!!!
Oxon @45 –
I believe the slowest half century was 50 years. π
Trev does 3 runs. I see my post didn’t manage to count for 4 ;).
Slim pickings, so 50’s ‘well in!’.
I hope the interlull is the cause of the lethargy as opposed to the charity post?
Diaby gone in the fetlock. Put your hands together and pray, people…
Indeed it is Holic. Interlulls are just thoroughly demotivating.
Another injury caused by a poxy international when, with a bit of recovery time, Diaby may well have been ok.
US Open Final tonight, at least. Come on Tim, sorry, Andy. π
Is anyone keeping tabs on Tabs ?
Hopefully he went to Moldova to scream a chorus of “Liar, Liar” right in Stupid Pearce’s face. Did I mention I don’t like him very much ?
Nursie will be in shortly to cease all these uncharitable thoughts.
Sorry Nurse, but he really is the most deluded twerp, so full of his own importance and too thick to realise that nobody cares what he says. At all.
Actually, the Urban Dictionary, I am pleased to see, verifies the definition of “twerp” that I heard a long time ago, and hence it’s use above, as
“someone who sits in the bath and bites the bubbles of his own farts”.
Seems about right ?
So. Ok.
3 games played. Only one team has won all 3 ( Chelski) one has lost all three ( Southampton ) and one has tied all 3 ( stoke). Sunderland has tied the 2 that they have played. There are 7 teams that have not lost yet ( Manure is not one of them).
So, Swansea and west Brom are at 7 points and West Ham sit at 6.
I know this is a small 3 game sample but I would say this year is going to be highly competitive. Southampton was one of the biggest spenders in the transfer window, and played Manure close this past weekend.
I am going to guess that the magic 40 points will not be good enough to avoid relegation this year and it is going to be very tight in the middle of the table this year.
And that is my interBull shit.
NorCal – what is this strange thing of which you write ?
i was crossin the road between lidl and aldi
price comparisonning their tasty meat treats
but cos of a unrelated road incident i nearly lost my nose to a dublinbus and my ankle to a bicycle person
who do you think asked are you alright ?
zactly !
the basket weavin cunt that ran over my leg picked herself up and fecked off in her muesli way and the bus driver came out to see i was ok
he was obviously a gooner
Had a bet on Britain’s Andy Murray to win the US Open. Let’s hope Scotland’s Andy Murray doesn’t show up
Trev@49: amen to that, brother.
Trev@50. Well in, and π
Wake up holics! Good heavens, come out, come out wherever you are. Norcal, ‘interbull’ has my vote. Trev, will read arseblog and then comment (smiles). Hats off to you and Andy, for keeping the lights on here. Still have to read the links (scruz, read yours already, what a shame about him). Now you should all know, I enjoyed all the drinks, but sometimes I feel like I’m ‘pandering’ when I mention people by name. Truth is, I’d like to say ‘hey’ to each and everyone of you. π Almost forgot, cba, hope you’re ok!
Britain’s Andy Murray leads 7-6, 2-0 π
Djokovic looks like he’s given up and so does the crowd. So quiet you can hear Sean Connery’s dentures clicking.
Does the National team regularly train at our training facilities or was this unusual?
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1155305/theo-walcott-sick,-will-miss-match-vs.-ukraine?cc=5901
And theo feels ill
Perhaps he feels under appreciated or has interlistlessness
Britain’s Andy Murray 2 sets to love up. π
Ok Trev, Think you might be right (on this one). Arseblog brings up a valid point, about how Pierce should concentrate on bringing up young players. But I don’t see it as a character flaw.
I see the Intersh*tetional break affected proceedings on here,the bar wasnt even this quiet during pre-season.
Re Diaby,word on twitter (i know,i know) has it that he is NOT injured,he’s just been rested as he’s feeling the effects of playing too much in too short a time after been out for too long.
It’s all gone very Scottish in the tennis.
abb, you are one naughty person.
May I point people in the direction of your naughtiness?
Perhaps theo has :
Enterococcus infection
Interstitial lung disease
Intermittent performance disease
Maybe he needs a Lullabypass
Or he just has a large splinter
Holic, That’s a dilemma for me, truly. Better to be humble and naughty then haughty and naughty. All I can say is that you have been a good sport.
Yep, still sampling the links. Washed up in France (way back @ 10), see what the Interbull has wrought on our youth, so bored they resort to this. Quite alarming. Norcal @ 71, get your tweezers ready. Nonny @ 69 Had to google that…very quaint expression. Wonder if Dr Feelgood is familar with that. 8ball @ 34 Another bailout for us tax payers to endure. So glad Arsenal is owned and run, responsibly. Goonertown, Why hastn’t this agent been thrown in the pokey, that’s what I want to know!
Are we all watching this astonishing US Open Final?
I am π
Hi GoonerTerry, hi Holic. I’m watching (but I miss my futbol). GT, last set of drinks, very impressed by what you wrote (finances).
Cheers to Andy! And Novak too. Nite all.
Congrats British Andy. I thought you were going to choke on your Scotch.
Just taking a break from my ‘work’ (heh) to say Congratulations to Andy Murray, what a final he just played and won against Novak Djokovic, he’s done Great Britain Proud π Best US Open Final I’ve ever seen π
Hey Nurse thanx – I will ignore your support for the Serb when he’s playing an Arsenal man !
Thanks too to Andy “Gooner” Murrey – this all bodes well for our season with so many Gooners doing so well this year..
Scotland, home of tennis power.
Case packed. Singapore Gooners, see you in The Liz for the Southampton game.
Anyone going to see Olympiakos? Just askin’ like.
Kudos to the male version of Virginia Wade, the only other British tennis grand slam event winner in my lifetime! So you say he’s a Gooner, GT? I’ll root for him in retrospect, then. π
Well done Andy,
If this trajectory continues, England should win a penalty shoot out soon and Scotland will win, erm, a corner.
Andy Murray! Well deserved indeed
French tv says Abu has knee doubt, but OllieG may start
BTW nice one Andy – first of many we hope
Donations to Arsenal Foundation and the Gits made, Arsenal membership card in wallet, passport located, various plans for the weekend made, Β£60 in notes relocated from office desk to wallet – now if only today, Wednesday and Thursday could pass by a little bit faster!
So Andy Murray won the US Open? An Olympic gold medal and the US Open within about a month of each other is not too shabby π
The run-rate seems to have increased slightly.
Cheers, Lars! Yeah, 4 more days before Saturday, bah!
And I see the first (?) Scottish person to win a Grand Slam (or were there some before ‘holic’s time? π ) is the reason for the increased run-rate.
Fantastic Final – couldn’t switch it off, brilliant Andy Murray in 5 hours !!
Andy G @88 –
Are you suggesting there may not have been any Scottish people before Holic’s time ? π
Trev, well, Dr Z was there before holic’s time, wasn’t he? π
Morning holics (rarely get to say that!). Did you check out Conor Henderson’s goal (Ireland’s Under 21s). Twas a thing of beauty, amazing. Speaking of amazing, welcome back Wind, my wayward son. Gooner Terry, when FFF is here, let it rip!
