The British & Irish Football Thread

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Burnley playing much better now. I still think you will edge it Geoff. I will go for 1-0

I think it'll be 1-0...to Burnley. Palace just don't have the edge to overcome such nuggety sides as this, I'd actually be overjoyed with a 0-0 as at least we'd have kept a clean sheet!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

They say (at least the ones that we have broadcasting here in the U.S.) that your whole organization (scouting, commitment, etc.) needs a reorganization otherwise you’ll be spending a lot of time in the lower league. In other words, Moyes is not necessarily thee root cause….it’s much deeper than that. What thinks the Sunderland fans?

It goes much much deeper. When Nial Quinn arrived here with his Consortium it was with the idea of becoming established, getting the finances sorted and building foundations that would last for decades. Quinny suffered from the demands of the job and left us with a new owner who is worth billions and the wheels were in motion to maintain things.

Oh dear, how it failed. Ellis's Short, IMO, doesn't understand the game. It would have been wise to surround himself with people that do but instead we have made bad decisions across the whole club in the last several years. Investment has been there but the wrong signings were made. The Di Canio era was an absolute disaster with 'Director Of Football' De Fanti brought in to oversee several top signings
Those signings (Seven of them) hardly featured and looked like they were lost in this league. All big wages as well. That period really put us in the shit and I understand (hearsay) we are still paying some of those fees now in terms of add-ons and stalled payments.
Add to that the fact that we paid over 30 million for 3 of our current midfield (Khazri, Rodwell and N'Dong) who look about as useful as a chocolate fire guard and you begin to see just how deep our problems lie. Money spent on the wrong players at the wrong time is a theme that has ran throughout our 10 year stay in the top flight.
Don't forget the Alvarez signing. A player we got on loan who was pretty much useless. The problem was, we agreed a fee based on if we stayed up that year I understand. Meaning we landed ourselves with a donkey for 8 million. Now, he got injured before his loan was up so now there is a legal battle going on. That's all I am saying on that one.
Add to that the Adam Johnson fiasco and (in my opinion) how fans were deceived by the club and we have the fiasco that is SAFC.

By the way, we had loans in that did a great job, the best being Danny Rose. He would have signed for us but instead he was allowed to back to Spurs, he is now an England regular and a part of a very good Sputs side. It's just bloody comical.
There is so much more than that, but I would be on all night if I was to go any further.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I think it'll be 1-0...to Burnley. Palace just don't have the edge to overcome such nuggety sides as this, I'd actually be overjoyed with a 0-0 as at least we'd have kept a clean sheet!

Score draw and that's what is going down on my coupon.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I feel you guys should have parked the bus after leveling the score. Arsenal’s quality was just too much for your boys. Good news about Nissan though.

I felt the opposite mate. So did Nial Quinn. We scored the penalty and sheepishly ran back to the centre circle. Where are the leaders? Where is the pressure on Arsenal. We just retreated back into our shells and bang!

We need leaders, we need footballers not little boys like (IMO) Rodwell.
We want players we can get behind. In our history Penton Man, teams have collapsed at our ground when we get behind the team as they drive on. The famous 'Roker Roar'. Yesterday, Arsenal were allowed to play at will, there was no one snapping at their heels, no one taking responsibility, no pride, no passion. THAT is unforgivable, we forgive everything else but not that!

Of course Arsenal are a class act but watch that first goal if you get the chance again. 20 odd passes and watch our players. Tell me what you think.

I'm sorry for the rant, but I'm still fuming.

Thanks for the kind words about Nissan. This part of the world needs some good news at the moment.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

It goes much much deeper....

Will read later .
Our group ride got delayed due to the rain....yeah, it rains here too...once in a blue moon. Gotta suit up.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Will read later .
Our group ride got delayed due to the rain....yeah, it rains here too...once in a blue moon. Gotta suit up.

On ya bike!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Will read later .
Our group ride got delayed due to the rain....yeah, it rains here too...once in a blue moon. Gotta suit up.

On ya bike! keep safe man.

[Penton-Man]

Read it all now, good stuff . One question re: -

Originally Posted by Steedeel

In our history Penton Man, teams have collapsed at our ground when we get behind the team as they drive on. The famous 'Roker Roar'.

what is Roker Roar? have any audio or YouTube clip?

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

On ya bike! keep safe man.

It extended into the night. Our helmet lights came in handy.
Sort of like a night dive for those scuba divers out there.

Any day/night that nobody gets hurt is a good day. Sitting down now to watch the Everton and Southampton matches.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Read it all now, good stuff . One question re: -

what is Roker Roar? have any audio or YouTube clip?

It never translates video wise Penton Man, it was more of a 'experience it live' thing. Back in the days of Roker Park (our old, rundown but incredibly atmospheric ground) we were known for our battle cry which could be heard for miles (we have constant blowing winds on the coast) it was a huge show of encouragement for the team which was just as loud for a great 50/50 tackle as it was for a goal. Rival managers, players and other visiting staff all commented about it and we became known for it around football circles.

Defoe said he got a taste for it when he scored the winner against Everton to keep us up.

Basically, it acted as a 12th man and once the team were charging forward and the crowd were roaring, it was a formidable combination.

Many say it has been lost since our move to the stadium. Of course, with all seating now it changes the atmosphere and we don't have the likes of Kevin Ball (club legend with the heart of a lion) now to drive the team on. The disconnect is in evidence and it's sad to see. I don't get the feeling that the team care.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

It extended into the night. Our helmet lights came in handy.
Sort of like a night dive for those scuba divers out there.