Lars @ 86 Wonderful, on all accounts. π
Not a good idea to stay up until nearly sparrowfart watching a fellow sweaty get the job done. Oh my head.
Norcal, I fear our Theo doesn’t need tweezers after all. More like IV fluids, Imodium, and antibiotics. Feel better soon Theo. Diaby, my fingers are crossed for you as well. One last thing. Seems Manu have warned Nani to keep his mouth shut after he has made it known publicly about how unhappy he is there. Perhaps players should just take a deep breath before giving interviews and consider all the ramifications, before venting their frustrations (even when they might be valid). I feel there are 3 justifiable reasons, for any player to leave a club. 1) Personal (homesick, family illness, hardship) 2) Lack of playing time over an extended period and 3) An untenable atmosphere, such as racially charged or homophobia.
@ 91
Word to the wise – don’t go out after dark. π
1
Oi!
2=1
Another Scottish Triumph……
Ok, I’ll have some tabs glory as well…..
With thanks to all the Andy Gorams for the assist…..
Lurkers ftw again?
hah ..well in zico..just strolled by the box and thought I would give it a go hehe. On the account of Andy Murray..slight angst from my side since he had huge help in the wind which blew Tomas Berdych away:P ..but well done none the less …I cheer for everyone who beats the hell out of Novak π
It really is Scotland’s day π
Single Malts for all!
Actually, that’s 30th November π
I’ll have it after lunch, thank you Andys.
And well in, zico!
Good reminder from ‘holic that there’s more to life than football.
And well done to Andy Murray. A monkey off his back, onwards and upwards now.
That just caps off a fantastic summer.
Fingers crossed for Diaby and hope Theo is feeling better.
Andy Murray had Gareth Bale on his back? :s
Mad Jens may make a comeback in the next Paralympics. He’s not going to slice his legs off (he’s not THAT mad) but keepers in football are able bodied, so he’s reportedly considering playing in Rio.
Afternoon all.
Back from my 17 days in the wilderness, no tv, internet, newspaper or carrier pidgoen have I seen in over two weeks.
That’s a lot of catching up to do, wish me luck, I’m going in.
@ Ollie
Explains the back and thigh problems he’s had.
Good luck, H2H
Three men have been arrested in India after attempting to board a plane with monkeys hidden in their pants.
Was that a monkey on Andy Murray’s back ?
I thought he just had big curly hair ……
Eandy, on my TV it looked like Murray was playing on the same windswept court as Berdych ? …….
This needs to be czeched again, Trev.
Murray’s got the praguing rights now.
Cheers Ollie.
H2H,
A man with that amount of time on his hands – clearly we were right to get you on to the Happy Train Executive…..
@ H2H
I’ve packed you a flask and a sandwich, and Nurse ABB asked me to give you her first aid kit.
Heh.
H2H, don’t try to back-drink it all – Wind went in to catch up a few weeks ago and we haven’t seen him since!
Good advice Lars.
Way too many drinks to catch up on, I’ll start with the posts and then have a butchers for highlights, a quick glance over on Arseblog and then I’ll feel like I’m back in the loop.
Well said, Lars. Good plan, H2H.
(Sponsor’s message: Please back-drink sensibly.)
It just came to me. This is the week we are going to see some real football. Jeepers! I had better get ready.
FunGunner: And responsibly. π
Francis Coqelin should be made to see out the rest of his contract and released on a free.
The club do not need players who play up in this way.
Trev he definitely played, just that strong wind didnt suit his style at all.
Berdychs game relies heavily on strong service and when you have to re-throw the ball up the air repeatedly and focus on actually getting the service inside the court atleast instead of firing straight points from it, its tough.
Granted, the conditions were same for both so no apologies in that, just think that should this match get postponed it might be different story, but as I said..congrats to Andy for defeating Djokovic, as much as I respect him for his pretty much terminator-esque style of play, I dislike him for his usual court antics and attitude towards the opponents.
Maybe we can send the doomers on a back-drinking expedition?
Who do you want to vote for as expedition leader?
Afternoon All,
Trev @54 heh π If I ever caught up with Stuart Pearce, I’d want to shout something a bit stronger than “Liar Liar” at him. That said, I do still find him a little bit scary so I suspect discretion might triumph over valour if I ever did have the misfortune to run into him.
I agree with you though, he is a Prince of Bellendry.
Hats off to Andy Murray today. I can’t say that I have ever really warmed to him (or his psychotic mum), but his recent performances at both Wimbledon and at The Olympics have been magnificent, and it would be churlish in the extreme not to acknowledge that his tennis over the last 3 years has deserved the acclamation that a Slam brings.
Watched it all the way through, compelling viewing, and I thought he was dead and buried at the end of the fourth. He was the player however who found something extra in the fifth and one can only tip one’s Fez towards him. With Rog waning and with doubts over Nadal’s fitness, I suspect his triumph might be the first of many.
No sooner did I mention doomer and up pops tabs…. π
Only joking – beer of your choice, Wolfgang!
Goonertown: I can’t really see what was so bad about what Coquelin said. For him it’s getting game time at a crucial age, and he also said that his first priority is to break into the first team at Arsenal.
zico@130: brilliant idea! Only problem is there may be too many to vote for as leaders that we may never reach a conclusion…
Afternoon H2H, good to have you back. A Bloody Mary Sir to hasten your back-drinking.
And Wind is back!! Will he be making replies to comments posted over a month ago I wonder? π
Dr Z, surely Danish would be leader on that particular expedition.
A back-drinking expedition into the wilderness led by H. M. Stanley.
Dr U R Stoned, I presume.
Cheers Tabs.
http://www.football365.com/news/21554/8071705/Euro-Team-Of-The-Year
piss-take.
Cheers for the Beer Dr Z. Now I’ve been called many things before, but “Doomer” nah. π
What Lars said re Coquelin. Another case of Arsenal fans (most notably Yogi) getting their knickers in twist over very little.
Importantly though, tabs: what does Le Grove said.
Alternatively, what’s Le gRash’s view? π
Now don’t tempt me Ollie, I’ve managed to stick to my promise to myself that I would never click on that site again after I read his eulogy to Usmanov just after R&W’s last poisonous outpouring. So far I’ve been good to my word, but when temptation is put in a man’s way … π
As for LegRash, I’m rather hoping to catch up on his opinions on Saturday π
Not sure if anyone has seen this yet
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-analysis-simple-lines-of-possession
Amazing comparison between Arteta and Song in the deepest lying midfield role. Not just the direction but frequency of involvement in the passing game.
Hey Tabs,
Always had a lot of sympathy for Andy Murray, having to deal with that psychotic mother.
Notice the completely different persona that has appeared on court since Ivan Lendl turned up and mother was despatched to the second row of the box.
Getting to those finals is hard enough. Beating one of the top three in a final is something else.
Good on him.
Internationals tonight, yipee!! π
Welcome back H2H, but where did you go?! Hi Fun, missed you these last couple of days. Now earlier I put forth a list of valid reasons for players leaving their clubs. But it works both ways. In Santi’s case, he wasn’t being paid his wages, so he fits in at #3. But what about Poldi and Giroud…I feel like a hypocrite, but How can we justify them coming to Arsenal, and then criticize Song for going to Barca. Anyone got any ideas? I’m stumped.
Hello ABB
I was up and down the West Coast of Africa and stayed a while in Egypt (Sharm el sheik) The Hotel did have an internet area, but I had to promise the other half that it would be an internet/gadget free get away, so there was no blogging or surfing for me, I did go snorkling though. π
Sorry, East coast, D’oh
Snorkelling allowed, but no surfing?
Coq out – NOW!!!
I can’t see myself trying to balance on a board while in the ocean Ollie, I have enough trouble standing up on dry land (unless I’m leaning on a bar)
Psed – will be HAPPY to illustrate my point in the pub on Sat. – can’t wait, already!!!
Trev, a very good point you make about Mr Lendl. As you intimate, even Judy Murray would perhaps think twice before invoking his wrath or even merely his steely gaze.
Murray has for a number of years been firmly entrenched in the top 4, (albeit very much No.4), a group of players who have looked a cut above the rest. Lendl’s appointment appears to have given him the necessary psychological strength to not just compete with, but also overcome, the stellar talents within that exalted group.
H2H – I’m assuming Speedoes were very much the order of the day? π
Abb, Poldi is a German international who came for Champions League football, and a fresh challenge in foreign fields. His Club were relegated last season, and as such, staying was not an option. How many internationals of the big football nations are playing second tier domestic football?
Giroud wanted to test himself at a higher level in a more demanding league. It might be argued that having won the french League with Montpelier, a title the Club had never won before, he had achieved all that he realistically could with them.
None of the above is meant as a particular criticism of Song, and I don’t think that many Arsenal fans have been especially critical of him. It was clearly the Club’s decision to release him, based presumably on a disagreement as to his worth and perhaps the unprofessional behaviour that flowed from that disagreement. Song is a good player, but the overriding feeling of “meh” to his departure reflects that whilst he had many good games in an Arsenal shirt, there were also many games when his application and sense of responsibility were flawed.
Heh @Leg Rash π , and see you saturday.
Lars mate I love the boy like he was my own, but I’m getting tired of hearing it.
Either play on or play out!
@Tabs
What G’town said to Lars re; Coquelin
Tabs How many internationals of the big football nations are playing second tier domestic football? – answer – for a start them what plays for Citeh and the Bus stop?
So glad to see Leg Rash back here with his “Coq out”.
I’ll give a miss to the realisation of that sentiment this, or any other Saturday, though.
Psychotic mother? One day old ma Feelgood will re-appear on these pages and you best hope its’ during the interlull, to minimise the body count.
Goonertown,
What’s he said that was so wrong? He says he has the qualities to make it at Arsenal, and that he intends to seize his chance when it arises. Good, I like his confidence.He says that this season is a big season for him, and that if he doesn’t make a breakthrough he might have to look elsewhere.
I get that. He’s been on the periphery for 2 seasons and now needs to regularly make a place in the 18, if not the 11, his own. I would suggest that 12-15 starts and that again in sub appearances would constitute a breakthrough.
If however he finds himself down the pecking order, and doesn’t make the 18 or isn’t utilised from the bench, then I for one wouldn’t blame him at all for looking at his options. He has talent and needs a certain amount of playing time. By the end of the season he will be 22 and will have some idea if he does indeed have what it takes to become an integral part of the squad or whether he will need to go elsewhere to further his career.
Fair enough in my book. Give me that attitude over the faux loyalty of players like Almunia or Arshavin who are happy to stay knowing they will play hardly any football but are unwilling to take a pay cut to move elsewhere.
Cognac, not sure I follow your drift mate, but if you’re having a pop at City and The Bus Stop I wholeheartedly endorse it!
Old Ma Feelgood eh? Scary!
If only everywhere people disagreed as civilly as here. Top man TaBS.
Or the faux-loyalty of cunts like CvC π
TABS,
I thought maybe I read the wrong interview because when I read what le Coq said I didn’t have any disagreement with it either. He only stated that he wants to play and play for Arsenal, if he can. He wants to give it time but is not happy if he doesn’t get his chance. Fair play to him.
I agree that we have too many players who seem thrilled to practice and take a pay check. Those players are a much bigger drain on the team and finances than a 21 year old who believes he can contribute. But if the boss feels otherwise than he will look elsewhere.
He said nothing about disagreeing with the club or always being a Gunner or his need for silverware. He just said he wants to contribute consistently on the field.
Before the France match tonight on national TV Arsene has stated that Diaby has a slight hip strain and might be available for Southampton.the other Arsenal news here is that Giroud is getting the start tonight alongside Benzema.
Evening Holic and Cheers.
Ollie – Exactly! π
NorCal – that was my reading of it too.
Tabs @150, 156, Norcal @160,
All spot on I’d say.
Kyle Bartley out for 3 months at Swansea – a good lad who knew how to behave.
Coventry City are evidently to give an interview to Phil Orange, for their manager’s position. Won’t it be lovely to see him back just in time for their trip to The Grove. Ignorant tosser !
LeGRash – see you Saturday mate. Mine’s a half – in a pint glass π
Zico, Lars – 3 sleeps !
If only, Trev.
Evening all. H2H, The east coast. Hope you spent some time in Kenya. Hey was body surfing allowed? Sounds like you two had a blast, you work long, hard hours and fully deserved it!
Trev, that half shall go on my tab as per previously agreed with the Holic π
Tabs, Thanks for making me feel better about where I stand. Hunger to play is a good thing. I have forgiven Song (just hope he is fully accepted there). I guess where I draw the line is when a player like RVP makes excuses, if you are leaving for money, then admit it.
Unbelievable miss by Cleverley. Awful game so far. All tactics, no spark.
Great strike by the Ukrainian, but Lescott should be strung up for that crap pass.
H2H. Welcome back to the land of the interweb thingie. But after hearing about your holiday I’m pretty sure you were better without it (present company excluded of course). π
There’s football tonight?
heh, checking scores England are 1-0 down.
I hear the press calling Harry π
Ollie. Judging by holic’s commentary it doesn’t sound like football so much as a story about a clever Ukrainian.
Are you not down on Saturday zico ? Shame if not ….
Cleverley looked the most likely to put it in the back of the net. He certainly is all fired up!
Don’t know why I’m watching. Feeling nothing. Did I really used to support them back in the day? Yes, yes I did.
Wanted to see how Ox got on against a decent side. Not sure we will use him much as a left sided midfielder, so learning nothing.
Only good news thus far is van Stapleton off injured for Holland π
Here, here Holic.
Milner, Gerrard, Lumpalard, Johnson. ?????
Hope Cleverly plays up front against us if the Dutch bloke is injured. π
2nd half ? No thanks. π
Agree ‘holic ,
Ox is out of place, but if he was moved inside, then what would Lampard be doing – nothing as he has done so far –
JL is being played just to take penalties seemingly
This style of play with the backs very advanced just is not working with every counter attack causing panic at the back
Agree with you Abb on VP. He’s certainly where I draw the line, preferably in the shape of a penis, on his forehead, with a big bold marker pen. π
You not down at the weekend Dr Z ? π
CvC injured ??????