Any day/night that nobody gets hurt is a good day. Sitting down now to watch the Everton and Southampton matches.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

it was a huge show of encouragement for the team which was just as loud for a great 50/50 tackle as it was for a goal. Rival managers, players and other visiting staff all commented about it and we became known for it around football circles.

Who best epitomizes that now in the Premier League? Selhurst Park?

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Many say it has been lost since our move to the stadium.

Can someone explain to me what exactly happened at the League Cup? match with West Ham v. Chelsea? last week? The announcers here keep alluding to it but never really explained it.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Can someone explain to me what exactly happened at the League Cup? match with West Ham v. Chelsea? last week? The announcers here keep alluding to it but never really explained it.

Basically, West Ham have moved into the Olympic Stadium at Stratford but because it and indeed the surrounding area was designed for an open, all-inclusive kind of family environment it's made the segregation of opposing fans exceedingly difficult both inside and outside the ground. Add to that no cops being inside (see below) and the yobs have capitalised on it as a handy excuse to stir up some shit. And it's not the first trouble that there's been at the new stadium either, there were even some scuffles between WH's own fans earlier in the season because of people who were standing and obstructing the view of others.

At the league cup game the rival "fans" were throwing things at each other (coins, bottles, seats) then squared off on the concourse above the seats and also across the blanketed divide between the two sets of idiots, which led to loads of stewards wading in and then finally loads of cops. And get this: the Five-0 aren't actually stationed inside the arena as they would at any other footy ground because their radios won't work, and that system won't be up and running until February apparently.

It's all a bit of a mess and some people are saying the stadium isn't fit for purpose. Great for the kind of open-plan family fun of an athletics meet, but woefully inadequate to contain & control rival sets of football supporters. [edit] One suggestion is to greatly limit the amount of away supporters until it can be sorted out, which reminds me of football on the Continent where they have those same kinds of very home-centric stadia and a general lack of interest from the authorities in protecting away fans, so only the most hardcore tend to travel unlike the larger "away day" culture that exists over here.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Who best epitomizes that now in the Premier League? Selhurst Park?

Geoff will know better but I think that is just one part of the ground.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Basically, West Ham have moved into the Olympic Stadium at Stratford but because it and indeed the surrounding area was designed for an open, all-inclusive kind of family environment it's made the segregation of opposing fans exceedingly difficult both inside and outside the ground. Add to that no cops being inside (see below) and the yobs have capitalised on it as a handy excuse to stir up some shit. And it's not the first trouble that there's been at the new stadium either, there were even some scuffles between WH's own fans earlier in the season because of people who were standing and obstructing the view of others.

At the league cup game the rival "fans" were throwing things at each other (coins, bottles, seats) then squared off on the concourse above the seats and also across the blanketed divide between the two sets of idiots, which led to loads of stewards wading in and then finally loads of cops. And get this: the Five-0 aren't actually stationed inside the arena as they would at any other footy ground because their radios won't work, and that system won't be up and running until February apparently.

It's all a bit of a mess and some people are saying the stadium isn't fit for purpose. Great for the kind of open-plan family fun of an athletics meet, but woefully inadequate to contain & control rival sets of football supporters. [edit] One suggestion is to greatly limit the amount of away supporters until it can be sorted out, which reminds me of football on the Continent where they have those same kinds of very home-centric stadia and a general lack of interest from the authorities in protecting away fans, so only the most hardcore tend to travel unlike the larger "away day" culture that exists over here.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Geoff will know better but I think that is just one part of the ground.

O.K. so who has got or considered to have (by non-biased fans) overall the best park in terms of atmosphere/support for their team?

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

O.K. so who has got or considered to have (by non-biased fans) overall the best park in terms of atmosphere/support for their team?

Up until this year? Sunderland!

Oh, you said not biased?

Arsenal, Everton, Leicester and Palace!

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Geoff will know better but I think that is just one part of the ground.

Yes, the lower Holmesdale in Blocks A B and C is where the 'Ultras' inhabit (I used to have a season ticket in Block A, Row 19, seat 9 about 20 years ago) and they deffo make the most noise, but the stadium is such a small little enclosure (it's not as 'compact' as Loftus Road, mind you, that place is like a matchbox) that just a few thousand fans can seem like 10 times that number. The away fans in the Arthur Wait can also have the same kind of effect because the acoustics in there are aided by that particular stand being so deep.



But that said, the whole ground really does get involved with chants now which never used to be the case in my day, it was just us in the Holmesdale bantering back and forth with the away fans who were directly opposite in blocks Y and Z. They've now been moved to the other end of the Arthur Wait (R and S) to avoid such, ah, interaction but I have nothing but great memories of sitting there. Even when we got pelted with coins by Millwall fans I walked home with a few extra quid worth of change in my pocket.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Oh, you said not biased?

Arsenal, Everton, Leicester and Palace!

Steed, are you serious or just being kind to me? I luv thee Arsenal (at least of year’s past) but from the audio feed of the Arsenal’s home matches we get here in the states I am rather underwhelmed with the fans support.

Seriously, who has the best atmosphere in the Prem? Has anyone done any sound level tests? Also, what park is considered most ‘family oriented’ (safe). After reading Geoff’s post and receiving a PM from Tob I’m scared of ever visiting West Ham’s new ground for fear of being clueless as to where it would be safe if I were to get tickets thru some travel agency for my wife and myself.