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.
May be just a dead leg π
‘holic 177, don’t kid yourself: he’ll be right as rain for the next Man U game.
He might even be under instructions, I wouldn’t think it impossible….
Well
Cleverly has gotten in the right positions but missed badly, twice. Not a dig at Ramsey, but he did the same for us last season.
This is not a beautiful game. Defoe’s goal probably should have counted.
Are Milner, Johnson the best England can field? And Gerrard is past his prime.
Sterling needs to come in for Milner, some pace.
Don’t tell Snir (where is he?), and I can’t comment on it as I haven’t switched the TV on, but apparently Capoue just scored for France.
Quite strange though how first Diaby last Tuesday, then Capoue today scored.
Perhaps they don’t have strikers in France. Oh π
Good evening everyone. Managing to stay awake watching the England game. Holic 183..dead leg…to go with is dead head.
i’ll tell ya what, milner has been infected with the stevieg “diver down” disease. woof.
I have to quote this:
C’est le premier but d’Etienne Capoue sous le maillot frappΓ© du Coq
See, it’s all about Le Coq.
Typo @ 187 for a change…should read CVC dead leg….to go with his dead leg. Need to increase the dosage tonight nurse.
he has a shirt frappe made of chicken?
190.. Grhh…Typo again..I give up tonight…drinking & typing don’t mix in my case….”to go with his dead head” . Apologies to you all.. early bed time I think. π
Something to read instead of watching football:
http://news.arseblog.com/2012/09/qa-with-tom-fox-and-mark-gonnella/
Including that bit on the previous’ day’s topic π
Q3) Generally I like how the club communicates. But occasionally a player will come out and undermine the club with an interview he might give the press. How does the club deal with that?
MG: Our primary channel for communications is the website and Arsene Wenger is the prime communicator. The difficulty is that sometimes weβre talking about peopleβs lives and we canβt discuss their personal terms, the same way you wouldnβt expect your company to publicise your personal information. Weβre aware of the Sagna interview- and this sort of interview usually seems to come out in an international week- and for something like that weβll first contact the player to see how accurate it is. We checked with Bac and he indicated it (The LβEquipe interview) was an accurate reflection of what he said.
Itβs a shame it came out when it did, because there was no Friday press conference for Arsene Wenger that week for him to be asked about it and update. But issues such as this are dealt with by the manager; itβs not right for Comms to step in on these things because itβs about an individualβs views. We work very hard with players about how to deal with the media and 90% of the time, they are great ambassadors.
Giroud subbed so nothing left in that game.
Ollie,
I too was hoping we would have signed Capoue. Not as a striker but good for him.
I’ll be glad to get him in January.
did cvc really come off with an injury? i see soccernet reporting it as a tactical sub.
i love the last question of that interview, ollie:
Q9) I always hear from the club, every year, that Arsene Wenger is not limited in what he can spend. Yet every year we turn over profit in the transfer market. Iβm tired of the bullshit we hear from the club, when is someone going to tell the truth?
MG: There is money available to Arsene, no money leaves the club. But he doesnβt spend for the sake of it or just to get a headline. Youβve heard him say he will spend if he sees quality. We back his judgement on that. If you look at the market you see there wasnβt much movement overall. The money is still there, it hasnβt gone anywhere. Arsene is qualified to make that judgement.
so the truth is…it’s on arsene to spend or not. straight from the horse’s mouth (again).
oooh, how the hellbeck did he miss *that*?
Tactical injury, scruz. Organised by Old Purple Nose.
Mind if I do the usual?
lumpard. 1-1
oh, and maybe tabs’?
Yeah Frank, England tie it up!
The game has come alive with pace.
Fat frank with the peno. I didn’t even know he was playing
gotcha, thanks ollie. an injury to his gum-chewing muscle.
stevie “second yella” g.
or maybe stevie geredcard.
Note to zico and scruz: x01 doesn’t count if it’s not meant as an attempted shot at goal…..
abb: fuck Frank (not literally, of course).
However, scruz, I believe your 200 is somewhat unique: a “‘holicgoal” coinciding with the report of a real goal, be it for some cunty team, must be a first, surely?
Well glad you clarified that Ollie (smiling devilishly). The last 10 minutes have been fireworks!
Interesting that it is mostly the Americans in the bar that are commenting on the England game.
fair enough re 01, ollie. and i haven’t seen the ‘holicgoal/live goal double, but that’s not to say it hasn’t happened.
i wonder if a ‘holicard/live card has ever happened? must ask those who self-assist.
We have to suffer the tabloid reports in coming days, having seen the build up.
And our Correspondent in France
Norcal, I don’t think Euro holics (cept GB) can see the game, might be wrong.
saf time added on?
no, not quite. thought they’d add on just enough to get england a goal.
abb, late lunchtime here, back to work now. monthly billing for the business is due to the accounting department.
NorCal, I’m not exactly commenting on the England game, am I? :s
Especially as I’m not watching it.
Think I will give the international review a miss tomorrow night. Time for another history piece, methinks.
Scruz, I gotta get ready for work, myself. Then the next 3 days off, whoopee. Ollie @ 193 Good contribution, very timely. Enjoyed it.
Sounds a lot more appealing to me, ‘holic!
Ollie – Just a bit overwhelmed with school work, that’s all.
If y’all want me to take over IG’s job, I gotta study hard π
Capoue!!!!! <3
Good luck with all that work, Snir! Hope you get that job eventually π
nice, abb. enjoy the time.
btw, as at least a temporary floridian, have you ever read carl hiassen or john d. macdonald books? particularly the latter’s travis mcgee series?
‘holic, i’d love to hear another history piece. got any about an “early season turning point game” when we slaughtered a team at the foot of the league?
Just a small update –
Wenger about Diaby : “His muscular problem is very small. He has serious chance to be ready for the next game” #France #AFC
A history piece, bring it on! Cause I have plenty of time to do my homework. Good nite all you scholars.
Hi Snir! No scruz, should I? Now must get READY!
Dear Usual Suspects:
Much to the relief of the Metropolitan riot police, North London will be a Feelgood-free zone on Saturday.
An embryonic plan is in place for the champions league night when the Greeks come to town, but in order for this plan not to be still-born, it will require a heady mixture of witchcraft and deception (and that’s just to meet the absence requirements with Rox).
abb, at least the travis mcgee stuff. fascinating progress of south florida from the early 60s to the mid-80s, including lots of contemplation of the changes. not to mention cracking stories with lots of excitement and twists…
Hey zico, if we have any clever sods, computeristically, at The Tollie on Saturday, how about us all singing “We want our Zico back” for Roxette, which we could put up on YouTube.
She couldn’t deny you then, surely ….. π
Sorry I do not share your optimism Tabs & Co.
For me any player who says that if they don’t get their chance will be off should just spare us the wait and just be off. Period.
Everything else is irrelevant in my book , because all players on the fringes have to work to get into the first team. Just like our other breakthrough players. Just ask Jack.
Did anyone say if Diaby gets injured Coquelin will get a chance? Well I hope not. But if he does well well called upon then we can talk. But for now he needs to do his talking on the pitch, consistently.
But as I said, I think the boy is nice in an Arsenal shirt.
Ollie,
I guess you were more commenting on the comments.
Cheers
Hope Abou is really only slightly crocked and wil be available soon. With jack and TR7 still on the mends We need him.
Aaron to play in his spot if he is out against Southampton?
Just back at the bar.Well I told you so @180 that Lampard has his (sole) use
Ukraine deserved to win because they went down better under the high arms, Ox and not so Cleverly were playing in the wrong positions, and overall our guys werent playing as a team – yuk
Good night folks
scruz, I have read and enjoyed one of Carl Hiassen’s novels. “Strip Tease” I think, having checked the titles online. I would recommend them to anybody who enjoys the comic detective genre, and I will probably be reading another one of them soon. π
Well that’s strange: Heard RvP was injured and was disappointed when I read that it was not too serious. Seems my love is as superficial as the rest of you Holics..
π
‘Holic & holics –
Good to be back on the grid. But (in response to various drinks above) surely we are better people than to wish injury on a player (including the Dutch Bloke)…
just sayin’ like.
BMBD.
Well, Lonestar, in my case that depends on the mood I’m in. Sometimes I might say one thing and sometimes I might say the other. But writing in a blog makes me “say” some things I normally wouldn’t, like I want Cunty Van Cunty to get a career ending injury. π
Fair enough, 8ball – I just think we here in this small corner of the “Internets” can stand above the fray…
just trying to appeal to our better natures.
BMBD.
Good Man Lonestar π
GT@238: this.
She couldn’t deny you then, surely
As long as I get to wear the paper bag, this time π
Surely we can wish injury to his arrogant cock, can’t we? It’s not like it’s going to affect his game anyway. Or may be it will? π
‘Morning all,
I very much agree with Lonestar above regarding van Persie. That said, my reaction to early news that he’d been injured playing for Holland was more vague satisfaction that he’d reverted to his usual injury record, than sympathy for a fellow human being and a vague hope that he’d soon recover.
Is there an interdull shortly before we play Manyoo? Sufficiently close that He Who Must Not Be Named might still be in recovery?
COYG ICDDR
Nothing wrong with wishing CvC an injury. It doesn’t have to be horrible, he doesn’t have to be in agony; just enough to make him fell trapped in Manchester, with no mates, and not being able to play football π
I’m pretty sure the US aren’t the nation that treat traitors the most lightly π
http://www.francefootball.fr/#!/news/2012/09/12/084842_6-jours-d-arret-pour-diaby.html
This says Diaby must rest for 6 days, so not available this weekend, might be back for Montpellier.
It also says it’s the knee.
Ollie – So he will be available for the weekend, if he rests from his last match which was Friday against Finland π
But please tell me why Deschamps played Mavuba, Capoue, and Cabaye in the midfield three?
No creative force whatsoever.
And I have just watched Giroud’s performance (stopped watching the game when he got subbed), and he’s magnificent.
He’s our Mario Gomez.
His movement, link up play, play with back to goal, play in the air, first touch, and shot is all of very high level.
The chance he set up for Cabaye in the box, was so simple, yet so clever.
Snir, can I just answer your question with something contained in it:
Deschamps π (aka water-carrier dwarf cunt)
@249: Lovely description Ollie π
Hoping Diaby recovers quickly. If he doesn’t I wouldn’t be unhappy if Le Coq came in and Arteta focused on working with Cazorla in a creative role or something.
I can’t wait for Giroud to score so I can unleash my crap songs on the world btw…
So, who thinks Giroud is going to score on Saturday?
I was thinking about that yesterday (on the arses), CoR, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m quite happy to see Arteta continue in his current role.
And not wanting to read in his mind, but I suspect Arsène would be happy about that too.
I can see Ox or Ramsey starting instead of Diaby, and (especially if it’s the first option) Gervinho being restored to the starting line-up.
Ollie knows.
Harsha @251
Well I definately think he should. No need to freeze up. He should maybe defrost before the game starts. π
Boom boom!
COR @250 –
I definitely agree! π
SR
In addition, O.G put in some great performances for Montpelier last season. He has great presence and ability, albeit being a lesser regarded league!
Afternoon all.
I resolve to attend the bar more frequently after a summer of general laziness.
You lucky lucky bastards. π
Oh come on boys, lighten up.
No-one was really wishing serious injury on CvC. No-one, as far as I am aware, is hoping that his shin gets broken in two by a Shawcross or his ankle obliterated by a Dan Smith.
Injuries are however part and parcel of the game, and if he picks up a niggly hamstring that limits both his playing time and his effectiveness for Yanited, then I for one am not prepared to suppress a smug smile. I might even break into a giggle.
There is a huge difference between “wishing” someone an injury and having a light-hearted chuckle when it is reported that CvC has suffered what sounds like nothing more than a dead leg.
3 weeks out please. If that makes me a bad person, so be it.
LG @235 – I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment about player injuries but like GT and OG my reaction to the news that he might be injured was unquestionably happiness. One of those weird feelings where you know you shouldn’t be happy but you can’t help feeling that way. Very confusing.
Ollie @ 246 – I think reports on arseblog are that it’s the hip. Definitely worth resting him on Sat to save him for Tue if there is any question which I’m sure AW will do.
I know there’s confusion about the Andy Gorams sometimes, but I need to reassure people that 253 isn’t self-promotion π
I know there is/are Montpelier in the US, but the French one is Montpellier….
Bearded, first it was muscular, than FF said the knee, and now you’re mentioning the hip.
Sadly, it sounds to me like a typical Diaby injury π
As for knowing I shouldn’t be happy, nope, I know I should be happy and I am. Only slightly unhappy because I suspect it won’t keep him out for even one United game.
Re: Andy Goram @243: How would you know that about Ollie? π
Very true Ollie. Diaby most likely injured his hip from walking with an injured knee which he injured from walking with an injured ankle. Either way fingers crossed the talk that it isn’t serious is actually true this time.
Goonertown @230,
Fair enough, that’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. All I will say in response though is that I’m rather pleased that you are not the Arsenal manager.
If your rather “black and white” regimented views on what players may and may not say had been in operation these last few years, Szczesny would have been sold before playing a Premiership game, Jack would have been sold rather than loaned before his Arsenal career had left the starting gate, and Theo would have been put up for sale pretty much every season from 2006 to 2010.
Ollie, 8Ball and Bearded,
You are both cordially invited to a “CvC muscular strain” Party. I will release full details if and when CvC’s absence from Purple Nose’s line-up is confirmed.
I will provide party poppers, vodka jelly and whistles. I am however only prepared to bring out the Party games if his absence is confirmed as “lengthy”.
Great stuff, tabs.
I was 22 and standing on the North Bank Highbury when 96 innocent football fans who happened to support Liverpool FC were crushed to death at Hillsborough. At the time everyone I knew who like me stood on overcrowded terraces and were herded by police like cattle week after week thought it could just as just as easily have been us. It has taken 23 years for the inquiry to prove what we knew all along, the police and their lack of leadership were the primary cause for the disaster and not the fans who had simply gone to see an FA Cup Semi Final in Sheffield. Shame on the police, the government, the Sun newspaper and all of those who jumped to all of the wrong conclusions.
It seems so long ago now, I hope this brings some measure of peace to the families of those who died and the survivors of the saddest day I can recall.
What I am reading elsewhere is quite spectacular indeed, Tim.
tabs@258: amen to that, brother. Exactly how I see it too.
Only two sleeps ’til London now…
Oh crap, I’ve been so busy with work today that I’ve completely forgotten to follow the Hillsborough stuff. Must be off to catch up now on what has been revealed!
Tabs. In line with the accepted morality of the day, I hereby reduce “career ending” to “three weeks’ duration” so long as the object is a party. π
Sorry for popping in and out of the bar lads and laddettes but loads of meetings these days.
Tim, do you have a link for the Hillsborough inquiry results/findings?
Or point me in the right direction to find stuff on my own?
Thank tabs. I am no longer conflicted in my feelings. The possibility of a party really trumps all.
CoR, try this one:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/sep/12/hillsborough-disaster-report-panel-released-live
The Guardian have extensive live coverage
Ollie @252 – “Gervinho being restored to the starting line up”.
Left me wondering exactly how players are restored to the line up.
Does this involve some sort of rubbing down and polishing ?
If so, it sounds like a job for Wolfie. Maybe we should reupholster them too – just to make sure they are completely recovered. π
Tabs – agreed on Coquelin and RvP knack.
Coquelin has not criticised the club, the manager or the other players.
He has simply given an interview, in his home country, expressing a need to play, and at 22 years of age it is hard to see how that can be disputed.
As regards RvP knack, in my job I cannot honestly wish harm on anyone, and I don’t think anyone has here either.
I din’t want anyone badly hurt, especially someone with a wife and two young children.
But let’s just say that a mysterious hamstring niggle that refuses to clear up for a few months would be deliciously ironic. π
As someone who could have been quite innocently injured by charging horses and fire crackers at Heysel Stadium – vs Valencia – and who has beencarried out of Highbury without touching the ground a few times, it is clear that fans all fans are not always to blame for troubles at football matches.
In case any of them drop in here, I hope, for whatever it is worth, that those affected by Hillsborough can now find some kind of closure after many years of false accusations.
I have had a few brushes with Liverpool fans at away grounds, and they have all been good natured.
Thanks for the info Lars and Tim, will get myself up to date in a few hours. What I spotted is shocking but my eyes are too tired from staring at the computer all day to read this at the moment…
At least the truth is now coming to light
Well, that took a while, but I think I’m pretty much in the know again when it comes to things in the Goonerverse. I thought I missed a great deal and it certainly took ages to wade through but when all digested it wasn’t really that much at all.
I skipped all the transfer deadline bollox, because there’s never really much in that and in the end no one came in anyway which really didn’t surprise me in the slightest. I am however pretty baffled by the whole Theo situation, as far as I can gather his reps are playing hardball, Arsenal have called their bluff and Theo “Loves the club”, all well and good, but with the transfer window closed we now have a player who around Christmas time can negoatiate a deal for more cash (because in the end the bottom line is the bottom line) somewhere else. No matter what your opinion is on young Mr Walcott, and he does divide opinion like no other, this seems to me to be a major gaff on the clubs part, if he wanted to stay he surely would have signed already, this has obviously not happened so we should of flogged him to L’pool who love to pay over the odds for anyone with a British heritage.
Personally, losing Theo would probably register a slight, Meh, on my give-a-fuckometre, don’t get me wrong, I like the kid, but behalf from his pace the only thing he’s really got going for him is his boy next door Englishness, but in the world of global football that doesn’t mean shit. Still if he does decide to swallow his pride and sign on the dotted line for a paltry 75G a week then I hope he shows a bit of an improvement and a lot more then “consistancy in patches”.
The other thing that has taken up a lot of column inches over the last few days are reactions to what some players have said in the press. This, like the transfer guff, seems to all have been blown up way out of proportion. I can see nothing wrong with what Sagna or Le Coq has said. The former stated things that many of us have also questioned, surely he has the right to question these decisions too? If we on the outside are baffled by them and expect someone to come out and explain them, then how do you think someone on the inside feels?
As for the Coq talk, all that shows is that the lad has ambition and wants to play, how can that be a bad thing? I want every member of our squad to be like him, chomping at the bit to get in, good luck to him.
As for the actual football, I’ve seen nothing from the Mordor encounter but last night at 2:55 the away game at Klanfield was televised in it’s entirity, I managed to stay awake for most of it and liked what I saw. We do still look like a work in progress but the signs are encouraging. We defend much better as a unit, Diaby looked good, Arteta brilliant, TV5 doing a good solid captains job and not desserting his post and the BFG made some absolutly briliant tackles, even with the threat of the totally unwaranted yellow card hanging over him he never shirked away from his duties.
As for the new lads I was impressed with them all, Poldi got off the mark well, Carzola looked more then decent, he could be a legend and has already forged a decent understanding with those around him. Giroud does a lot of good things off the ball, his time willl come. Also quite satisfying in a Schaudenfraude way was the contribution, actually lack of, from the signing that never was. The so called worldclass Turkish Madridilian, the must have accessory that many craved for showed the square root of buggar all, I’d hardly noticed he was on the pitch untill he was substituded. It seems a whole lot of knickers have been unnecessarily twisted over him.
So, three games in and we’re unbeaten, two of our new additions are off the mark and our goalline has yet to be penetrated, that’s not too bad is it? Next up the Saints, who seem to have given both the Manc teams a run for their money, but they’re cunts and we’re great so victory should be ours.
Up The Arse.
Afternoon All
Tremendous Trev triple there. Total TS amicable agreement. Tipple?
This post was brought to you by the letters T & A
Trev, good stuff for the stone.
Tabs, Wolfie would have been in his element especially in Sharm, Speedo clad Italians in every direction, our Southern European bretheren sure do love their bananahamocks, shame they’re such a bunch of mannerless, loud, uncouth peasants, it was scandelous how they treated the staff, who were as friendly and hospitable as in any country I’ve ever been.
Apologies to any fellow ‘holics of Italian origin, but those people were disgraceful.
I too would never wish an injury on anyone, but if a certain chocalate leg ended up looking like a curly-wurly……………….
272: three weeks and renewable by not-necessarily-mutual consent π
277: heh
Tim, Thanks for bringing us this update. Liverpool FC is the only other Club in the PL, that I hope to someday visit. Solely to pay respect to those victims. Can’t imagine the hell the surviving parents went through, claiming the remains of their children. Trev, you said it best, and I hope so too. When it comes to disasters, we place our trust in our leaders. But as we have seen in this case, as well as Hurricane Katrina and the Japanese Tsunami in 2011, mistakes are made, and cover ups ensue. Poor planning and inept emergency response, are bad enough. But to blame the victims, goes beyond the pale.
As others have mentioned, Today is the day that the much awaited Hillsborough Independent Panel Report will finally arrive. It is to be hoped that 23 years after the dreadful events on that Sheffield terrace, a Truth will belatedly and definitively emerge that will finally provide some comfort to not just the relatives of the 96 that were lost that day (although that must always remain the priority), but also to others- fellow fans, ordinary Police Officers, members of the Emergency Services – caught up in the horrific events of that sun-filled spring afternoon.
It is to be hoped that the Report will shame those who were ultimately responsible for what occurred and who sought to abdicate that responsibility with a hastily cobbled and disingenuous narrative of Football Hooliganism designed to deflect all lines of enquiry from where it was most required.
It will hopefully show that the former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield of South Yorkshire Police, together with all his cronies, was willing to sacrifice any notion of factual accuracy at the altar of preserving their reputations (and pensions), and that he should rightfully and finally be held to account.
It should also shine a light on the failure of the Government of the day to understand in any meaningful way that the vast majority of football fans were simply ordinary people whose pastime and passion happened to be watching 22 men kick a ball around, and that the vast vast majority were not an uncontrollable underclass intent on violence and in need of identity cards that the Government increasingly and desperately sought to depict. Presented with an easy scapegoat for the catastrophic blunders that were made, Decision-makers were only too willing to indulge the amalgam of bare-faced lies, offensive innuendo, and self-interested propaganda that came to characterize a version of events which still holds sway in some quarters.
Let us hope also that the Report will castigate the disgustingly vile Kelvin Mackenzie, then editor of The Sun, who to this day continues to absolve himself of any responsibility in the lies that were subsequently disseminated by his Paper in the tragedy’s aftermath, and who even now seems intent on maximizing every opportunity to pick at the open sore that his βworkβ created.
I was at Highbury that day, stood under the roof in my normal spot in the North Bank. Word soon got round via those with transistor radios that the game up at Hillsborough had been delayed as a result of “crowd trouble”. It took some time for further word to spread that there may have been fatalities, and that the trouble was far more serious than the usual and regular reports of tribal scuffles that were seemingly part and parcel of a weekendβs football in those days.
It was however only when I got home, cheered by our 1-0 win over Newcastle, that I became aware of the full scale of the horror, as BBC1 continued to broadcast live from the stadium. It affected me in a way that no other football disaster has done, either before or since. It is especially horrifying because most football fans who stood at games during the seventies and eighties can identify, at least in a small way, with the beginnings of what ultimately took so many lives.
Avenell Rd, the narrow victorian street which contained the entrance to the North Bank that I used, often struggled to cope with the weight of people trying to access the Stadium through antiquated turnstiles. The crush became particularly pronounced on big Evening games when the rush to get to the game after a dayβs work replaced the natural stagger of a Saturday afternoon. These crushes were generally, and thankfully, only transitory. On one occasion however, a seasonβs opener against Southampton on a Tuesday night, the crush to get into the ground to make kick off became overwhelming. I was in the middle of that crush. At least 2 people that I saw passed out,and the air was filled with the cries of children and the panic-stricken screams of adults who knew that any sense of control had been lost. The moment only lasted for perhaps 3 minutes before word reached those at the back to stop pushing and the crush eased, but the danger had been real and very frightening.The proximity of a mounted Policeman gave reassurance that the authorities were close by and were there to prevent any real danger escalating.They knew what they were doing right? They didnβt. They were winging it , quite literally on a horse and a prayer.
Hillsborough was the day when all those chickens came home to roost. You can only blag it for so long before you are found out.It was a day when the Policeβs institutional conditioning that crowd control should always be prioritized at the expense of crowd safety combined with the paralyzing complacency of an FA, whose torpor had designated Hillsborough suitable for a semi final, to readily provide the conditions for disaster. The only real surprise was that it hadnβt happened before.
In fact it had. Tottenham fans will tell you of a terrifying crush which occurred at the Leppings Lane end in their semi-final vs Wolves in 1981. Disaster was only narrowly averted when the gates to the fencing were opened and approximately 500 spurs fans watched the rest of the game from the touchlines. The FA had 8 years warning. 8 fucking years!
Instead they continued to bury their heads in the sand, continued to build their cages, and continued to treat football fans as animals. They were, to a man, unfit for purpose, and ultimately people paid for that incompetence with their lives.
Football has of course moved on. We now all sit in our shiny new seats in all seater stadia built following the recommendations of The Taylor Report and the money that has subsequently flowed into the game following the implementation of Taylorβs proposals.
It should not however be forgotten that that change has only been brought about on the back of the loss of 96 lives, people whose only fault was to arrive at the ground early enough to secure a place in the central pens behind the goal. Their enthusiasm for the game, not their drunkenness nor their hooliganism, thus sealed their fate.
Hillsborough is terrifying because its victims might have been me, you, or anyone who attended football at that time. It is shaming because of the systemic refusal on the part of the authorities to shoulder responsibility, and it is deeply moving because of the harrowing way in which each of its victims met their fate and the individual and ordinary stories that lay behind each and every one of them.
I hope the Report allows the families of those who died some measure of comfort, and that finally the State has the courage to do the right thing.
As Holic says, everybody should come home from a day at the Football.
What.
A.
Post.
Eloquent as ever. Cheers, tabs!
Morning all,
Tabs FANtastic at 288
In completely different news, my boss has just sent me a picture of somewhere desertic, asking me if that interests me.
I have strictly no idea where this is, but I suspect that means the possibiility of me travelling somewhere exotic for work…..
I don’t think there’s anywhere like that in proximity of London though, so game-attending might be difficult for the required duration….
takeabowson, take a bow son.
Utterly Magnificent Tabs. Every word of it…!
Dear Tabs & Co
I’m getting a little tired of repeating myself.
I do not recall reading anywhere that Jack said he needs this and that prior to breaking in to the first team. I’m sure you can prove me wrong, or not, whatever the case may be.
I will give you Shezzer because he did say that, after returning on loan from Brentford, at a time when we needed a new keeper. His comments were granted.
If I were Arsenal Manger I would say the following (pay attention):
If Coquelin is referring to going out on loan then on loan he should go. However, he should hang on and rotate within the first team. He is not a starter, but if he is patient he will get his chance. Just like players do at other big clubs.
Okay, hope that is clear now.
Over to you!
π
Cheers for the kind ones all.
Can’t wait til the premier league resumes on Sat
Goonertown @295
I shall say this only once more, so pay attention.
I…don’t…agree…with…you.
Is that allowed?
*a swift distribution out to Gibbsy by Vito ” I have clean sheets” Mannone*
Oh go on then…
Tabs, We need more people like you, in public service. Proud of you mate.
A shot off of Abou’s hip, knee or ankle muscle.
Tabs @ 297
…And I shall say this in a black and white regimented way so that those with a a qualification in English can understand…I’m right!
Thanks Abb, and well in!
NorCal, there is glory in the Tabs position, so well in too π
That is of course your opinion Goonertown, but your assertion might carry more weight if anyone had agreed with you.
Tabs
There is no need to be immature!
Don’t get yourself worked up. It doesnβt suit your style of type.
@258 Not weeks. Months please. It doesn’t have to be a serious injury, just a succession of niggly ones that leads to a sustained period out before he can play again.
Then hopefully he can do his hammy after 45 minutes and sit out the rest of the season with things like chilblains, mumps and ingrowing hairs on his balls.
Goonertown, give it up eh.
Nonny, I’ll go with that.
Nurse! Nurse!
All of Abou’s (and my) glory is once again taken by the medical staff…
Well in ABB.
Cheers TABS, my delay was caused by trying to really figure out which part of Diaby’s body is injured. Does he even know? Or is he so used to being crocked that his whole body hurts? I do suggest that he stays away from Theo.
I just want RVP long enough to expose Utd and to wind up old Red Nose!
Ah happy dayz!
Tabs
How inconsiderate of you! π
And for the record, I do not create arguments to get a reaction seeing nobody agrees/disagrees gives a shite! (to one and all)
It’s a long season mate! π
Hey Norcal. Have you bought us some sunshine? Just want everyone to feel like they are basking in the rays, without a care in the world…if only for a little bit. Hear the sea gulls. Feel the warm sand caressing your toes. Listening to the Beach Boys singing. Taking a dip in the cool refreshing water, tasting the salt on their lips. Girl watching, the itsy bitsy yellow polko dot bikini. Enjoy mates.
Excellent post TaBs.
I too remember a few hairy moments way back when. At Wembley against Wet Spam I almost went over the balcony after a push forward hurled me down about twenty steps, a few times at Highbury when it was a little too full for comfort, (Charlie Nicks debuet springs to mind) and a complete nightmare in the Shelf at Shite Hart Lane when I spent the whole 90 minutes fighting for breath as crush after crush had us (me and two mates) pinned in against the crushbarriers and later the fences.
I also remember the Mounted Police charges when without regard for anyones safety they’d charge through supporters at full gallop knocking many flying. A horse and a prayer indeed.
Cheers H2H.
Agree with you. It is easy to look back at the past through rose-tinted glasses, but much of what occurred back in the day, such as those things you describe, should not be missed.
tabs @ 288.
bravo.
you must be either an orator, or a writer.
or should be.
Tabs….a posting of the highest order. How shocking your most eloquent prose describes a shameful cover up of mis-mangement by those in authority. May the families receive some peace at long last.
Well in abb!
Well assisted, tabs!
On a somewhat different note, hereΒ΄s the line up for tonights NextGen game…
Groover β@GrooverBlog
Arsenal U21 : Charles-Cook, Bellerin, Monteiro, Hajrovic, Angha, Jeffrey, Hayden, Ebecilio, Eisfeld, Gnabry, Akpom.
More goals for Gnabry and Eisfeld? I read that ESPN were going to be covering this tournament. Wish theyΒ΄d hurry up and do so!
Predictions, anyone?
Tabs @ 288
Probably the best post I’ve ever read on a football blog. Absolutely spot on from start to finish.
It could have been any of us, and the lies and smears which followed the disaster were far, far worse than the already criminal ineptitude and negligence which lead to it.
Today should be just the start – those who were responsible (including Duckenfield and the execrable MacKenzie) must be held to account.
JFT96.
H2H, with you there…at many big games in the 60s & 70s the crush was just about containable and occasionally outside ground the Met Police were doing their charge of the light brigade impersonations. In resect of safety & comfort at premier football games, it’s a “brand new world” we now inhabit & the atmosphere is somewhat more genteel. Now that will open an old can of worms π
A belated hi abb and congrats on the 300.
Brilliant post Tabs.
Streams are available for the next gen match
http://www.thefirstrow.eu/watch/140268/1/watch-olympiacos-piraeus-vs-arsenal—youth.html
turn the sound down unless you understand ” Bubble and Squeak”
First of all ..excellent post tabs, hats off, and secondly …we are yet again linked with Drogba? Are these people for real? Just looking at his wage should be wake up call for everyone that we are just not going to sign him, not thinking about the doubt of his abilities in this very moment too.
I always rated him as he did some fantastic job for Chelski on many occassions and I vaguely remember that Arsene was after signing him too, but I just dont see (and want) him playing for us …ever.
Thank you for your kind words all.
The official Report is here if you wish to read it.
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1213/hc05/0581/0581.pdf
tabs,
Post par excellence.
I was stood on the terraces of Dens Park that day, horrified as the news came through.
As a great man has repeatedly said, people should ALWAYS come home from the football.
@tabs 28
great post
@ H2H
No matter what your opinion is on young Mr Walcott, and he does divide opinion like no other, this seems to me to be a major gaff on the clubs part, if he wanted to stay he surely would have signed already, this has obviously not happened so we should of flogged him to Lβpool who love to pay over the odds for anyone with a British heritage.
Perhaps they didn’t want to lose yet another established player. Maybe they didn’t have a replacement. Perhaps they believe he will in the end sign.
@ tabs, Trev, H2H
They can bat questions away if it suits them. Exhibit 1, AOC’s response to questions about his contract.
None of them have said anything evil, but they’ve said it in public, which is the issue. Remember all those people who said the greedy badger was only expressing what some fans think? Again, doing it in public was the point. No comparison in the seriousness of the offence, obviously.
With Sagna, it’s all about the contract negotiation and he should keep it private. Coquelin says if he doesn’t get his chance by Christmas, he’ll ask to leave. He’s only 21, the frustration is understandable, but better to channel that energy into training, or just ask Le Boss what it is that he needs to see from you.
***
Bad luck baby gooners – but at least they were not dominated the way we have dominated other teams at home.
Somebody’s going all smashey and nicey? Don’t look at me. π
Thanks Dr Z.
Cheers Fun. Still don’t agree with you on Sagna or Coquelin though for the reasons already expressed π
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
@ 327 tabs
oh, well, abb agrees with me and that’s the main thing. π
But I think you miss the point. Players shouldn’t come out with these things because it lays the club open to damaging speculation. My belief is that when a player says stuff like Bac and Le Coq did to a journalist, he is trying to put pressure on the club or the manager. The media love the contract rebel narrative, they like to feed the notion that our contractual renewals are a shambles, speculate about who is leaving next, etc etc. We don’t need the instability that causes. Like I said, it doesn’t make them evil, but they shouldn’t do it.
Where is the speculation about AOC? There isn’t any, because of the way he answered the questions about his contract negotiations.
Dear All
I was at Hillsborough in the Leppings Lane end as a 19 year old with 2 mates one of who fainted early in the first half in the crush. The two of us spent the rest of the match holding onto him.
I also very clearly remember people, mostly kids, being passed into the upper tier by parents terrified for their safety. It is inconceivable that this did not replicate itself semi final after semi final as the games organisers forced roughly the same number of fans in an end about a quarter of the size of the large open terrace opposite.
But this was the early seventies when we were all treated like dirt by the police with the clubs not far behind in terms of facilities and crowd safety whose sole interest was keeping a lid on any trouble and taking our money.
Gooners of mine and holics generation will also remenber the ‘football specials’ taking us to away matches. These were cheap but also the oldest rolling stock available which were more or less falling apart and unheated in the dead of winter.
I suppose my point really is that we were treated as a lower form of life by the authorities and the people who had complete control of the environment in which we watched football. Consequently little or no thought was given to our safety and general wellbeing which made what happened to those poor Liverpool fans not just a disaster waiting to happen but an historical inevitability.